Alterra expects to sell 250,000 Ikon ski passes while Vail Resorts Epic Pass sales are up thanks to the $99 military pass

The state of the industry in Colorado - Alterra expects to sell 250,000 Ikon ski passes while Vail Resorts Epic Pass sales are up thanks to the $99 military pass

Alterra is expecting to sell 250,000 of the new IKON Pass while Vail Resorts stated that their sales of the EPIC Pass are up thanks mostly to the $99 military pass. This was the excerpt heard during the annual Governor’s Tourism Conference at the Talisa Hotel in Vail. The “Trends in ski” panel with Alterra’s Head of Sales Bob Stinchcomb, Vail Resorts marketing chief Kieran Cain and Powdr’s Jennifer Rudolph.

Lauren Berlamino, of Karsh Hagan, a marketing, design and tech company started the discussion with where the whole ski industry is in Colorado, noting the challenges of shorter seasons due to climate change and aging demographic. The opportunities to be had are the experiences beyond skiing and the leading the way in sustainability.

Powder Skiing in Back Bowls In Vail, CO. Photo: Vail Resorts. Alterra expects to sell 250,000 Ikon ski passes while Vail Resorts Epic Pass sales are up thanks to the $99 military pass.
Powder Skiing in Back Bowls In Vail, CO. Photo: Vail Resorts. Alterra expects to sell 250,000 Ikon ski passes while Vail Resorts Epic Pass sales are up thanks to the $99 military pass.

One-fifth of skiers are 55 years or older, with some of the most avid participants are aged 70 and older. Skiers and snowboarders visits in the country have increased from 8.7 million in 1996-97 to 9.2 million in 2017-18. Berlamino states that this growth does not correlate with the overall population growth over the past years.

“It kind of sounds like we’re facing an uphill battle, but really Colorado is doing amazing in this industry,” she said. “I think nobody’s better positioned than our state to continue to ride this momentum and be successful amidst all this change that we’re seeing.”

Powder Skiing in Back Bowls In Vail, CO. Photo: Vail Resorts. Alterra expects to sell 250,000 Ikon ski passes while Vail Resorts Epic Pass sales are up thanks to the $99 military pass.
Powder Skiing in Back Bowls In Vail, CO. Photo: Vail Resorts. Alterra expects to sell 250,000 Ikon ski passes while Vail Resorts Epic Pass sales are up thanks to the $99 military pass.

According to the National Ski Areas Association, Colorado’s share of overnight ski trips in the calendar year of 2017 was 21 percent, followed by California at 13.7 percent. Of the 53.2 million skier visits, that’s about 11 million visitors to Colorado.

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Gales and tide surges wreak havoc in all of Italy, killing at least 10. What is the situation in Trentino-Alto Adige and Belluno

Lots of trees have fallen due to a massive storm in the area of Trentino Alto Adige and Belluno. Photo: Vigili del Fuoco. Twitter.

What is the situation in Trentino-Alto Adige and Belluno: Gales and tide surges wreak havoc in all of Italy, killing at least 10.

Gales and tide surges wreak havoc in Italy, killing at least 10. After two days of severe weather that has caused historic flooding, at least 10 people are dead in Italy nationwide.

Arabba after the storm. Gales and tide surges wreak havoc in all of Italy, killing at least 10. What is the situation in Trentino Alto Adige and Belluno.
Arabba after the storm. Gales and tide surges wreak havoc in all of Italy, killing at least 10. What is the situation in Trentino Alto Adige and Belluno.

Italy has seen gales that sent trees crashing into cars, water surges have destroyed a port and high tides in Venice have flooded the San Marco Basilica.

There were dozens injured by the weather conditions.

But in the mountains, on Monday a body of a woman was found in Val di Sole,  and the body of a fisherman was found by firefighters in Lake Levico in Trentino, and a volunteer firefighter was hit by a falling tree during an operation at San Martino in Badia, in Alto Adige. The fisherman found in Lake Levico is likely to have been blown into the lake by the winds.   Falling trees was the cause of many of the deaths and of major disruption.

La Repubblica stated that “In 48 hours there have been over 7,000 interventions” by firefighters at a national level, many of them for removal of fallen trees, it reported.

Some mudslides isolated parts of the country and several rivers saw record levels and potential floods. In the northeast of Italy, snowstorms trapped tourists at resorts. At higher elevations as Stelvio pass near the border with Switzerland, 180 people remained cut out after a heavy snowfall blocked the alpine pass, ANSA reports.

