Mt. Shasta’s Brand-New Gray Butte Lift is Finished. Here’s How it Will Completely Transform the Mountain.

The construction crews on Mt. Shasta finished the build of the brand-new Gray Butte lift this week, just in time to beat the early-season snowfall. The new lift is decades in the making and will completely transform the mountain from top-to-bottom.

Resort management was able to successfully complete a load test on the new lift this week, with the early-season snow raising anticipation among skiers in the region. A video was shared on social media showing what a ride on the new lift will look like:

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What was even more telling were the photos shared by resort management showing the lift in action. Here’s what the new lift is going to look like:

The new lift is comes from decades of dreams from locals who have longingly stared at the untouched peak at 8,129 feet elevation located just above the ski park of the past. The fixed quad lift to the top of Gray Butte will open 88 acres of new skiable terrain, add five new runs, increase the resort’s elevation to 7,500 feet and create a 3-mile long run from top to bottom.

The initial map shows what skiers can expect in the expanded terrain, including the mountain’s first double black diamond and plenty of opportunity to explore new backcountry areas within boundaries:

With the construction now in the rearview mirror, all eyes will be on the weather. The mountain still hasn’t announced an estimated opening date, as that will depend on the early-season snowfall. But with lackluster winters over the past five years, a heavy snowpack this year would go a long way for the mountain to grow as one of the top skiing destinations in California.

Winter is almost here. Hope to see you on Gray Butte soon!