October 20, 2025
The mountain team is installing the bull wheel – it’s really starting to come together!
October 13, 2025
Tons of progress as the team installs tower masts and fill them with concrete, get get towers erected. Next up: the bright red bullwheel is coming soon.
October 8, 2025
Towers being hauled up the mountain – it’s getting very real! From this point on, the lift parts being erected will go quickly as we race toward getting the lift ready for the rapidly coming season! Our team is working hard to beat the winter weather coming soon.
October 7, 2025
The team removed the foundation forms and they are ready for lift towers.
September 22, 2025
The Team installing the tower bolt templates into the foundation. Those massive bolts are 4 feet long.
September 19, 2025
The team painting the new lift towers!
September 10, 2025
Big progress this week!
The team has been busy making wooden forms and rebar reinforcements in preparation for the concrete foundations that will be poured very soon! After the concrete cures, a certifying agent will test the concrete’s PSI to make sure it’s strong enough for the towers! This is HUGE!
August 27, 2025
August 20, 2025
Lift 3 Construction Update: Big Progress on Our Electric Future! ⚡
Hey Sipapu family! We’ve got some exciting updates to share about our new Lift 3 construction. With the old lift completely removed, our hardworking crew has been busy preparing for what’s going to be an incredible upgrade for all our guests.
Going Green with Electric Power!
One of the biggest improvements we’re making is switching from diesel to electric power. Our team has already buried more than 7,000 feet of electrical cable – that’s over a mile of wiring that will help make Lift 3 more environmentally friendly and reliable for years to come. It’s all part of our commitment to keeping Sipapu’s mountain experience authentic and sustainable.
Massive Components Arriving Daily
The scale of this project continues to amaze us! We’ve received the cross arms that will hold the tops of our towers, along with bolt cages that will secure everything in place. Speaking of bolts – these aren’t your typical hardware store variety. The tower bolts are an impressive 30 inches long, while the terminal bolts (at the top and bottom stations) stretch out to a whopping 4 feet!
Foundation Work Underway
Right now, our crew is digging foundations about 8 feet deep – serious groundwork for some serious construction. We’re preparing all the rebar and lumber frames now, with concrete pouring scheduled for early September. Once that concrete is poured and passes its PSI tests, we’ll start installing the tower tubes and move into the next exciting phase of construction.
And here’s a fun fact: we’re expecting more than 10,000 pounds of haul rope to arrive. That’s enough cable to really appreciate the engineering that goes into getting you safely and smoothly up the mountain!
Bridge Engineering Challenge
You might be wondering how we’re getting all this heavy equipment and materials across the Rio Pueblo to the construction site. Great question! We’ve installed new road plates across our utility bridge that can handle multi-ton vehicles. It’s like building a bridge to build a lift – the logistics alone are pretty impressive.
Ready for an Amazing Season!
All this hard work is leading up to what we know will be an incredible winter season. While we’re busy building your new favorite lift, we want to make sure you’re ready too! Lift tickets are now on sale starting at just $19 – the lowest prices you’ll find anywhere in New Mexico.
We can’t wait to share more progress updates with you as construction continues. Stay tuned to the blog, and as always, thank you for being part of the Sipapu family. Your support makes projects like this possible, and we’re building this lift with every single one of you in mind.
See you on the mountain soon!
The Sipapu Team
Want the best deal on lift tickets? Get yours now at sipapu.ski and lock in the lowest prices of the season. Free Power Kids passes for children 12 and under – because family fun should always be affordable at Sipapu!
August 11, 2025
We’re moving the lift shack from Lift 3 to Lift 5 – getting ready for big things on Lift 3!
July 14, 2025:
Our mountain crew has made significant progress in the past two weeks! Check out our shiny new bullwheel painted Sipapu red.
- Completely removed the old Lift 3
- Widened the lift line corridor, removed hazardous trees and prepping the area for the new towers
- Performed extensive work on the service road (what guests know as Sassafras and Bambi) to get it ready for the construction vehicles that will utilize it
- The team is starting to transport chairs up to the staging area
- Ordered the new haul rope, hundreds of feet of electrical cable, plus tons of new snowgun nozzles and parts for our snowmaking pumps
Stay tuned for more Lift 3 updates!
June 30, 2025: The mountain crew has been hard at work getting down all the towers and concrete to make the area ready for the new lift. Here are some pics from last week.
June 23, 2025: Our team has been racing to get the old poma lift down to be replaced by the new 2-chair. The team is being careful with demo, as we are planning to repurpose the lift at another resort.
The team has removed the com line, platters and gotten all the towers taken down, plus the top and bottom terminals.
Stay tuned to this blog for regular updates.