Continue reading “Gales and tide surges wreak havoc in all of Italy, killing at least 10. What is the situation in Trentino-Alto Adige and Belluno”

Cairngorm Mountain’s funicular to be shut for the ski season?

The Cairngorm Mountain's funicular might not open this coming season. Photo: Cairngorm Mountain

 CairnGorm Mountain’s funicular railway could be out of action for the whole of the upcoming ski season- as per the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The UK’s highest railway has already been closed for about one month due to problems with the structure supporting its tracks.

Early December there will be a report from engineers on their investigation of this issue.

Cairngorm Mountain's economy might suffer if the funicular does not open this season.
Cairngorm Mountain’s economy might suffer if the funicular does not open this season.

HIE said that the ‘worst case scenario’ would be for the railway to be closed. Obviously this raised alarm bells and is cause of concern on the impact it will have locally.

Continue reading “Cairngorm Mountain’s funicular to be shut for the ski season?”

Taos Regional Airport Launches Taos Air- an Air Service to Dallas, Austin

Skiing in Taos - Photo credit: Ski Taos. Taos Regional Airport Launches Taos Air – an Air Service to Dallas, Austin

Taos Regional Airport Launches Air Service to Dallas, Austin

Taos Air to increase accessibility to Northern New Mexico region, improve economic and tourism opportunities for Taos.

After its worst winter in 100 years, instead of flying to be bought by Alterra  (even though it is now offered in the IKON pass) – or being bought by Vail Resorts and being part of the EPIC Pass, Taos decides to buy an airline! This is definitely not where the industry is going, but this completely got me hooked to learn more about it!

A red sky in Taos - Photo: Ski Taos.Taos Regional Airport Launches Taos Air – an Air Service to Dallas, Austin
A red sky in Taos – Photo: Ski Taos.Taos Regional Airport Launches Taos Air – an Air Service to Dallas, Austin

Getting to Taos Ski Valley has never been easy. The resort is located in the Sangre de Cristos mountains, a subrange of the Rockies in the north of New Mexico. The nearest airport is Albuquerque, three hours away. Santa Fe is only two hours away but has little regional flights, while Denver is a whooping 5 hours drive.

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Continuity of Grandvalira guaranteed for the long term with the addition of Ordino Arcalís to their skiing experience.

Continuity of Grandvalira guaranteed for the long term with the addition of Ordino Arcalís to their skiing experience. - Photo: Grandvalira.

The Continuity of Grandvalira guaranteed for the long term with the addition of Ordino Arcalís to their skiing experience.

 An exciting new period for the ski sector and the Principality of Andorra has opened up with the biggest resort in southern Europe combining with the field of snow in Ordino to offer a pioneering ski experience with a total of 240 skiable kilometres

Nevasa will continue with brand marketing and communication, integrating the Arcalís products into their work. 

Grandvalira after a snowstorm. The continuity of Grandvalira guaranteed for the long term with the addition of Ordino Arcalís to their skiing experience. - Photo: Grandvalira.
Grandvalira after a snowstorm. The continuity of Grandvalira guaranteed for the long term with the addition of Ordino Arcalís to their skiing experience. – Photo: Grandvalira.

Yesterday good news came through for Grandvalira and Ordino Arcalís with the continuation of the agreement between the two companies that compose Grandvalira – SAETDE and ENSISA. The two have announced in 2017 that they were going to split, giving uncertainty to the Grandvalira umbrella brand, where one lift was used for the areas of Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, Soldeu, El Tarter, Canillo and Emcamp. It was more a pity, as Grandvalira is a very successful brand that have increased the quantity of skiers days a lot in the last years. And I know the team behind Grandvalira, and they work their socks off! So I am glad, that thankfully, the two sides could come to an agreement, and what is also super exciting is that Ordino Arcalis have come along to their ski offer. Many locals that leave in Andorra la Vella or in the bases of Grandvalira, go on the weekend to ski Ordino as its freeskiing terrain is incredible. That is why Ordino Arcalis is a proud host of the Freeride World Tour.

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Alyeska Resort and Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood to be sold to a Canadian hospitality company.

Alyeska Resort - Courtesy: Alyeska Resort - Alyeska Resort and Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood to be sold to a Canadian hospitality company.

Alyeska Resort and Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood to be sold to a Canadian hospitality company.

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A ski resort near Anchorage (Alyeska Ski Resort) has agreed to sell its properties to a Canada-based hospitality company.

Heliskiing from Alyeska.  Courtesy: Alyeska Resort - Alyeska Resort and Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood to be sold to a Canadian hospitality company.
Heliskiing from Alyeska. Courtesy: Alyeska Resort – Alyeska Resort and Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood to be sold to a Canadian hospitality company.

