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Source: www.skivermont.com
What's New in Vermont
skiing for 2007
MONTPELIER, Vt. (Winter 2006-2007)
This season, Vermont resorts have expanded terrain offerings,
made upgrades and renovations, built new lodging and increased
snowmaking coverage. Along with Vermont's unique charm and hospitality,
guests will continue to enjoy up-to-date facilities, conveniences,
services and amenities. In ski and ride language that means great
skiing and riding.
BOLTON VALLEY RESORT www.boltonvalley.com
· Burton Learn to Ride Center: A year after Bolton Valley
Resort completed the first major on-mountain upgrades in more
than 20 years including a brand new quad chair with direct
access to the summit the improvements continue for winter
2006-07. Bolton Valley Resort is now a Burton Learn to Ride Center,
and one of only a handful of Women's Learn to Ride Centers in
North America. A brand-new fleet of Burton snowboards will be
available that are specifically designed to help beginners master
the basics quickly and get riding.
· Progression Park: Bolton Valley also added a brand new
progression terrain park this winter for skiers and riders who
want to learn and hone their freeride park skills.
BROMLEY MOUNTAIN www.bromley.com
Bromley continues its family friendly mission providing great
learning programs, central base lodge with easy access and a
variety of terrain. Last year, their new lower rates were a huge
success and the deal remains the same this year with $25 midweek/non-holiday
lift ticket and weekend and holiday rates lower than most other
major resorts.
BURKE MOUNTAIN SKI AREA
www.skiburke.com
· Fresh Tracks Program: New this season, Burke season
pass holders will enjoy complimentary access to the Willoughby
Summit and Sherburne Express chairlifts starting at 8 a.m. on
weekends and holidays. Day trippers can also join in on the early
bird turns for only a $10 upgrade on a regular full day ticket.
· Snow Sports Learning Center: For the 2006-07 season,
Burke Mountain introduces a number of new programs and clinics
for children and adults. Skiers and snowboarders just learning
will benefit from smaller groups, and receive a complimentary
lift ticket after completing four levels of lessons. Women-specific
skiing and snowboarding clinics for all levels will also be available.
Daily freestyle and freeride lessons with a focus on park safety
and etiquette will also be offered to children and teens who
want to improve their skills in our four terrain parks. Guided
first tracks tours will also be an option either on freshly groomed
trails or in the glades on powder days.
· Connected: Burke offers complimentary high speed internet
access in both lodges, and a new Internet Café in the
Sherburne Base Lodge. A significant investment was also made
to enhance cell phone coverage in all areas of the resort.
· Ski Green: All departments are involved in the Ski Green
effort at Burke from mountain operations & maintenance, to
food & beverage and to office administration. Besides an
employee recycling program, Burke uses energy efficient snowmaking
guns, bio-diesel in certain vehicles, and works closely with
Efficiency Vermont to reduce its carbon footprint.
JAY PEAK RESORT www.jaypeakresort.com
· West Bowl: Work on the back 9 of the Jay Peak Golf Course
allows easier access to the West Bowl 250 acres adjacent
to Tramside that will be developed into intermediate skiing/riding
terrain. Current plans are to have entry and exit hiking trails
cleared for the 2006-07 winter season.
· Tramside: Other on-mountain improvements include the
development of a new Tramside hotel complete with updated skier/rider
service facilities. While still in the planning phase, the Resort
expects to initiate Act 250 permitting this fall and hopefully
begin construction as soon as spring 2007. The new hotel and
other facilities will be funded primarily by EB5 investors.
KILLINGTON RESORT www.killington.com
· For the 2006-07 season Killington Resort the largest
ski and snowboard resort in the eastern United States, featuring
the most diverse terrain, an expansive lift network, the largest
snowmaking system in the world and numerous off-mountain activities,
including après, dining, shopping and lodging options
will debut a number of vacation experience enhancements.
In addition, more than $1.5 million in resort improvements have
taken place throughout the summer, including the opening of the
Killington Grand Resort Hotel Spa and continued snowmaking upgrades.
