Tamarack reinstalled its famously repossessed ski lift this year. Now it’s up and running
Seven years ago, Tamarack Resort’s prized Wildwood chair lift was whisked away by helicopter, repossessed along with other assets after the ski area’s founder hit financial roadblocks. Three months ago, the lift was reinstalled.
On Saturday afternoon the Wildwood Express reopened, carrying hundreds of skiers and snowboarders to the Donnelly-area resort’s north side, according to a news release. In a “truly Tamarack” ribbon-cutting ceremony, slope surfaces manager Jeremy Leslie used a chainsaw to cut a branch before a crowd of more than 300 people boarded the lift.
Leslie’s team worked to revamp the Wildwood terrain earlier this year to prepare it for winter riding.
The high-speed detachable quad chair lift, made by Austrian equipment manufacturer Doppelmayr, takes riders just over a mile in distance and up 1,600 feet during a 5 1/2-minute trek. The new Wildwood lift can move 1,800 riders per hour, officials said.
The lift opens up about 200 additional acres of terrain that weren’t previously accessible. The area includes intermediate and expert trails, as well as gladed tree skiing, Tamarack Resort president Jon Reveal told the Statesman in September.
“This is not only a celebration of the grand opening of Wildwood, it’s a celebration of all of our guests and homeowners who’ve been on the journey with us to deliver on the promise of Tamarack,” said Reveal in the news release.
Reveal took over the resort last December when it was bought by an investment firm, Tamarack Resort Holdings. Since then, he’s worked to restart construction that stalled for several years when Tamarack founder Jean-Pierre Boespflug defaulted on loans and forced the area into foreclosure.
“Expanding our lift-served terrain, improving our guest services and amenities, and working towards completion of the ski-in, ski out Village at Tamarack are all key to making this the great destination resort it is envisioned to be,” Reveal said in the news release.
According to the release, a coffee shop and market at set to open at the Tamarack Village, a collection of condos and businesses at the base of the mountain. The first of 56 Village residences will be habitable by February.
