2026 Summer & Winter Operations Update
Published on May 27, 2026
What's Ahead at Powder Mountain
Summer is nearly here. Read below for updates on trail openings, construction, Sundown and Sunrise. The mountain is still under construction so things are a little messy, pardon our dust as we push to get the resort ready for you this winter.
SUMMER
Summer Trails
Beginning June 11, the following trails will be open for hiking and biking access:
- Paper Airplane
- Woody's World
Hours & Access
- Parking is strictly limited to the Hidden Lake lot. Street parking is entirely prohibited.
- Trailheads can be accessed directly from the lot via Summit Pass Road.
- Trails will be open from sunrise to sunset.
Sidewinder
Open Now
We partnered with Eden Valley Trails to replace a section of Sidewinder — a four-mile loop on the foothills below Powder Mountain. Eden Valley Trails has completed the reroute and it is ready to ride including access for adaptive bikes. Powder was honored to donate $5,000 to help complete the loop, making the full trail rideable for everyone.
East Brim Trail
Est. Opening: Early July
Due to ongoing residential construction, Brim Trail has been slightly rerouted in certain areas. This season, riders can access a 3-mile loop via a new trailhead: follow Paper Airplane to Summit Pass Road to Shelter Hill Road to reach it. A map is included below.
The full 7-mile loop will reopen next summer once construction on the second leg is complete, and remain open to the public.
Art Loop
Est. Opening: Late June
Our first trail segment of Powder Art Foundation’s Art Loop will soft open this summer, allowing guests to hike a 2-mile loop in the Hidden Lake area and view select artworks, including Phase of Nothingness - Stone Stack, 1970/2025 by Nobuo Sekine.
WINTER
Sunrise
The upcoming 2026/27 season will be the final run for the beloved Sunrise Poma. Sunrise will be removed in the summer of 2027, and the terrain will become hike-in only for the 2027/28 season and beyond. We want to be transparent well ahead of any changes.
Keeping Powder open, independent, and publicly accessible is possible due to the real estate that surrounds it. Sunrise is unique in its location, as it sits within the residential development footprint, making its removal essential to support the neighborhood growth that directly subsidizes our ski operations.
However, our commitment to keeping Powder public is not wavering; we are dedicated to continuing to improve and expand our public infrastructure, terrain, and amenities alongside these changes.
DMI will be open this winter, offering an additional 1,000+ acres that have been largely untouched. The area offers amazing expert terrain, and is among the many investments we have made, and will continue to make, into the public resort.
FUTURE
Sundown & Doodle
This summer, we're breaking ground on a new lodge at Sundown, the future permanent home of our Ski & Ride School. This building will include new food & beverage outlets, seasonal lockers, rentals, and retail opening for the 2027/28 season.
The old Sundown lift has been removed, and we will begin the installation of the new high-speed quad replacement soon.
Earlier this year, we announced Doodle, a new beginner lift. We moved fast and designated Sundown as its future home, but we believe we've found a better location on the mountain, and want to get it right. Once studies are complete, we will share the updated timing and new location for Doodle.
Public Trails
This summer, Powder Mountain is investing over $1 million in constructing 16.9 miles of new public trails. Work is currently underway on a new multi-purpose trail to the summit of James Peak, and an expansion of the Art Loop, a hiking-only trail connecting guests to mountain art installations. Opening dates for both will be announced as construction progresses.
