Deer Valley Builds New Lift with Help of Chinook Helicopter
Deer Valley is moving quickly toward completing an impressive expansion project launched in 2023. This week, a Chinook helicopter airlifted 40 lift towers into place for the new East Village Express Gondola. The gondola will stretch nearly three miles from the new Deer Valley East Village to Park Peak, with a mid-station at Big Dutch.
Once complete, its 142 cabins will carry up to 3,000 skiers per hour, giving guests a fast, scenic ride to the heart of Deer Valley’s new terrain expansion. Cabins will detach from the haul rope and be stored beneath Park Peak Lodge at day’s end: protected from the elements and ready for morning laps.
A Coordinated Effort
Four crews and more than 50 workers coordinated the helicopter work. While one team guided towers into freshly set foundations, others installed cross arms and sheave assemblies, preparing the haul rope’s future path. The Chinook reportedly cut weeks from what would have been a grueling installation process from the ground.
The East Village Express is only part of the picture. By the 2025–26 winter season, Deer Valley will unveil 10 new chairlifts, 100 new ski runs, and more than double its skiable acreage, making it the largest expansion in the resort’s history. The buildout expands the existing resort area to the east, giving skiers more options and ways to move across the ski area.
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Mayflower Becomes Deer Valley
The East Village development, anchored by the gondola, lies at the center of the massive project. In 2023, Alterra Mountain Company and Extell Development Company announced they would join forces to fold Mayflower's terrain into the Deer Valley brand. The plan includes not just new lifts and trails, but also a full-service base village, luxury lodging, and slope-side amenities that mirror Deer Valley’s high-end reputation. The deal also means Mayflower is joining the ski-only club. No snowboarding at Deer Valley = no snowboarding at Mayflower.
When the lifts fire up on opening day, Deer Valley will have a new footprint. From high-speed laps to intimate tree-skiing, the resort's offerings have expanded dramatically. For now, the sight of a twin-rotor helicopter swinging steel through the mountains is a reminder: the future of Deer Valley is being built one tower at a time.
