05/31/2026
There are interesting contrasts to lift construction. One day, West End towers that stood for decades are disappearing from the skyline. The next, the mountain seems almost still again—just survey stakes, wooden forms, and orange flags fluttering in the wind.
Over the past week, deconstruction crews pushed farther up the line, with old West End towers now on the ground beyond the intersection of Sweet Misery and Red Eye. For longtime Powderhorn guests, it’s a striking sight: familiar stretches of terrain marked by towers, cable, and chairs, now briefly bare.
In the parking lot, work continues on the new tower foundations, and chairs scheduled for refurbishment have been sent down the Mesa to Leitner-Poma. Next week, engineers, surveyors, environmental specialists, mountain staff, lift partners, and U.S. Forest Service representatives will walk the lift line together. They’ll discuss line clearing, corridor management, environmental protections, and the careful balance required when modern lift construction meets sensitive mountain habitats and terrain.
Thanks for following along, and don’t forget: the West End chair auction takes place June 1–7. Visit powderhorn.com/west for more details.
