Ski Alongside Breathtaking Art At This One-Of-A-Kind Museum In Utah

Ever since the first American modern-day ski club opened in New Hampshire 145 years ago, skiing has continued to grow in popularity, both as a pastime and as a travel experience in the United States. Searches for vacation rentals in American ski destinations rise year after year, as Americans look to plan the perfect ski trip. And although it's been around for decades, one of the most popular ski resorts in the U.S. has begun to catch some fresh attention.

Powder Mountain in Utah has become the fastest-growing ski destination, boasting a 150% year-over-year increase in searches for vacation accommodations. There has been a ski resort on Powder Mountain since 1972, so why the sudden boost in interest? What was once known as a beloved local resort has been undergoing a lot of changes lately — from shiny new amenities to more trails. But one of its biggest and most intriguing changes is an effort to turn the resort into an open-air, skiable art museum. The recent installations of skiable art, with a promise of more to come, has made Powder Mountain an incredibly unique skiing destination, unlikely to be found anywhere else. 

Initially owned by the Cobabe family until 2006, the resort had since changed hands several times and has always had a hard time making money. Enter the newest owner: Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings. Hastings and his wife owned land on Powder Mountain for years before they built a house there in 2021. He decided to purchase the resort in September 2023 when the previous owner, an event-hosting company called Summit, wanted to sell. From there, Hastings immediately went to work making changes, promptly purchasing four new, much-needed chairlifts. He's also making at least 2,000 of the mountain's acres private, with pricey membership fees and high-end amenities to hopefully help the public area of the resort stay afloat. In March 2024, another 2,390 acres were purchased for a total of 12,850 skiable acres, making North America's largest ski resort even larger.

But what's especially unique about the new plans is that they include a sculpture park and outdoor art museum that is expected to officially premiere in Fall 2026. "We aim to transform Powder [Mountain] into a multi-season destination that blends recreation, art, and meaningful connection for our entire community," Hastings told Thrillist. With the formation of the nonprofit Powder Art Foundation, the resort has been partnering with the art world to create site-specific art installations that will be open all year — and many of the pieces, such as their giant paper airplane, will be skiable in the winter or rideable in the summer. The price will be the cost of a lift ticket or a season pass during ski season, and guests can visit for free during the off season.

One of the most visually distinct pieces currently open is "Relay (Powder Mountain)" by artists Gerard & Kelly. The duo has covered the Sun Tunnel surface lift with a spiraling rainbow pattern, giving skiers a magical ride up the mountain that constantly changes with the weather conditions and the time of day. On one of the recently opened multi-use trails, Griffin Loop has installed a giant 50-foot steel sculpture fashioned into the shape of a paper airplane, that can be skied on in the winter or ridden on with a mountain bike during the warmer months. 

But the art isn't only visual. Scottish artist Susan Philipsz has created a unique sound installation called "We'll All Go Together," which is projected through speakers that are mounted in the trees. In this installation, you hear the artist's voice singing in rounds a cappella. The song is a haunting 18th-century American folk hymn, called "Am I Born To Die," that gives the listener an ethereal feeling as the sound echoes off the trees and mountains. Other unique pieces by renowned artists such as James Turrell, Paul McCarthy, and Nancy Holt are in the works for the official grand opening in 2026.