74 Employees from Vail stuck at Eagle Bahn Gondola- now evacuated.

Eagle Bahn gondola. Photo from LiftBlog. 74 Employees from Vail stuck at Eagle Bahn Gondola- now evacuated.

74 Employees from Vail stuck at Eagle Bahn Gondola- now evacuated.

The Eagle Bahn gondola in Vail Mountain broke down Wednesday morning at 8.35 AM with employees going up to Eagle Nest.

From Vail Daily

Vail Resorts employees going to Eagle’s Nest had to be evacuated on Wednesday morning when the Eagle Bahn gondola stopped. The employees were evacuated safely by Vail Ski Patrol.

Vail's Eagle Bahn gondola evaluation. Photo from Michael Shellenberger. Vail Daily.
Vail’s Eagle Bahn gondola evaluation. Photo from Michael Shellenberger. Vail Daily.

The gondola was not open to the public at that time and was only uploading the employees to get to work in the morning. The gondola and all Epic Discovery activities were closed for the day.

The company states that whatever has caused the gondola to stop will be fixed before re-opening. The Eagle Bahn Gondola was not opened today 4th July, but instead Gondola One out of Vail Village will be open for access via shuttle and hiking from Mid Vail to Eagle’s Nest for the Epic Discovery Activities, on-mountain dining and dinner at the Game Creek Restaurant. There will not be bike hauling availability.

Continue reading “74 Employees from Vail stuck at Eagle Bahn Gondola- now evacuated.”

Was the past one a great ski season? Enjoy it for now!

Norbert, Nico and Eva playing at Squaw Valley. Alterra Resorts. Was the past one a great ski season? Enjoy it for now!

Was the past one a great ski season? Enjoy it for now!

From Bloomberg Business

This past winter’s weird weather patterns delivered record snowfalls. There are now five North American ski resorts still open and even Mammoth is planning to use its chairlifts in August.

Peak 6 in Breckenridge, CO. Photo Andrew Maguire. Vail Resorts. Was the past one a great ski season? Enjoy it for now!
Peak 6 in Breckenridge, CO. Photo Andrew Maguire. Vail Resorts. Was the past one a great ski season? Enjoy it for now!

The ski industry – a business of $8.4 million in North America has gone from being really bad, to have a good year even when there is a fallout of climate change.

It was a record year for skier days in the US – as the National Ski Areas Association published there was an 11% increase in skier days from the prior year reaching 59 million skier days in the US.

Both Alterra and Vail Resorts have taken advantage of this. From November through April, Vail received 13.7 million skier days – a 20% year on year. Total revenue increased 14.5 percent to $1.8 billion.

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A Day Trip to Valle Nevado from Santiago City

A Day Trip to Valle Nevado from Santiago City. Photo: Valle Nevado on a beautiful night.

A Day Trip to Valle Nevado from Santiago City

HURRAY!!!!! Finally the wait for winter has finished. Valle Nevado is OPEN!

Report by Chino Martinez – Professional Skier

Saturday 29th June, 2019

After weeks of waiting for our best part of the year  – YES! ‘WINTER” has arrived!

As a ski fanatic living during the winter in Santiago City, what I do all day is look up at the mountains and check how much snow accumulation there is on top!

From Santiago you can see the top of all the ski areas, and at this time of the season, we all get nervous about when we are going to start skiing and where, first!.

From the city to the ski areas you can drive up early morning in one hour or less, if you do so before hitting traffic jams. You will need a 4WD car with winter tyres and/or chains onboard.

I received a phone call from Pablo on Friday evening telling me to get ready as we were going to go up the next morning and were all set, 4WD truck, chains, cameras, drone, filmaker- we were ready to go!

6:45 am on the Saturday and we were ready to go.

Ready to depart from Santiago - a ski adventure awaits! Photo: Chino Martinez. A Day Trip to Valle Nevado from Santiago City.
Ready to depart from Santiago – a ski adventure awaits! Photo: Chino Martinez. A Day Trip to Valle Nevado from Santiago City.

We’ve started our trip to Valle Nevado with Pablo, the driver, Xavier, the film-maker, Roberta the TV show presenter and myself – the skier.

The road up was not in good shape as we had a storm the night before during all night and lots of rain came down the city. It was at 1.500 m of altitude that we started to see some snow.

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This past Saturday Cerro Catedral started its ski season

Catedral Alta Patagonia, Bariloche - Trail Map. This past Saturday Cerro Catedral started its ski season.

This past Saturday Cerro Catedral started its ski season. The mountain resort has its name for having a shape similar to a cathedral.

The resort, located on the lake region of Patagonia, just outside the town of San Carlos de Bariloche, opened its ski season full of snow, looking marvellous.

There are 60 cm at the top of the mountain and 30 cm at the base area.

