But this isn’t your typical indoor gallery.

Ashton Stronks, senior director of communications for Powder Mountain Ski Resort, told the Standard-Examiner in an email that the project has been over a year in the making.

“In 2024, we announced our plans to become home to a skiable outdoor art museum and formed the Powder Art Foundation at Powder Mountain to integrate new and historical works across the resort,” she said. “This fall, we announced its inaugural suite of permanent artworks ahead of the 2025-26 ski season. Across the mountain, the artworks stewarded by Powder Art Foundation are sensitively integrated into the environment to create a dramatic sense of place, guided by the best ecological principles of design so that every visitor remains deeply immersed in nature.”

She said that the pieces are meant to become a part of the landscape rather than detract from it.

“At the heart of Powder Art Foundation’s work is a profound respect for the landscape,” she said. “Powder Mountain is not a passive backdrop, but a living, dynamic environment whose topography, vegetation, and elemental forces shape every artwork and visitor experience. Each project is conceived with an ecological ethos that prioritizes minimal intervention, resilience, and long-term stewardship, ensuring that both art and environment grow richer over time. Visitors can access the artworks via a lift ticket or season pass to Powder Mountain in the winter. Access will be free and open to the public in future summer and fall months via hiking and biking trails.”

Stronks said 11 pieces will be featured across the resorts slopes this year and that the goal is to make it a dynamic experience as the years go on.

“Our goal is to reimagine the fundamental aspects of an alpine resort through the eyes of artists who are creating works that respond to the mountain’s rugged topography, unique infrastructure, history, and community,” she said. “Land art encourages a physically active engagement with artwork. Moving outside of the conventional sculpture park format and well beyond walking and viewing, visitors to Powder Mountain will experience art in a unique way. The idea is that every day at Powder Mountain is filled with stories, conversation starters, moments of introspection, and points of connection. An extraordinarily diverse range of artists, materials, and approaches to working in the land is what defines Powder Art Foundation’s program with the goal of encouraging sustained engagement, repeat visits, and communal discovery. Some will be a part of the permanent collection, some will be on loan.”

She added that this scale of ski resort art project is unique to Powder Mountain.

“Much of the collection’s inspiration draws from Utah and the surrounding region,” she said. “The area represents one of the most important geographies in the world for visionary engagement with landscape, from ancient petroglyphs and ancestral Puebloan structures that function as solar calendars, to works of Land Art such as Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty and Nancy Holt’s Sun Tunnels. Art installations exist at other resorts, but the approach, scale and immersive nature of the experience, as well as the long-term vision of Powder Art Foundation, will be unique to Powder Mountain.”

Stronks said there are already some expansion plans for art at the resort set to take shape in 2026.

“Next year, Powder Art Foundation will break ground on a new trailside pavilion, designed by Neri & Hu, that will house several immersive artworks integrated directly into the architecture,” she said. “The works include a significant 1970s Bruce Nauman installation and James Turrell’s 2011 Apani, which was originally commissioned for – and displayed – at the 54th Venice Biennale. When completed it will be one of the very few permanent, publicly accessible works of Turrell’s immersive Ganzfeld series.”

Powder Mountain’s website includes an interactive page where people can look up where the various pieces of art are located throughout the resort.

As for the 2025-2026 ski season, Stronks said night skiing is anticipated to being on Sundown from 4-9 p.m. on Dec. 12 with the resort fully opening skiing operations at 9 a.m. the following day. These dates are subject to weather and conditions.

Stronks said there will be a few new and returning perks for season passholders, including:

• “Adult and Teen season passholders will see a major enhancement to their benefits this winter with the introduction of eight Buddy Tickets, each offering 50% off lift tickets with no blackout dates.
• Back by popular demand, Passholder Weekends provide an exclusive experience for the Powder Mountain season passholder community–the opportunity to enjoy skiing as it was meant to be with wide open runs, a relaxed atmosphere, and meaningful time spent with friends and family.
• These signature weekends feature curated programming including on-mountain scavenger hunts, après-ski bingo nights, outdoor disco parties, and other fun activities designed exclusively for season passholders.”

This year’s Passholder Weekends include:

• Feb. 7-8
• Feb. 14-15
• Feb. 21-22
• Feb. 28-March 1

Additionally, Stronks said a new après series will be coming to the slopes at Powder Mountain this ski season.

“Also new this year is Timberline Après — a new high alpine après series every Saturday this winter, kicking off on December 20th at Timberline Lodge,” she said. “We’re creating a new slopeside hub complete with a DJ booth and fire pits — designed as both a gathering place and a spectator zone, situated directly across the new Special Event Terrain Park off the Timberline lift. A new stage for Powder signature events such as Grom Fest and TheGoodLife! Rail Jam, this park will be built for special occasions and operate during key moments throughout the season.”

Additionally, she said the resort will spend this season setting up for the future — and skiers can get a peek at that future.

“The resort is also in the planning and construction stages of a new triple lift in Wolf Canyon that will offer lift access into the ‘DMI’ area for the first time, providing the opportunity to experience some of the best expert and advanced terrain in Northern Utah,” she said. “Wide open bowls, prime glades, and expert chutes galore. The new lift will add 900 acres of lift-served and 147 acres of hike-to access, for a total of 1,047 acres of public advanced terrain. The area will remain out of bounds during the 2025/26 season but those interested in getting a first look and early access to experience some of this new advanced terrain can book a guided backcountry tour through the resort this season.”

For more information, visit https://powdermountain.com/.