Save the Date: Vail Snow Days is Back and Bigger Than Ever

Gondola One - Gold Cabin - photo by Jack Affleck - Vail Mountain. Emma, the World's First Digital Mountain Assistant, Kicks Off the 2018-19 Winter Season in Beta at Keystone Ski Resort

Vail Snow Days kicks off the 2018-19 winter season and returns bigger than ever with a four-day festival Thursday, Dec. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018.
Vail Snow Days brings the entire community together to celebrate the early season. The schedule of activities for Vail Snow Days 2018 will include time-honored early season traditions including, the return of headliner concerts Friday and Saturday as well as new events including, the Pray for Snow Kick-off Celebration, pub crawls, and Bloodies and Bluegrass on Sunday.

Vail SnowDaze - Michael Franti. Photo Zach Mahone- Vail Mountain. Vail Snow Days.
Vail SnowDaze – Michael Franti. Photo Zach Mahone- Vail Mountain. Vail Snow Days.

The four-day festival will feature two nights of free concerts at Ford Park, presented by Bud Light. Big name headliners will be announced this fall and guests will have the opportunity to purchase Private Reserve VIP tickets.
The launch of Savor Vail will debut with early season offerings from local restaurants, bars, retail locations, galleries and spas.

Snow Days LIVE! will showcase live music all weekend long between Vail and Lionshead Villages as well as on-mountain.

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Crans-Montana Must–Read Guide

Denis Emery - photo-genic.ch- Courtesy Crans Montana Tourism Office.

Crans-Montana Must-Read Guide

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Check no more! Here is your must-read guide to Crans-Montana:  Crans-Montana is a world-renown ski and summer resort in the Valais area of Switzerland, celebrating its 125th year this year. Easily accessible by train and a funicular, the resort has two big towns, Crans and Montana that are almost now linked into one bigger town.

Crans-Montana is a lively town, with lots of people that live there year-round. This is not the classic resort that opens only for the season and then nothing happens anymore; it is pretty big and busy.

Crans-Montana unique selling point is its vista and the sunny terrace where the valley is sitting.
Crans-Montana unique selling point is its vista and the sunny terrace where the valley is sitting. Your must-read guide to Crans-Montana.

Crans and Montana are located in a wide sunny valley, perched at 1500m, with magnificent south views of the mountains of the Rhône Valley in Valais, from the Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn- 19 peaks over 4,000 meters are facing Crans-Montana.  Hotels and condominiums are dotted in town amongst hotels, from 3 stars to deluxe 5 stars with all the services.

Crans-Montana has been a magnet for stars, from Roger Moore who had a house there, Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo, who used to stay at the Grand Hotel du Golf & Palace. The Kennedy’s family and Mr Bourvil used to holiday in Crans Montana. Also David Guetta comes for a discreet winter holiday to Crans-Montana.

Chez Croux, a painting by Martina Diez-Routh. Chez Croux is an on-mountain restaurant on Courmayeur. You have panoramic views of the Monte Bianco from there. In my shop for sale, to check it out, click here.

People go to Crans-Montana for the vistas, they are magnificent; for it’s skiing, with nice sunny pistes to all type of skiers, and in the rest of the year for its golf. With an 18-hole golf course by Severino Ballesteros and a 9-hole by Jack Nicklaus, and many hotels offering direct access to the golf course (or the cross country trails in winter), it is the best you could get in Switzerland! Plus the biking is pretty big now, lots of hiking and water sports around, to make it a year-round resort.

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IKON Pass and the NFL’s Denver Broncos enter into a three-year strategic partnership.

NFL's Denver Broncos to enter in an agreement with the IKON pass for three years.

DENVER, Colo., September 6, 2018 – Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass and the Denver Broncos are teaming up on an integrated multi-year partnership, making the Ikon Pass the Preferred Ski Pass of Broncos Country.

The partnership is designed to provide Ikon Pass exposure to millions of fans nationwide throughout Broncos Country, a passionate group of fans who follow the team and visit Broncos Stadium at Mile High during each Broncos home game.

The IKON Pass signed up a three years agreement with the Denver Broncos to be the Preferred Ski Pass of Broncos Country.
The IKON Pass signed up a three years agreement with the Denver Broncos to be the Preferred Ski Pass of Broncos Country.

