Sugar Bowl Resort and KidZone Museum Partner for Caboose Kickers Terrain Park Series

Donner Summit, CA - Sugar Bowl Resort has partnered with KidZone Museum to host four children’s terrain park competitions throughout the 2011/12 winter season. The first competition is on January 8, 2012 from 11:00 – 12:00pm in the Caboose Terrain Park. The competitions teach kids terrain park safety, and introduce them to a safe but competitive skiing/riding atmosphere, ultimately having fun while competing for great prizes.

Competition entry fee is $15 and participants receive half price lift tickets and a free BBQ voucher. Prizes for winners include Dynastar skis, a Flow snowboard, a Giro helmet, jackets from M3 and Vans and other prizes. Registration for all competitions begins at 9:00 am in the Judah Lodge. All kids 12 and under are welcome to compete and must wear a helmet.

Other competition dates are scheduled for February 12, March 18 and April 15, 2012. More information on these events is posted at KidZone Museum or can be found at SugarBowl.com. Sugar Bowl Resort and KidZone Museum are excited to once again partner this season for this great series of kid’s terrain park competitions.

Heli-Skiing Operation Oldest and First in Colorado

Telluride, CO - Imagine stepping out of a helicopter at one of the highest elevations in North America and gliding down the mountain - carving through knee-deep snow. This is the stuff a Powder Hounds' dreams are made of. This is Helitrax.

Thirty years ago this concept became reality when four local backcountry ski partners combined their talents and enthusiasm for ski mountaineering with a generous dose of can-do optimism, and launched Telluride Helitrax. Established in 1982, Telluride Helitrax is Colorado's original and premiere Heli-Skiing and Snowboarding Guide Service.

"We were a bit ahead of our time," said Guide and Co-Founder Mark Frankman." There was no airport, and very few people had ever heard of Telluride - the helicopters and pilots were of the Vietnam and Korean war era."

Today, the Telluride Helitrax crew are experts at providing small group, customized, backcountry adventures. The professional guides and pilots utilize state of the art helicopters, ski equipment and safety procedures to lead guests through the spectacular San Juan Mountains. Helitrax accesses the highest heli-skiing terrain in North America. Staggering peaks and breathtaking mountain beauty surround the expansive alpine bowls, gladed slopes and classic couloirs.

Happy Holidays from Loveland!

Georgetown, CO - Happy holidays from everyone at Loveland Ski Area! We got an early holiday gift of 4 inches of new snow today just in time for the holiday weekend. While the forecast is calling for sunshine for the next few days, you can still enjoy a White Christmas with friends and family on the slopes of Loveland. Even Santa is taking time out of his busy schedule to make some turns at Loveland! Be sure to keep your eyes out as he skis around the mountain this weekend. For the holidays, we will be running the lifts from 8:30am until 4pm everyday starting on Saturday, December 24th through Monday, January 2nd.

Celebrate The Holidays At Timberline!

Government Camp, OR - The lodge is beautifully decorated for the holiday, and an extra special meal in this spectacular setting can provide just the right ingredients for a memorable holiday with friends and family.

New Year's Eve Celebration
Ski in the New Year at Timberline! This Timberline tradition allows you to night ski on New Year’s Eve until 12:30 a.m., and enjoy a spectacular midnight fireworks display (weather permitting) all for the price of a regularly priced lift ticket. If you prefer to ring in the New Year indoors, Timberline Lodge is offering one of its most special holiday meals of the year; a 5-course dinner prepared by Executive Chef Jason Stoller Smith and his top-notch culinary team. The second seating of the New Year’s Eve dinner is followed by the classic rock sounds of Bob Voll and the Too Loose Band. Enjoy a complimentary champagne toast and dance away the night inside the magical interior of Timberline Lodge. It will be a New Years Eve you’ll never forget.

Freestyle World Cup Skiing Returns to Lake Placid and Wilmington

Wilmington, NY - American skiers Hannah Kearney (Norwich, Vt.) and Ashley Caldwell (Hamilton, Va.) will try to defend their World Cup crowns when the FIS Freestyle World Cup returns to Lake Placid, N.Y. and Whiteface Mountain, in Wilmington, N.Y., Jan. 19-21. Lake Placid is one of only five U.S. sites selected to host a World Cup event this season.

Action begins Thursday, Jan. 19, at Whiteface, when Kearney begins defense of her moguls’ World Cup crown and France’s Guilbault Colas tries to hold off a deep men’s field and capture his second World Cup win on the mountain’s Wilderness Trail. Competition on 240-meter long course begins at 9:15 a.m. with the women’s qualifications, followed by the men’s qualifications at 11:35 a.m. The women’s semi-finals are scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m. and the men’s semis start at 2:20 p.m. The medal rounds start at 2:40 p.m. for the women and eight minutes later men’s finals is slated to begin.

Action will move over to the Olympic jumping complex both Friday and Saturday night, for two exciting evenings of aerial competitions. The 18-year-old Caldwell, a 2010 Olympian, will begin defense of her World Cup title, when she and the rest of the international field twist, flip, summersault and soar into the evening skies, some as high as 60-feet. The fun begins both nights 7 p.m.

In addition to the exciting action, there will be bonfires, music, giveaways and plenty of food and drinks provided by Centerplate. Saturday’s jumping will also conclude with a fireworks display.

Tickets to the aerial competitions are $15 for adults and $9 for juniors and seniors. A lift ticket and skis are required to view the mogul events Whiteface.

Grand Opening of the Red Barn

Highmount, NY - The Red Barn Bar located in the Lower Discovery Lodge will be holding its grand opening on Saturday, December 24th.

The Red Barn bar was created and built by Belleayre Mountain employees as a representation of the Catskill Mountains. The main inspiration behind the bar was farming, specifically dairy farming. All of the horse tackles and farm implements used to decorate the Red Barn were donated by local community farmers.

The main sign for the Red Barn bar was fashioned from steel, a strong and permanent fixture. No paint was used in the coloration of the sign. Chemical reactions caused by vinegar and bleach, heat reactions and a touch of copper and brass were used to create the polished look of the sign.

Woodwork and framing was done primarily by Cassie Merwin with help from Raphael Santiago. The steel work was done by Darren Morgan and Donny Bush. When asked about the look of the bar, the employees said that the look evolved on its own.

Join Belleayre staff and friends for the grand opening which will include holiday drink specials and a BBQ out on the deck (weather permitting).

All Alpine Lifts Open at Sun Peaks Resort

Sun Peaks, BC - The West Bowl T-Bar opens at Sun Peaks Resort on Saturday, December 17. The opening of this lift means all 11 lifts at Sun Peaks are now officially operational for the Winter 2011-12 season. With the West Bowl opening on Saturday, over 100 alpine runs are available for skiing and snowboarding at Sun Peaks. The entire Nordic trail system is also groomed and track-set for cross-country skiing. Fresh snow has fallen throughout the week and EnviroBC is forecasting more flurries for the weekend and into next week.

Sugar Bowl To Open Additional Lifts and Terrain this Weekend

Donner Summit, CA - With recent colder temperatures allowing crews to operate snowmaking around the clock, Sugar Bowl Resort will reopen this weekend with additional lifts and expanded terrain, including the Mt. Lincoln Express quad, effectively serving up 1,500 vertical feet of top-to-bottom skiing and riding. In addition, the Switching Yard Terrain Park will make its season debut with numerous features, accessed via the Emigrant Gap trail off the Jerome Hill Express quad. All told, Sugar Bowl will operate five chairlifts with 16 trails, providing ample terrain for all levels of ability. With improving conditions and additional terrain, resort operators recently announced that Sugar Bowl will remain open seven days a week moving forward, beginning this Saturday, December 17th. Chairlifts in operation will be Jerome Hill Express, Christmas Tree, Nob Hill, White Pine and Mt. Lincoln, with additional lifts and terrain openings moving forward as weather and conditions permit.

Lift tickets will be $67 for adults (ages 23-59); $55 for young adults (13-22) & seniors (60-69); $25 for children (6-12) & super seniors (70+); and, as always, kids five and under ski for free at Sugar Bowl. Skiers and riders can save on lift tickets every day of the season by purchasing a Daily CORE Pass, just $19, which offers direct-to-lift convenience, resort-wide charging privileges, points-based perks and $15 off the window lift ticket rate. General Admission is also in effect every day through December 23rd, offering guests with a qualifying ticket (all-mountain, ages 13-69) and season passholders (ages 4 and up) free basic rentals for the day and a free lesson at any level of ability. The Mountain Sports Learning Center will open The Den this weekend, providing a kid-friendly, all-in-one learning pavilion that kids love and parents appreciate.

Skier access to Sugar Bowl this weekend will be via the Mount Judah portal only.

Eldora Mountain Resort’s Corona Lift and Additional Trails to Open on Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Nederland, CO - On Wednesday, December 14, Eldora’s legendary Corona Bowl is scheduled to open. This will add significantly more skiing and riding to Eldora’s current line up of open terrain and exceptional conditions. The trails anticipated to open on Wednesday are Corona Run, Around the Horn and Wayback.

With the recent upslope storms on the Front Range of Colorado, Eldora is experiencing some of the best early winter conditions in recent years. Early snowfall helped allow the Corona Lift and additional to open ahead of schedule.

