Category: Ski USA

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A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

Photo: Arapahoe Basin- Dave Camara. Matt and Rio on the lift. A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

Arapahoe Basin revenues doubled during the decade it was part of the Epic Pass, but parking problems outweigh the benefits of cash flow

From The Colorado Sun

Too many Epic Pass weekend skiers have forced A-Basin to abandon its decade-long partnership with Vail Resorts.

“We are pretty darn full on weekends and we don’t need any more people on weekends. If anything, we could probably whittle those numbers down a little bit,” Arapahoe Basin’s longtime leader Alan Henceroth said Monday, the day the resort announced it had pulled the plug on the Epic Pass partnership for the 2019-20 ski season. “Our parking is our pinch point.”

Pond Skimming at the end of the season at Arapahoe Basin. Photo: Ashey Ojala. Arapahoe Basin. A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.
Pond Skimming at the end of the season at Arapahoe Basin. Photo: Ashey Ojala. Arapahoe Basin. A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

Arapahoe Basin, a local’s favorite with a rowdy selection of daunting steeps and a rootsy vibe, has thrived for 10 years under a deal with Vail Resorts that included the 1,428-acre ski area on the industry-dominating Epic Pass. Last fall the company sold more than 825,000 of those passes, offering skiing at 65 different locations.

Vail Resorts once owned Arapahoe Basin for a hot minute. But the U.S. Department of Justice in 1997 forced Vail Resorts to sell the ski area near the summit of Loveland Pass, citing antitrust issues after Vail acquired Ralston Resorts’ Summit County ski areas: Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin.

Vail’s Summit County ski areas have partnered with Arapahoe Basin on various shared passes since 1998.

Arapahoe Basin, which is owned by Canada’s Dundee Resort Development, was Vail Resorts’ first partner resort on the Epic Pass, which now includes access to privately owned, independent resorts such as Telluride, Sun Valley and Snowbasin.

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The most expensive ski resorts in the USA

Deer Valley is considered the most expensive ski resort in the USA by a survey conducted by CheapHotels.org. The most expensive ski resorts in the USA.

The most expensive ski resorts in the USA

A new survey from CheapHotels.org ranks the most expensive ski resorts across the United States. After comparing 20 popular destinations, the survey found Deer Valley, in Utah, is the most expensive ski resort based on cost of lodging alone.

The survey compared 20 ski resorts in the United States, mainly selected based on the number of hotel rooms

The survey used the average price for the cheapest available double rooms in each destination, through the months of February and March 2019, to establish its rankings. Only hotels with at least 3 stars and located within a ski resort were considered.

Beaver Creek Ski Carry. Photo: Vail Resorts. The most expensive ski resorts in the USA. Beaver Creek occupies 2nd place on this list.
Beaver Creek Ski Carry. Photo: Vail Resorts. The most expensive ski resorts in the USA. Beaver Creek occupies 2nd place on this list.

Guests staying at Deer Valley spend on average $543 per night for the most affordable double room; in second place for most expensive ski destination, Beaver Creek in Colorado charges $416 for its least expensive double room. Rounding out the top three is Alta resort in Utah, at $413 per night.

Vail Mountain Wooden Clock, painting by Martina Diez-Routh in soft pastels, pan pastels and pastel pencils on pastel paper 80x60cm unframed, on sale framed.
Vail Mountain at night with  the Wooden Bridge and Tower Clock, painting by Martina Diez-Routh in soft pastels, pan pastels and pastel pencils on pastel paper 80x60cm unframed, on sale framed. Check it out in my shop here.

The top 10 destinations are mostly found in Utah and Colorado, with California and Wyoming making appearances in the fifth, seventh and ninth spots. California’s Squaw Valley is fifth most expensive overall at an average rate of $302 per night, while the state’s Northstar is $264 per night and in ninth place. In Wyoming, Teton Village is seventh overall, at $292 per night.

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Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass

Snowbasin's full mountain. Photo: Snowbasin Mountain Resort. Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass.

Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass

  • Sun Valley Resort and Snowbasin Resort join the Epic Pass, Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day passes beginning with the 2019-20 winter season in a multi-year alliance.
  • Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no restrictions at both Sun Valley and Snowbasin.
  • Epic Local Pass holders receive two days at each resort with minimal restrictions.
  • Epic 7-Day pass holders can use any or all of their seven days and Epic 4-Day pass holders can use any or all of their four days with no restrictions at both resorts.
  • Epic, Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day pass holders will receive 50 percent off one-day window lift ticket prices after their respective days have been redeemed.
  • The industry-leading Epic Pass features access to world-class mountain resorts throughout eight countries for the 2019-20 season, more than any other season pass in the world.
Family skiing at Snowbasin- Photo credit: Snowbasin Ski Resort. Snowbasin's full mountain. Photo: Snowbasin Mountain Resort. Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass.
Family skiing at Snowbasin- Photo credit: Snowbasin Ski Resort. Snowbasin’s full mountain. Photo: Snowbasin Mountain Resort. Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass.

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN), Sun Valley Resort and Snowbasin Resort jointly announced today that both resorts will join the industry-leading Epic Pass in a multi-year alliance beginning with 2019-20 winter season, adding two new destinations to the world-class access found on the  Epic Pass. Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no restrictions at both resorts. Epic Local Pass holders will receive two days at each resort with minimal restrictions. Epic 7-Day pass holders can use any or all seven of their total days, with no blackouts, while Epic 4-Day pass holders can use any or all four of their total days of skiing and snowboarding with no restrictions at both resorts. Sun Valley is consistently ranked one of the top ski resorts in North America and Snowbasin is known as a great family-friendly destination, conveniently located near Salt Lake City.

“Sun Valley is a four-season renowned mountain resort and provides visitors from around the world with diverse mountain experiences and world-class dining and shopping. Together with nearby Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbasin has an incredibly rich winter sports history and this expanded access provides two great options for Epic Pass holders in Utah,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts.

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More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

Stowe Mountain Resort. More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

From The State – AP

STOWE, VT.

State regulators are looking into why a chairlift stopped running at a Vermont ski resort, prompting the evacuation of approximately 160 skiers and snowboarders.

Stowe Mountain Resort. More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.
Stowe Mountain Resort. More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

The Lookout Double lift stopped operating around 10:30 a.m. Sunday because of an interruption in the electrical system, Stowe Mountain Resort spokesman Jeff Wise said in a written statement. An auxiliary engine also did not work so the ski patrol started evacuating the lift at 10:45 a.m. using rope to rappel people down. All guests were safely off the lift by about 1 p.m., Wise said.

Some were stranded for hours. Keri Crafts, of Burlington, and her two daughters were about halfway up when the lift stopped. She told WCAX-TV they sat there for about 2 ½ hours, and at one point, she saw people start to jump from chairs to the ground.

“We got off and we were so frozen, it was probably 20 degrees, maybe,” she said. “With the winds and snow, many people we talked to were like, we can’t even ski down,” said Keri Crafts of Burlington.”

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First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

Mt Hood Meadows. Learn to Ski and Snowboard. First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

Approximately 6,200 Beginner Ski or Snowboard Lessons Taught on 1/11/19 – National Learn to Ski or Snowboard Day

I have always be interested in how to create skiers and boarders, and when I was young and working at CBMR (Crested Butte Mountain Resort), I remember they had a program of Learn to Ski Free with no strings attached! It was a massive success and it made lots of people learn their first steps in the snow in Crested Butte, and wanting to come for more! I can see this, (without too much science behind), having started with my youngest son skiing in Pila, Aosta Valley, Italy. He does not want to go to any other resort, he is so not interested. You create very loyal skiers of learners, so that is something for the industry to think about. This kind of program in the States is something to imitate. I am not aware of something like that in Europe, though there might be programs like that – I would be keen to know – please email me at info@the-ski-guru.com if you have such info. But here is the story of today:

Mt Hood Meadows. Learn to Ski and Snowboard. First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.
Mt Hood Meadows. Learn to Ski and Snowboard. First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

Friday January 11, 2019 was the snow sports industry’s first National Learn to Ski or Snowboard Day at resorts throughout the U.S. Many resorts offered special deals for newcomers to take beginner lessons from professional instructors as a way to celebrate the sports. It was part of the industry’s annual Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month.

Organizers estimate that participating resorts provided approximately 6,200 beginner lessons on that day. Results are based on information reported by resorts that signed up on the www.learntoskiandsnowboard.org web site as well as others that participated but did not sign up on the web site.

 

“We wanted to create a special day that would shine a spotlight on taking beginner lessons from professional instructors and to set an industry record for the most beginner lessons provided in a single day at U.S. locations,” explained Mary Jo Tarallo, director of the Learn to Ski and Snowboard (Month)/Bring a Friend initiative. “We tried for a Guinness World Record in 2016 but their requirements are strict and not really suited for compliance by multiple locations in four different time zones. So, we decided to do our own thing.” The Guinness try generated about 6,000 lessons but no official record.

