Celebrating 75+ Years
Boyne Resorts is independent, and family owned and operated. Founded by Everett Kircher in 1948, we continue to be owned and led by the Kircher family, with Stephen Kircher serving as CEO.
As a privately held, family owned and operated company, we have always had the freedom to define and conduct business by our own unique set of values, ethics and beliefs. It is this freedom that has enabled our success for more than 75 years and, as we look to the future, we desire to leverage and build upon the values that have guided us to-date.
The Legacy Lives On
Family-owned since 1948, Boyne Resorts remains guided by the Kircher legacy. Our private ownership grants us the freedom to operate according to our distinct values and ethics. This independence has fueled our success for over 75 years, and we continue to build on these foundational principles as we shape our future.
From humble beginnings in Michigan, Boyne Resorts has grown into the largest independent mountain resort company in North America thanks to the passion and dedication of our teams and generations of loyal guests.
1940s
1947
$1 Land Purchase Launches Boyne Resorts
Everett Kircher purchases land in northern Michigan for $1 to develop what would become Boyne Mountain
1947
World's First Chairlift Relocated to Boyne Mountain
The first chairlift arrives at Boyne Mountain by train from Sun Valley. A single chair, it is the first chairlift ever built in the world and the first to be disassembled and reconstructed at a new location
1949
Boyne Mountain officially opens for skiing
1950s
1950s
The Boyne Snowmaker
Everett Kircher introduces new snowmaking technology with the invention of the Boyne Snowmaker, making Boyne Mountain an early adopter of snowmaking in the 1950s
1953
Southeast's First Scenic Chairlift
Everett Kircher builds chairlift in Gatlinburg Tennessee Gatlinburg's chairlift was Southeast’s first scenic. It was built using a repurposed lift from Sugar Bowl Resort, California
1954
Smoky SkyLift Opens
The first ever chairlift built in the south opens as Smoky SkyLift which becomes one of the region's most iconic attractions and a critical piece of Boyne’s early success
1960s
1961
Harbor Highlands Acquisition
Harbor Highlands ski area (renamed Boyne Highlands and now The Highlands) purchased by Boyne Resorts
1963
World's First Triple Chairlift
Installation of the world's first triple chairlift at Boyne Highlands
1964
World's First Four-Person Chairlift
Installation of the world's first four-person chairlift at Boyne Mountain
1964
Gatlinburg Chairlift Upgraded
In Gatlinburg, two-person chairs replaced the chairlift’s original singles
1966
Highlands Opens The Heather
Opening of the 18-hole Heather course at Boyne Highlands designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
1970s
1970
Boyne Mountain Golf Begins
Boyne Mountain’s first golf course, The Alpine, opens
1976
Big Sky Resort Acquired by Boyne Resorts
Sky Resort in Montana, founded by NBC broadcaster Chet Huntley, becomes part of Boyne ResortsBig
1980s
1984
Ski Area Donated to Become Challenge Mountain
Everett Kircher donates Walloon Hills Ski Area to the non-profit, Challenge Mountain, to be operated specifically for physically challenged skiers
1987
Second Western Resort Added
Brighton Resort in Utah joins Boyne Resorts, the company’s second resort in the West
1990s
1990
Michigan’s First High-Speed Quad
Installation of Michigan's first high-speed quad chairlift at Boyne Highlands
1992
America’s First Six-Seat Chairlift
Boyne Mountain unveils America's first six-seat high-speed chairlift
1995
Lone Peak Tram Debuts at Big Sky
The Lone Peak Tram opens at Big Sky Resort, redefining the concept of what was considered resort skiing
1999
Inn at Bay Harbor Opens
Opening of the Inn at Bay Harbor and Bay Harbor Golf Club in Michigan
2000s
2000
Founder Everett Kircher Honored
Everett Kircher honored by SKI Magazine as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Skiers of All Time"
2001
International Expansion
Cypress Mountain in Vancouver, British Columbia, joins Boyne Resorts
2002
Founder Everett Kircher Passes
Everett Kircher passes away on January 16 at age 85. Read Everett Kircher's obituary
2007
Northeast and Western Expansion
Boyne Resorts Northeast's expansion Sunday River, Sugarloaf and Loon Mountain in New England and The Summit at Snoqualmiein Washington join Boyne Resorts under a resort management agreement, the company’s first expansion into the Northeast
2009
First Chondola in the East
The first Chondola in the East is installed at Sunday River
2010s
2010
Cypress Mountain Hosts Olympic Games
Olympic Games at Cypress Mountain Cypress Mountain serves as the official Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard venue for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games
2013
Big Sky Resort Acquires Moonlight Basin
Big Sky Resort acquires neighboring Moonlight Basin and the ski terrain of Spanish Peaks, bringing Big Sky Resort’s skiable terrain to over 5,850 acres.
2017
Gatlinburg Chair Replacement
New chairlift at Gatlinburg SkyPark following a wildfire in Gatlinburg, TN, Boyne Resorts installs new three-person chairliftat Gatlinburg SkyPark
2018
First Eight-Seat Chair in North America
Ramcharger 8 installed at Big Sky Resort as the first eight-seat chair in North America, propelling lift technology into a new era
2019
Gatlinburg SkyBridge Opens
The Gatlinburg Skybridge, the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America,opens at Gatlinburg SkyPark
2020s
2021
100% Renewable Energy Commitment
Boyne Resorts moves to 100% renewable electric energy across all destinations and joins the Climate Collaborative Charter, the ski industry's first unified effort to combat climate change
2021
Pleasant Mountain Acquisition
Boyne Resorts expands its Northeast portfolio with addition of Shawnee Peak in Maine, and officially begins using its original name of Pleasant Mountain
2021
SkyBridge Michigan Opens
SkyBridge Michigan opens at Boyne Mountain, the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge
2021
The East’s First Eight-Seat Chair Opens
Loon Mountain debuts Kancamagus 8, North America’s fastest and the East’s first eight-place chairlift
2021
Swift Current 6 Opens
Swift Current 6, the fastest chairlift in North America, installed at Big Sky Resort
2022
Five Historic Lift Innovations
Lift innovation continues with five historic installations across the country, including: Sundary River's Jordan 8, the first D-Line, 8-placelift in Maine; Boyne Mountain’s Disciples 8, the Midwest’s first 8-place lift; Loon’s Seven Brothers Express Quad; The Summit’s Hidden Valley Triple; and Cypress Mountain’s SkyQuad
2023
In An Unprecedented Year, Nine New Lifts
In an unprecedented year of investment, nine new lifts including a tram are opened across Boyne’s destinations. These transformations include several of the most technically advanced lifts in the industry:
- Big Sky Resort unveils the new 75-passenger Lone Peak Tram
- Brighton Resort opens Crest 6, Utah’s fastest chairlift
- Sunday River adds a heated six-seat bubble lift to its fleet – Barker 6
- The Highlands opens Camelot 6, the fastest lift in the Midwest
- Loon Mountain opens the Timbertown Quad chairlift as part of the resort’sSouth Peak terrain expansion
- Sugarloaf’s opens the new Bucksaw Express high-speed quad as part of the West Mountain expansion adding significant new novice and intermediate terrain
- Summit at Snoqualmie installs the new Sessel Triple Chair at Alpental
- Boyne Mountain replaces the Boyneland and Superbowl lifts withnew quad and triple chairs, respectively
2024
Four Transformative New Lifts Open
Four transformative new chairlifts open across the country: Madison 8 at Big Sky Resort, the Interconnect Triple at The Highlands, the Internationale Chair at Alpental, and the Summit Express high-speed quad at Pleasant Mountain.
