Shawnee Mountain in Pennsylvania.

As part of a major lift system overhaul, Shawnee Mountain in Pennsylvania has puchased a new high speed detachable quad chairlift for their ski resort.

The Pocono mountains resort’s operator, Ski Shawnee Inc, announced the purchase last week.

Manufactured in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Doppelmayr CTEC USA, the new high speed quad will be installed this summer along the Tomahawk Trail and replace Shawnee’s existing fixed grip quad lift in the same location. The fixed grip quad will then be moved to the Arrowhead Trail and replace Shawnee’s oldest lift – a fixed grip triple which will be retired.

Continue reading ‘Pennsylvania’s Shawnee gets lift overhaul’

An artist sketch of Meadowlands Xanadu snow complex

In a possibly hopeful sign for the long delayed Xanadu complex in New Jersey, the state’s new governor has said Xanadu will be able to open its shops on Sundays.

The shopping complex is supposed to be home to North America’s first indoor snow centre, but the opening has been stalled.

The announcement by Governor Chris Christie is seen as a small positive sign for the $2.3bn complex following rumors earlier in the year that the new governor might examine ways of canceling Xanadu altogether, even at this very late stage with the buildings largely complete and much of the money spent.

Continue reading ‘Governor throws a bone to Meadowlands Xanadu’

A lone skier enjoys the summer weather at Stryn.

The struggling Stryn summer ski centre in Norway may survive after all.

Online reports say that the favourite ski resort of many ski racers including the great Alberto Tomba has been saved from threatened closure due to its economic difficulties.

Norway operates three small summer ski centres, equal to France, Italy and Switzerland, with only Austria offering more. Stryn operates a chairlift and a drag lift from late May to early August. The exact season end date depends on the amount of snow melting during the summer and weather conditions.

Continue reading ‘Norway’s struggling Stryn soldiers on’

Nighttime in Zermatt during mid-winter.

The Summer Weekender in Zermatt is coming back for its fourth consecutive year this summer.

From the 15th to the 18th of July, the Swiss ski area will host the annual event created to give people that work in the Snowsports industry a snow fix in between seasons. The weekend is an opportunity to network, party and race on the glacier.

The weekender includes two races on the glacier, the Ski Club of Great Britain Giant Slalom and the Metrosnow.co.uk Team Dual Slalom. There will also be the chance to take part in the Matterhorn Mystery Challenge, details of which will remain secret until arrival, but will no doubt involve some super sleuth skills.

Continue reading ’4th annual snowsports insider weekend this July’

A barn near Intrawest resort Steamboat Springs in Colorado.

It seems things may be turning around for Intrawest’s after it’s parent company’s rough financial year.

The resort operator of Whistler/Blackcomb announced this week that it has completed refinancing its previously outstanding debt payments.

Owner Fortress Inc. missed debt payments in December that led to a threat of auction from lenders. This auction was scheduled to occur in the middle of the 2010 Olympic Games. Since that time Fortress Investment Group, Intrawest’s primary creditors, have been working with lenders to restructure the $1.4 billion borrowed in 2006 that Fortress used when purchasing Intrawest.

Continue reading ‘Intrawest turns the corner’

Many ski travelers were stranded for days.

The UK’s largest tour operator has been praised by its customers for getting them home from Europe following the eruption of the volcano in Iceland.

TUI Ski is the company which runs three of the UK’s leading ski tour operators including the country’s number one, Crystal Ski. It was hailed on Twitter and via email after last week’s air travel nightmare.

The company, which also runs Thomson Ski, First Choice Ski and Flexiski had over 2,500 skiers and boarders in Europe for the last week of the season. Working closely with all airlines with whom those customers had been due to fly back on April 17th, it decided that it was better to transport all of our customers back to their UK airport of origin by coach.

Continue reading ‘Tour operator defies volcanic ash cloud’

Vail's village in mid-winter.

Like many other ski resorts in the Rockies, Vail had a bounce-back season after the recession made for a treacherous 2008-2009.

Vail Resorts has published initial figures for the recently completed winter, which reflect a return to growth. The numbers show a marked improvement on winter 08-09, although not yet a return to levels of business as they were before the recession hit.

Skier visits for the company’s five mountain resorts (Vail, Heavenly, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek and Keystone) through to April 18th was up 2.3 percent compared to the previous winter. Similarly lift ticket revenue for the same period (including an allocated portion of season pass revenue), increased approximately 4.6 percent compared to last winter.

Continue reading ‘Vail’s numbers reveal bounceback season’