Washington Ski Area Delays New Lift Installation Again Until Next Summer
Washington’s small Bluewood ski area has once again been forced to delay the opening of its new-to-them high-speed quad lift.
The ski area recently shared a letter from its general manager, Pete Korfiatis, who wrote that two of the four shipping containers with material for the lift had arrived. While he wrote that the haul rope was expected to arrive in the next two weeks, the bull wheels weren’t set to arrive until mid-September.
“Because of that, we cannot confidently say there will be enough time to complete the installation ahead of the 2026–27 winter season,” he wrote.
The lift is being sourced from Sölden in Austria where it operated between 1993 and 2025.
Korfiatis wrote that Bluewood is now targeting September or early October 2027 for completion. The lift is a replacement for the Skyline Express triple, which is Bluewood’s only summit access lift. Removing that lift and not having the new one ready before winter starts would dramatically reduce Bluewood’s lift access.
“If we don’t have a lift, we don’t have a season,” Korfiatis said in a social media video. Tap or click to watch below.
You can watch the full update from Bluewood here.
The delay follows another last year mired by a legal dispute with the lift broker.
Despite the latest delay, Korfiatis said Bluewood has continued to move forward with mountain biking, an addition that has received Forest Service approval. The ski area, per Korfiatis’ letter, plans to have four trails covering 20-plus miles ready for a preview following the completion of the new lift.
“Aside from these projects, I’d also like to say that there is a lot happening at Bluewood, both on and off the mountain, and not all of that work makes it onto our social channels,” Korfiatis wrote.
The ski area’s undergone maintenance for its lower-mountain Nickel lift and is serving as a base for air support operations for the Paradise Fire.
He also wrote that Bluewood appreciated the support and patience from the local ski community, and shared that “exciting things” will be announced for passholders soon.
“For now, we’re looking forward to one last ride with our beloved lift and to welcome everyone back to the mountain,” Korfiatis wrote.
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