Breckenridge Resort wants to revamp its popular Peak 9 area with a new gondola, a reimagined learning zone and a chairlift replacement.

The U.S. Forest Service, owning the land on which the resort holds a special-use permit, recently announced the proposals as part of the agency’s mandate to seek public opinion and review environmental impacts.

The Forest Service described the resort’s intent to reduce congestion around Peak 9, improve guest circulation and connectivity with Peak 8 and enhance the overall customer experience, especially for beginners.

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Reads a scoping letter signed by Heather Noel, White River National Forest’s acting supervisor: “There is a need to enhance the recreational experience for (Breckenridge’s) large population of beginner and low intermediate skiers. Guest expectations are quickly evolving in the ski resort industry, and for (the resort) to remain competitive, it must maintain a diverse, interesting and well-connected trail system that caters to guests of all ability levels.”

The resort expects all will benefit from the proposed Frontier Learning Area. The teaching terrain would be separated “from terrain and lift infrastructure typically utilized by more intermediate-to-advanced skiers and riders,” the letter notes.

The gondola would give beginners a ride to the learning area from the Maggie base, ideally freeing space on the QuickSilver SuperChair and the terrain it serves.

The idea is to open up more space around Maggie as well as the Beaver Run base area — together accommodating 43% of total guest skiing and riding, the resort reports — by replacing the double C-Chair with a high-speed, six-seat lift.

The resort has cited C-Chair’s slow pace as the reason for skiers and riders opting to skip it and continue down to the Beaver Run SuperChair — “causing poor guest circulation in the area that contributes to further crowding of the Peak 9 portal,” the scoping letter reads.

The letter says trees would be removed in “several areas” under the proposal. That would include clearing for the gondola corridor and “along several trails” it would serve, as well as “some” removal to widen C-Chair’s corridor.

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The Frontier Learning Area would require clearing, grading and utility work. It would be complete with two short conveyors, a ski and ride school “warming hut” with a restroom and about 10 acres of expanded snowmaking.

The proposal also calls for a new access road descending from the top of the gondola, spanning about 900 feet. With the gondola reaching much of the same terrain as the A-Chair, the resort would remove that lift and restore and revegetate its three terminals and 39 tower spots.

The Forest Service is asking for public feedback to be submitted online by June 13. The resort is hosting an open house 4-6 p.m. on May 22 at The Maggie restaurant in Breckenridge.