April 2024

Epic Pass Raises Prices, Adds Crans-Montana for 2024-25. Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass suite for 2024-25 has the unrestricted Epic Pass launching at $982 and the Epic Local pass retailing for $731, new highs for the products and about an 8 percent increase from last year, when they were $909 and $676, respectively. More. SAM

Ikon Pass Increases Prices, Adds Benefits for 2024-25. The 2024-25 Ikon Pass suite goes on sale March 14, with 58 destinations and a handful of new benefits. The company has bumped up prices, with the unrestricted Ikon Pass retailing for $1,249 (compared to $1,159 last year) and the Ikon Base Pass on sale for $869 (up from $829 last year). More. SAM

Switzerland’s St. Moritz Ski Resort added to Ikon Pass. The Engadin Valley community—a two-time Olympic host, five-time home of the FIS Ski World Championships, and the birthplace of winter tourism in the Swiss Alps—is the sixth European destination on the Ikon Pass. More. SAM

Indy Pass Adds Seven Alpine Partners, Discounts on Cat Skiing. Seven new alpine resorts have been added to the Indy Pass for the 2024-25 season, including four owned by Pacific Group Resorts Inc. Also new, pass holders can get 10 percent off when they book day seats or packaged visits at five cat skiing operations. More. SAM

Antelope Butte (WY) To Offer Free Season Passes to Anyone Under 18. The nonprofit Antelope Butte Ski Area is making 2024-25 season passes free for anyone younger than 18 years old on the date of purchase. Pass sales open on Friday, April 5, for all age groups. The ski area is located roughly an hour outside of Sheridan, Wyo. More. SAM

Warning: Credit Card Fraud Continues to Target Ski Areas. There appears to be an extensive effort to sell fraudulently purchased lift tickets on Craigslist at a discounted price, with dozens of ski areas across North America being targeted. More. SAM

Wave of Western Ski Patrols Move to Unionize. Ski patrollers at Keystone Resort are the latest in a string of western resort patrol departments moving to unionize this winter. At least four other resorts have pending votes to form a patrol union as well. More. SAM

Inconsistencies in Classification of Ski Slope Difficulty Ratings. Individual ski resorts can classify their slopes and runs without permission or oversight by a governing body. This is frustrating and potentially dangerous, especially for beginner skiers relying on those trail markings to be accurate. More. Snowbrains

This 50-Year Study Reveals Surprising Insights on Ski Helmets and Injury Prevention. Jasper Shealy’s groundbreaking research in ski safety has reshaped our understanding of head injuries on the slopes. More. Ski Magazine

11 Things About Skiing in Europe That Shock Americans. Hint: It’s not the endless vertical or the incredible views they can’t stop talking about. More. Ski Magazine

Abandoned Stagecoach Ski Resort, CO, to be Revived as Private Ski & Golf Club by Company Behind Exclusive Yellowstone Club. A ski area that ceased operations 50 years ago is seemingly being resurrected as a private ski and golf resort by a consortium including the brains behind Yellowstone Club. More. SnowBrains

Retro Ski Suits Are Making a Comeback on the Slopes. Here’s Why. Whether its tight one-piece ski suits or block-print neon numbers, fashion has boosted the cachet of winter sports. More. Salt Lake Tribune via Google Alerts Ed. Note: Barbara Alley Simon who is quoted extensively in the article was honored with a Snowsports Builder Award by the Far West Ski Association in 2019.

The post NSCF Newsbeat – April 2024 appeared first on Ski Federation.

“Drop is happy to offer NSCF members 20% OFF our already incredibly priced snow accessories. Includes all Gloves, Mitts, Goggles and Beanies.

WE KNOW WINTER.

DROP has been making the best snow accessories in the market for over 20 years, with a commitment to premium design, quality and innovation. Now you’re getting them direct. So you can ride more and spend less.

All NSCF members will receive 20% off upon checkout using the promo code shown on the Members Only page for this vendor. (You will need to login to the site to access the Members Only section.)

The post DROP MFG appeared first on Ski Federation.

Peak Ski Company, based out of Montana, U.S.A, is incorporating Bode Miller’s 30 years of design acumen into a quiver of ripping all-mountain skis. As a member of the National Ski Council Federation, Peak Skis would like to offer NSCF Members $100 exclusive discount off any model of Peak skis which are currently already marked down to $499-699. Or get $200 off Peak 88’s. This is your chance to discover how Bode’s proprietary KeyHole Technology is making skiing more fun.

All NSCF members will receive upon checkout $100 or $200 off depending on product purchased using the promo code shown on the Members Only page for this vendor. (You will need to login to the site to access the Members Only section.)

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March 2024

Indy Pass 2024-25 Pricing Flat, Adds 200-Resort Guarantee. Early-bird pricing for the 2024-25 Indy Pass will remain steady at $279 when it goes on sale March 1 to current and past passholders as well as people on last year’s waitlist, who can buy it for $329. Indy Pass currently has 185 independent resort partners, and the company is offering a money-back guarantee that it will grow to at least 200 partners for 2024-25. More. SAM

Sugarloaf Opens West Mountain Terrain Expansion. Sugarloaf is opening West Mountain, a new 120-acre terrain expansion served by a high-speed detachable quad with an uphill capacity of 2,400 skiers per hour. “It’s the largest terrain expansion to happen in the Northeast since the late 1970s,” said Sugarloaf president and general manager Karl Strand. More. SAM

Blue Mountain and Camelback Join for New Peak to Peak Poconos Pass. KSL Resorts will offer a new joint season pass product for the 2024-25 season called the Peak to Peak Poconos Pass that includes unlimited access to Blue Mountain Resort and Camelback Resort, its two properties in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. More. SAM

New Mexico’s First Ski Area Reopens After Multiple Year Hiatus. Sandia Peak Ski Area in New Mexico was out of operation since 2022. New Mexico’s oldest ski resort is outside Albuquerque. More. Powder

Mountain Collective Adds Bromont for the 2024-25 Season. The 2024-25 Mountain Collective pass will provide two-days of access to 25 mountain destinations with the addition of Bromont, in eastern Quebec, which joins Le Massif de Charlevoix as the second Quebec partner on the pass and the eighth in Canada. More. SAM

Taos Ski Valley, NM, Becomes First Resort in North America to Use Electric Snowcat. Taos Ski Valley is leading the way in this movement and is the first ski resort in North America to deploy a fully electric snow groomer. Taos Ski Valley is the world’s first and only certified B Corporation ski resort and has been a certified carbon-neutral company since 2021. More. SnowBrains via Google Alerts Ed. Note: Taos is hosting the NSCF Annual Meeting Aug. 21-25.

How a Vermont Ski Area Roared Back From a Financial Scandal. Less than a decade ago, the biggest fraud in ski industry history nearly took down a beloved ski area. But Jay Peak, long known for its powder, has since transformed into a sparkling modern resort. More. New York Times

New Vail Resorts Chairlift-Fall Lawsuit Examines Culpability of Lift Operators. The incident took place in Park City in 2020, where a father jumped off the lift to reach his fallen child. More. Ski

Solitude, UT Ski Patrollers Take Giant Step Towards Unionizing. Solitude Mountain Resort’s ski patrollers have submitted a petition for union representation by the United Professional Ski Patrols of America. The announcement comes after ski patrollers at Whitefish Mountain Resort, MT filed a petition to join the same union. More. Powder

Palisades Tahoe Ski Patrollers Take First Step Towards Unionizing. If successful, the Palisades Tahoe Professional Patrol Association would be the first unionized ski patrol in California. More. Powder

Seven Organizations Making Skiing More Inclusive for BIPOC. While the industry is starting to dig into these issues, it’s still a way off from solving them. Luckily, several organizations and nonprofits took up the mantle years ago before “DEI” became the buzzword it is today. These groups are at the forefront of making skiing more accessible and inclusive for underrepresented groups across the United States. More. Ski

Skier Dies After Falling Into Tree Well at Wyoming Resort. A skier died after falling into a tree well at Grand Targhee Ski Resort in Wyoming. He was skiing with a partner in bounds until the pair was separated. Other skiers reportedly found him upside down in the tree well before ski patrol arrived and attempted to dig him out. Ski Patrol and EMTs responded but were unable to revive him. More. The Inertia via Google Alerts

Should Wealthy Skiers Get to Buy Access to Powder Before the Lifts Open? Rising predawn to chase powder is sacred in ski culture, but an increasing number of resorts are offering early-access programs for people who can afford them. More. Ski Ed. Note: This is quite a long article and addresses all sides of the issue.

Climate Change Cost U.S. Ski Industry Billions, Study Says, Future Depends on Emissions. U.S. ski areas lost $5 billion from 2000 to 2019 as a result of climate change and could lose around $1 billion annually in the 2050s depending on how much emissions are reduced, a new study found. More. AP via Grand Junction, CO, Daily Sentinel & Google Alerts.

Northern Michigan Ski Industry Sounds Off on New Report Citing Climate Change for Loss of Billions. Northern Michigan’s ski industry reacts to a new report showing that US ski businesses have lost billions over the years because of climate change. More. 9&10 News via Google Alerts

The post NSCF Newsbeat March 2024 appeared first on Ski Federation.

August 21 – 25, 2024

The post 2024 Annual Meeting appeared first on Ski Federation.

by Gregg Frantz | February 7, 2024

Report from Monday, February 5, 2024

We live in the age of mega passes that allow skiers and riders the opportunity to visit many different mountains throughout the season. There are different types of choices to select from deciding which pass to choose, ranging from national to regional options. The Indy Pass offers skiers the opportunity to visit over 180 resorts, on three continents, with two days at each resort. One thing all skiers love about the Indy Pass is that it supports independent resorts, which keeps the history and essence of skiing alive.

One of those resorts on the Indy Pass is Montage Mountain located in the Pocono Mountains and is right off of Interstate 81 just outside of Scranton, PA. It first opened in 1984 with seven trails and expanded in 1987 and added its North Face Complex for an expert-only ski/board area. It now has 27 trails and claims to have the second steepest vertical slope in the east with its signature trail, “White Lightning.”

MORE

Posted from SnowBrains.

The post Montage Mountain, PA, Report: Skiing the 2nd Steepest Slope in the East appeared first on Ski Federation.

by Paulie | February 12, 2024

Brought to you by Taos Ski Valley

An all-time winter skiing or snowboarding getaway is waiting for you at Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico.

Home to North America’s sole full-immersion camp, Ski Week at Taos is a standout program at a premier mountain paradise where you’ll cultivate the skills to slide right into skiing like an absolute legend.

Taos founder and all-around mountain-man icon, Ernie Blake was dipping his ski tips beside hosen-clad downhillers across the European Alps when he first noted the special brilliance behind the concept of a Ski Week. Ernie knew straight away that to transplant Ski Week to Taos Ski Valley was a recipe for success. All he needed was the ‘magic ingredient’ and it arrived in the form of Jean Mayer.

MORE

Posted from SnowBrains.

The post Ski Weeks To Last A Lifetime At Taos Ski Valley, NM appeared first on Ski Federation.

January-February 2024

Alterra to Acquire Arapahoe Basin. Alterra Mountain Company has entered into an agreement to purchase Arapahoe Basin from Dream Unlimited Corp. A-Basin will be Alterra’s 18th North American mountain destination. More. SAM

Jackson Hole Sale Completed; Ski Area Will Stay in Local Hands. The sale of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) to a local group of investors, initially announced last August, is complete. The Kemmerer family, which has owned the independent ski resort for the last 32 years, officially closed the deal in early February. Financial details were not disclosed. More. SAM

New Lone Peak Tram Opens at Big Sky Resort. It is the first new tram built at a North American ski area in 15 years. The new higher-capacity system is a complete replacement of the resort’s original 15-passenger jig-back tram built in 1995. More. SAM

Deer Valley Ski Resort Shares Map Of Massive, 3,700 Acre Expansion. In addition to the new lifts and terrain, Deer Valley intends to construct another base area dubbed the “Deer Valley East Village,” alongside 1,200 new parking spots to accommodate additional skiers. More. Powder.com

Powder Mountain to Offer Private Skiing for Homeowners, Install Three New Lifts. In order to keep Powder Mountain financially viable, CEO Reed Hastings plans to sell more real estate at the property and provide homeowners with an area of lift-served terrain that only they can access beginning in 2024-25. The rest of the 8,464-acre resort will remain open to the public. More. SAM

A New Ski Resort is Proposed in B.C. Here’s Why This One’s Different From the Rest. The Spuzzum First Nation people announced plans last week to build an 815-skiable-acre resort with a 2,300-foot vertical drop and 11 lifts at full buildout. The Spuzzum people hope to build and operate the resort to provide career opportunities for members, and that’s primarily what sets it apart. More. Ski

Another Big Year, Even Bigger Lifts. North American ski areas installed 57 new ropeways in 2023, including some of the biggest lifts ever built on the continent, as manufacturers balanced strong demand with construction capacity. More. SAM

If Vail Resorts is Liable For Chairlift Fall That Left Teen Paralyzed, There Could Be Big Repercussions. The Colorado Ski Safety Act mitigates ski areas’ liability in the event of an accident, but this court case will test its limits. More. Ski

Heavenly Launches Probe After Guest Gets Stuck Overnight on Gondola. Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Ski Resort is investigating how a female snowboarder apparently was trapped overnight on its gondola. Monica Laso told reporters that she was directed by a Heavenly staff member to board the gondola around 4:58 p.m. on Feb. 25. The lift stopped running about two minutes after she boarded. Resort workers only discovered her predicament when the lifts began running again the next morning, about 15 hours after she had boarded. More. SAM

One Dead, One Injured in Inbounds Palisades Tahoe Avalanche. At least one person was killed and another sustained non-life-threatening injuries in an inbounds avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Jan. 10. More. SAM

Falling Trees Cause Loaded Gondola Cabin to Detach, Fall at Austrian Ski Area. A gondola cabin with four passengers in it detached from the haul rope and fell 23-33 feet after “several trees” fell on the line of a gondola at Hochoetz ski area. Three of the adults sustained serious injuries, with one taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries. More. SAM

National Ability Center Opens New Facility At Park City Mountain. The new 9,400-square-foot, state-of-the-art, accessible facility was made possible thanks to a donation from McGrath Development and a historic land lease donated by Vail Resorts. It will serve as a homebase for the organization’s adaptive ski and snowboard programs. More. SAM Ed. Note: This article and the one below link to a Ski Area Management (SAM) page called Social Good that contains a variety of good works being carried out by ski resorts.

Loveland Ski Area Joins Youth Initiative. The project, founded by Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame inductee Chris Anthony, aims to inspire and educate local youths through outdoor recreation opportunities. More. SAM

New Ice Grip Symbol For Winter Tires. In North America, determining if a tire is suitable for winter use can be challenging, if not impossible, and the new Ice Grip emblem seeks to address that. It shows that a tire has undergone testing to demonstrate safe levels of traction on bare ice when displayed on the tire’s sidewall. More. SnowBrains

Climate Change Terrifies the Ski industry. Here’s What Could Happen in a Warming World. The USA’s multibillion-dollar ski industry isn’t taking climate change lightly: According to the National Ski Areas Association, climate change is “the number one threat to the snowsports industry.” More. USA Today via Google Alerts

Vail Resorts Marks Sustainability Progress. Vail Resorts marked its second year of 100 percent renewable energy use at its 37 North American resorts and made strides in landfill waste reduction and energy efficiency company-wide, according to its 2022-23 Environmental & Social Responsibility Report. More. SAM

Aspen One Sustainability Report Highlights Advocacy, Research, and Action. A new sustainability report from Aspen One, the parent company of Aspen Skiing Company, ASPENX, and Aspen Hospitality, highlights the company’s environmental and social responsibility efforts in areas such as political action, research, and philanthropy. The report presents as part educational tool, part catalog of the company’s climate-forward efforts, and part call to action. More. SAM

The post NSCF Newsbeat January-February 2024 appeared first on Ski Federation.

ALTERRA MOUNTAIN COMPANY TO ACQUIRE ARAPAHOE BASIN IN COLORADO

This Legendary Mountain Will Expand Alterra’s Advanced Terrain Offering

DENVER, CO, February 5, 2024 – Alterra Mountain Company has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, from Dream Unlimited Corp., expanding Alterra’s portfolio of unique, complementary destinations in the Rockies.

A-Basin, as the beloved big-mountain destination is known locally, is located just 68 miles from Denver and boasts the longest season in Colorado, often running through the 4th of July. A-Basin sits on the Continental Divide in the Rockies and offers some of North America’s highest elevation and most challenging terrain, paired with a laid-back atmosphere. Its iconic terrain includes Pallavicini, the East Wall, and the Steep Gullies, plus the Beavers and Montezuma Bowl, some of North America’s newest terrain. The Beach, a stretch of prime real estate at the base, transforms into one of Colorado’s longest-standing après traditions.

“Arapahoe Basin is considered legendary for a reason. From its unparalleled terrain to its commitment to sustainability, A-Basin has a team that has a passion and commitment for this unique place and its traditions, making it an ideal fit for the Alterra Mountain Company family,” said Jared Smith, President & CEO, Alterra Mountain Company. “A-Basin was a key addition to the Ikon Pass in 2019 and we have since then worked alongside their dedicated team and look forward to continuing our shared goals and values.”

Alan Henceroth, A-Basin’s Chief Operating Officer who has been with A-Basin for 36 years and has been the steward of the mountain’s unique culture, will continue on to lead the resort. He will continue to oversee daily operations as well as leadership of future capital improvement plans, which include expanding parking and snowmaking.

“A-Basin has a long-time and loyal following among skiers and riders in Colorado and we care deeply about the culture of A-Basin that brings them back,” said Alan Henceroth, COO of Arapahoe Basin. “We have worked with Alterra Mountain Company since 2019 when we joined the Ikon Pass community, and we have every faith that Alterra is committed to helping us maintain A-Basin’s authenticity.”

READ MORE

Posted from Arapahoe Basin via SteamboatRadio.com

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Diamant Skiing is committed to transforming the way skiers and snowboarders experience travel to and from the mountains. We are focused on innovative gear that streamlines and enhances the entire travel process. NSCF members receive 30% off anything in the Diamant Store. Simply enter the code at checkout.

Rediscover what it means to get to the mountains with The Weekend Warrior. We combined your boot bag and your travel bag into one so that you can experience frictionless travel no matter where your ski/snowboard adventure takes you. Pair it with the first ever packable On-Mountain Pack, which seamlessly integrates with The Weekend Warrior fitting neatly in its dedicated pocket. Make travel a positive part of the skiing experience with Diamant.

All NSCF members will receive 30% off upon checkout using the promo code shown on the Members Only page for this vendor. (You will need to login to the site to access the Members Only section.)

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Jake’s Mint Chew is located Newburyport, MA, and was founded in 2010 to help people quit dipping tobacco using a healthy, all natural, alternative…mint! Since then, we have added many different types of healthy products, all of which we make ourselves. Now in our 14^th year, Jake’s products range from mint and coffee pouches, CBD pouches and gummies, to our super popular CBD Muscle and Joint Cream which is ideal for aches and pains you may get during a day’s outing on the ski slopes. It was our top seller at this year’s Boston Snowbound Show! Jake’s Mint Chew’s mission is to provide healthy and enjoyable products to help people live a healthier life. We hope you’ll try some Jake’s today!

All NSCF members will receive 15% off upon checkout using the promo code shown on the Members Only page for this vendor. (You will need to login to the site to access the Members Only section.)

The post JAKE’s MINT CHEW appeared first on Ski Federation.

The world’s best sports communicator! Talk to your clients, friends, and family easily and share your excitement on the mountains — Hands-free without the need for an internet or cellular connection. Enjoy sound by JBL, phone connectivity and music streaming for the ultimate outdoor experience.

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Enhance your outdoor adventures! Packtalk Outdoor lets you fully immerse yourself in nature while staying connected with your companions. Create an intercom network within seconds and seamlessly communicate with friends and family.

Our mesh network ensures constant connectivity without the hassle of pushing a button, providing a truly hands-free experience. Packtalk Outdoor operates independently, keeping you connected wherever you are. No internet or cellular network required!

DYNAMIC MESH COMMUNICATION

Dynamic Mesh Communication (DMC) is a networking technology that creates living connections, actively seeking to connect to other units. DMC will adapt based on the behavior of units in a network to ensure communication is maintained in the best way possible.

• No cellular signal or Wi-Fi required
• More users means a larger range for the whole group
• Each user can send and receive signal to overcome obstacles
• Up to 1km/0.6mi range between two users – up to 3km/5mi for the whole group

SOUND BY JBL

Powerful 40mm high-definition speakers engineered to perfection by JBL experts offer the perfect sound experience.

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No matter what you throw at it, your waterproof Packtalk Outdoor will take the beating and keep you connected.
Rain, snow, sun, mud or dust.

Enjoy 25% off any outdoor product (not applicable on motorcycle products)! Discount code can be found in the Members Only section. You must login to view this section of the site,

Cardo Outdoor instructor set: https://www.cardosystems.com/shop/packtalk-outdoor-instructor-set/

Cardo Outdoor single and DUO units: https://www.cardosystems.com/shop/outdoor/

The post CARDO SYSTEMS appeared first on Ski Federation.

December 2023

Vail Resorts to Acquire Crans-Montana in Switzerland. Vail Resorts has entered into an agreement to acquire Crans-Montana Mountain Resort in Switzerland from CPI Property Group (CPIPG), the majority owner of Remontées Mécaniques (French for “ski lifts”) Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA, which controls and operates all the resort’s lifts and supporting mountain operations, including four retail and rental locations. More. SAM

Vail’s Vision for $16 Billion Rail Revival Gains Momentum. A proposal to rejuvenate a passenger rail service is gaining traction among local officials. The plan aims to connect the Eagle County Regional Airport directly to the town of Vail. It is seen as a potential solution to the region’s growing transportation and environmental challenges. More. SnowBrains

Park City and Deer Valley eye public-private partnership for Snow Park. Deer Valley will pay $15 million towards the creation of a regionally significant transportation and parking facility. These funds may also be used for affordable housing in connection with that facility. More. Park City Town Lift via NSCF

Snowbasin Utah Forgoes Parking Reservation System. Several major ski resorts, from Palisades Tahoe to Solitude Mountain Resort, have implemented parking reservation systems ahead of winter 2023-2024. However, after much deliberation, Snowbasin Resort, Utah, is marching to a different tune. More. Powder

Fastest 6-Person Chairlift In North America To Open at Sunday River Maine. According to officials at Sunday River, “the Barker 6, one of the most advanced and fastest 6-person chairlifts in North America.” It is a “Doppelmayr D-Line design, [featuring] ergonomic heated seats, an automatically lowering and locking restraining bar, weather-blocking bubbles….” More. Powder

Park City court decision could open ski resorts’ secret formula for accommodating crowds. A Utah court’s decision rejecting an appeal by Vail Resorts could finally expose the complicated calculus behind “comfortable carrying capacity,” the secret metric used by all resorts for managing crowds. More. Colorado Sun via Google Alerts

Salt Lake Named Preferred Host for 2034 Winter Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday named Salt Lake City as the “preferred city” to host the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Once a preferred host has been selected, no other cities are permitted to apply to host the same Games, making Salt Lake now the sole candidate for 2034. More. SAM

Palisades Tahoe Employee Dies in Collision Involving a Snowmobile. Palisades Tahoe employee Brian Gimbert, 34, of Tahoma, CA, died as a result of a collision involving a snowmobile early Thursday morning, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported. Officials at the resort said the accident happened during snowmaking operations on the Alpine side of Palisades Tahoe. More. SAM

Death of 6-Year-Old Raises Questions About Lift Safety, Training. The coroner’s report about the Jan. 29, 2023, death of a 6-year-old girl at Val Saint-Côme resort in Quebec calls into question ski area staff training and safety practices, as the investigation revealed several missteps during the accident. More. SAM

Indy Pass, Entabeni, Unofficial Networks to Aid Hickory Ski Center NY. Hickory Ski Center is getting a lifeline to fund payment for liability insurance that will allow the ski area to open its lifts for the first time since 2015. More. SAM

Female Ski Patrollers at Palisade Tahoe, CA, Create Calendar to Help Raise Funds for 3 Worthwhile Causes. The female members of the Ski Patrol at Palisades Tahoe, California, have created a beautiful calendar for 2024 that will raise funds for three worthwhile causes. More. SnowBrains

These 10 U.S. States Have The Most Ski Resorts. New York leads the way with 52 ski resorts, offering a variety of winter experiences near the bustling city. The best months for skiing are January and February. Michigan and Wisconsin are second and third. More. The Travel via Google Alerts

Klaus Obermeyer is 104, and Still Telling Great Ski Stories. Obermeyer turned 104 on Saturday. He was born just after the turn of the century in 1919. He has been skiing on snow for a century and has picked up hundreds of stories to tell. More. Ski Magazine

The post NSCF Newsbeat December 2023 appeared first on Ski Federation.

Snow Park Base Transformation rendering. Photo: Deer Valley Resort

Deer Valley will pay $15 million towards the creation of a regionally significant transportation and parking facility. These funds may also be used for affordable housing in connection with that facility.

PARK CITY, Utah — In a recent development, Park City and Deer Valley have outlined a proposal for a public-private partnership aimed at supporting the Snow Park Village redevelopment and related infrastructure improvements. The proposal, still under consideration and pending City Council approval, revolves around a series of measures designed to enhance transportation, parking, and housing facilities in the area.

READ MORE...

Reposted from the Town Lift – Park City News

The post Park City and Deer Valley eye public-private partnership for Snow Park appeared first on Ski Federation.

November 2023

Late October Snow Primes the Pump for More Ski Area Openings. More North American ski areas are opening for the season after late-October snowstorms pummeled various regions this past week and cooler temps allowed other areas to fire up their snowmaking systems. Here is a rundown of some recent and soon-to-come opening dates. More. SAM

Windham (NY) Unveils Rebranding, New Master Plan. The Windham Mountain Club, formerly known as Windham Mountain, unveiled its rebranding and capital upgrades for the 2023-24 winter season and beyond. More. SAM

Mountain Capital Partners Inks Joint Venture with Sandia Peak, NM. Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) and Sandia Peak Ski Company have entered a joint venture agreement for the operation of Sandia Peak Ski Area, located 35 miles northeast of Albuquerque, N.M. This is MCP’s third New Mexico ski area. More. SAM

California Mountain Resorts Company Buys Bear Mountain. California Mountain Resorts Company (CMRC) has acquired Bear Valley. It’s the third acquisition in three years for the growing Golden State conglomerate, which is headed by CEO Karl Kapuscinski. CMRC, which has owned Mountain High since 1997, purchased California’s Dodge Ridge in 2021 and China Peak in 2022. More. SAM

Smugglers’ Notch and Stowe Connector Lift Plans Withdrawn. Plans for a proposed gondola connecting Smugglers’ Notch Resort and Stowe Mountain Resort have been withdrawn following initial disapproval from the Agency of Natural Resources, according to reporting by the News & Citizen. Stowe, owned by Vail Resorts, and privately held Smugglers’ Notch have reportedly been in discussions with Vermont state officials about building the 2,600-foot lift since 2017. More. SAM

Alterra Purchases Mike Wiegele Heli Ski Operation. Alterra Mountain Company has initiated the purchase of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (MWHS) in Blue River, BC, Canada. Officials at Alterra said the addition will complement the company’s BC-based CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures operation, and is expected to be completed late this year, pending closing conditions that include regulatory approvals. More. SAM

Black Mountain (NH) to Open, Assisted by Indy Pass. A week after announcing that it would not open for the 2023-24 season, owners of New Hampshire’s Black Mountain have reconsidered after reaching an operating agreement with Indy Pass and its parent company Entabeni. Black Mountain officials announced on Oct. 11 that the ski area would remain closed due to “circumstances beyond our control,” citing soaring energy costs, staffing shortages, and unpredictable weather among other factors. More. SAM

New Owners for Alberta, Canada’s Rabbit Hill. Rabbit Hill Snow Resort, founded in 1955, has transitioned to new ownership—business partners Chuck and Lara Amerongen and Derek and Anna Look. The independently owned ski area is located about 20 miles southwest of Edmonton. More. Ed. Note: Although not of general interest, I just love the resort name.

The post NSCF Newsbeat November 2023 appeared first on Ski Federation.

October 2023

How Safe Are Ski Lifts? After several incidents of chairs dropping off of lift cables, Ski Magazine spoke to an expert to learn more about the safety behind it. More. Ski Magazine

The End of Cash is Nigh. More and more resorts, spurred by the unique needs of the pandemic, are moving toward making cash payments a thing of the past. And while a small percentage of skiers and riders are pushing back, most are finding the transition to cashless systems not just semi-seamless, but beneficial in many ways. More. SAM Magazine

Peak Lift Ticket Prices to Hit $299 at Some U.S. Ski Areas This Winter. What is happening to day ticket prices at American ski areas? Only three years ago, we were sharing news of resorts breaking through the $200 mark which seemed absurd; now that appears to be the norm. More. SnowBrains

The 11 Most Anticipated Upgrades and Expansions Coming to North American Ski Resorts This Season and Beyond. Two consecutive seasons of record skier visits signal that the U.S. ski industry is healthy and that the demand for outdoor recreation is strong. To keep up with the demand, many ski areas are improving, upgrading, and expanding their operations. More. SnowBrains

New Winter Park Chairlift to Open this Season. Vasquez Ridge is a popular part of Winter Park, and this year skiing and riding it will be much easier, thanks to a new six-pack chairlift, the Wild Spur Express. More. Powder

Sun Valley Releases Updated Trail Map With New Trails, Lifts. Sun Valley, Idaho, has unveiled a new resort trail map that includes the chairlift alterations associated with the Warm Springs Enhancement Project. More. Powder

Hunter Mountain NY Announces New Six-Person Lift. Hunter Mountain has announced the upcoming construction of a new six-person high-speed lift. The lift is slated to replace the Broadway four-seater chair. If approved, the resort intends to complete the lift before the 2024-2025 ski season. More. Powder

Michigan’s Norway Mountain to Reopen with New Owners. Norway Mountain, idle since 2017, has been purchased by a local family who plans to reopen the 160-acre ski and snowboard area situated in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the 2024/25 season. More. SAM

Blue Mountain, Camelback Join Ikon Pass. Alterra Mountain Company announced today that Pennsylvania’s Blue Mountain and Camelback Resort will join the Ikon Pass for the 2023-24 season. More. SAM

State, Local Investment to Revitalize Ski Area at Pennsylvania’s Denton State Park. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is committing $10 million in capital improvements and is working with a locally-based company to grow four-season recreational opportunities—including the return of alpine skiing—at Denton Hill State Park in Potter County. The 700-acre Denton Hill State Park is located in the north central part of the state along Route 6 in Ulysses Township. More. SAM

Netflix CEO Acquires Majority Share of Powder Mountain. Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings became the majority owner of Powder Mountain following a $100 million investment. Hastings acquired a minority stake in the ski area back in April. More. SAM

Silverton Mountain Sold to Aspen-based Adventure Company. Colorado’s Silverton Mountain has been sold for an undisclosed amount to Andy Culp and Brock Strasbourger, owners of Aspen-based Heli Adventures, a heli-skiing and adventure travel company. More. SAM

Who Wants to Buy a Colorado Ski Resort? The former Slopes at Saint Mary’s Glacier is up for sale. It’s listed for a cool $7 million. It includes a 373-acre parcel of land about 10 miles northwest of Idaho Springs. More. Powder

Vail Reports Net Income Drop for 2023, Rising Pass Sales for 2024. Vail Resorts (VR) reported a drop in full-year net income for fiscal 2023, EBITDA that was essentially flat, and an increase in season-to-date pass sales for the 2023-24 season. VR’s fiscal year ended on July 31. More. SAM

[UPDATED] NOAA Winter 23/24 Outlook: This is How El Niño Will Impact Temperature and Snowfall This Winter… These outlooks have been consistently updated every month since last year, but with winter fast approaching, forecasters can start being more specific and accurate. They were updated last week on September 21st, 2023. More. SnowBrains

Strong El Niño During Winter ’23-’24 Could Bode Well For Northeastern Ski Resorts. Popular YouTube meteorologist Direct Weather has created the video below to show his long-range winter weather forecasts for the United States. Based on his early estimations, he believes that the northeast could see an increased chance of Nor’easters this winter with the rising of the Jet Stream. Check it out: More. Powder

Yes, Jimmy Buffett Was a Skier. While most people will remember Jimmy Buffett for the Florida Keys life that he sold as part of his persona, Buffett was a bonafide skier and spent considerable time in Aspen for more than 50 years. He even played the closing set for the JAS Aspen Snowmass Labor Day show in 2021. More. Powder

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September 2023

Mountain Collective Promotional Offer for Ski Councils. Save $50 on a Mountain Collective Pass before Oct. 1. Mountain Collective Passholders will receive two days each at 24 dream destinations. Then receive 50% off all additional days at The Collective destinations. That’s a total of 48 days (or more) at dream destinations such as Aspen, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole and Big Sky. There are no blackout dates. More information and a complete list of resorts is available at www.mountaincollective.com. The $50 discount is available at www.mountaincollective.com enter promo code: TMCGroup2324 at check out and buy before October 1st. Google Alerts

Alterra Announces 3,700 Acre Expansion For Deer Valley, UT. Alterra has announced a major 3,700 acre terrain expansion for Deer Valley Resort, UT that will be serviced by 16 new lifts a new 10-person passenger gondola. The development of the New Village and Portal at its base (formerly referred to as Mayflower Mountain Resort project) will bring an additional full-service access point to the resort, along with world-class lodging, dining and retail amenities. More. Powder

Sugarloaf Preparing New England’s Largest Ski Terrain Expansion Since The ’70s. The resort has been working tirelessly throughout the summer to prepare a massive expansion (by east coast standards) on West Mountain. The expansion will include 12 news trails across 120 acres of skiable terrain, nearly doubling Sugarloaf’s beginner and intermediate trails. More. Powder

Sugarbush Provides Update On Multi-Million Dollar Infrastructure Project. Sugarbush, Vermont, shared that as part of an ongoing multi-million dollar capital investment, it’s improving snowmaking capabilities on the Inverness trail. Throughout the summer, Sugarbush has provided insight into two other areas of the resort receiving a capital investment touch-up: improvements to the Lodge at Lincoln Peak (previously known as the Sugar Lodge) and the Reverse Traverse trail. More. Powder

Copper Mountain, CO, Announces Opening Day and Timberline Express Chairlift Upgrade for 2024-25. Major mountain investments launching this winter include new snowmaking installations, snowcats, ski trail upgrades, and Copper’s new mid-mountain lodge, the Aerie. More.

Brighton Resort, UT, to Add New 6-Seater Chair and On-Mountain Restaurant Among Improvements For Upcoming Winter. Brighton’s plan is to have a new six-pack chairlift, a new on-mountain restaurant, and new parking policies for the 2023/24 season. The intention is to provide Brighton’s guests with a better overall experience while visiting its resort. More. SnowBrains

Taos Ski Valley, NM, Completes 1 of 2 New Chair Installations For Next Winter. Taos Ski Valley announced the completion of its new Pioneer Chair, which accesses predominately beginner terrain. Along with Pioneer, Taos is replacing its Chair 4 lift on the backside of the mountain, which gives ready access to the Kachina Basin area including the Kachina Peak Lift which provides access to some of Tao’s most extreme terrain. More. SnowBrains

Epic Releases Opening Dates for North American Resorts. Leading the charge, Keystone sets the tone by securing the earliest anticipated opening date of the season—mid-October. Epic’s North American resorts are set to follow suit with opening dates in early Nov-Dec 1. Plans are subject to change depending on when Ullr decides to bless us with pow. More. Freeskier

Aspen Skiing Co’s Ambitious Plan for Cell Coverage on Aspen Snowmass, CO, Slopes. SkiCo’s new initiative proposes the addition of nine towers across seven locations at Snowmass Ski Area, with plans underway for the remaining ski areas. If approved, construction will commence in summer 2024 with hopes of completing the project by 2025. More. SnowBrains

B.C. Ski Areas Support Wildfire Evacuees and Emergency Personnel. More than 1,000 wildfires have scorched Canada this summer, marking the country’s fourth consecutive year of grappling with severe drought conditions. Mountain communities in British Columbia have been directly impacted and ski areas have stepped up to help. More. SAM

All Signs Point to a Strong El Niño Winter—Here’s What That Means By Region. But the three major forecasters for winter 2023-’24 all have different things to say about where the snow might fall. More. Ski

North America’s Next Great Ski Towns. As locals get priced out of Aspen, Stowe, and Whistler, here are the places ski bums are heading to next. More. Outside

The 5 Oldest Ski Areas in the U.S. Skiing has a long history stretching back hundreds of years, but organized resorts in the United States have only been around for about a hundred years. Surprisingly, the oldest resorts in the country are somewhat unknown and unheard of, as many of the resorts are quite small. These five resorts are the oldest public ski resorts still in operation in the U.S. More. SnowBrains

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Everett Potter, Contributor

The latest news in the ski world is the marriage of a 21st-century tech billionaire and a troubled ski mountain. In one fell swoop, Reed Hastings, the co-founder of Netflix, has made a $100 million investment in Powder Mountain, Utah, the country’s largest resort. Hastings, who stepped down as CEO of Netflix in January and became a minority owner of Powder Mountain in April, ascended to majority owner of the resort with this investment on September 6.

Powder Mountain is the largest ski resort in North America by skiable acres. Located above Northern Utah’s Ogden Valley, the resort extends over 8,464 acres. It has 54 trails, nine lifts, and two terrain parks. It also has cat skiing options that extend the range of terrain possibilities. It receives upwards of 500 inches of legendary Utah powder in good snow years. It also lies about an hour north of Salt Lake City International Airport, not in a remote wilderness area. Powder Mountain’s skier policies have also elevated it in the skiing world. It’s the rare resort that has the unusual and welcome policy of capping day passes and season pass sales to provide an uncrowded ski experience.

READ MORE

Posted from Forbes.

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August 2023

Colorado Ski Traffic is About to Get a Whole Lot Better. Thanks to a major project by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), I-70 will be a much more enjoyable ride from Evergreen to Idaho Springs. The expansion from Evergreen to Idaho Springs will eliminate the bottleneck experience when three lanes merge to two, by way of an additional express lane. More. Freeskier

Utah Dept. of Transportation Approves Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has released its final record of decision (ROD) to move forward with construction of a controversial eight-mile-long gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon. When complete, the gondola will feature a central station at the base of the canyon along with a new 2,500-stall parking lot. It will have the capacity to transport 1,050 passengers per hour at 35 people per cabin to Snowbird and Alta. More. SAM

Stratton Mountain Resort, VT, Announces $6.9 Million Investment. Stratton Mountain Resort, Vermont, has announced a $6.9 million investment for the 23/24 season. The resort’s press release states that the investment will go into enhancing multiple facets of the guest and employee experience beginning in the base area with RFID lift gates and a reimagined beginner area. More. SnowBrains

Northeast Ski Areas Damaged, Closings Occurred in Wake of Floods. An early July deadly storm dropped as much as 10 inches of rain on areas of New York’s lower Hudson Valley July 9 before moving East, bringing downpours across Vermont, with more than 4 inches of rain reported in some mountain locations. Several ski areas sustained flood damage. More. SAM

One Dead, One Seriously Injured After Tremblant Gondola Accident. One person has died and another reported in critical condition in a Montreal-area hospital after a piece of heavy construction machinery struck a cabin on the Panoramic gondola at Mont-Tremblant Resort on July 16. Two people were riding in the cabin at the time of the crash. It’s believed the two were thrown from the cabin and fell several meters to the ground, according to reporting by the Montreal Gazette. More. SAM

Fire Destroys Lake Louise Ski Resort Employee Housing. Summer operations at Lake Louise Ski Resort were temporarily shut down after an arson fire. A 40-year-old man was charged with arson after a July 3 fire destroyed a 100,000 square-foot building that houses hundreds of resort staff. There were no fatalities and summer operations have resumed although with some reductions in services. More. SAM

11 Ski Areas Flee Ski Cooper Pass as Indy Delivers Ultimatum: Drop Cooper or We Drop You. At issue is Ski Cooper’s $379 season pass, which offered three lift tickets each at 73 ski areas when it went on sale July 1. Reciprocal agreements among ski areas are common. The majority of Indy’s partners have established at least a handful as a benefit to their season pass holders. But Indy Pass officials say that the scale of Ski Cooper’s coalition has created a shadow multi-mountain national pass masquerading as a small-mountain pass. More. Storm Skiing Journal

Crested Butte Lift Mechanics, Electricians Vote to Unionize. Lift mechanics and electricians at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) voted 7 to 3 to form the Crested Butte Lift Maintenance Professional Union, joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA) 7781. This is the second ski area lift maintenance crew in the country to unionize, following the unionization of Park City Lift Maintenance last October. More. SAM

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July 2023

New Upgrades Coming to Belleayre (NY), ORDA Releases Final Plan. A number of new capital upgrades including two new lifts and a 4,000-square-foot addition to the Longhouse Lodge are in the planning stages at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center after the New York Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) released its 2023 Unit Management Plan Amendment (UMPA). More. SAM

Anonymous Offer Made on Burke Mountain (VT). An unnamed bidder has made an offer of an undisclosed amount to buy Burke Mountain Resort, according to a filing by Michael Goldberg, the court-appointed receiver in charge of overseeing the ski area. Goldberg will continue to seek other qualified buyers, according to VT Digger. If a matching or higher priced bid is made, the resort will go to auction. More. SAM

New Hampshire Approves $18 Million for Cannon Tramway Project. State-owned Cannon Mountain, which is part of Franconia Notch State Park, can move forward with major improvements to its iconic aerial tramway after the state legislature approved an $18 million appropriation to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) to fund “maintenance and operation” of the tramway. More. SAM

Jury Clears Mt. Bachelor in Wrongful Death Suit. A Deschutes County jury ruled in favor of POWDR-owned Mt. Bachelor in a $15 million wrongful death lawsuit on Friday. The suit was brought against the resort by the father of a 24-year-old Bend snowboarder, Alfonso Braun, who suffocated and died after falling into a tree well within the resort’s boundary on March 2, 2018. More. SAM

Studies Show Gains in Snowsports, Outdoor Participation. Two individual studies released by Snowsports Industries America (SIA) and Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) show positive gains in snowsports participation, and outdoor sports as a whole. The SIA study notes that a greater share of respondents participated in resort skiing in 2022-23 compared to the 2021-22 season, but respondents skied fewer days this season compared to last. The survey also found that snowboarding participation increased 10 percent, while downhill skiing participation increased 2.2 percent year-over-year. Cross-country skiing continued its upward trend with participation increasing 9.6 percent from the previous year; snowshoeing was up 17 percent, and snow tubing was up 4.5 percent over 2021-22. More. SAM

The Science Behind Problematic Pink Snow. An annual summertime sight in alpine environments, pink snow, also known as watermelon snow, often lingers on late-season snowpack and glaciers worldwide. Though it may be appealing to try and take a bite of the brightly colored snow, it may forecast a more sinister warning about our warming environment. The unique color of the snow is actually caused by a species of green algae, Chlamydomonas nivalis, that thrives in the cold and wet environment of glaciers. After lying dormant during the winter, these algae release pink pigment as a protective barrier against the sun throughout the summer snowmelt the same way that humans use sunscreen. More. SnowBrains

NSAA Presents 2023 Awards for Sustainability, Safety, Marketing and Beginner Conversion. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) named the winners of its annual awards in sustainability, safety, marketing and beginner conversion (growth). The awards were presented to ski area members with the most innovative and successful programs in each category at the association’s National Convention and Tradeshow in Savannah, GA. More. NSAA

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June 2023

Alterra Mountain Company to Acquire Schweitzer. Alterra Mountain Company has entered into an agreement to purchase Schweitzer, Idaho, from owner and developer MKM Trust. The transaction is expected to close later in 2023 and is subject to closing conditions such as regulatory approvals. More. SAM

Little Cottonwood Gondola Gains Conditional Approval. The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) has voted to approve a long-term regional transportation plan from the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) that includes the widely-debated Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola. More. SAM

Smugglers’ Notch and Stowe Consider Connector Gondola. The owners of Stowe Mountain Resort and Smugglers’ Notch Resort are in talks to install a connector gondola between the two properties. The proposed lift would link Spruce Peak at Stowe to Sterling Mountain at Smugglers’ Notch. More. SAM

Will Utah’s Newest Ski Area Be the Next to Ban Snowboarding? When completed, Mayflower Resort will be the first new ski area in the U.S. since 2004. Here’s the latest on the massive project. More. Outside

U.S. Ski Areas Set New Record for Skier Visits. U.S. ski areas recorded record visitation for the 2022-23 season with a total of 64.7 million skier visits, according to preliminary data from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). That is a 6.6 percent increase over last year’s record season. More. SAM

Winter Park Resort, CO, Donates All Proceeds From Uphill Armband Sales to Local Non-Profits. More than $70,000 will help outdoor organizations provide equipment and resources to help serve the thousands of people who adventure in Winter Park’s backyard every year. More. SnowBrains

NSAA Honors Best in Ski Industry at Annual Awards Ceremony. National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) named the winners of its annual awards in sustainability, safety, marketing, and beginner conversion (growth). The awards were presented to ski area members with the most innovative and successful programs in each category at the association’s National Convention and Tradeshow in Savannah, Ga. More. SnowBrains

US Ski & Snowboard Bring Paralympic Alpine and Snowboard Teams Back Under Umbrella. U.S. Ski & Snowboard (USSS) will add the Paralympic Alpine ski and snowboard teams back under its umbrella effective immediately. The U.S. Paralympic Alpine and snowboard teams have been under the management of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee since 2010. More. Salt Lake City Tribune via Google Alerts

Season Pass Plays. The 2023-24 season pass sale is underway with lots of new offerings and more multi-area passes than ever before. More. SAM Magazine

The Onlys. Meet the three ski areas that are the only ones in their respective states. Tennessee, Maryland, and Rhode Island boast only one ski area each. More. SAM Magazine

Crested Butte Lift Mechanics, Electricians Look to Unionize. Lift mechanics and electricians at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) have signed union authorization cards initiating a process to unionize. Resort management and leaders at ownership group Vail Resorts now have the option to voluntary recognize the union, a move that would bypass the need for the petitioners to vote in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) union election. More. SAM

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This session was transcribed. Click Travel Education Transcript 5.10.2023 for a copy.

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May 2023

How Western States Are Trying to Solve Ski Resort Traffic. State officials and ski resorts in the West are weighing solutions to mitigate crushing traffic up to the slopes, as population growth and a rise in outdoor recreation lure more people to the mountains. More. Axios via MSN News

Indy Pass to Meter Growth After Record Volume Halts Sales. Sales of the 2023-24 Indy Pass have been suspended after the volume of renewals and purchases by new passholders exceeded expectations. The pass had only been available to new customers for 10 days. Officials plan to reassess their sales goals in terms of volume and capacity. More. SAM

Will Utah’s Newest Ski Area Be the Next to Ban Snowboarding? When completed, Mayflower Resort will be the first new ski area in the U.S. since 2004. Here’s the latest on the massive project. More. Ski Magazine

Windham Mountain Gains New Majority Owners, Multi-year Capital Investment. Windham Mountain ownership has secured new investment from two hospitality and resort development families that will provide growth capital for a multi-year development and renovation plan at the resort. More. SAM

MCP Acquires Lee Canyon (NV). Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) has acquired Lee Canyon ski resort, located about 50 miles northwest of Las Vegas, from Powdr Corporation and local partner, the Thomas family. More. SAM

America’s Only Summer Ski Area Set To Open Memorial Day Weekend. Skiers and snowboarders looking to get some summer turns in the Big Sky State, Beartooth Basin is planning to open May 26th (weather dependent). Tickets go on sale shortly and the mountain has a daily capacity is 80 skiers, so if you have a date in mind purchasing asap is recommended. More. Unofficial Networks

FOR SALE: Private Montana Ski Area ($3.5 Million). Wraith Hill Ski Area is a 160-acre plot of land featuring a ski area with an 800-foot vertical drop. Eight trails range in beginner, intermediate, and advanced difficulty. While there is a surface lift, it’s unclear if it’s still operational. Wraith Hill is bordered by thousands of acres of Forest Service land. More. Unofficial Networks

Small towns reclaim abandoned ski areas as nonprofits. Under the gaze of the imposing Spanish Peaks in southern Colorado, the 50-acre Parker-Fitzgerald Cuchara Mountain Park is the story of so many American ski areas, only the community was determined to change the script. More. AP via Google Alerts

Stifel to Have Naming Rights of U.S. Ski and Snowboard in Partnership Expansion. Stifel Financial Corporation have expanded their partnership with U.S. Ski and Snowboard, acquiring the naming rights of all ski teams, it has been announced. More. Inside the Games via Google Alerts

The Story Of SoCal’s Abandoned Year-Round Ski Slope. Opening back on June 25, 1966, the $750,000 project in Chino Hills became the largest synthetic ski slope on the planet. The project got its inspiration from similar slopes in Japan, with it using plastic bristle tiles rather than snow. More. Unofficial Networks

Eight Reasons Why Spring Is the Best Time of Year to Ski. Everyone knows that skiing exists in the spring, but people don’t understand how spectacular spring skiing truly is. Here are the top eight reasons why spring skiing is the best time of year to ski. More. SnowBrains

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Small towns reclaim abandoned ski areas as nonprofits

By BRITTANY PETERSON

CUCHARA, Colorado (AP) — It’s been the longest wait, their whole lives, in fact. But Race Lessar and Landen Ozzello are finally right where they want to be, on a snowy slope close to home, molding snow into a ski jump.

Their local ski mountain just reopened.

“I’m happy that it’s open for at least one year,” Lessar said. It opened as a nonprofit, and that may be the key. “I didn’t know that there was a hope,” he said.

His ties to the mountain are so close, he’s practically named after it. His dad used to race here and named his son for what brought him joy. Chad Lessar first skied on hand-me-down gear and later worked summers at a nearby ranch to earn money for more nimble racing equipment.

“We’ve never been very rich,” Chad said of Huerfano, one of the poorest counties in the state. “It’s nice to see a little area open up on the cheap,” he said. The ski runs here are short, but the fact it’s affordable just might be enough to keep it up and running.

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April 2023

Alterra To Invest Nearly $500 Million This Year. Alterra Mountain Company plans a nearly $500 million capital investment program across its portfolio of destinations over the next year. That includes almost $400 million in lifts, snowmaking, summer adventures, additional guest amenities, and resort infrastructure; $50 million dedicated to employee housing; and $40 million for technology upgrades. More. SAM

Vail Resorts Tahoe Properties to Institute Paid Parking, Carpool Incentives. Starting winter 2023-24, Vail Resorts-owned Northstar California, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort in the Lake Tahoe region will implement paid parking for certain lots in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and parking shortages on weekends, holidays, and peak periods. All three will still offer free parking opportunities daily. More. SAM

Solitude Dedicates $16 Million Towards Capital Improvements, Including Lifts and Snowmaking. Solitude is planning more than $16 million in off-season capital improvement projects, including an upgrade of its Eagle Express quad, Utah’s first detachable chairlift. More. SAM

Nearly Every Indy Pass Partner Returning For The 2023-24 Season. The Indy Pass released an updated list of ski resorts that are confirmed partners for the 2023-24 season. So far, 102 of the 105 partners have confirmed that they will be returning for the 2023-24 season. More. Unofficial Networks

Vail Resorts Increases Epic Pass Pricing 8%, Expands European Partners. Vail Resorts has released pricing for the 2023-24 Epic Pass suite. The restricted Epic Local Pass will retail for $676 and the unlimited Epic Pass will go for $909, increases of roughly 8 percent year-over-year but still below the price for the 2020-21 Epic Pass. The company slashed prices 20 percent for 2021-22. More. SAM

Mountain Capital Partners 2023-24 Power Pass Pricing Remains Relatively Flat. Mountain Capital Partners released its 2023-24 Power Pass family of season passes, raising the price of its top-tier Power Pass $50 while lowering or keeping flat the prices of others and adding a new pass-holder benefit of 30 percent off day tickets. The Power Pass is good at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas and eight Western ski areas, including Purgatory and Hesperus, Colo.; Arizona Snowbowl, Ariz.; Brian Head and Nordic Valley, Utah; Pajarito and Sipapu, N.M.; and Willamette Pass, Ore., which MCP began operating in October 2022. More. SAM

Snowbasin and Club Med Part Ways. Snowbasin and Club Med cancelled development of a 320-room hotel, the plans for which were unveiled in September 2021.SnowbasinUpdate The Club Med hotel was originally scheduled to open for winter 2024. It would have been the resort’s first on-site lodging and Club Med’s first U.S. ski area location since the closure of its Copper Mountain, Colo., hotel in the mid-1990s. More. SAM

NZ Ski Areas To Limit Skier Numbers on Peak Dates. One outcome of the pandemic has been an increasing move by some of the world’s more popular destinations to limit numbers on the slopes and prevent overcrowding. North American resorts have been leading the way with this, but now New Zealand’s Cardrona and Treble Cone resorts are joining the movement for winter 2023 “in an effort to improve guest experience on the mountains.” More. SAM

Here’s Where We’ll Be Skiing in Late Spring—and Maybe Even Into Summer. The plentiful snow that’s graced the western half of the country is leading to longer ski seasons and extended closing dates. Already, several Colorado resorts—including Steamboat, Aspen, and Copper—have officially extended their ski season, as have several ski areas in the Tahoe region. More. Ski Magazine

Western Resorts Get Buried, East Makes Up for Lost Time. With historic snowfall at ski areas throughout the western United States, many resorts are poised to wrap up the season with later-than-expected closings and strong visitation and revenue. In the East, by contrast, the season started slowly, with rainfall and warming events affecting terrain and snow quality into February, at which point colder temperatures and snowfall returned, giving the snowpack a much needed boost. More. SAM

A-Basin Ambushed People In Parking Lots And Brought Them Up To Ski Area. They intercepted these folks as they booted up in the Dino Lots on a random Saturday morning in March. With the help of Gus Kenworthy, they approached skiers and riders with two options – they could continue on with their plans to ski wherever it is they were going to, or, if they were up for an adventure that doesn’t include road rage and 30-minute lift lines, jump on a tricked-out A-basin bus and have a once-in-a-lifetime catered ski experience. While on the bus, the participants were given themed merch and GoPros. More. Unofficial Networks.

U.S. National Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame Inducts 18 Members. The U.S. National Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame inducted 18 members from the 2021 and 2022 class, along with one member from 2018 on March 25, 2023, in Big Sky, Montana. Included among the members was Olympic champion Bode Miller, the late Gary Black Jr, who founded Ski Racing magazine, the first American to win an Olympic snowboard medal Shannon Dunn-Downing and famed alpine coach Phil McNichol. More. U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Inconsistencies in Classification of Ski Slope Difficulty Ratings. According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the U.S. had 473 ski resorts operating throughout the country during the 2021/22 season, offering different conditions, terrain, and elevations. However, when it comes to the classification of the difficulty levels assigned to varying slopes throughout these resorts, there seems to be an inconsistency throughout the ski industry in the U.S. More. Unofficial Networks

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