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Breckenridge Ski Resort Announces Plans to Regularly Extend Winter Seasons through Memorial Day, Beginning this Spring

Breckenridge - Peaks 6 to 10- Wideview. Photo by Brent Clark- Breckenridge Ski Resort. Vail Resorts. Breckenridge Ski Resort Announces Plans to Regularly Extend Winter Seasons through Memorial Day, Beginning this Spring.

Breckenridge Ski Resort Announces Plans to Regularly Extend Winter Seasons through Memorial Day, Beginning this Spring 

Combined with Keystone’s recently announced capital improvement proposal to upgrade snowmaking and position the resort to be the first to open in Colorado, the two Summit County resorts will offer one of the longest ski and snowboard seasons in the country.

After a record-breaking start to the winter season, Breckenridge Ski Resort announced today plans to extend the 2018-19 ski and snowboard season into May, for the first time since the mid-‘90s. The resort will aim to remain open through Memorial Day this season as well as for future seasons, weather and conditions permitting. Paired with Keystone’s recently announced capital improvement proposal—subject to U.S. Forest Service approval—to upgrade snowmaking and help position the resort to be the first to open in Colorado, together Breck and Keystone will offer one of the longest ski and snowboard seasons in the country moving forward.

Never Nesters drink at apres in Breckenridge, CO. Photo Andrew Maguire. Vail Resorts. Breckenridge Ski Resort Announces Plans to Regularly Extend Winter Seasons through Memorial Day, Beginning this Spring.
Never Nesters drink at apres in Breckenridge, CO. Photo Andrew Maguire. Vail Resorts. Breckenridge Ski Resort Announces Plans to Regularly Extend Winter Seasons through Memorial Day, Beginning this Spring.

“Spring is an incredible time to ski Breck’s High Alpine and we are thrilled to extend our season this year, and beyond, and offer that terrain as long as the snow lasts,” said John Buhler, vice president and chief operating officer at Breckenridge Ski Resort. “With Breck’s notably high elevation and annual snowfall we are well-positioned to provide our passholders and other guests great spring skiing and snowboarding well into May.”

During the extended portion of the season this spring the resort plans to offer skiing and riding out of Peak 7, with access to primarily advanced- and expert-level terrain on Peak 8 in Imperial, Horseshoe and North Bowls, accessed by the Independence SuperChair, Imperial Express SuperChair and the TBar Lift while conditions allow.
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Snowpine Lodge Set to Open January 30, 2019

Snowpine Lodge Final Render. Credit: Snowpine Lodge. Snowpine Lodge Set to Open January 30, 2019.

Snowpine Lodge Set to Open January 30, 2019.

This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer here.

A major overhaul comes to Alta with the opening of the Snowpine Lodge, the first ski-in/ski-out Luxury Resort in this famous ski area in Utah.

The long-awaited opening of Snowpine Lodge in Alta, Utah is slated for January 30, 2019. The new resort, timed with the simultaneous opening of the adjacent Snowpine ski lift, will up the ante as the first ski-in/ski-out luxury resort in the historic town, known for its laid-back style, rugged terrain and abundant supply of annual powder snow.

Swen's Rendering. Credit: Snowpine Lodge. Snowpine Lodge Set to Open January 30, 2019.
Swen’s Rendering. Credit: Snowpine Lodge. Snowpine Lodge Set to Open January 30, 2019.

Alta is set within the Wasatch Mountain Range, less than 40 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah. It is known for its backcountry landscape, two mountain resorts including Alta Ski Area and Snowbird, as well as a bountiful supply of annual powder snow. Although the city was incorporated in 1970, it has lured visitors since the Silver rush in the 1800’s. Alta become a ski destination in 1938 when its first lift opened. Today, Alta remains an important piece in the development of skiing in Utah. Come the summer months, Alta’s fields flourish with wildflowers and bright blue skies. Visitors can fly-fish, mountain bike, hike and more while enjoying the scenic and diverse terrain.

