Intermediate skiers and riders enjoying the Casper area at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort have a new reason to be happy. Resort officials just announced a new $5 million high speed quad will be installed this summer to service that terrain.

The new Casper quad replaces the 1979 Casper triple chair. It will carry 2,000 people per hour and the ride takes only 3.5 minutes. By contrast, the old lift carried 1,185 people and took 10 minutes. The lift will be built by Leitner-Poma of America. The base of the new lift will be in the same location as the current lift, however the top terminal will move north a bit to the opposite side of the Lift Line trail.

This expansion of intermediate terrain is part of the resort’s overall plan to attract more intermediate skiers and riders, and to help retain more of its guests.  “To grow winter visitation, we need to appeal to more intermediates,” Blann said, noting the intermediate sliders are the largest segment of market.

There have been other enhancements to help attract and keep intermediates, including upgrades to the grooming fleet, expanded snowmaking, and the addition of the Marmot lift last summer that services intermediate terrain at the gondola to the base of Thunder Lift.

The Kemmerer Family, which owns the resort, has invested more than $124 million, $13 million of which has been invested since the installation of the new Tram.

“These last investments were made in a down economy,” Blann notes, “and shows the commitment and belief the Kemmerer’s have in Wyoming and the Jackson Hole region.” All investments have been for on mountain services and improvements.

What It Means: Investments keep piling on investments at Jackson Hole and that only brings good news for skiers and riders. The concentration on intermediate skiers and riders will only enhance the legend of one of the world’s great mountains, particularly among a huge segment of the ski/ride population.