Skiers and riders can find open the Sextuple chairlift, Punta Nevada and Lynch. Also are open, the Magic Carpet 3 and 4 of the Play Park for beginners.

During the week the rest of the lifts will be opening gradually. For the people just going up the mountain the Cable Carril, the Lynch chairlift and cablecar Amancay will be operating.

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South America Long Range Forecast by SnowForecast

South America Long Range Forecast by SnowForecast.com. Photo Las Leñas ski resort.

South America Long Range Forecast by SnowForecast

SOUTH AMERICA Long Range Weather Outlook
Meteorologist Christopher Manly from SnowForecast.com sends us this report.

After some heavy snowfalls from the current and expected low pressure system this past Wednesday and Thursday (June 26 – 27)

SnowForecast.com Screenshot of 25 June 2019. South America Long Range Forecast by SnowForecast.com.
SnowForecast.com Screenshot of 25 June 2019. South America Long Range Forecast by SnowForecast.com.

This weekend ending 30 June, we expect a couple of weaker low pressure systems to move through, with snow showers for all resort areas north to Santiago, heavier just south of Santiago including Cerro Bayo Resort in Argentina, as a couple of low pressure systems move through.

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Red, White and Basin: Ski the 4th of July at Arapahoe Basin!

Solstice Skiing at Arapahoe Basin. Photo: Arapahoe Basin Resort. How can we envision ski resorts opening with social distancing for the 2020-21 ski season?

Red, White and Basin: Ski the 4th of July at Arapahoe Basin!

Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin) will be open for skiing and snowboarding on Thursday, July 4, 2019. July 4 will be the official closing day for A-Basin’s 2018-19 winter season, capping off the longest ski season in Colorado that began October 19, 2018. The last time A-Basin was open on July 4 was 2011. Its longest season was in 1995 when the ski area stayed open until August 10.

Solstice Skiing at Arapahoe Basin. Photo: Arapahoe Basin Resort. Red, White and Basin: Ski the 4th of July at Arapahoe Basin!
Solstice Skiing at Arapahoe Basin. Photo: Arapahoe Basin Resort. Red, White and Basin: Ski the 4th of July at Arapahoe Basin!

A-Basin is able to stay open in large part thanks to higher-than-average snowfall totals and lower-than-average temperatures in the months of March and May, including nearly seven feet of snow falling during March. Even so, it was not a record snowfall year for the ski area. At the start of June, A-Basin was at 106 percent of average snowfall (about 375 inches). Other contributing factors to A-Basin’s late season are its northern-facing frontside slopes and high elevation (10,780’ base; 12,500’ at the top of the highest lifts; 13,050’ peak).

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Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.

Chapelco ski map. Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.

Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.

Chapelco Ski Resort is opening the winter ski season in Cerro Chapelco. Starting this morning at 9.30 AM the following ski lifts have opened: Telecabina, silla 36, magic carpet 1600, Silla Graeff, T-Bar and Filo. As soon as snow conditions allow it, the other sectors of the mountain will open.

Ski and Snowboard School, Kids nursery and kindergarden will be opened, as well as the equipment and clothing rental at the base area. The mountain restaurants Torino Winter Point, Patagonia Truck, the Base restaurant, the Riche Patagonia Chocolate Store, Antulauquen and the Casita del Bosque (little house in the forest) will be opened.

Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.
Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.

The snow sledging pulled by huskies will be operating, the snowshoeing circuits open and backcountry, as well as the rental of snowmobiles. Chapelco Fotos (Photo company) will also be operational.

CHAPELCO AND JUAN CRUZ ADROGUÉ AWARDED IN THE WORLD SKI AWARDS 2018

The Argentinean snow entrepreneur Juan Cruz Adrogué received the “Monumental Contribution to Ski Tourism” award in Austria as part of the 2018 World Ski Awards. Chapelco Ski Resort was the winner for the third time of the “Best Ski Resort in Argentina” award ”

Juan Cruz Adrogue of Chapelco receives his award for a Monumental Contribution to the Ski Tourism at the World Ski Awards. Photo: World Ski Awards & Cerro Chapelco. Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.
Juan Cruz Adrogue of Chapelco receives his award for a Monumental Contribution to the Ski Tourism at the World Ski Awards. Photo: World Ski Awards & Cerro Chapelco. Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.

The Academy of the World Ski Awards gave it special recognition for its monumental contribution to ski tourism as part of the sixth edition of the World Ski Awards, the Oscars of skiing, which were held at the gala on November 17, 2018 in the city Kitzbühel, Austria.

Continue reading “Today opens Chapelco #AbreChapelco.”

$60 Million Expansion for Arizona Snowbowl to upgrade facilities and ease congestion.

