“I love everything about this proposal. This is exactly why we were created and is exactly our purpose.”-Mike Ostermiller, Utah Military Installation Development Authority board member.

It sounds like Sundance Mountain Resort will be getting a new hotel.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Sundance Mountain Resort plans to build a sixty-five-room inn. They applied for funding from Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), which helps with the development of land that benefits military members.

Yesterday, MIDA approved this proposal, meaning tax-payer money will be used to build the hotel, albeit not the whole $35 million price tag. The MIDA funds will be going towards “the hard costs associated with Sundance Inn construction.” As part of the deal, Sundance will be adding benefits to veterans. The lodging will be free for wounded veterans, and the building will be ADA-accessible. Sundance will also be creating a veteran’s program, allowing those who served a place to unwind and heal.

This isn’t the first time that the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) has been involved with a ski resort development. They’re developing the base village around what was known as Mayflower Resort. The terrain around this development will ultimately become part of Deer Valley Resort.

The $35 million hotel is a joint partnership between Sundance Mountain Resort and Utah County. This move is Sundance’s next step in becoming Utah’s next destination ski resort. Since Broadreach Capital Partners and Cedar Capital Partners bought the ski resort from Robert Redford in 2020, they have spent millions to modernize the ski resort. This has included adding new chairlifts, a terrain expansion geared toward beginner and intermediate guests, and more.

The $35 million hotel will still need private investment to move forward, although that seems more likely with this news.

Image Credits: Sundance Mountain Resort

Guests at a Chinese ski resort recently went through a traumatizing experience.

The South China Morning Post reports that a chairlift stopped rapidly due to a malfunction, leading to the chairs rapidly swinging with passengers onboard. The ski resort wasn’t specified by the Post, but it’s located in western China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The resort was able to safely evacuate everyone that was on the chairlift. The ultimate cause of the malfunction was abnormally cold weather.

Image/Video Credits: South China Morning Post

“Wow. Holy shit.”– Paul Bourget.

People are starting to assess the damage from the severe rainfall across New England, and it’s not pretty.

Today, WCVB shared videos sent to them by locals Paul Bourget and Joe Smith of one of Sunday River’s roads being washed out. A portion of Summit Road, which leads up to the Grand Summit Hotel, is now impassible and will require a fix before the Maine ski resort’s busy season begins. Based on scrolling through the Sunday River Enthusiasts Facebook page, this is not the only road or area of the ski resort that is facing significant damage.

Sunday River has announced that they won’t be opening tomorrow. This is a developing story, so we’ll keep you posted on the latest developments regarding the floods across the Northeast.

Image/Video Credits: Paul Bourget, Joe Smith, WCVB

Over the past couple of years, one of the ski resorts that has been on the rise is Nordic Valley in Utah. Located near the city of Ogden, it added a huge terrain expansion during the 2020-21 season. However, the ski resort has been dealt a bad hand for this ski season.

Last week, Nordic Valley announced that the Apollo chairlift, which accesses the majority of the terrain at the ski resort, will be closed for “an undetermined period of time.” The Apollo chairlift suffered a mechanical breakdown back in March and has been closed since then. While dealing with the repairs, Nordic Valley’s maintenance team discovered further issues with the chairlift. With this being an older chairlift, finding the parts took an extended period of time due to the required customer engineering and manufacturing.

In response, Nordic Valley has acquired two Alpina Sleds to carry guests up to the Nordic Express and potentially to the top of the Apollo terrain pod. Each one of the Superclass 1.2L twin-tracked utility snowmobiles will be able to carry eighteen passengers. These people movers will be able to move 200 people per hour. I’m not gonna lie, those things look pretty sick.

It’s not all bad news for Nordic Valley though. They added two hundred parking spots, and two new trails to the Nordic Express terrain pod. Currently, Nordic Valley is open for the season with two trails and two lifts.

The ski resorts around Ogden are in a precarious situation. Snowbasin is an awesome ski resort, but it’s too expensive to visit unless you are a season/Ikon passholder. Powder Mountain just announced its plan to become a semi-private ski resort and has become more expensive this year (outside of night skiing tickets). Wasatch Peak Ranch’s future is in question after a judge ordered that the private ski resort stop construction and halt real estate sales.

Then there’s Nordic Valley. It’s an affordable ski resort with impressively cheap lift ticket deals and a brand-new terrain pod. What currently holds it back is the Apollo chairlift, which is the only way to reach the Nordic Express pod under normal circumstances. I’m a big fan of the place, and the Ogden skiing community needs this place to succeed.

My ultimate viewpoint is Nordic Valley’s future success depends on replacing Apollo. It doesn’t matter if it’s a fixed-grip or high-speed detachable chairlift, Apollo needs to be replaced within the next few years.

Image Credits: Nordic Valley, Alpina Snowmobiles

After a major terrain expansion last winter, Mt. Shasta Ski Park has begun work on another major addition. However, this one isn’t quite as popular with guests.

Earlier this month, the California ski resort announced its plans to add a twenty-foot Virgin Mary statue at the top of Douglas Butte. This project was a shared goal of owners Ray Merlo and Robin Merlo. Ray passed away in 2020, so Robin has decided to press forward with these plans to honor his memory. Construction began earlier this year and is expected to be completed next summer.

Some locals aren’t as enthused about the plans. They believe the ski resort should keep religion out of the skiing and riding experience, and that it would take away from one of the best vista spots at the ski resort.

As is tradition when something controversial happens, a Change.com petition was created to stop construction. The petition currently has over 1900 signatures. A key thing to note that is inaccurate from this petition though is that they claim that the ski resort is on National Forest land. That isn’t true, as the land is privately owned by the ski resort.

Ed Valenzuela, who’s a Siskiyou County Supervisor, challenged locals concerns in a statement to the Los Angeles Times:

“It’s on private property. It’s a private business, It’s the holiday season. I have better things to think about than a statue going up on private property. The people that are against it, their response would be then don’t go to the ski park.”

In terms of the current conditions at Mt. Shasta Ski Park, they have yet to announce an opening date for this winter but hope to start spinning the lifts soon.

Image Credits: Mt. Shasta Ski Park

Start spreading the news, because it is shaping up to be a season full of new capital improvements at New York ski resorts.

In Ski NY’s 2023-24 capital project announcement, they detailed the major projects that are happening across the Empire State. This includes new chairlifts, snowmaking upgrades, and major renovations.

Here are the biggest improvements coming to New York ski resorts this winter. But first, here are some honorable mentions:

• Bristol Mountain opened up a year-round freestyle training facility. Called the Greater Rochester Amateur Athletic Federation (GRAFF) Summer Aerial Freestyle Training Site, it includes one of the few water ramps in the country. Other improvements include a redesigned skier bridge on the Milky Way trail, along with widening and making snowmaking upgrades to the Upper North Star trail.
• The Hickory Ski Center is getting ready to reopen this season for the first time in years thanks to an investment from the Indy Pass and us here at Unofficial Networks.
• Maple Ridge began a three-year, $3 million snowmaking project. The first phase, which happened this summer, resulted in the installation of a new snowmaking pipe system, which will increase their snowmaking capacity by up to 39%.
• Plattekill widened and added snowmaking to the I Think I Can trail. Other improvements include a new maintenance building, new decking for the base lodge, and new demo gear.
• The Windham Mountain Club went through a luxury-focused rebrand. New restaurants are opening across the ski resort, which includes an Italian Alps-themed dining facility around the mid-mountain area.

5. Gore Mountain: Gore’s major project this offseason was the replacement of their beginner chairlift. In its place is the Bear Cub Quad, which is double the length compared to the old chairlift. The conveyer-load quad chairlift gives beginners more terrain to check out and allows for easier access to the Sunway Chair. The new chairlift is making its debut tomorrow, December 16th. In addition, two magic carpet lifts have been added to the learning area, allowing for a simpler learning progression process.

To prepare for their major improvements to the North Creek Ski Bowl next year, they made significant snowmaking upgrades in this terrain pod.

4. Belleayre: The old Lift 7, which was a fixed-grip triple chairlift, was replaced with a new fixed-grip quad chairlift. The Overlook Quad, which opened earlier this season, has increased rider capacity and reliability. In conjunction with the new chairlift, they added a skier bridge, making access to Lift 7 much easier.

Major snowmaking improvements were also made. These included replacing 27,000 feet of snowmaking pipe, along with adding 250 HKD Impulse R5 tower guns and 5 SMI Super PoleCats.

3. Holiday Mountain: For years, the Catskills ski area appeared to be on the brink of closing. Most of the terrain and lifts across its three peaks were closed, but the ski area has been given new life thanks to new ownership. This offseason, they’ve spent millions of dollars to update the mountain. This includes restoring major snowmaking improvements, creating a new snow tubing slope, restoring neglected ski trails, updating their chairlifts, and renovating their base lodges.

Next winter, they will be installing a new chairlift, which they acquired from a ski resort in Virginia. Click here to learn more about all the projects they’ve worked on this offseason.

2. Holiday Valley: They’re celebrating like they’re in New Orleans this winter at Holiday Valley, as they have opened a new chairlift. The Mardi Gras Express was replaced this offseason with a high-speed six-pack chairlift, providing Holiday Valley with more capacity and further modernizes its lift fleet.

Other improvements included a new PistenBully 600 groomer, upgraded snowmaking equipment, a renovation of John Harvard’s restaurant, and room renovations at the Inn at Holiday Valley.

1. Whiteface: Probably the biggest chairlift project in New York this past offseason was The Notch. This high-speed detachable quad chairlift starts at the Bear Den base area, has a mid-station on the Borren trail, and the top terminal drops riders off next to the Legacy Lodge. The lift allows beginners to make their next steps toward big-mountain skiing. It also gives more tenured skiers and riders a reason to park at the Bear Den base area, as they can now reach the upper mountain much easier from that side. This chairlift made its debut last weekend.

The Bear Den Learning Center also saw some updates. The Cub Carpet lift was reoriented to make it easier for beginners to reach. In addition, the Falcon Flyer triple chairlift received some updates.

Other additions include a haul rope replacement and new grip hardware for the Cloudsplitter Gondola, 150 new high-efficiency snow guns with water/air lines, and two new PistenBully 600W snow cats.

Image/Video Credits: Whiteface Mountain (Featured Image), Holiday Valley (Header Image), Gore Mountain, Belleayre, Holiday Mountain

Solitude’s newest chairlift is taking flight next week. Yesterday, the Utah ski resort announced that they’ll be opening the new Eagle Express chairlift on Wednesday, December 20th. The opening ceremony will begin at 8 a.m. with a DJ and complimentary cookies at the base of the Eagle Express chairlift. At 9 a.m., they’ll have the official ribbon-cutting

The new Doppelmayr chairlift is replacing the old Eagle Express, which was constructed back in 1989. The high-speed detachable six-pack chairlift will have a vertical rise of 1337 feet and a ride time of around six minutes.

For more information, check out Solitude’s official press release below.

SOLITUDE TO UNVEIL NEW CHAIRLIFT, EAGLE EXPRESS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20  

BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON, UTAH, Dec. 14, 2023 – Solitude Mountain Resort’s newly completed Eagle Express chairlift will open to the public this Wednesday, December 20 at 9:00 a.m. The new high-speed 6-pack chairlift has replaced the original Eagle Express that was built in 1989.  

With improved uphill capacity, the new Eagle Express will enhance access to signature runs such as Sunshine Bowl, Inspiration, and Challenger.

“Guests will love the convenient access that Eagle provides to some of our best intermediate and advanced groomed runs straight from the parking lot. We know that this lift is where so many of our locals will start and end their day, and it’s crucial that we’re able to get them up onto the hill efficiently,” says Amber L. Broadaway Solitude’s president & COO. “I’m tremendously proud of our team and their hard work and effort that has gone into this chair.” 

Festivities will begin at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning with a DJ and complimentary cookies at the base of the lift. A ribbon cutting and first-chair ceremony will be held at 9:00 a.m. to commemorate the new chairlift as it opens for the 23/24 season.  

This new chairlift is part of $16 million in capital improvements taking place at Solitude. Other projects included Solitude Bike Park (opened September 2023) and three new Wyssen remote avalanche control systems (completed October 2023).

Eagle Express stats and facts 

• Vertical rise: 1,337 feet 
• Rope speed: 1000 feet/minute 
• Ride time: 6 minutes 
• Manufacturer: Doppelmayr 

About Solitude Mountain Resort

Located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, just 30 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport, Solitude is a playground of discovery in the heart of Utah’s famed Wasatch Mountains. It offers eight chairlifts, 82 runs, and 500 annual inches of snow spread over 1,200 acres with 20 km of groomed Nordic track and 10 km of snowshoe trails. Home to the legendary Honeycomb Canyon and locals’ best-kept secrets, Solitude reveals more fun and challenging lines with every day you choose to explore. Eleven bars and restaurants offer unique chef-driven cuisine, and slopeside lodging options set the stage for mountain memories. In summer, Solitude beckons to locals and travelers alike with lift-served mountain biking, hiking, dining, and a renowned 18-hole mountainside disc golf course. Solitude is owned by Alterra Mountain Company and offers unlimited access to Ikon Pass holders.

Image/Video Credits: Solitude Mountain Resort

Are you looking for a cheap place to ski this month? Start spreading the news, because it’s time to plan your trip to the Empire State.

On December 21st, Greek Peak Mountain Resort is offering lift tickets for only $10. The reason why they are so cheap is because the New York ski resort is using the funds raised from these lift tickets for a great cause. The proceeds are going to the Virgil United Methodist Church Food Pantry, meaning it will help out families in need during this holiday season.

On December 21st, the lifts will be spinning from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Currently, Greek Peak has ten trails open, so with more snowmaking efforts on the way, more terrain is likely to open.

That’s not the only lift ticket deal that Greek Peak has this season. Other deals include $24 Monday night tickets for college students, $45 All-Day Lift Tickets on Tuesdays, and $69 Thursday tickets for a 1.5-hour lesson and 4-hour lift ticket for skiers ages fifty and older. Click here to purchase a ticket for Mountains of Giving (Donation Day).

Mountain Stats

Trails: 55

Lifts: 8

Vertical Drop: 952 feet

Skiable Acres: 220

Location: Cortland, New York

Image Credits: Greek Peak Mountain Resort

An epic lift upgrade is heading to the land down under.

Last week, Perisher Resort announced that they will be replacing the the Mt. Perisher Double & Triple Chairs next summer. They will be replaced in 2025 by a high-speed detachable six-pack chairlift. The new chairlift will have a ride time of five and a half minutes, a rapid improvement over the current ten-minute ride up the Mt. Perisher Triple Chair. This chairlift will also remove the need to traverse that is currently required. When it opens, Mt. P. 6 will become the highest chairlift in Australia, with a peak elevation of 2042 meters (nearly 6700 feet).

The new chairlift is expected to open during the 2025 ski season.

Image Credits: Perisher Resort

Today, Powder Mountain delivered some shocking news. Next offseason, Powder Mountain plans to add four new chairlifts. A fixed-grip quad will replace Timberline, a high-speed quad will replace Paradise, a new fixed-grip quad chairlift will go up Lightning Ridge, and another will service Raintree.

However, to become profitable, Powder Mountain will be limiting access to the Mary’s, Village, and Raintree (opening during the 2024-25 season) chairlifts for people who own real estate at Powder Mountain. Members of the public will still have access to the other chairlifts, such as Paradise and Sundown.

The official statement from Reed Hastings, who’s the CEO of Powder Mountian, is below.

STAYING UNCROWDED AND INDEPENDENT

Dear Powder Community,

I’m writing to you today with an update on how we are staying uncrowded and unspoiled.  

While many of you have been skiing here for generations, I joined this wonderful community only five years ago, and have quickly come to appreciate the soul and natural beauty of Powder Mountain. Sadly, Powder has been struggling financially, so I stepped in a few months ago to invest and find a sustainable path for staying uncrowded and independent.  

Our approach is going to be a blend of public and private skiing, where real estate sales help fund lifts and lodges for everyone, and some of our public guests buy real estate to access private skiing. We are fortunate that we can improve our public resort next year and also offer private skiing to help real estate sales. 

This summer we will be investing $20 million in three public lifts:

• A hi-speed detachable quad upgrade on Paradise, replacing a fixed-grip quad
• A fixed-grip quad upgrade on Timberline, replacing a 50-year-old fixed-grip double
• A new fixed-grip quad from the base of Timberline to the top of Lightning Ridge, opening up vast new lift-served intermediate and expert terrain, and enabling people to ski from Timberline down to Sundown. We’ll look to move our in-bounds cat route to somewhere else nearby. 

In order to pay our bills, we need to sell more real estate, and to do that we are introducing private homeowner-only skiing a year from now. We will be designating the Village and Mary’s lifts, which serve beginner and intermediate terrain, plus a new lift on Raintree, for this private skiing, starting a year from now. 

We believe this blend of public and private skiing secures us decades of exceptional uncrowded skiing for all, funded partially by real estate. To stay independent and uncrowded, we needed to change, and we didn’t want to join the successful but crowded multi-resort pass model (ie, Snowbasin) or sell to a conglomerate (ie, Vail). 

We are dedicated to running a sustainable business, supporting our wonderful team, and contributing to this incredible community. Thank you for your support in Powder’s next chapter, which kicks off with the three new lifts!

Of course we are keeping the Powder Country bus service, we’ve upgraded the Timberline bathrooms, and we reduced the price of night skiing from $39 to $19 to make it more accessible for our community. Come on up!

See you on the mountain.

-Reed

Reed Hastings
CEO Powder Mountain

Image Credits: Ian Matteson/Powder Mountain