Powder Mountain
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Location	Cache, Weber counties, Utah, United States
Nearest major city	Ogden, Utah 19 miles (31 km) southwest
Coordinates	41°22′48″N 111°46′49″W / 41.38000°N 111.78028°W / 41.38000; -111.78028
Vertical	2,205 ft (672 m) lift-served 2,522 ft (769 m) via snowcat
Top elevation	8,900 ft (2,713 m) lift-served 9,422 ft (2,872 m) via snowcat
Base elevation	6,900 ft (2,103 m)
Skiable area	8,464 acres (34.3 km2) 2,800 acres (11.3 km2) lift-served
Trails	154; 25% beginner 40% intermediate 35% advanced
Longest run	3 miles (5 km)
Lift system	6 chairs, 3 surface lifts
Lift capacity	6,350 skiers per hour
Terrain parks	2
Snowfall	350 in (29 ft; 8.9 m) per year
Snowmaking	none
Night skiing	1 chair, 1 surface lift
Website	https://www.powdermountain.com

Powder Mountain is a ski resort in the western United States located east of Eden, Utah, stretching between Weber and Cache counties in the Wasatch Range. Covering 8,464 acres (13.2 sq mi; 34.3 km²), Powder Mountain is the largest ski resort in the U.S. by skiable acreage.^[1][2] The resort has 154 trails, nine lifts, and two terrain parks;^[3] it is 55 miles (90 km) northeast of the Salt Lake City International Airport.

History

Powder Mountain had been the winter range for Frederick James Cobabe's sheep. Between 1902 and 1948, Cobabe accumulated land around Eden^[4] and improved its previous poor land management. The area has been called "one of the best-managed watersheds in the Wasatch Mountains".^{[4][self-published source]}

Cobabe's son Alvin bought his father's livestock company (with its 8,000 acres) in 1948,^{[citation needed]} and later acquired adjacent properties. When he opened Powder Mountain on February 19, 1972, he owned 14,000 acres.^[4]

During the resort's first season, the Sundown lift was the only one in operation. The area was illuminated for night skiing, a ski school was established, and food was prepared on an outdoor barbecue. The main and Sundown lodges and the Timberline lift were added during the 1972–73 season.^[4]

Alvin Cobabe sold Powder Mountain in 2006 to Western American Holdings.^[5] The resort remained under the same management team, led by Aleta Cobabe^[4] (Alvin's daughter) during the 2006–07 season. It was purchased by Summit, an event-hosting group, in 2013.^[6]

Timeline

• 1971–72 season: Powder Mountain opens with the Sundown Lift; ski school begins.
• 1972–73: Main and Sundown lodges and Timberline Lift open.
• 1975–76: Hidden Lake Lift added.
• 1981–82: Shuttle service for employees and for Powder Country begin.
• 1984–85: Powder Mountain is the first Utah resort to permit snowboarding.^{[citation needed]}
• 1986–87: Hidden Lake Day Lodge opens.
• 1994–95: Sunrise Lift opens.
• 1999–2000: The quad Paradise Lift opens an additional 1,300 acres (5.3 km²) of lift-accessed terrain. Snowcatat skiing moves to Lightning Ridge, accessing an additional 700 acres (2.8 km²) acres.
• 2006–07: A high-speed lift replaces the Hidden Lake Lift.
• 2012–13: Summit purchases Powder Mountain.^[7]
• 2016–17: The Village Lift and Mary's Lift Skytrac Systems are added.^[8][4]

Powder Mountain has six chairlifts (one triple, four fixed quad, and one detachable quad) and three surface tows.^[9] Beyond its lift-accessed terrain, it can also be accessed by snowcat, cat skiing and guided tours.^[10] Snowcat service is available for Lightning Ridge, near James Peak.^[11]

Powder Mountain was majority owned by Greg Mauro, and co-owned by Elliott Bisnow, Brett Leve, Jeremy Schwartz, and Jeff Rosenthal since their 2013 purchase.^[12][13] In 2023, Reed Hastings made a $100 million investment becoming the majority owner of the resort.^[14][15]