Cold temperatures throughout December have also allowed Eldora’s state of the art snowmaking system to operate consistently.

Eldora currently has a 28-inch base of packed powder and machine-made snow. Lifts open daily at 9:00am and remain open until 4:00pm.

Crested Butte to host Ski Mountaineering North American Championships in January

Crested Butte, CO - Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) is pleased to announce the resort will play host to the 2012 International Ski Mountaineering Federation’s (ISMF) GORE-TEX® Brand North American Ski Mountaineering Championships presented by Arc’teryx, part of the COSMIC series and also known as the Crested Butte Ski Mountaineering Race. This is a new event designation for the sport of Ski Mountaineering in North America, and CBMR is rising to the occasion with a more technical course, including a class-five boot pack ascent. The ISMF North American Championships take place at CBMR on Saturday Jan. 28 and Sunday Jan. 29, 2012.

“The Crested Butte Professional Ski Patrol is proud to be part of such a uniquely challenging event in North America,” says Bill Dowell, Ski Patrol Director for CBMR. “It is a great opportunity to highlight some of our extreme terrain on the upper parts of the mountain and showcase the skill and expertise of our technical rigging personnel. We look forward to working with the ISMF crew and CB Mountain Guides to put on a safe and exciting event this year and in the future.”

CBMR has been included as a race stop on the COSMIC series tour for the past five years (and part of the Rando Rally for five years prior). It is one of the longest-standing venues with exceptional race success. The North American Championships course will follow a similar path to previous years’ races, however the new route also will include a technical class-five assent up The Guides Ridge to the peak of Mt. CB – a rarely attempted route during the winter months. CBMR Ski Patrol and Crested Butte Mountain Guides will assist with installation of a fixed route line, and with safety during the race. The new course is being modeled after European Championships race courses to enable North American athletes to prepare for worldwide competition.

The ISMF North American Championships Ski Mountaineering race begins and ends in the CBMR base area and competitors will face over 5,000 feet of vertical elevation gain and loss, focused on much of CBMR’s most technical terrain. The race is open to individual competitors; no teams allowed in this event.

The ISMF North American Championships takes place at CBMR on Saturday, Jan. 28 with a Sprint race and the Individual race on Sunday Jan. 29, 2012; both races start in the CBMR base area.

Sugar Bowl Opens For Weekend Operations - December 3 - 4, 2011

Donner Summit, CA - Sugar Bowl had a successful opening weekend and with snowmaking temperatures in the future, they'll reopen for operations on December 3 & 4, 2011.

Conditions permitting, operational plans will be:

Open through the Judah Portal only, with both White Pine and Jerome Hill lifts spinning.

Lift Ticket prices will be $52 Adult; $45 Young Adult/Senior; and $20 Child/Super Senior.

Purchase a Daily CORE Pass for $19 and save $15 off the purchase of your lift ticket. Please call (530) 426-6783 to get your pass today. General Admission will be in effect, offering a FREE 2 hour group lesson at any level and standard gear rental. Participants can upgrade to a second lesson for just $25.

Deer Valley Resort Opening Saturday, December 3, 2011

Deer Valley Resort will open for the season on Saturday, December 3, 2011, with 10 chairlifts and 16 ski runs

Park City, UT - The award-winning Mariposa restaurant (located midmountain at Silver Lake Lodge) will offer a buy one entrée get a second entrée at half price special from December 2 – 16, 2011. The Mariposa offers a blend of classic and current cuisine, as well as vegetarian and tasting menus. Reservations are necessary.

Deer Valley will be hosting the Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest on Birdseye ski run on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4 at noon, benefiting the Waterkeeper Alliance. Come cheer on your favorite stars and Olympic athletes.

Enjoy Warren Miller's Newest Film, Get a Great Deal at Powderhorn

Mesa, CO -

Sugar Mountain Ski Resort Reopens‏

Banner Elk, NC - Mother Nature's in charge! And Sugar Mountain Resort is hoping the third time's a charm. The ski area reopens, Wednesday, November 30, 2011 for skiing and snowboarding. Warm temperatures melted away the snow on Monday, November 21, 2011, temporarily shutting the ski area down for the second time this season.

Snowmaking began at 3 a.m. this morning and continues as temperatures dropped into the 20's. Ray's Weather expects three inches of fresh snow to blanket the slopes of Sugar Mountain by tomorrow.

Tomorrow the Upper and Lower Flying Mile slopes providing a run of one mile long will be open. Summit #1 lift will operate to the 3/4's station servicing both slopes for the day and 1/2 day sessions. Tomorrow's lift/slope ticket prices will be $30 for an adult full-day session and $25 for an adult half-day session.

Whiteface Opens with Over 14 Inches of Fresh Snow

Wilmington, NY - Whiteface is ready to open for its 54th skiing and riding season on Friday, Nov. 25, at 8:30 a.m. Crews began blowing snow on the Olympic mountain Wednesday night, Nov. 16. Snow guns have been covering Upper Valley, Lower Valley and Fox preparing for opening day.

Opening day lift tickets lift tickets on Friday are $38 for adults/teens/seniors and $24 for juniors (7-12). These prices will be in effect throughout the weekend.

“Crews have done a great job in putting down snow with marginal temperatures,” said mountain manager Bruce McCulley. “Most of our snowmaking has occurred at night, when it’s much colder. We’ve built some great coverage on Upper Valley and Lower Valley and we’re up and ready for opening day.”

Mother Nature also helped out Tuesday night and Wednesday, delivering more than 14-inches of natural snowfall on the Olympic mountain. That means that Upper Valley, Lower Valley and the Fox trails will be open Friday, all serviced by the Face Lift chair. Crews are continuing to blow snow on upper Excelsior and the trail will open conditions permitting.

Snowshoe Mountain Opening Day Delayed

Off-Snow Holiday Weekend Fun Will Include Shopping, Dining, and Children and Family Activities

Snowshoe Mountain, WV - With 2.5” of rain falling on Pocahontas County, W.Va in the last two days, Snowshoe Mountain has announced that the resort will not open for skiing and snowboarding this weekend. Snowshoe will offer a variety of Holiday activities, including a traditional Thanksgiving feast at The Junction Restaurant, Holiday crafts and movies in The Big Top, plenty of opportunity at Village retail stores to get a jump on Holiday shopping and nightlife activities. The resort will continue to monitor weather conditions and announce a new Opening Day when conditions allow.

Canyons Resort Announces New Amenities and Programming for 2011/2012 Season

Newly Reinvented Resort Unveils New Village Programming, Trail Improvements, Winter ZipTour Lines, Memorable Dining Options, Increased Snowmaking, Winter Hiking, Kids Activities and Membership Opportunities

Park City, UT - The 2011/2012 ski season will mark the grand opening of the newly reinvented Canyons Resort as it introduces more on-mountain enhancements in 2011 than any other U.S. ski resort. Canyons will open this Friday, November 25, at 9 a.m.

Canyons unveils a new winter ZipTour circuit, trail improvements, memorable dining options, snowshoeing, increased snowmaking, kid’s activities, new village programming and Canyons Club membership opportunities. The new amenities and programming complement the resort’s dynamic array of offerings including the most technologically advanced chair lift in North America with heated seats and a European-style après ski area named Ski Beach.

The new amenities for the 2011/2012 season are an extension of the reinvention project that has been rolling out over the past year, which includes: the new Orange Bubble Express chair lift, Ski Beach gathering area, a collection of exciting dining venues and specialty food carts, a direct gondola and expanded terrain.

Also this month, Canyons proposed an 8-passenger gondola known as SkiLink that, subject to approvals, will connect Canyons and Solitude resorts in just 11 minutes and create the most unique ski network in North America. The transportation-only connection is the subject of the Wasatch Range Recreation Access Enhancement Act, proposed by four members of Utah’s Congressional delegation: Rep. Rob Bishop, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Sen. Orrin Hatch and Sen. Mike Lee.

Loon Mountain Opens Today for 45th Winter Season

First Mountain Resort in New Hampshire to Open for 2011-12 Winter Season
Lincoln, NH - New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain opened today for its 45th winter season with 5 trails, 22 acres and two miles of intermediate and advanced level terrain on the upper mountain with downloading on the gondola. Trails open today include Upper Bear Claw, Bear Claw Extension, Grand Junction, Link, and Upper Picked Rock. The lift ticket price for opening day is $20 for all ages. Loon is the first mountain resort to open in New Hampshire for the 2011-12 winter season.

Snowmaking temperatures are expected to return tonight and more terrain is expected to open this week. For Thanksgiving, Loon anticipates offering top-to-bottom terrain with at least 10 trails, over 60 acres and more than 4 miles of skiing and riding. Loon’s addition of 600 highly-efficient tower snow guns in the past two years, including an additional 170 snow guns added for this year, allows the resort to cover maximum terrain in a short period of time and expand open terrain quickly. Earlier this week, 288 snow guns were running at one time, covering 10 trails.

The temporary bridge, which will provide access to the Resort from Route 112/The Kancamagus Highway, is expected to open this Wednesday, November 23, in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. The temporary bridge, a two-lane vehicular bridge which will also include a sidewalk, will remain in place throughout the 2011-12 winter season. In the meantime, there is alternate vehicular access available via the South Peak Bridge, located two miles to the west in the town of Lincoln.

