Powder Mountain Tests New Lift With 180-Pound Cans
The resort ran garbage cans filled with water up its new DMI lift to verify capacity before opening advanced backcountry terrain.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Skiing
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Powder Mountain tested its new DMI ski lift by sending garbage cans weighing 180 pounds up the chairlift. The tests were conducted by Skytrac, the lift's manufacturer and the resort's maintenance team.
Why it matters
The DMI lift will unlock over 1,000 acres of advanced terrain previously reachable only through a guided backcountry tour. For Utah skiers, it expands access to some of the state's most challenging runs at a time when resorts are seeking to recover visitor numbers.
Utah's 2025 ski season recorded a 27% drop in visitors amid historic low snowfall, according to the extraction. The DMI lift test results and the resort's reopening date were not provided.
The players
Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain is a ski resort in Eden, Utah, known for its expansive backcountry terrain and its recent lift investments.
Skytrac
Skytrac is a ski lift manufacturer that also serves as Powder Mountain's lift maintenance team and conducted the DMI lift tests.
The details
Skytrac tested the DMI lift by filling garbage cans with 180 pounds of water and loading them onto half of the chairs, requiring the lift to carry all cans simultaneously before a single participant could ride. The DMI terrain sits in the Wolf Creek Canyon zone and offers 2,200 feet of vertical drop across more than 25 descent routes.
Timeline
Utah's 2025 ski season saw a 27% visitor drop amid historic low snowfall.
In March 2026, Powder Mountain announced a $40 million expansion plan that included completing the DMI lift.
In early November 2026, the DMI lift was tested with 180-pound garbage cans.
The 2026-27 winter season will see Utah resorts open more than 1,000 acres of new terrain and upgraded chairlifts.
Season Trajectory
Utah's 2025 season saw a 27% visitor drop amid historic low snowfall, placing the new DMI lift and expanded terrain in a recovery phase for the state's resorts. The 2026-27 season will bring more than 1,000 new acres and upgraded chairlifts, and a potentially strong El Niño could bring above-average snowfall.
The DMI lift will open advanced terrain previously reachable only by guided backcountry tour, giving skiers direct access to 25 descent routes. The Sundown Express replacement is expected to reduce wait and ride times on the mountain.
The takeaway
Skiers planning Utah trips this season should watch for new DMI terrain access and the Sundown Express opening, both of which change how the mountain's upper runs are reached.
What happens next
The Sundown Express, a new high-speed quad replacing the Sundown fixed-grip quad, is expected to cut ride time and increase uphill capacity.
Further reading
For more on the state's slopes, browse Skiing coverage across Utah resorts.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC 4.
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