Mahogany Ridge Is Now Open
New Lift-Served Advanced and Expert Terrain has Opened For The 23/24 Season
The new Mahogany Ridge Express chairlift first opened on Jan 6, 2024 around 9:15 am with a ribbon cutting and comments from Dave Hunter. The first official chair ride went to our Avalanche Dogs and Patroller teams who will be a big part of mitigating the new extreme area. Adding additional acreage and advanced and expert terrain within the ski area boundary is a BIG deal and doesn’t happen very often.
With the debut of our new terrain within our boundary, it is still considered extreme/advanced terrain and conditions are natural, which means hazards such as cliffs, rocks, trees, etc can be encountered at any time.
This new terrain is only for the best skiers and riders, and if you are not comfortable in such terrain, please enjoy one of our other many Happy Trails®.
If you’re up for the challenge, please know the conditions and be prepared while checking out the new terrain! (and if you’re not up for the challenge quite yet, remember SnowSports School is here to help improve your skills.)
How will this terrain be different from terrain in Pony and other areas of the mountain?
Now that this new terrain is included within the resort’s boundary and part of our Forest Service Permit, the resort has a new responsibility to mitigate conditions, which takes quite a bit of work before it is safe and ready for the public to ride. Read more about how our Ski Patrol and Mountain Ops teams are working together to mitigate this new terrain here.
How is open/closed access controlled in the new terrain area?
When Ski Patrol and Mountain Ops teams have determined it is appropriate to open or close this terrain based on conditions, ongoing and active avalanche mitigation efforts, or safety concerns the areas will be controlled by access gates. Mahogany Ridge is accessible via gates along Middle Rib, and Fish Creek Canyon is accessible via gates along Edge of the World. External access points to the back country beyond the ski area boundary are also being utilized to control access into and out of this terrain. Please respect all closures, and if you’re not certain and prepared — Don’t Go.
What’s the difference between Fish Creek Canyon and Mahogany Ridge?
While both areas are often referenced as Mahogany Ridge, technically the terrain is often skied and ridden separately based on terrain fall lines. While Mahogany Ridge is considered mostly advanced (Black Diamond), Fish Creek Canyon is most certainly extreme (Double Black Expert). Because of the slope degree, the natural hazards, cliffs and rocks, etc Fish Creek Canyon area requires more technical skiing and riding ability than Mahogany Ridge. We strongly urge the usage of probes, shovels, beacons, and add’l backcountry safety gear while accessing these areas.
Who decides when to open or close Mahogany Ridge?
Our operations teams collaborate in surveying, preparing and the opening and closing of Mahogany Ridge, this includes team members from Ski Patrol, Lift Operations, Slope Maintenance, Lift Maintenance, and others. These openings and closings occur when all are in agreement the area is ready or ill-suited to welcome skiers and riders based on their ability to navigate the natural hazards.
Why was Mahogany Ridge moved inbounds?
This terrain has long been a popular destination for extreme skiers and riders who were previously accessing the terrain via external boundary access points. This area has also long been a part of our master development plan to bring it within our operations boundary. We believe that bringing this terrain within the boundary provides our guests with a better experience by increasing our extreme/advanced terrain offerings, while more importantly providing opportunity for additional safety in this area by allowing our Ski Patrol to monitor and mitigate the area for avalanche conditions.