Lake Louise Offers Early Season’s Highest Vertical with the Opening of More Expert Terrain

Lake Louise, AB - Fantastic early season conditions at The Lake Louise Ski Area has allowed the resort to open up expert terrain and access to the highest early season vertical in North America. Thanks to consecutive days of snowfall and the hard work of the Mountain Operations and Avalanche Control teams the resort is off to a great start.

November 17th sees the opening of the Top of the World 6-Pack Express chairlift and the Summit Platter, giving skiers and borders access to 3,250 ft of vertical. Lake Louise’s Grizzly Gondola is also scheduled to open the following day, Friday the 18th, giving guests access to over 25 runs. “The Lake Louise Ski Area is very happy to be able to offer this type of terrain so early in the season,” says Dan Markham Director of Marketing & Sales at Ski Banff Lake Louise Sunshine. With World Cup right around the corner, these conditions could not come at a better time.

Sugar Mountain Ski Resort Re-Opens

Banner Elk, NC - Let's try this again! Sugar Mountain Resort in North Carolina reopens today, Friday, November 18, 2011 for skiing and snowboarding after warm temperatures forced the ski area to temporarily shut down on Tuesday, November 15, 2011. Snowmaking began early Thursday morning as temperatures dropped into the 20's while natural snow fell much of the day. Snowmaking will continue as temperatures allow.

A six to eight inch manmade packed powder surface covers the Upper and Lower Flying Mile slopes providing a run of one mile long. The Summit #1 lift operates to the 3/4's station servicing both slopes for the day and 1/2 day sessions. Today's lift/slope ticket prices are $30 for an adult full-day session and $25 for an adult half-day session.

More Than 130 Snowguns, A Dump Truck and a Backhoe!

Beaupre, PQ - With the actual low temperatures and certainly a touch of madness, Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham Mountain Resort have taken drastic measures last night to get some snow, no matter what! In addition to the 130 snow guns that were shooting in both resorts, the Stoneham’s team was equipped with a dump truck and a backhoe and visited the region’s arenas to get some snow, as any young jibber would dream of!

Tonight, The Bud Light November Chill will welcome hundreds freestyle lovers for a rail jam at the base of the mountain, before the party of their life in the Main Chalet! A real achievement, considering the high temperatures of the last weeks!

Eldora Opens Fri

Eldora, CO - The ski area located 21 miles west of Boulder, Colorado will open with 8 trails, and 4 lifts scheduled to operate. A cold front that moved into the Front Range mountains on Tuesday brought new snow to the area and allowed for snowmaking operations to run in full-force.

Eldora will open with a 23-inch base of machine-made and packed powder snow. Hornblower/ International, Jolly Jug / Sunset & Windmill trails on Challenge Mountain will open. Other trails opening on Little Hawk Mountain include: Upper and Lower Bunnyfair and Sun Kid. Lifts will open at 9:00am and remain open until 4:00pm. More terrain will open as soon as weather permits.

Eldora will offer lessons, equipment rentals and food and beverage for opening and throughout the season.

Sun Peaks opens with Top-to-Bottom Skiing and Boarding this Saturday!

Sun Peaks, BC - The lifts start turning at Sun Peaks this Saturday as the resort begins its 50th winter of operations. It was November 1961 when Tod Mountain opened for skiers and this season is full of commemorative events for the golden anniversary.

Four chairlifts and the beginner Platter area at Sun Peaks will open at 9:00am with top-to-bottom skiing on Saturday, November 19, 2011. At least 30 alpine runs will be open from the Sunburst, Crystal, Elevation and Sundance Chairlifts. Morrisey is scheduled to open mid-week, next week.

Nordic skiers can also hit the trails at Sun Peaks this Friday, November 18 with a fantastic selection of groomed and track-set trails in great shape for both classic and skate skiing.

Over 90cm of fresh powder has fallen at Sun Peaks Resort in the last seven days. Snow is continuing to fall and EnviroBC is forecasting another 20cm before the weekend.

Arapahoe Basin in Full Swing

Arapahoe Basin, CO - Arapahoe Basin will be opening more terrain this Saturday, November 19 with the addition of the Molly Hogan Learning Area. Snowsports lessons will also begin this Saturday with their full offering of snowsports programs and lessons. New this year is the 4 Lessons 4U Program (4 fully transferable lessons) and don’t forget to sign up for Kids’ Club Arapahoe.

The Black Mountain Lodge will open with a full menu starting Saturday, November 19. The Coffee Corner in the A-Frame will be open and the Raw Bar near the 6th Alley will now be open on weekends.

Live music in the 6th Alley bar will take place every Friday and Saturday starting this Friday with “High 5” and Saturday with Todd Johnson. Also, enjoy Taco Fridays in the bar. The Basin is now in full swing!

Reved for Winter...Sneak Peek Weekend!

Revelstoke, BC - With incredible early snowfall, Revelstoke Mountain Resort can’t wait any longer and excitedly launches into its 5th season with a Sneak Peek Weekend for all skiers and snowboarders to enjoy! Snowfall to date has hit a whopping 193cm and has developed into a solid base of almost 100cm, allowing the resort to open both The Stoke and The Ripper high speed quad lifts on November 26th and 27th, 2011. For both days of operations, the resort is open to the public with the Revelation Gondola open for first upload at 8:30am, and the last chair on The Stoke at 3:00pm. Special offers for Sneak Peek Weekend include a 25% lift ticket discount for all 2011-2012 season pass holders in Western Canada (some restrictions apply), along with Ski and Stay packages from just $99 per person/night. The Lake Louise Plus Card is also on sale allowing card holders to experience three days of skiing at four top resorts including Revelstoke Mountain Resort, the Lake Louise Ski Area, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, and Castle Mountain.

Sun Peaks Opens Saturday, November 19 for the Winter 2011-12 Season

Sun Peaks, BC - On The Sun Peaks Sports School is opening up even more opportunities to give people access to snow with three new programs being offered at Sun Peaks Resort this winter.Guests with physical and cognitive disabilities will have even more opportunities to be active and enjoy Sun Peaks with new programs developed in a partnership between Sun Peaks Sports School and Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks (ASSP). Programs include a Learn to Ski Adaptive Lesson, a Friends & Family Private Lesson and an Ability to Ski Adaptive Lesson. Skiers and boarders looking to step it up into the Freestyle world can enroll in a brand new program that will teach the foundation freestyle skills with an emphasis on good technical skiing in the following areas: free skiing/riding, the terrain park, and moguls.Sun Peaks is expanding their Cross-Country Skiing program this winter with new lessons available for guests. Whether you’re looking to get into the sport for the first time, or want to enhance your skills to a new level, there are three lesson options available: Intro to Nordic Skiing, Group Lessons, and Private Lessons. Sun Peaks Antiques Recall the Days of Tod Mountain They are self proclaimed antiques who are just as hard core as any of the young crowd hitting the slopes each morning…and they still chuckle about sitting on the Ridge Ski Run with glasses of wine for regular Ladies Cocktail parties over 40 years ago. The Sun Peaks Antiques are a group of approximately 100 seniors in the Thompson region of British Columbia whose passion is skiing. Many of them arrived at Tod Mountain in the early 60s with fond memories of the beginnings of what is now a world class resort. 79 year old Dierdre Zacharias remembers being eager to make first tracks. “We used to come up with our campers the night before, plug-in, and see if we could be the first ones on the Burfield Chair in the morning, right behind ski patrol.” Years later, with a little more grey hair but no less zest for life, Zacharias and the rest of the Antiques meet three days a week to get fresh tracks at Sun Peaks Resort. Keep an eye out for the official SPA patch on most of their jackets and stop by to chat with one of the true locals of Sun Peaks Resort as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Tod Mountain.

US Ski Team to Hold Fall Camp at Wolf Creek Ski Area

Wolf Creek, CO - Incredible early season snowfall at Wolf Creek Ski Area brings US Mogul team to fall camp for practice!

With 100 inches of snowfall so far this October and November, Wolf Creek Ski Area is 100 percent open and ready to host the 20 member US Mogul Team and their coaches, November 14 through November 19, 2011. Training will take place daily from 10:00AM to 2:00PM, with a day off on November 17th.

Saturday and Sunday, November 12th and 13th, will be spent prepping the course on Alberta Face by setting turn flags and jump building. The course will be located under the Treasure Chairlift, which will make the entire event visible for all skiers and boarders! On Saturday, November 19, at 2:00 PM their will be a meet and greet on the outside deck of Wolf Creek Lodge in the base area. Any guest of the Wolf Creek Ski Area will be able to meet ski team members and have autographs signed.

Mt. Hood Meadows Attends the Big Chill 11 – Presented by Widmer Brothers Brewing

Music, local arts, fashion show Friday, November 18 - Silent auction to benefit Mountain Wave Search and Rescue

Portland, OR - It’s that time of year again. Kick off the winter snow season in style at the Big Chill, a celebration of the best of the Northwest presented by Widmer Brothers Brewing. On Friday, November 18th, join Widmer Brothers for an evening of local craft beer -- including Brrr, the brewery’s winter seasonal -- music, art and fashion at Grand Central Restaurant and Bowling Lounge, beginning at 9 p.m.

The night will include music from DEELAY CEELAY, a Portland-based duo that fuses live instrumentation with synched projected visuals blurring the lines between music, experimental film and performance, while creating an awesome and engaging experience for their audiences.

