STRATTON MOUNTAIN, VT – Stratton Mountain has invested $8 million in capital expenditures ahead of the 2026-2027 winter season.
Mid Mountain Lodge will have a fresh look for the 26/27 winter season featuring the Patio Pub, a new walk-up outdoor bar, refreshed polycarbonate wind panels surrounding the outdoor space, and upgraded radiant flooring alongside several additional improvements and renovations to both the interior and exterior of the lodge such as new furniture and refreshed back-of-house kitchen appliances. The Main Base Lodge has also received new doorway floor pans and new flooring in the entrance and market areas.
“Mid Mountain Lodge has been a guest favorite and a must-stop on the mountain for generations, and we’re excited to have made meaningful investments in this special place. Our collaboration with Jamaica Cottage Shop will present Mid Mountain’s first outdoor Patio Pub providing a scenic stop for a beverage. Guests can also look forward to a refreshed menu concept providing Austrian inspired signature items, ski lodge favorites and items proudly crafted with local ingredients.” – Kasey Mann, Food and Beverage Director.
Guests who have purchased the premium Black Bear Pass will have access to an elevated guest experience at a new designated lounge, the Edelweiss Room, located above the Guest Services building in the Main Base Area. The space will offer slopeside access, a full restaurant and bar, wood-burning fireplace, and magnificent views of the mountain action from its new floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor deck.
In tandem with the construction of the Edelweiss Room is the installation of a new ADA-compliant elevator, servicing each floor of the Main Base Lodge. The elevator can be accessed by the public via the ramp below Stratton Sports.
The Junior Mountain Sports School is homebase for little ones who are learning to ski and snowboard at southern Vermont’s highest peak. Stratton’s popular lesson facility has optimized its interior spaces by adding new bathrooms, flooring, and offices, overall improving the space for their employees and young guests alike.
Stratton has purchased two new Prinoth Bison X-Stage 5 snowcats to add to their grooming fleet for the upcoming winter season. This type of machine is outfitted with an increased range of motion on its front blade and rear tiller to handle steeper angles required to effectively build and maintain terrain parks and competition venues. In addition to this investment, the resort is replacing the cable on one of their winch snowcats, a specialized snowcat equipped with a powerful hydraulic winch and a long steel cable used to anchor and pull the machine up extremely steep ski slopes.
As for snowmaking, Stratton’s team performed significant maintenance on pipes, motors, pumps, hydrants and valves which will improve the overall performance and efficiency of the snowmaking system.
Village Rentals has upgraded its daily and seasonal rental fleet with a variety of new equipment from Burton and Rossignol including an expansion of Burton Step-On gear. A few doors down, First Run has been outfitted with two new Masterfit footbed casting machines and heating elements that will elevate the boot fitting experience for the skiing guest looking to get dialed in with custom footbeds and a perfect boot fit before hitting the trails.
The fourth and final phase of the access road maintenance project has been completed, which involved partnering with the town of Winhall to replace dozens of culverts and resurface the entire access road.
Stratton continues to invest in improvements to its employee housing properties, with a focus on team member comfort, safety, sustainability, and operational efficiency. Ahead of the upcoming winter season, all Stratton-owned employee housing properties in Manchester will complete transitions from well water to town water and benefit from septic system improvements and upgraded mattresses. Additional improvements across several properties include the installation of high-efficiency heating and cooling units, smart thermostats to improve energy efficiency, and upgraded electronic locks and security technology to enhance resident safety and security.
“For many of our seasonal team members, Stratton isn’t just where they work; it’s where they live. We want them to feel comfortable, supported, and at home while they’re here. These investments are part of our ongoing commitment to improving that experience and taking care of the people who make Stratton such a special place.” – Kristyn Greene, Vice President, Human Resources.
Additional improvements include all new chairlift pads on Shooting Star, four new Polaris snowmobiles for the Snowmobile Tour fleet, and a variety of new weightlifting and cardio machines at the Stratton Training and Fitness Center including a stair stepper climb mill, treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, rowing machines, and a SkiErg cross country ski trainer. Down at the golf course, the resort has invested in new turf maintenance equipment including an upsized sprayer that will make for a more efficient watering procedure going forward.
Published by Harley Smith on 11/10/2026