Heavenly Mountain Resort is no longer just about skiing. Photo Copyright 2015 Carolyn E. Wright

Heavenly Mountain Resort this summer is embarking on $17 million worth of improvements, with some of the amenities slated to be ready to experience in a matter of months.

The Epic Discovery program is Vail Resorts’ – parent company of Heavenly – answer to transitioning into a year-round resort. The project received approval from the regulatory agencies this spring.

Construction on the alpine coaster will begin this month and should be ready to ride this coming ski season. It is a raised track through the forest, with riders on individual sleds. It will be built north and west of the existing tubing hill. It uses gravity for the descent while giving riders full control of their speed.

The mid-station zipline canopy tour, an interpretive zipline canopy tour in the area between the Gondola midstation and the top station to the east of the gondola alignment, will break ground in early July, and take three months to build. It will open to the public in summer 2016.

On June 12, Heavenly will begin summer operations with the debut of the resort’s four line Hot Shot Zipline.

The summer tubing hill will have a second lane added by June 26.

A permanent 35-foot rock climbing wall is under construction south of Tamarack Lodge. It will feature 18 defined climbing routes with automatic belay systems and a quick-jump 35-foot rapid descent that emulates free-falling. It will open in August.

In September, the Mountain Excursion Tours via 4 x 4 vehicles will provide guided tours.

For smaller children, Heavenly will open a kids-specific zipline and ropes course this summer

The interpretive learning program is being developed with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, League to Save Lake Tahoe and Nature Conservancy for a summer 2016 launch date.

Expansion of activities outside of the top of Gondola area to the East Peak, Dipper/Comet areas will begin in summer 2016 – this includes mountain biking.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report