Check out the latest winter styles in a fashion show produced by Portland’s Jillian Rabe, LLC featuring winter, street and outerwear including lines from: Compound, U.S. Outdoor Store andAntic.

The silent auction is back this year; this time, benefitting Mountain Wave Search and Rescue! Local artistshave been asked to create awesome winter-themed works of art from used snowboards, toboggans, and sleds. Guests at the Big Chill will be asked to vote on their favorite works of art and winning artists will receive prizes like a custom-designed Revolution Snowboard, Mt. Hood Meadows lift tickets, or a weekend getaway to Sunriver Resort. Attendees will also have a chance to get in on the prizes just for voting!

Lift Towers to Fly Over Whiteface Tomorrow

Wilmington, NY - The start of the 2011-12 skiing and riding season at Whiteface Mountain, in Wilmington, N.Y., is slated for Friday, Nov. 25, conditions permitting. The crew at Whiteface is getting ready for opening day and tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 9, the new towers for the Little Whiteface lift will be flown in, beginning at 9 a.m. This will complete the process of refurbishing the lift.

Winter Park to Open Early, Nov 12th!

Winter Park, CO - Winter Park Resort, one of Colorado’s premier resort destinations, has announced that it will open four days earlier than originally planned for the 72nd season on Saturday, on November 12, 2011. Skiing and riding will take place on 36 acres and five trails accessible via four lifts; Arrow, Gemini, Endeavour and depending on conditions, the Discovery lift.

“Winter Park Resort is responding to the high demand for early season access to the slopes from Colorado’s Front Range skiers and riders. Also, by opening ahead of schedule we are putting seasonal employees to work earlier than originally expected,” said Gary DeFrange, president and chief operating officer at Winter Park Resort. “Thanks to the hard work of our snowmaking and grooming crews, plus early season snowfall, the runs are primed and ready to go.”

First chair is at 8:30am on Saturday, November 12, 2011. Winter Park Resort will be open daily through April 22, 2012, 9:00am – 4:00pm weekdays and 8:30am-4:00pm on weekends. For opening weekend, lift tickets will be $69 adult and $49 child. Ski + Ride School and Winter Park Resort Rentals will be in full operation. Open restaurants include Starbucks and limited menus at Doc’s Roadhouse and Moffat Market. Opening day celebrations include après ski specials and the new Red Bull Sugga vehicle will be onsite to provide videos and music. Don’t miss opening weekend lodging deals, Vintage Hotel rooms start at just $62 per night!

Winter Park Resort will provide free garage parking at The Village at Winter Park through Tuesday, November 15. The free Cabriolet lift will be running on opening day, connecting guests from free parking in the Vintage Hotel parking lot to The Village at Winter Park. The free shuttle, “The Lift”, will not be running routes until Wednesday, November 16, 2011.

Attitash & Wildcat Mountain Head to Boston Globe Ski and Snowboard Expo, November 10 – 13

Bartlett & Pinkham Notch, NH - Both Attitash Mountain Resort and Wildcat Mountain will be among other Mount Washington Valley & New Hampshire resorts attending the upcoming annual Boston Globe Ski and Snowboard Expo. Skiers and riders all over New England, fueled by recent late October snow, will converge in Boston this November to get even more excited and to see or buy the latest gear, plan ski vacations, find one-of-a-kind lift ticket deals, and hear what’s new at all the Eastern, Western, Canadian, and European resorts. “There are some great shows and pre-season events in New England,” said Attitash Mountain Resort Event Coordinator Corey Madden. “But the Boston Ski Show is the most popular. You talk directly to your dedicated regulars and get to meet those who may not know the resort as well and can share up-to-date information, event dates, and show-only specials and offers.” The show, taking place in Boston at the Seaport Convention Center, begins at 3 p.m. Thursday, November 10 and runs until 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 13. Attitash and Wildcat Mountain will be located in booths 61-63. A ski show event schedule is available and tickets can be purchased online at bewisports.com.

Both resorts are excited to continue messaging the value, variety, and vertical offered with season passes, discount cards, lift tickets, and gift cards valid for use at the two nearby ski areas in the Mount Washington Valley. At the Boston Globe Ski & Snowboard Expo, one of the featured specials for Attitash and Wildcat are gift cards that have a $125 value and can be purchased for only $100. “For many years in Boston, both resorts have had tremendous success selling ticket and gift cards with show-only associated bonus offers,” said the Attitash Mountain Resort and Wildcat Mountain Director of Marketing Thomas Prindle. “The gift card offer introduced a couple years ago has been very popular and immediately gives the customer 25% more value than the amount paid and is valid for use at two of New Hampshire’s larger resorts to purchase tickets, food, ski school lessons, lodging, and more.” In addition, both resorts are excited to bring back the Vertical Value Card which offers a 10-25% discount on weekends and holidays or 50% discount off lift tickets on non-holiday weekdays all season long. However, new for the Vertical Value Card for this season, it includes the first day’s ticket in the $79 purchase price and will also allow the cardholder to bring a friend on non-holiday Wednesdays and that friend gets a half-price ticket too. Attitash & Wildcat also partnered with the Boston Patagonia store located on Newbury Street and on the dates of the ski show, the store will extend a 20% discount off one item, with some restrictions, if persons show their new 2011/12 Vertical Value card. In addition, the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel will be offering a specially priced slopeside, ski & stay package and both resorts will also be giving away custom-made Attitash and Wildcat Mountain recyclable shopping bags, t-shirts, posters, stickers, and more to show attendees who stop by to hear about what’s new and to purchase any of the show-only specials.

Sugar Bowl's Daron Rahlves Named Ambassador For Learn To Ski and Snowboard Month

Donner Summit, CA - Sugar Bowl Resort ambassador Daron Rahlves has recently added “Learn To Ski & Snowboard Month” to his long list of ski industry stewardship endeavors. Started in 2007, Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month encourages children and adults alike to take up the sport by taking lessons from professional ski and snowboard instructors. Every January more than 300 resorts nation-wide participate in the program.

Rahlves, a recent inductee into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame who has called Sugar Bowl home for the last eleven years, states that "There is no better place to learn than Sugar Bowl!" The resort's season-long General Admission Program offers free rentals and a free lesson with every qualifying lift ticket, making it easy, convenient and cost-effective for new skiers and riders to take up the sport.

Sunflower Named Bromley’s Director of Snowsports

Peru, VT - After nearly 30 years on the job – 22 of them as the Director of Bromley Mountain’s Ski and Snowboard School – Peter Robertson has decided to move on to other pursuits. Burleigh Sunflower, who has been Bromley’s Snowboard School Manager for the past seven years and the Snowboard Supervisor at Okemo’s Jackson Gore base area prior to that, has been named Bromley’s new Director of Snow Sports.

“I’ve worked with Pete for more than twenty years,” said Bill Cairns, Bromley’s General Manager. “He’s done a fantastic job for us here over the years and has built the [ski and snowboard] school into one of the most respected programs in the industry. I, personally, and all of us here at Bromley, wish Pete nothing but success and happiness in his new endeavors.”

“Of course, with change comes the opportunity for new successes,” added Cairns. “As I’ve said before, Bromley has a very deep bench and we were fortunate to have a man of Burleigh’s caliber and experience to call on.”

Burleigh’s been actively teaching for 15 years, is certified by both the Professional Ski Instructor’s Association and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors and has served two years on the PSIA’s Advanced Children’s Education Team. He currently serves on the AASI Board of Examiners.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort Announces New Vice President of Marketing and Sales

Crested Butte, CO - Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) announced today the appointment of Scott Clarkson as its vice president of marketing and sales. Clarkson comes to Crested Butte with over 25 years of experience in ski industry marketing; he spent 15 of those years at Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont, a sister resort of CBMR.

“Scott’s expertise, personality and general approach are going to be a great fit for the marketing and sales team and the company as a whole,” says Ethan Mueller, vice president and general manager for CBMR. “He values what we believe in as a resort and has a vision for moving Crested Butte forward in the marketplace.”

Most recently, Clarkson was hired to oversee FestEVOL for the Triple Peaks resorts, a concert and lifestyle series that takes place throughout the month of March. Prior to his work for FestEVOL, he was the vice president of marketing and sales for Squaw Valley USA in Lake Tahoe, Calif. He left Okemo with a strong desire to move west and when the opportunity at CBMR recently arose, he knew it was the perfect fit. In his new duties, Scott will continue to be involved in FestEVOL for Triple Peaks.

"I am very excited to be joining the Crested Butte team,” adds Clarkson. “I’ve been interested in becoming a part of this destination community since the Mueller family first became involved. I have vacationed at Crested Butte each year since 2005. This is a very special and beautiful place with unique, year-round attributes that I look forward to promoting nationally and internationally."

Throughout the years, Clarkson has committed himself to the industry and his hometown by serving as the executive secretary for the New England Ski Areas Council (NESAC) and the marketing committees for both the National Ski Areas Association and the Vermont Ski Areas Association. He also served on the board of directors for the West River Sports Association, in Weston Vermont, overseeing Nordic skiing and soccer programs for the youth in his community.

A-Basin Open Top to Bottom - Wednesday

Arapahoe Basin, CO - Arapahoe Basin will be expanding it’s terrain to the summit for top to bottom skiing on Wednesday, November 2. With the natural snowfall last week combined with the extremely good progress being made by the snow makers, A-Basin will open two additional intermediate runs, Lenawee Face and Dercum’s Gulch serviced by the Lenawee Mountain Lift. After the upper mountain has been opened, we will move the snowmaking resources to Sundance and open that as soon as possible giving our skiers and riders much anticipated beginner terrain.

Local Forecasters Predict Snowy Winter for Mt. Hood Meadows

Annual Winter Weather Forecast Conference forecasters say La Nina returns bringing above average snowfall to the Cascades this winter

Mt. Hood, OR - La Nina will return this winter and bring with it cooler, wetter weather to the northwest – meaning above average snowfall to the Cascades. Five Oregon weather experts agreed that this should be a good ski season, as their forecasts predicted a snowy winter for Mt. Hood Meadows. Meadows has posted a video with excerpts from the conference focused on the mountain weather forecast. A highlight of the conference (and the video) is former Oregon state climatologist George Taylor singing “La Nina”.

Wild Mountain Opens for Riding

Taylors Falls, MN - Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls, MN had a great first day of being open. Opening with 2 runs and a rope tow.

We are proud to keep with our 36 year tradition of being the first area open in the Midwest.

With Ski Season Just Less Than a Month Away, Mother Nature Has Already Turned the Region’s #1 Resort into a Winter Wonderland

Snowshoe, WV - Ski season is just over a month away, with Opening Day planned for November 23rd at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, but Mother Nature must already be thinking winter, as the Pocahontas County, W.Va resort saw another foot of natural snowfall this weekend. More than 20” of natural snow has now fallen in the month of October, an early start to a winter season that typically averages 180” of snowfall at Snowshoe. In addition to the natural snow, Snowshoe took advantage of freezing temperatures, turning on the resort’s region’s most powerful snowmaking system in the early morning hours of Friday, October 28. Saturday’s sustained cold weather allowed for around-the-clock snowmaking in addition to the natural snow that fell throughout the day. With temperatures flirting with the freezing mark on a sunny Sunday morning, snowmaking came to a halt, with several overnight chances in the week ahead to continue building an early season base.

As skiers and snowboarders around the region away the start of a new season, Snowshoe has several new features to offer guests, including a new terrain park, a new winch cat groomer, several new family adventure activities, three new restaurants and a new retail store. And through Monday, guests booking winter lodging or retail products will receive 20% off. Snowshoe Season Passes are also on sale, with early season savings, including a special $249 rate for college students, expiring on October 31st as well.

THE GATHERING Presented By SALOMON RETURNS TO RED Mountain MARCH 23-24, 2012

Rossland, BC - Mark your calendars! The Gathering at RED is back for a 4th year. Presented by Salomon, this celebration of mountain culture features film and video presentations by special guest photographers, filmmakers and pro athletes at western Canada’s original ski area RED Mountain Resort in Rossland, BC. Parties, live entertainment and lots of shredding are also part of the bill. Come join us at RED for one of the best events of the winter!

PHOTO WORKSHOP
To kick-off The Gathering’s main events on Friday and Saturday, a one-of-a-kind Photography Workshop will be offered on Wednesday and Thursday March 21 – 22. Mark Shapiro, the legendary “Godfather of Ski Photography”, will be hosting this interactive workshop. Designed for aspiring sports photographers, participants will learn photography techniques and secrets from the man who pioneered ski photography in the 70’s and 80’s in Verbier, Switzerland. Participants will be lead through an interactive program consisting of on-snow sessions and hands-on shooting with ski models. For the past 35 years Marko has gathered valuable experience, fine tuning his craft and building his reputation at many locations throughout the world.

Each day will include on-snow photo sessions with ski models plus in-depth classroom sessions. Cost is $399.00 for the 2 day workshop including a 2 day lift ticket. A laptop computer with photo-editing software and camera equipment are required. Space is very limited for this unique and educational workshop, so book now! All participants will present their best photos during Friday’s presentation. The Gathering

Taylors Falls, MN - It's getting colder at Wild Mountain. Cold enough to make some snow last night, but not enough to open. It won't be long. Last year we opened Oct. 29th.
These photos were taken early this morning. Check out our FB page for a full photo album of photos including some of the lucky few who went skiing this morning!

More Snow Falls at Snowshoe Mountain

Snowshoe, WV - New powder is starting to accumulate in West Virginia, the season is right around the corner at Snowshoe Mountain Resort.

Expanding Winter Fun

Sugar Mountain, NC - Weather, weather, weather! If Mother Nature cooperates Sugar Mountain Resorts Tubing Park and outdoor Ice Rink will be open for Thanksgiving. New snowmaking machines designated solely for the tubing area will be positioned all season long in the Tubing Park. When temperatures drop, not only will the slopes begin to see their first blanket of snow but the Tubing Park will begin to take shape as well. As weather varies throughout the season, upgrades over the years including the key addition of snowmaking machines in the tubing park will allow for higher efficiency and more consistent conditions.

Ski And Ride All Six North Carolina Resorts This Winter With The Gold Card

Banner Elk, NC - Purchase your North Carolina Ski Areas Association Gold Card and ski or ride at any of the six North Carolina ski areas this winter season. Gold Card holders may ski or ride at any North Carolina Ski Resort during any session regardless of holiday or weekend rates. Only 100 Gold Cards are available at a cost of $795 each winter season. They sell quickly.

North Carolina ski areas include Cataloochee Ski Area, Sapphire Valley Ski Area, Beech Mountain Resort, Appalachian Ski Mtn., Wolf Ridge Ski Resort, and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.

Arapahoe Basin Open for Season on Thu Oct 13th

Arapahoe Basin, CO - After a great week of snowmaking and several fresh inches of snow, Arapahoe Basin ski area officials announce that opening day for the 2011-2012 ski season will be Thursday, October 13, 2011. The ski area has only been closed 100 days since last season ended on July 4, 2011.

Black Mountain Express will open to the public at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday. Skiers and riders can look forward to an 18-inch base on the intermediate High Noon run along with several features in the High Divide Terrain Park. There will be no beginner skiing at this time.

A tribute to Arapahoe Basin founders Marnie Jump and Max Dercum who passed away this year will take place before the lifts open to the public. Opening day adult lift tickets will be available for $59, youth tickets age 15 - 18 will be $49 and child tickets age 6-14 will be $30. The ski and snowboard rental shop, tune shop, food and beverage service, the 6th Alley bar and retail shop will be open to the public. Snowsports lessons will be available on a limited basis. Local radio station, KYSL will be doing a live morning show and giving away lift tickets on-air. KSMT will also be on site in the base area with a live remote, playing music and handing out give-aways.

Whitewater and Schweitzer Become Sister Resorts

Pass Holders Receive Benefits on the Other Side of the Border

Nelson, BC - Whitewater Ski Resort is pleased to announce that they have recently adopted Schweitzer Mountain Resort as its sister resort. Pass holders at each resort will now receive discounts at their sister mountain. Whitewater’s season pass holders will ski free when booking lodging at Schweitzer’s White Pine Lodge, Selkirk Lodge, or condos when they use a special promo code. Schweitzer’s winter season pass holders will receive 50% off lift tickets at Whitewater, making the adult day ticket price $31.25 CAD.

“We couldn’t be happier to add Schweitzer as a sister resort”, said Anne Pigeon, Whitewater’s General Manager of Indoor Operations and Marketing. “The similar core values of each resort along with the resemblance between Nelson and Sandpoint made it an easy decision to become partners”.

Schweitzer and Whitewater are located less than 240 kilometers apart, making the typical drive time around 3 depending on road conditions and border traffic.

“Schweitzer is excited to offer this new benefit to our dedicated pass holder’s”, said Dave Kulis, Schweitzer’s Director of Marketing and Sales. “We look forward to welcoming our friends from Whitewater this winter, and building upon our new sister resort partnership”.

Both resorts will be attending ski shows in Calgary, Toronto, and Seattle this fall. Schweitzer will also be at the Boston, Portland and Minneapolis shows while Whitewater will be at the Vancouver and Denver show. Stop by the booths to learn more about the new sister resort benefits. In addition, the city of Sandpoint, ID and Nelson, BC has had recent conversations about the possibility of a town partnership.

Whitewater Winter Stoke on YouTube

Chuck Ward Named Interim CEO of National Sports Center for the Disabled

Winter Park, CO - The National Sports Center for the Disabled [NSCD] announced today that Chuck Ward has joined the prestigious organization as interim Chief Executive Officer [CEO], effective immediately. Mr. Ward will be based out of the Denver executive offices of NSCD. “I am honored to be part of such a great Colorado institution,” said interim CEO of the National Sports Center for the Disabled, Chuck Ward. “The NSCD is the premier organization providing adaptive sports experience for disabled athletes from our region and around the world. Its reputation for quality and effectiveness of its programs is unmatched and the opportunity to work with this organization is a humbling experience for me.”

Mr. Ward brings 37 years of senior management and business experience to the NSCD team, working for Southwestern Bell, AT&T and Qwest. He was most recently the President of Colorado for Qwest and has a history of community involvement, including serving as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and Chair of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Ward also served on the Board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Colorado and currently serves on the Board of A+ Denver.

The NSCD is best known for its flagship adaptive ski program at Winter Park Resort. NSCD founder, Hal O’Leary, still works with both world class competitive athletes and those just being introduced to the wide range of activities available. The programs offered by the NSCD span winter and summer sports, including alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ski biking, Nordic Hut trips, snowshoeing, ski racing, golf, rafting, rock climbing, kayaking and so much more. Programs are designed for individuals, families, and groups, and are available for all levels of ability, from beginner to advanced. For 42 years, children and adults with disabilities have looked to the organization for hope and encouragement.

Fall season celebrated for one last weekend at Mont SUTTON

Sutton, PQ - If you think that events and outings for the fall season are already over for this year, think again! Mont SUTTON will still offer activities and festivities for the last weekend of its Fall Festival, on October 15th and 16th.

Several activities are scheduled, in order to end the festival with beauty! For the last weekend of the Fall Festival, Mont SUTTON has scheduled, among other activities, the chairlift ride, hikes, free trials of a zipline of over 130 meters, Saturday jazz with Les Jazz Heads and live singer on Sunday with Dominic Dagenais, BBQ at the foot of the hill.

Before the first snowflakes… Although we know Mont SUTTON as a number one destination for skiing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter, several other activities are offered in the area before the first snowfall! Here are some of the activities offered: hiking on the Parc d’environnement naturel de Sutton trails, many circuits to be discovered such as the Wine Route and the Township trails, art galleries, a museum and hall to bring a cultural flavour to the escapade.

4" of Snow Kicks of the Season at Snowshoe Mountain Resort

Snow began Friday night and continued on and off throughout the day Saturday. Additional accumulation possible Sunday

Snowshoe, WV - SNOWSHOE, W.Va.- Winter didn’t wait long to kick into high gear at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. The Pocahontas County, W.Va resort saw four inches of snowfall on Saturday. The first flakes of the season were spotted just before midnight on Friday, September 30th and snow continued intermittently throughout the day on Saturday. Additional snowfall is expected through mid-day on Monday, with up to another inch of accumulation possible. Snowshoe is the first ski resort on the East Coast to record measurable snowfall this season.

With ski season just about six weeks away, Snowshoe also took advantage of cold temperatures on Saturday morning and fired up several of the resort’s powerful snowmaking guns. The resort plans to open for the winter season on Wednesday, November 23rd, just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Regular snowmaking isn’t scheduled to begin until November 1st, but this early test allowed the resort to ensure equipment is in top shape with a new season just around the corner.

Belleayre Mountain to Offer $99 3-Packs at 32nd Annual Fall Festival

Highmount, NY - Belleayre Mountain invites people to participate in the 32nd Annual Fall Festival held at the Overlook Lodge on October 8 & 9 of Columbus Day Weekend. The 32nd year of this classic fall event promises to be as exciting and entertaining as festivals in the past. As always, the Fall Festival will feature the prestigious Craft Fair showcasing local artisans, the Uber Winter Equipment & Apparel Sale for great discounts on skiing and riding gear for the coming season, the Sky Ride to whisk people to the summit for spectacular views of the Catskill foliage, traditional German Oktoberfest Food, an expanded Fair Food Court, an Outdoor Expo and much more.

In addition, Belleayre will again be offering the $99 3-packs of Anytime Tickets to our patrons. These will only be available onsite at the Festival with a limit of two 3-packs per family. ID is required.

Cranmore Mountain Adds More Activities, Invests in Snowmaking and Facilities for This Winter

N. Conway, NH - Cranmore Mountain continues to make major financial investments in the resort with the addition of new activities, base lodge renovations, snow making and grooming improvements for the winter 2011-12 season. This additional investment brings the 18-month total for the resort to over $7 million since it came under new ownership in June 2010. Cranmore announced it will continue to operate its Giant Swing this winter alongside its popular snow-tubing park and mountain coaster. The swing opened in July as part of the resort’s Mountain Adventure Park. The three outdoor attractions, in addition to skiing and riding, will offer visitors to North Conway the greatest diversity of family activities in the region.

Cranmore is opening an indoor activity center, featuring a bungy trampoline, Spider Climb and slide and two bouncy houses. The attractions and activity center will all operate weekends and holidays. Special combination tickets will offer great value for families. Cranmore’s snow surfaces will be better than ever with a substantial investment in new snow guns and snow grooming equipment. 40 new high-efficiency snowmaking tower guns will be added to their ever-growing arsenal. The snow guns are valued at $100,000. Snowmaking and grooming efforts will also be supported by a new Prinoth Bison Groomer. The new snow guns are added to the 150 purchased over the last two winters. The guns produce more snow at a higher temperature with less energy used, allowing for more snow on the slopes earlier in the season. Cranmore is also investing in significant additions to its ski and snowboard rental fleet. Partnering with Rossignol, Cranmore is adding new inventory featuring the brand’s new “Rocker” technology. Rocker technology promises to help skiers turn with less effort, carve more easily and float better through deep snow. The mountain will also offer high-end demo skis from Rossignol in addition to the upgrades to its standard rental fleet. New for this winter, Cranmore will offer the longest day ticket in Mt. Washington Valley, with the introduction of a 6pm close time on Saturdays and holidays from Christmas week until mid-March. Skiers and riders can enjoy 9.5 hours of skiing at no additional cost. Cranmore will also introduce a “Half Day Anytime” four hour ticket, letting skiers and riders pick the hours of the day they want to recreate. Previously the half day ticket was only available from 12:30-4:30pm. This new ticket offers the greatest flexibility for those who can’t fit in a full day of skiing into their plans.

Big, Big News from Tahoe

Lake Tahoe, CA - Squaw and Alpine Meadows are thrilled to share with you the most exciting announcement of the 2011-2012 ski and snowboard season: Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and Squaw Valley USA will join forces! The mountains announced today that they will combine operations to a single ownership - which means that you will be able to ski and ride both mountains with one season pass or lift ticket. With access to more than 6,000 acres, eight mountain peaks, 44 lifts, and more than 270 trails on some of the country’s most renowned terrain, you will be our celebrated guests at the largest amount of terrain accessible on one ticket in the United States. As passionate, tenured guests at Alpine Meadows, your interests and mountain experiences are and will always be our top priorities. Although the accessible terrain and fantastic amenities will increase as a result of the new partnership, the individual character of each mountain will remain the same. It is the unmistakable ambiance, atmosphere, and guests’ unwavering connection to a mountain that help make every ski resort special and unique – and truly something to be cherished. Moving forward in this fantastic new partnership, both mountains are committed to preserving each mountain’s individual atmosphere while offering you the absolute best of the country’s mountains, amenities, guest service, and value. We hope you are as excited as we are about the new consolidation between Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley. Alpine Meadows’ sister resort, Homewood Mountain Resort, will continue to be owned and operated by JMA, and will not be affected by the new partnership between Alpine and Squaw. Guests of Homewood, as well as Homewood’s West Shore Café & Inn, can look forward to another fantastic winter skiing, snowboarding, and lakefront dining and lodging.

SHARP & M-ARK receive $40,000 From Benefit Concert and Disaster Relief Efforts

Highmount, NY - Belleayre Mountain began preparing its emergency evacuation center in response to a severe hurricane warning for the Catskill Region in anticipation of major flooding in the Phoenicia and Margaretville areas. Belleayre Mountain began preparing its emergency evacuation center in response to a severe hurricane warning for the Catskill Region in anticipation of major flooding in the Phoenicia and Margaretville areas. In the wake of Hurricane Irene, the emergency evacuation center was in full operation servicing 120 adults, 40 children and 20 dogs. During the first night, Belleayre was used as an emergency ambulance dispatch center because Margaretville Hospital and Kingston Hospitals were cut off by flooding and road closures. The emergency evacuation center included an expanded 16 bed, fully equipped medical response facility able to service ambulance calls.

Road closures made it necessary to establish helicopter landing zones in both the upper and lower areas to accommodate emergency evacuations and incoming food deliveries. Food deliveries and donations made it possible for the Belleayre Kitchen, operated by Centerplate, to provide an average of 1,200 meals a day as well as distributing 4,000 MRE’s provided by the American Red Cross. The evacuation center then expanded to include the NYS Office of Emergency Management headquarters with representatives from FEMA, OEM, Red Cross, and other Delaware and Ulster County relief offices, along with an area open to the public to apply for hurricane relief. All of Belleayre’s employees dedicated their time to the relief efforts and went above and beyond. A variety of duties were preformed including preparing, serving and delivering meals. The staff took turns in the food pantry unloading, signing in food donations, clothing donations, organizing the goods and assisting the public with their needs. Staff established helicopter landing zones and unloaded and then reloaded supplies to be sent out to communities in need. The new maintenance center was used to fix emergency equipment from Ulster County. The county provided mechanics to work alongside Belleayre employees to fix equipment and emergency vehicles including fire trucks, ambulances and heavy machinery.

Telluride Sets Standard for Resort Culinary Excellence

Jake Linzinmeir Hired to Bring Fresh Flare to Mountain Dining Telluride, CO - The name Telluride is synonymous with world class skiing, and with world class dining. Continuing to raise the bar as the industry benchmark, Telluride Ski Resort has recently hired renowned restaurateur Jake Linzinmeir as Executive Director of Culinary Services. Telluride’s restaurants and cuisine are more often compared with New York and L.A than mountain resorts. With options ranging from the rustic and historic Gorrono Ranch to the European elegance of Alpino Vino located at almost 12,000 feet, Telluride Ski Resort offers an unmatched quality and variety of dining for all tastes. Linzinmeir has been a Telluride restaurateur since 1992, owning and operating several restaurants, including The Excelsior Café, Blue Point Grill, X Café and Telluride Conference Center through his Alchemy Hospitality Group. The company also consults on restaurant concept development and design. “With his dedication to the industry and innovative ideas, Jake is a great addition to the team,” said CEO Dave Riley. “We look forward to seeing the dining experience and quality of cuisine at Telluride Ski & Golf taken to a level not found in the mountain resort industry.” Originally from the Midwest, Linzinmeir had the opportunity to travel the world and experience an array of cuisines and cultures with his family. His father a pilot, they traveled together around Asia, Europe and America experiencing a world of sights, aromas and flavors. With this influence, he chose to attend Cornell University's acclaimed School of Hotel Administration. Linzinmeir later went on to attend the Culinary Institute of America and the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners, where he received his Masters Degree in Italian Culinary & Wine and was selected to stage with the Michelin Three Star Le Calandre with Chef Massimiliano Aljamo, in Padova, Italy. Linzinmeir has been featured on NBC’s The Today Show, in Bon Appétit, Food Arts and Newsweek, and was recently selected as one of the industry’s Rising Stars by Restaurant Hospitality magazine.

New Trails, New Snow Guns and a New Grooming Machine at Mont SUTTON - update

Mont SUTTON, PQ - For the 2011-2012 season, skiers and snowboarders will be able to take advantage of several improvements at Mont SUTTON, starting with the addition of four new trails! An even larger playground! Mont SUTTON expands its skiable area by offering four new “tree skiing” trails to all winter sport enthusiasts: Crocodile, Entonnoir, Extase and Seduction. Skiers and snowboarders can expect to practice their favourite winter sports in a wooded zone, where there will be lots of trees. Due to this fact, the Crocodile and Entonnoir trails will offer a high level of difficulty, they will therefore have a “triple diamond” status. The Extase and Seduction trails will be listed in the "double diamond" category. New 3D interactive trail map This winter, Mont SUTTON will offer a new 3D interactive trail map. Among other functions, this new trail map will give visitors the possibility to share photos and videos directly on it. The new 3D interactive trail map will be available on montsutton.com as of the beginning of the season. More improvements for this coming season at Mont SUTTON

• New Tucker Sno-Cat, in order to continue to offer exceptional snow conditions.
• Addition of 33 energy saving fixed snow guns on the Dynamique trail. These snow guns were added to those purchased in recent years.
• Installation of new backpads at chairlift VII, in order to offer the same comfort as chairlifts II and IV.
• Phase II of the Petits Wapitis Learning Park.
• Addition of one week to the Snow School’s weekend programs. Skiers and snowboarders in learning will now have 9 weekends of lessons to improve their skills on the trails.
• New calendar of activities during the holiday season and during the spring break.
• New Happy Hour package at the Alt.680m chalet for private or corporate events.

Concerning season passes… Mont SUTTON has added to its variety of season passes a new family pass. In addition to being offered at a preferential rate, the family pass allows its holders to ski for free at Mont St-Bruno, not to mention the range of other privileges offered. Please note that by purchasing any Mont SUTTON season pass before September 30th, all winter sport enthusiasts will have a chance to win a ski trip for two to Banff – Lake Louise, a $2,500 value. Chances will be doubled for all those who sign up online. Details on montsutton.com.

Loon Mountain Celebrates with NH Highland Games, Oktoberfest, and a New Mountain Obstacle Run

Lincoln, NH - New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain kicks off fall events with this weekend’s 36th Annual New Hampshire Highland Games, September 16-18. The 36th Annual New Hampshire Highland Games, the largest Scottish festival in the Northeast, is back at Loon Mountain for three days of Scottish food, dancing, music, athletics, and culture. The Games include the Gathering of the Scottish Clans, with over 60 clans and societies that will compete in various competitions throughout the weekend. For more information and a calendar of events, visit http://www.nhscot.org. Following the Scottish festival, Loon celebrates German culture with music, food, and beer at the popular Annual Oktoberfest scheduled for Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 8-9. New Hampshire’s fall foliage is typically at peak and the New England Pass office will be open for pass purchases prior to the preseason sale deadline of October 10. New this year, the Mad Bavarian Brass Band will be playing in the Octagon Lodge from 7 p.m. until close. This show is 21+ and there is no cover charge. New this fall, are two events unique to Loon Mountain; the Monster Mud Run and the Halloween Monster Bash in the Bunyan Room. Both events will take place on October 29th. The Loon Mountain Monster Mud Run is the first annual mountain obstacle challenge of its kind to take place at Loon. Consisting of 14 obstacles, this 5k monster of a course takes participants through the woods, over varied terrain, and up and down a variety of obstacles. Unique prizes will be awarded for the top three men, top 3 women, duo, and costume. Heats will run in 30 minute intervals, beginning at 11am and ending at 2pm. There will be live entertainment, food, and beer for sale throughout the day. The official après party will run from 2pm to 5pm. For additional information and a map of the course, visit the Monster Mud Run page on our Website. The First Annual Halloween Monster Bash in the Bunyan Room will follow the Monster Mud Run, starting at 8pm and featuring live music with the Running Gags out of Portland, Maine. Cash prizes will be given out for best costumes. This is a 21+ event with no cover charge.

New Trails, New Snow Guns and a New Grooming Machine at Mont SUTTON

Sutton, PQ - For the 2011-2012 season, skiers and snowboarders will be able to take advantage of several improvements at Mont SUTTON, starting with the addition of four new trails! An even larger playground! Mont SUTTON expands its skiable area by offering four new “tree skiing” trails to all winter sport enthusiasts: Crocodile, Entonnoir, Extase and Seduction. Skiers and snowboarders can expect to practice their favourite winter sports in a wooded zone, where there will be lots of trees. Due to this fact, these trails will offer a high level of difficulty, they will therefore have a “triple diamond” status. New 3D interactive trail map This winter, Mont SUTTON will offer a new 3D interactive trail map. Among other functions, this new trail map will give visitors the possibility to share photos and videos directly on it. The new 3D interactive trail map will be available on montsutton.com as of the beginning of the season.

Béla Fleck & the Flecktones Belleayre Show Will Be A Benefit Show For Victims of Flood

Highmount, NY - The Belleayre Music Festival is turning its final show of the season into a benefit for victims of Sunday's record-breaking flood. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Original Lineup, will play at Belleayre on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m. The board of directors of the Belleayre Conservatory, which operates the festival, has decided that net proceeds from season's final show will be donated to assist the flood-relief effort. Chairman of the Board Joe Kelly said that making the concert into a benefit for flood victims was a

Music Festival natural decision for the conservatory. "Our mission is to benefit the Catskill Region. At this moment, there's no better way for us to help fellow community members than by contributing what we can in the wake of this tragedy," Mr. Kelly stated. He said that tickets will be sold as for a normal concert and that additional donations to help defray expenses and thereby increase the size of the donation will gladly be accepted. He went on to say that "several generous donations from board members and others have already been received." "We realize that most people don't have concerts on their mind, at this moment," Mr. Kelly explained. "At the same time, we hope that a week after this enormous devastation, people will be ready for some much-needed relief from the stress of this week's historic disaster. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones produce some of the most stimulating music around and we want people to have their spirits lifted as they help those who have lost so much in the flood." Béla Fleck is arguably often the world's premier banjo player, but his extraordinary musical talents transcend any simple description. As a result, Béla has been nominated in more different Grammy categories than anyone in history (27 nominations and 11 wins). For their first major concert tour in eight years, Bela will be joined by the Flecktones' original lineup of Howard Levy, Victor Wooten and Future Man. When Béla takes the stage with the "Tones," audiences are treated to a sonic adventure that melds superb technical skills, improvisation and the love playing into an unforgettable concert experience. Bela and the Flecktones have garnered a strong and faithful following among jazz and new acoustic fans and they have shared the stage with icons such as the Dave Mathews Band, Sting, Bonnie Raitt and the Grateful Dead.

NH Highland Games Still Scheduled for September 16-19

Lincoln, NH - Despite damage to the main bridge that accesses Loon Mountain Resort from Route 112, Loon is open for all summer activities. Alternate access to the resort is available via South Peak Bridge, located to the west in the town of Lincoln. Sunday’s tropical storm dumped up to 5” of rain over the area, causing the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River to flood, undermining the bridge abutments and closing Route 112/The Kacamagus Highway east of the Resort. The NH Department of Transportation closed the bridge on Sunday evening and state engineers were here on Tuesday to assess the damage and get repair work started. Repair work began Tuesday afternoon, and then a portion of the bridge collapsed early this morning. The collapse did not stop repair work, which continues today. “The good news is that we are open and work has already begun to repair the bridge. We were very fortunate that we did not sustain any further major damage, as did several other resorts and many other areas in New England,” said Rick Kelley, president & general manager. “We’ve had great cooperation and assistance from the Town of Lincoln, the State of New Hampshire, and the utility companies.” There will be no impact on winter operations and alternate plans are already in place to host the upcoming 36th Annual New Hampshire Highland Games, September 16-18. “This is a very important event, both for Loon and the Lincoln Woodstock area, and we are committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure the Games go on as scheduled at Loon,” said Kelley. Loon is open daily for all activities through Labor Day, and hosts the annual Summer Sendoff event on September 3-4 as scheduled. After Labor Day, the Gondola Skyride will be open daily through October 16 and the Loon Mountain Adventure Center, Riding Stables and Segway Tours will be open weekends through October 10.

Yodel Lay He Ho Oktoberfest At Sugar Mountain Resort

Banner Elk, NC - We've got lots of reasons for you to grab your beer stein, put on your lederhosen or your dirndl, bring your appreciation for local folk dancing and head to Sugar Mountain Resort Saturday & Sunday, October 8 & 9, 2011. Not only will the Harbour Town Fest Band provide a festive Bavarian atmosphere to Sugar's 21st annual Oktoberfest celebration, the national award winning Avery Smooth Dancers and the Mountain Laurel Cloggers will get your feet stomping and bring out the country drawl in all of us. Admission, parking and shuttle service are free. Rain or shine the festival will go on!

Take in the beautiful fall foliage, cool, comfortable mountain temperatures, and a weekend full of festival activities from 10 am until 5 pm each day. Be sure to bring the kids because the event is for the whole family.

An array of artisans, craftspeople and festival food vendors open their booths at 10:00am each day. A sampling of this year's country craft fair sale items include: pottery, folk art in glass & wood, books by local and regional authors, stained glass sun-catchers, hair accessories, handmade wooden crafts, custom made furniture, ceramics, polymer clay items, crafted rustic bark, handmade bath & body products, jewelry, home-made baked goods, jams & jellies, kettle corn, funnel cake, crazy fries, local made pasta & sauces and much more.

Bavarian cuisine including bratwurst, knockwurst, sauerkraut, strudel and pretzels will be available starting at 11:00am both Saturday & Sunday. To help wash it down an ample supply of Spaten beer will generously flow each day until 5:00pm. Spaten Oktoberfest beer, created in 1872 and brewed in Munich, Germany, is the world's first Oktoberfest beer. If Bavarian cuisine isn't your preference American hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, and other festive foods will be on hand.

17th Annual Pocono Garlic Festival

Shawnee-on-Delaware, PA - Seventeen years of garlic-y goodness! A local tradition, the Pocono Garlic Festival is happening again on Labor Day Weekend, September 3 & 4. Host site Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is pleased to offer a sampling of the regions’ local farms, food vendors, crafters and entertainers for the Poconos locally-based, premier food festival.

This event is truly all about the garlic and all the garlic featured, sold and used for food preparation at the event is grown and harvested in the Poconos. Local farms providing garlic and produce for the festival include: Knob View Farm, the Josie Porter Farm, Rolling Hills Farm, Fairman Farm, Burdick Creek Gardens, Mapleland Farms, Swarmbustin’ Honey, Mountaindale Farms and Vista Farm.

Over 50 vendors will provide a wide range of foods from simple to sophisticated, geared for the “foodie” with discerning taste buds. The 2011 Pocono Garlic Festival is a platform to showcase the regions most pungent garlic and finest eateries. Delectable delights will range from garlic beef brisket and apple garlic soup to garlic sauerkraut and garlic ice cream. Local artists and crafters will exhibit a variety of hand crafted garlic themed creations and wears at this years two day event. From homemade wood items to pottery to jewelry and even handcrafted soaps, garlic in every form imaginable will be on display.

Main stage performers include returning and zany headliners Zydeco-A-Go-Go, the country rocking Blue Emerald Band and the fiery fiddlers of Burning Bridget Cleary. The mountain stage will feature local favorites including The Juggernaut String Band, the Lost Ramblers, Jazz Juice, Nancy & Spencer Reed and the Len Mooney Duo. The PA Dance Network will also be returning with several dance performances throughout both days. With two outdoor stages, an outdoor children’s area and petting zoo, educational lectures, cooking demonstrations and strolling acts, festival goers will enjoy a wide variety of non-stop live music and “garlic themed” novelty shows and entertainment geared towards the whole family.

Holiday Valley’s Mountain Coaster to Open

Ellicottville, NY - The Grand Opening celebration of the Mountain Coaster at Holiday Valley’s Sky High Adventure Park will be held on Saturday, August 20 at 10AM. The Mountain Coaster is located in the Tannenbaum (western most) area of the resort and is next to the Aerial Adventure Park that opened earlier this summer. According to Holiday Valley’s President Dennis Eshbaugh, “the addition of the Mountain Coaster is an important piece of the whole resort that attracts visitors to Holiday Valley and the region on a year ‘round basis.”

The Mountain Coaster is similar to a roller coaster with cars that ride upon a track. One or two riders load a car and travel 1,865 feet up the hill parallel to the Spruce Lake lift. At the apex the car begins its thrilling 2,490 foot descent zigzagging and spiraling down through the woods. There are 15 curves, 12 waves, 2 jumps and a giant spiral along the length of the ride. The average grade is 15.2% with a maximum of 23.6%. Riders can accelerate or decelerate using handles on the sides of the car.

The coaster was designed, engineered and manufactured by Weigand of Germany and was shipped in 7 containers, each containing thousands of individual parts much like a giant Erector Set. Construction of the coaster was an intense 10 week process, as all of the parts and measurements were metric and the plans were written in German. The crew was led by 2 representatives of Weigand with the Holiday Valley Mountain Crew and 9 additional part-time workers who assembled and welded all of the pieces and then placed them in their exact location according to the plans. Several local contractors supplied concrete work, welding, carpentry work, logging, paving, stone masonry and wiring.

The Mountain Coaster will operate daily through September 5 and then weekends through at least October 9. The coaster will also operate during the winter season. The cost of a single ride is $6 during the summer season.

New Owners at Powderhorn!

Mesa, CO - Andy Daly and the Gart Brothers have purchased Powderhorn Resort in Colorado and are looking to jump start things for the future. Click here for the rest of the article: DenverPost.com

Timberline Lodge Achieves Gold Standard of State’s Sustainability Program

Government Camp,OR - Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge is proud to have become the first Oregon hotel and ski area to achieve gold level recognition in Travel Oregon’s new “Sustainable Business Challenge.” The Oregon Tourism Commission, otherwise known as “Travel Oregon,” has recently created “Travel Oregon Forever.” This program is dedicated to helping partners in the tourism arena identify, develop, and promote their business with a dedication to sustainability initiatives. The overall goal is one of preserving and protecting Oregon and its’ natural resources. Timberline spokesman Jon Tullis said “Of all our resources that we utilize to promote Oregon as a tourism destination, it is our natural resources, particularly this state’s marvelous scenic beauty, which is the most important.” Operators of Timberline lead the company through the “Sustainable Business Challenge” in order to quantify and qualify Timberline’s sustainability efforts at the coveted Gold Level of recognition. “We recognize that we are operating in a cherished landscape valued for its scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, and economic characteristics” Tullis added. “So we are dedicated to stewardship and sustainability, and we are pleased that the good folks at Travel Oregon are strong allies in these efforts.”

KJ Denhert, Global Noize Open Belleayre Jazz Series with Otherworldly Sounds

Highmount, NY - KJ Denhert brings her unique "urban folk and jazz" to the Belleayre Music Festival on Friday, July 29 and Global Noize follows on Saturdaykj, July 30 with a mesmerizing blend of jazz, world music and electronica. Both shows start at 8 p.m. The double-header weekend marks the opening of Belleayre's Catskill Mountain Jazz Series. Held in the intimate setting of the Belleayre Jazz Club in the Overlook Lodge, the shows offer genre-breaking music that is both complex and accessible. General admission tickets are $26 for each show.

Belleayre Mountain Voted Top 3 Favorite Eastern Resort in 2011 SnowEast Reader Survey

Highmount, NY - The results are in and Northeast skiers and riders have spoken. With over 6000 votes counted in the 2011 SnowEast Reader Survey, Belleayre Mountain ranked in the Top 3 in Overall Favorite Eastern Resorts, behind only industry powerhouses Killington and Mount Snow.

SnowEast readers recognized Belleayre’s efforts over the past decade of growth, placing Belleayre in the top 10 Favorites in several categories. Belleayre has become renowned for their expanded snowmaking operation and expert grooming and the voters responded recognizing Belleayre as 6th in Favorite Snowmaking and 5th in Favorite Grooming.

Having opened in 1950 with the first chairlift in New York State it’s no surprise that Belleayre was voted 3rd in the Favorite Classic Resort category behind Mad River Glen (VT). Belleayre opened with a temporary base lodge and parking for 300 and has grown over the past 60 years to 171 skiable acres serviced by 8 lifts, with 55 trails, terrain parks, and extensive glades. With Belleayre’s expanded glade skiing, it is no longer necessary for expert skiers and riders to make a four hour drive to Vermont to get a taste of the trees. Belleayre employees’ hard work, dedication and teamwork have helped Belleayre to prove itself to be a leader in the ski industry. This is evidenced by the fact that over the past decade Belleayre has grown from 70,000 skier visits to an average of 170,000 skier visits.