Snowpine Lodge will be resurrected at the site of the original 1941 Snowpine Lodge and the site of the oldest building in Little Cottonwood Canyon dating back to the Silver rush of the 1800’s. Completely restored from the ground up, the new resort will boast 77 total accommodations including 58 rooms and suites and 19 traditional dorm-style bunk rooms. Premium Rooms include balconies with breathtaking views of the surrounding canyon, while all rooms feature premium bedding, flat-screen TVs, complimentary Wi-Fi, slippers and robes, mini-bar, safe and more.

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Avalanche buries two near Kachina Peak in Taos

Photo: Taos Ski Resort. Avalanche buries two near Kachina Peak.

Avalanche buries two near Kachina Peak in Taos

TSV: Two skiers extracted, ‘no additional victims’

From Taos News

Two skiers were critically injured in an avalanche on Thursday (Jan. 17) near Kachina Peak, the highest point at Taos Ski Valley ski resort.

According to a press release from the resort, an “inbounds avalanche” occurred in chute three on Kachina Peak just before noon, burying two men, who have not yet been identified.

Rescuers searching the snow extracted the men just before 1 p.m. and performed CPR on them before rushing them to the base of the resort.

Avalanche buries two near Kachina Peak.
Avalanche buries two near Kachina Peak.

According to a report heard on Taos Central Dispatch before 3 p.m., a medic transporting one of the men in an ambulance to Holy Cross Hospital in Taos said she had “one male trauma patient,” for whom she had established an IV and an intubator, a medical device that helps a person breath when they are unconscious.

Taos County Emergency Services Chief Chris Medina said the other man was also in critical condition and was being flown by helicopter to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.

According to a press release from the ski resort, the search for others who might have been buried was called off after 2 p.m., when rescuers determined there to be “no additional victims.”

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Jay Peak is officially for sale.

Jay Peak is officially for sale – will it be able to get the $250M to pay back investors?

Jay Peak is officially for sale – will it be able to get the $250M to pay back investors?

News from Burlington Free Press and WCAX

After years of turmoil due to one of the biggest frauds to ever have hit the federal EB-5 program, Jay Peak Resort is now for sale.

Ariel Quiros, former owner of the resort and his partner Bill Stenger, allegedly as per the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission misused $200 million in foreign investor funds, with Quiros pocketing personally some $50 million.

The investors have put down $500,000 each in order to receive a green card for themselves and their families. The Miami-based federal receiver Michael Goldberg said that of the 540 investors in Jay Peak, only six have received conditional residency and moved to the United States. About 160 are waiting for their permanent residencies to be approved.

Investors have not received their money back but will they? The answer depends on whether Jay Peak could be sold for $250 million.

Michael Goldberg pointed out that investors from China and other Asian countries, Latin America and Europe were never guaranteed their money back, but the 35 investors in Jay Peak’s Tram Haus Lodge have been repaid in full.

Goldberg said “This was not a loan, it was an investment, and it’s quite possible that these individuals made a bad investment. Basically, the resort will be worth what it’s worth. The fact is, even if there was no fraud, they may not have gotten their whole money back.”

New York’s investment banker Jeffrey Altman of Houlihan Lokey was hired by Goldberg to help sell Jay Peak. Altmann declined to comment the price in which he things the resort can be sold. He was involved in the recent sale of Stowe to Vail Resorts, advising the seller which was the insurance giant AIG.

Mike Krongel of Mirus Resort Advisors, located in Burlington, Massachusetts, explained that a ski resort’s value is estimated as some multiple of its EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation).

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Killington will replace the North Ridge Triple Lift with a Quad Chairlift

Killington ski map. Killington will replace the North Ridge Triple Lift with a Quad Chairlift.

Killington will replace its North Ridge Triple Lift with a Quad Chairlift. They have filed paperwork with the state to replace the vintage upper mountain lift.

News from New England Ski Industry.

Killington will continue its activity of lift projects this summer, as the resort has filed with the State of Vermont a project to replace the North Ridge Triple Chairlift. This will result as per the Act 250 filed made public this week, in a Leitner Poma fixed grip quad chairlift installed along the existing line. A draft permit has been generated by the state.

Killington will replace the North Ridge Triple Lift with a Quad Chairlift.
Killington will replace the North Ridge Triple Lift with a Quad Chairlift.

The Triple North Ridge Chair was installed by Heron-Poma in 1972, with 587 feet climb in vertical drop over a run of 2,290 feet. The oldest lift in Killington, the North Ridge, is typically the first chair to open in New England’s ski season each year. But because of its high elevation, the lift construction season may be limited due to environmental issues.

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