Robert Redford’s Sundance Adding More Terrain, New Lift

The Utah ski area founded in 1969 and run for decades by the late great Robert Redford, that has always tried to steer a path between authenticity and decency and business realities, has announced its adding 100 acres of new terrain, accessed by Electric Horseman, a brand-new high-speed quad lift and Storyteller, a 1.7 mile groomed ridge run.

This expansion at Sundance concludes the resort's first phase of its back mountain expansion, bringing the total acreage to 605 acres of skiing and snowboarding, while looking ahead to additional expert terrain growth across future seasons.

The new lift, Electric Horseman, has been designed to dramatically improve access to Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain terrain while increasing uphill capacity, reducing congestion, and opening new skiable terrain. With over 1,850 vertical feet (564m) per lap, the new quad will enable  faster, direct access to ski the entire back mountain on a single, high-speed lift, in just 6 minutes.

“At the heart of the terrain expansion is Storyteller, a new signature ridgeline run carved from the terrain formerly known as the Far East Ridgeline and paying homage to the stories, vision, and spirit that have shaped Sundance Resort for generation,” a resort statement outlines.

The new run, which is an upper-intermediate groomer, pairs sweeping turns with some of the most spectacular views on the mountain. For more advanced skiers, Storyteller introduces three new expert gladed chutes that weave through tree-lined terrain before flowing back to the base.

This development is the latest in a now five-year series of mountain improvements at Sundance Mountain Resort, beginning in 2021 with the resort launch of its Outlaw Express Lift which reduced its former 20-minute lift ride to the Mandan Summit to just seven minutes. The following year, Sundance Resort opened 50+ additional acres of terrain mountain access for intermediate riders, in addition to enhanced snowmaking capabilities. Two years later, Sundance Mountain Resort constructed and opened its new Mountain Camp Day Lodge, as a one-stop-shop facility to simplify the experience for day-skiers with lockers, a ticket office, ski school home base, gear rentals and more.

“Electric Horseman reflects Sundance Mountain Resort's foundation in storytelling and creative legacy. The lift name is intended to honour Sundance Mountain Resort's storytelling heritage, while reinforcing the emotional and experiential identity of the mountain to inspire new guest stories tied to the terrain, views, and skiing experience. Similarly, Storyteller honours founder Robert Redford's enduring vision of creating a place where meaningful experiences inspire stories that guests carry with them long after they leave the mountain,” the resort’s statement concludes.