Arizona Snowbowl- Pinterest picture. Micayla Pins. $60 Million Expansion for Arizona Snowbowl to upgrade facilities and ease congestion.

$60 Million Expansion for Arizona Snowbowl to upgrade facilities and ease congestion.

From Arizona Republic

The Flagstaff resort development plans include new lifts, runs and amenities such as mountain biking and a mountain coaster.

Arizona Snowbowl has recently announced that it will invest $60 Million in upgrades including new lifts, night skiing and boarding, and new facilities.

Other activities they are envisioning to include which they are not currently offering are mountain biking, a mountain coaster, alpine slide, zip line tours, a climbing wall and outdoor concerts, broadening their offer for a four-seasons resort.

Arizona Snowbowl- photo: Arizona Republic. $60 Million Expansion for Arizona Snowbowl to upgrade facilities and ease congestion.
Arizona Snowbowl- photo: Arizona Republic. $60 Million Expansion for Arizona Snowbowl to upgrade facilities and ease congestion.

General Manager J.R. Murray said: “Obviously there is a growing demand for outdoor recreation, and that is why ski areas are adding year-round activities to utilize the infrastructure on a year-round basis and respond to the demand. And also, the year-round activities diversify the business, so we are not so heavily reliant on winter.”

The improvements will be built over a period of time. If the plans get approval from the U.S. Forest Service, then the work will begin no sooner than 2021 and it will take 10 to 15 years to be completed, Murray said.

Continue reading “$60 Million Expansion for Arizona Snowbowl to upgrade facilities and ease congestion.”

Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?

Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere? Photo: Valle de Las Leñas in Mendoza, Argentina.

Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?

As the snow season is to start in South America, we who are born and bred there – (not necessarilly all living there anymore, but many of my friends are doing double seaason- in Chile or Argentina and then Aspen or Vail usually), always tend to think that the snow in the Northern Hemisphere is correlated with the snow in the Southern Hemisphere, mostly when the season is going to start down under.

Summer what Summer?

In Southamerica, specifically in Chile there is a saying: “Abril lluvias mil” that can be translated as: “in April we will have lots of rain”, but this has changed over the last 10 years or so.

There have been lots of Aprils without any rain in the cities, and no snow up in the mountains.
In the High Andes, due to the rocky formation of the mountains, you need a good month of natural snow to cover well all the mountain. Lately, all ski areas have been proactive and started installing snowmaking cannons and guns as Mother Nature is not reliable.

Valle Nevado picture on 14 June. Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?
Valle Nevado picture on 14 June. Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?

Chile had the driest start of the year from January to May so far in the last six decades. If there is no rain, there is no snow. There is a front coming now, not sure how much will leave at the high Andes and how much at the lower ones – Accuweather does not show too much in this respect.

Snow-Forecast is a bit more optimistic! I As per Snow-Forecast, Las Leñas has received 42 cm in the past week and is expecting 19 more cm in the next three days. Others that benefited are Puma Lodge with 59 cm, Nevados de Chillan with 56 cm, Corralco with 55 cm and Villarrica-Pucón with 47 cm. Antillanca also got 32 cm, Volcan Osorno 30 cm, Caviahue, in Argentina got 19 cm, Catedral 16 cm and Valle Nevado 16 cm.

Continue reading “Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?”

Summer Works at Stevens Pass to get a better skiers’ and boarders’ flow.

Summer Works at Stevens Pass to get a better skiers’ and boarders flow.

Summer Works at Stevens Pass to get a better skiers’ and boarders’ flow.

The two new chairlifts are part of the $35 million investment of Vail Resorts into four mountains including Stevens Pass.

These upgrades are aimed at slopes for beginners’ skiers and boarders.

This summer the chairlifts and loading terminals on both the Daisy and Brooks trails are receiving a complete overhaul as part of an investment by owner Vail Resorts.

Stevens Pass: A Frame is being lifted up for Daisy lift. Photo: Vail Resorts. Summer Works at Stevens Pass to get a better skiers’ and boarders flow.
Stevens Pass: A Frame is being lifted up for Daisy lift. Photo: Vail Resorts. Summer Works at Stevens Pass to get a better skiers’ and boarders’ flow.

Tom Pettigrew, GM of Stevens Pass Ski Resort said “We listened to what the team had to say about what we could do from an improvement standpoint. This seemed to be where we could focus our investment to have the greatest on-mountain experience change in a positive direction.”

The new quad chair on the Daisy lift access beginners’ terrain and will improve uplift capacity by 33% more. An updated loading area is designed to help beginners loading the lift.

The Brooks terminal is being regraded so skiers have a downhill approach and the chair will be now a quad, doubling the capacity of the double that stand there before.

Continue reading “Summer Works at Stevens Pass to get a better skiers’ and boarders’ flow.”