Non-Profit Oregon Ski Area Secures Funding for New Chairlift

Mt. Ashland, Oregon, is off to the races.

The non-profit ski area has announced that fundraising efforts to replace one of its two aging chairlifts, the Windsor, were successful, with construction set to begin in spring 2027. 

“This is more than just a new chairlift. It’s an investment in the future of Mt. Ashland, ensuring that generations of skiers and snowboarders can continue making memories on our mountain for years to come,” the ski area wrote in a social media post.

Mt. Ashland thanked the Karen and Sid DeBoer Foundation for a “generous” matching pledge as well as Lithia Motors and The Bernard Family.

“We truly couldn’t have done this without you,” the post reads.

Mt. Ashland noted that this isn’t the end of fundraising. The ski area hopes to keep the momentum up to replace Ariel, another lift scheduled to come down in spring 2028.

The Ariel and Windsor lifts date back to the 1960s and 1970s, respectively, according to Lift Blog. They’re a key part of Mt. Ashland’s fleet, providing access to most intermediate and expert terrain. 

But according to the ski area, they are now “outdated, increasingly costly to maintain, and less efficient by modern standards.”

The Windsor replacement will cost $3.56 million, Newswatch 12 reported, and will be a fixed-grip triple that opens in time for the 2027-28 season. The Ariel replacement, another fixed-grip triple, has an estimated price tag of $4.4 million. Both lifts are currently doubles.

In the meantime, Mt. Ashland locals should keep their eyes out next spring for an auction of the old Windsor chairs if they want to take home a piece of history.

“As you ride Windsor in its final years, take a moment to appreciate the Chairlift that’s seen it all—the good, the bad, and the best,” Mt. Ashland’s web page about the replacement projects reads. “Give it a little extra love and a pat while it takes you for a ride.”

Located at the highest point of the Siskiyou Mountain range in southern Oregon, Mt. Ashland is the local ski hotspot for the Ashland and Medford communities. It spans six lifts and 223 acres.

The 2026/27 print issue of POWDER Magazine is here. Click here to have a copy shipped to your front door. Copies can also be found on newsstands at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and more.

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