This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Venerable Three Kings chairlift is being replaced this summer as part of a $7 million infrastructure investment being made by Park City Mountain Resort.
Originally built for the 1971-72 season, the two-seat chairlift serviced what was then a new beginner/intermediate area designed by Austrian skiing luminary Friedl Pfeifer. Gov. Calvin Rampton presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony when it opened.
Forty years later, Three Kings will become a fixed-grip triple chair. Jenni Smith, PCMR president and general manager, said it will double the number of skiers and snowboarders who can readily reach Three Kings Terrain Park.
Besides that work, PCMR is modifying the foundation of the 22-foot Eagle Superpipe to allow it to open earlier in the season. The resort also is installing two conveyor lifts to ease movement around a new learners' area at the base. This beginning zone will be reserved for students taking skiing or boarding lessons, she said.
The resort also is purchasing additional snowmaking and grooming equipment, installing access gates at its seven base lifts and putting in a zip line that will start and finish in the base area, permitting yearlong use, Smith added.
"This season's improvements will allow us to meet the expectations of our guests and provide enjoyable resort experiences for families, terrain park enthusiasts and skiers and riders of all abilities," she said.
One of those expectations is for the resort to be more environmentally friendly. So PCMR bought four new snowcats with reduced air-pollution emissions, Smith noted. The snowmaking system is being enhanced with more efficient dispensing guns.
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More powder for Powdr
PowdrCorp., parent company of Park City Mountain Resort, has received U.S. Forest Service approval to add, over several years, 10 lifts and 50 trails at its Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort.