NEWS AND DEALS
from ski and snowboard resorts around North America

Got news? Send it to steve@skisnowboard.com
Got deals? Send 'em to mitch@skisnowboard.com

SKI/SNOWBOARD NEWS April 26-27, 2008
Edited by Steve Giordano

Park City Mountain Resort announced $10.5 million in improvements for the 2008-09 winter season including a new high-speed chair lift, terrain enhancements and renovation of the Mid-Mountain Lodge. The new Crescent lift will replace, realign and lengthen by twice the existing Ski Team lift and will begin near the base of the Resort and extend to Crescent Ridge (also known as Ski Team Ridge). It will give access to a majority of the Resort and direct access to the Silverlode, Bonanza, King Con, PayDay, Town, Pioneer and McConkey’s lifts.

Utah's Snowbasin Resort and Vermont's Jay Peak Resort will both stay open until Sunday, April 27, 2008.

Aspen Skiing Company announced that a new lift will be built this summer to replace the 1975 double Sheer Bliss lift at Snowmass. The new lift will be a high speed quad and will be realigned to provide easy access to the entire Big Burn and Sheer Bliss areas. The new lift plus a new $9 million restaurant will bring the 3-year Snowmass upgrade total to $50 million. On the last operating weekend— April 26-27 — the mountain will be open to the 12,382-foot summit of Highland Bowl. The Exhibition, Loge and Deep Temerity lifts will run daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. providing access to the entire mountain.

Squaw Valley plans to stay open until May 11 (a week later than last year).

Other North Tahoe ski area closings are: Sugar Bowl Ski Resort – April 27; Northstar-at-Tahoe – April 27; Alpine Meadows – May 4.

Whistler Mountain closed April 20, but Blackcomb Mountain is open through Sunday, June 8 via the Excalibur Gondola in Whistler Village. Blackcomb Mountain has a new terrain park open to the end of May in the Jersey Cream area. It features a mix of small, medium as well as large jibs and jumps built for the Orage Masters. The Nintendo Highest Level Park closed on April 20 to accommodate Peak 2 Peak construction.

Sunshine Village, near Banff, Alberta, has the longest snow season in the Canadian Rockies (open through May 19, 2008). Sunshine just opened the Wild West Freeride Zone on April 2, 2008. The Wild West is the second of Sunshine’s Freeride Zones to open this season featuring some of the most extreme in-bounds terrain available in North America. Located on Goat’s Eye Mountain, the Wild West features three major rock walled couloirs, steep crevices, and a series of cliffs, some of which are over 100 feet. To gain access to all of Sunshine’s Freeride Zones, including the Wild West, skiers and boarders must be equipped with an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and a similarly equipped partner. All skiers and boarders pass through an avalanche control gate which will only open if their avalanche transceivers are working. Sunshine Village file photo by Dan Hudson.

Stratton Mountain, which will be open April 29, is happy with the use its Burton Parkway is getting these days. It's the first terrain park dedicated to 6- 12-year-old snowboarders and skiers. Opened in December, it has become one of the most popular attractions on the mountain. Traffic lights at the start of a run indicate whether that run is in use or not. Also, signs indicate upcoming features and how they should be used safely.

Sunday River announced plans to install a unique hybrid ski lift, called a chondola (a high-speed detachable six-pack chairlift with some gondolas), in time for the 2008-2009 winter season. It will run from the South Ridge Base Area to the summit of North Peak. From the top, six of the mountain's eight peaks will be accessible. Planners hope to offer 12-hour skiing on North Peak and South Ridge as soon as next season.

Sun Valley Resort will begin construction of the Bald Mountain Gondola in September, 2008. It will originate at the base of River Run and climb to the Top Terminal Plaza at the Roundhouse.

Killington and Pico resorts plan to invest $8.4 million in capital improvements for next season, Killington's 50th anniversary. The fixed-grip Skye Peak quad chair will be replaced by a detachable high-speed quad, reducing transit time from the current 13 minutes to just under five minutes. That will make nine high-speed lifts at the largest ski area in the eastern US. Other improvements will include energy efficient upgrades to the snowmaking systems on both mountains.

High Cascade Snowboard Camp on Oregon's Mt. Hood will add a second snowboard park this summer on Timberline. Campers will now get to ride the original HCSC park with updated features as well as The New Park™ located on the same run used for Burton Snowboard’s Abominable Snow Jam slope-style course. This lift-served lap park will effectively double the HCSC snowboard park size for the upcoming summer. See www.highcascade.com for more information.

Jiminy Peak, in western Massachusetts, became first ski area in North America to produce its own power. It built a $3.9 million, 1.5-megawatt wind turbine that supplies one-third of the power for Jiminy's operation.

The 7th annual World Lift Ticket Price Report, sponsored by Liftopia.com and published by Snow24 plc, compares the cost of lift tickets at more than 550 ski areas in 40 countries around the world. The average world six-day, high-season, non-discounted lift ticket price is: $258.00. The US tops the list with an average six-day price of $365.73. The world average is $258.00. Vail, the costliest anywhere, is $552. Cheapest in the world is Parque Caviahue in Argentina at $28.70 for six days..

Revelstoke (Closing day is April 27, 2008), 138 miles north of the US border in British Columbia, has been a heli- and cat-skiers' secret stash for years, but as of December 22, 2007, the 40-60 feet of annual snowfall can be enjoyed by us mere ski resort-goers. Revelstoke the ski resort has 4,735 feet of vertical for now; next year it will be 5,735 feet, the most in the Western Hemisphere served by chairlifts and the 4th highest in the world. For more info, see http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/

Skisnowboard.com is features a new set of deals every other week in summertime, edited by Mitch Kaplan. The deals for April 22, 2008, are:

For the seventh consecutive year, Mammoth Mountain hosts the West Coast Invitational (WCI), May 2-3, 2008 in which former Olympic and talented up-and-coming riders compete in the Vans Fiesta de la Pipa and The Village Rail Jam for a $20,000 purse. Non-stop spring parties and music create a stacked shredding weekend. Lift and lodging packages are available starting at $111 pp/do/pn. Space is limited. Info: 800.MAMMOTH or www.MammothMountain.com.

Spring Creek Ranch, near Jackson Hole Resort, sits on 1,000 acres and holds first-class lodges and hotel rooms in an authentic Western setting. Not to mention superb programming and activities. Check out their newest wildlife offering: the Wolf Weekend Safari. The four-day/three-night, all-inclusive package, offered in May, enables guests to venture deep into the heart of Yellowstone National Park and observe large predators and other wildlife in their natural habitat. It includes: three nights' accommodations, including one night off-premise; a welcome gift and DVD with photo memories from the trip; safari transportation, lodging, meals and snacks; complimentary airport transfers (48-hour notice required). The price? $1,350 pp/do, or $1,550/so, with extra nights going for $177/pn, single or double occupancy, plus tax and gratuity. Safari group sizes are limited, so reserve early. Info: 800-443-6139, 307-733-8833 or www.springcreekranch.com.

Now, here’s a reason to head south to ski this summer. The First Annual Ski and Yoga Retreat in Portillo, Chile. Professional skiers Kate Olson and Kiffor Berg host this week-long retreat with renowned yoga instructor Simon Park. Participants will learn new techniques to improve their skiing, and every morning and evening will begin and end with yoga classes designed to improve the on-mountain experience and cultivate greater body strength and awareness. You can do this from August 23–30, 2008 for US$2,000/pp including 3 hours of yoga daily and 6 hours of ski training. The retreat plus a week at Ski Portillo that includes seven nights’ accommodations, four meals daily and a seven day lift ticket costs US$4,190/pp. Info: www.skiyoga.com, or email skiyoga@mac.com.

What can you do at Waterville Valley in summer? Hike, bike, trout fish, swim, golf, play tennis, mountain bike, go boating, attend summer theatre and even relax. Waterville includes all this in a package called Summer Unlimited. Starting at $150/pn for a one-bedroom Town Square condo that sleeps four, here's what comes with your room key: mountainbiking—two hours daily per person, including lift-assisted; one full day of kids’ day camp per child (ages 4-12) on stays of 3-plus nights; unlimited use of the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, whirlpools and saunas at the White Mountain Athletic Club; unlimited play on the resort's 18 outdoor clay tennis courts; nine holes of golf per day, per person on the nine-hole course; one hour daily of boating per person boating on Corcoran's Pond in kayaks, pedal boats and canoes; and a la carte options including skateboarding, ice skating, tickets to Shakespeare in the Valley Theatre and the North Country Center for the Arts Children's Theatre; nature walks; and astronomy nights. Packages are available at Town Square Condominiums, Golden Eagle Lodge, Black Bear Lodge, Snowy Owl Inn and Village Condominium. Info: www.waterville.com or 800-468-2553.

Most Recent Deals:

The Four Seasons Resort at Whistler wants women who ski to be pampered. Their Live Like a Diva, Ski Like a Pro package includes luxurious accommodations in a private residence, full breakfast daily, one dinner in Fifty Two 80 Bistro, one dinner prepared by your personal slope-side chef in your private residence, wine and cheese in your private residence, one après-ski massage, Frisky Bison cocktails in Fifty Two 80 Bar (one drink per person), one yoga class per stay, two days of ski elite instruction, ski equipment and skiwear rental—including Prada and Spyder—lift tickets for three out of four days, a complete second season DVD of Desperate Housewives and a pyjama party amenity. You can do this with a four-night minimum stay until June 14, 2008 for anywhere from $2,700 pn/do to $4,400. Info: 888-935-2460 or www.fourseasons.com/whistler.

It’s not too late to get in on the downhilling action at Whiteface and Lake Placid. Try the Best Buy Midweek Ski Deal Placid Bay Inn on Lake Placid. For $78 pp/pd/do, you get a standard queen room at our right on the lake and a full day lift ticket. For just $5 more pp/pd, you can upgrade to a room with two double beds or kitchenette—and, if you ski three days, you get the Ultimate Winter Passport free. But, you can only do this til April 15, 2008, so get on it. Info: 518-523-2001 or www.placidbay.com.

The deals just keep on coming from Heavenly Resort. This time it’s stay at MontBleu and ski/ride Heavenly, just $79 pp/pd/do A two night minimum stay is required, prices will be higher on weekends, and you can only do this until April 20, 2008, so get over there now. Info: Heavenly Packages.

Half-price for a season’s pass can’t be a bad deal, can it? That’s what Mammoth Mountain is offering if you buy by April 30, 2008. Formerly called the Gold Pass, the Mammoth Season Pass at half-price costs $786. For that, you membership in the Mammoth Club, which means $20 free with every $100 placed on gift cards or PassCash; discounted lodging throughout the season; discounted pricing on activity passes; free scenic gondola rides; and discounts on group ski lessons and ski camps. The pass is unrestricted with no holiday black-out dates, is also good at June Mountain, and is valid this season, beginning May 1, 2008. Info: www.MammothMountain.com or 800-MAMMOTH.

Northstar-at-Tahoe has extended its closing date through April 2008, weather and conditions permitting. Starting April 14 through the end of the season, lift tickets cost $35 and a $15 ticket can be pre-purchased (but only online) valid on Tax Day (April 15). And, on April 20, Earth Day, hybrids park for free, while Northstar matches any optional $2 Green Tag contribution by the guest for a total donation of $4, which would offset carbon emissions to and from the Bay Area. Info:www.NorthstarAtTahoe.com.