Creative elements at Broncos Stadium at Mile High will provide a glimpse into Ikon Pass premium destinations and generate visibility for the multi-resort pass product through branding at the Mile High Mountain Village between Gates 4 and 5 and LED in-stadium signage. The partnership also includes website, TV and radio advertisements and activations featuring appearances by Broncos mascot, Miles, cheerleaders and alumni.

“Football season is here and winter 2018-2019 is around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time to announce a partnership between the Ikon Pass and the Denver Broncos,” said Jimmy Huh, Director Media Marketing. “These are two brands with passionate fan support and a natural fit for anyone who is a fan of the Denver Broncos.”

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Alterra Mountain Company to acquire Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington.

A table with a view of Mount Rainer- Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington state acquired by Alterra Mountain Company.

Expanding Regional Access to the Company’s Family of Destinations. Alterra Mountain Company, the owner of the IKON Pass,  announces that it has entered into an agreement to purchase Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington, which would bring the company’s total to 14 year-round mountain destinations throughout North America, including the world’s largest heli-skiing operation.

“With the addition of Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington, we are able to expand our reach into the Pacific Northwest and offer our guests incredible experiences in the Cascade Mountains, while also giving Crystal Mountain Resort skiers and riders the opportunity to explore all the other premier destinations on the Ikon Pass,” said Rusty Gregory, Chief Executive Officer, Alterra Mountain Company. “Crystal Mountain is Washington’s premier resort and has been a favorite year-round destination for those in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area for years, and we are excited to include it in the Alterra Mountain Company family.”

Crystal Mountain Resort, last acquisition of Alterra Mountain Company - to be enjoyed by IKON Pass holders.
Crystal Mountain Resort, last acquisition of Alterra Mountain Company – to be enjoyed by IKON Pass holders.

Crystal Mountain Resort will be available on the Ikon Pass for winter 2018/2019. Access will be unlimited with no blackout dates on both the Ikon Pass and Ikon Base Pass. (Any Ikon Pass access or benefits at Crystal Mountain Resort is contingent upon the completion of Alterra Mountain Company’s transaction to acquire Crystal Mountain Resort.)

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Due to a slow season Las Leñas and Portillo are closing their seasons one month early.

Las Leñas, Cenidor, a black short steep piste in Las Leñas connecting the two sectors of the mountain. .

This winter season in the Southern Hemisphere in Argentina & Chile has been weird. Unfortunately for some of the resorts of the High Andes, the season has not been good. This is the case for Las Leñas in Argentina and Portillo in Chile. Valle Nevado seems to have a better snow base – maybe due to its altitude, as today was having all lifts opened but one, and only 9 pistes and the boarder cross park are closed.

Las Leñas view from the Piramide shopping center - 6th September 2018.
Las Leñas view from the Piramide shopping center – 6th September 2018.

More in the south, Chapelco and Bariloche seemed to have got better luck and got snow.

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Aspen to “Give A Flake” In New Ad Campaign

wwwMattpowerphotography.com Jan 27, 2017 Aspen Mountain Groomer Shoot Klug, Packey, Tucker, Seth

KSNO News – With its 2018-19 national advertising campaign—Give A Flake—Aspen Snowmass has once again departed from traditional ski resort marketing. Rather than enticing potential visitors to Aspen Snowmass with pictures of blue skies and bountiful snow, the campaign instead invites them to join the ski resort in becoming activists on behalf of climate change and equal rights.

Aspen Snowmass created Give A Flake in conjunction with Karsh Hagan, a Denver-based marketing, design and technology company that worked with Aspen Snowmass to produce 2017-18’s The Aspen Way, laying the groundwork for this year’s campaign.

The Give a Flake campaign that Aspen has launched as a political campaign this season.
The Give a Flake campaign that Aspen has launched as a political campaign this season.

“Our founding vision, the Aspen Idea, was never about escaping reality or retreating from the world’s challenges. That’s why we are taking the bold step of launching the Give A Flake campaign,” says Mike Kaplan, president and CEO, Aspen Skiing Company. “This is not just an advertising slogan, rather it’s an all-out call to action. Collectively, we are a powerful voice, and by using it, we can make a difference.”

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