Pomeroy Lodging has entered a contract to buy Alyeska Resort and Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood, the Anchorage Daily News reported Tuesday.

Alyeska said it will “sell substantially all of its resort assets,” including the 300-room hotel and the popular Girdwood ski area. The resort is about 40 miles southeast (64 kilometres) of Anchorage.

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The “Engadin airport”-Samedan Regional Airport and Europe’s highest-to be revamped.

The Samedan Regional Airport, "Engadin Airport" is Europe's highest airport. Photo: Samedan Regional Airport.

The Samedan Regional Airport, known as the “Engadin airport” is preparing for its future as a modern non- Schengen regional airport. The existing buildings will be replaced in several stages and the further infrastructure will be expanded. The winning project came from Hosoya Schaefer Architects / Blarer & Reber Architects, and it is now being developed into a construction project that will be executed in phases, to revamp Europe’s highest airport.

Interior of the hangar at the Engadin airport, Samedan Regional Airport, Europe highest's airport. Photo: Samedan Regional Airport.
Interior of the hangar at the Engadin airport, Samedan Regional Airport, Europe highest’s airport. Photo: Samedan Regional Airport.

A first phase of development includes measures to guarantee the operation in the long term by replacing essential business related infrastructure. The “Landside” operating building with terminal, control tower, office space, food services as well as the entire customs and immigration processes is the focus of this phase. To the southwest, new helicopter hangars are being built for Rega and other regional helicopter companies. The execution of the first phase is planned to start from the year 2021.

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Jungfrau V-bahn railway project gets green light overcoming opposition

Jungfrau v-bahn railway project gets green light.

The controversial Jungfrau V-bahn railway project gets green light overcoming opposition.

The Federal Office of Transport has approved a CHF400 million ($405 million) mountain railway project that will carry tourists faster up to the Jungfraujoch in the Bernese Alps. The project has been modified to appease local opponents who had raised environmental and aesthetic concerns.

At the heart of the controversial plan is a V-shaped cable car route that would allow more tourists to swiftly reach the Eiger Glacier station from where they can take the mountain railways to the Jungfraujoch “Top of Europe” tourist station.

Photomontage of the possible new situation in the ground in Grindelwald. Left the new Männlichenbahn, right the Eiger Express and the parking garage. Both planned new buildings are marketed under the name V project
Photomontage of the possible new situation in the ground in Grindelwald. Left the new Männlichenbahn, right the Eiger Express and the parking garage. Both planned new buildings are marketed under the name V project.

Local authorities and residents of the Bernese Alps feared the “Eiger express” line, which would start from the village of Grindelwald, would disfigure the landscape. Seventeen objections were made but advocates gave up the fight in February accepting in exchange a donation for a good cause.

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Aspen officials, developers agree on a new lift alignment at base of Ajax- Lift 1 A Aspen Mountain.

Lift 1A- Aspen Mountain

Article submitted on Aspen Times. – The proverbial bullwheel for a new chairlift at the base of Aspen Mountain’s west side, where Lift 1A is now, has been set in motion, now that developers and city planners have the go ahead to bring the alignment down to Dean Street — or close to it.


Aspen City Council on Tuesday gave direction to city staff, Aspen Skiing Co. and the developers of two lodge properties on the Lift 1A side of the mountain to move forward with their plans to reinvigorate the western portal of the ski area.

Lift One Lodge developers Michael and Aaron Brown at the site of the historic Lift One bulwheel structure. Aspen Mountain. Photo: Aspen Times.
Lift One Lodge developers Michael and Aaron Brown at the site of the historic Lift One bulwheel structure. Aspen Mountain. Photo: Aspen Times.

While a “telemix” — a combination of a chairlift and gondola — was recommended to start just in front of the 1940s-era Lift One bullwheel structure, council members said they were OK if the historic resource was moved in order to get the new platform closer to Dean Street, thus giving skiers easier access to the mountain.

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Les Diablerets launched its own currency – the Isenau – for the ski resort’s survival

The Isenau lift is due to be replaced. Photo: Les Diablerets.

The mountain village of Les Diablerets has launched it’s own local currency, called the “Iserau” to help save an endangered ski area and secure the village’s future.

There is a trend in Switzerland where some complementary currencies are popping up as ways of raising funds and encouraging people to buy and think local.

The message to save the Isenau lift - this was a major campaign that united all the people in the mountain village.
The message to save the Isenau lift – this was a major campaign that united all the people in the mountain village.

Continue reading “Les Diablerets launched its own currency – the Isenau – for the ski resort’s survival”