The new Spa leads the list of vacation experience enhancements,
featuring a Vichy Shower wet room and a complete menu of massage,
facials and pedicure treatments. Guests will see an increase
in snowmaking efficiency for the world's largest snowmaking system,
an upgraded grooming fleet of 21 snowcats and new gondola ski
racks to accommodate twin-tip and fat skis and snowboards.
Other new enhancements guests will notice for the upcoming season
includes:
o Designated family ski/snowboard zones
o Family Adventure Center at the Snowshed Lodge, including night
tubing
o New look Pico Mountain base area, including restroom remodeling
o Fresh look for all lifts and lift terminals throughout the
resort
o Low energy snowmaking guns
MAD RIVER GLEN www.madriverglen.com
Over the past ten years of co-op ownership, Mad River Glen has
invested more than $2 million in capital improvements. Unlike
other ski areas, Mad River's goal is to maintain and preserve
the experience rather than overhaul or upgrade it. Mad River
Glen's long-term capital plan calls for spending about $120,000
for the 2006-07 season. This amount is a bit less than in a typical
year as the Co-op husbands its resources for the $1.54 million
Single Chair renovation, slated for completion in the summer
of 2007.
MAGIC MOUNTAIN www.magicmtn.com
The completely renovated Inn on Magic Mountain puts guests in
the heart of the action. Ski and Stay packages are available
with fantastic deals offered throughout the winter. After a long
day on the snow, relax in front of a roaring fire at Diamonds
Lounge. Enjoy lighter fare from the bar menu or sit down to fine
dining prepared by Chef Giezendanner in the all new Christies
Restaurant. The Inn on Magic Mountain's rooms features modern
amenities without losing Magic's special Vermont charm.
Snow making improvements are under way and plans for the updated
Hokus Pokus Terrain Park are nearing completion.
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SNOW BOWL
www.middlebury.edu
The Middlebury College Snow Bowl will be doing its first major
trail work in almost 20 years this summer on the Bowl's two most
popular front side trails, the Allen and the Ross. Both trails
will be expanded (1 14 acres on Allen and two acres on Ross)
and recontouring will be done to selected areas on both trails.
Snowmaking pipes will be moved to the west side of the Ross where
a series of tower snowguns will be installed to greatly enhance
the snowmaking capabilities on the trail.
These improvements will bring both of these trails up to USSA
and FIS standards. The upgrades will also benefit recreational
skiers, riders and telemarkers by adding snowmaking and grooming
efficiencies. The additional area will reduce skier density.
The nearly $400,000 project, which is being done by Royal Trail
Works of Royalton, should be completed by September.
MOUNT SNOW RESORT www.mountsnow.com
· Longest Terrain Park (to be named later): At 4940 feet,
Mount Snow's new terrain park has earned the distinction of being
the longest park in the East. That's nearly a mile of rails,
jibs and hits with something for everyone. The new park is serviced
by the Nitro Express high-speed quad, which whisks riders to
the top of the park in less than five minutes. The name of the
terrain park will be chosen with an interactive season-long contest
involving guests and season passholders.
· Nickelodeon® Children's Weeks: Kids (and their parents)
will enjoy days and nights filled with activities, special surprises,
bands featured on Jack's Big Music Show? plus visits from SpongeBob
SquarePants? and Dora the Explorer? during special family weeks.
Nickelodeon® and Mount Snow's Kid's Snow Fest, offered December
22-25, includes three nights lodging (third night is free at
participating properties), three days of skiing (with a free
lift ticket on December 25) and all activities starting at $564
for a family of four (two adults, two children ages 12 and under).
Kids Rule Adventure Week presented by Nickelodeon® and offered
March 11-16, 2007, includes lodging, lift tickets (kids get a
free lift ticket and clinic when their parent purchases a lift
ticket) and all activities. Packages start at $381 for three
nights for a family of four; a five-night package starts at $635.
For reservations, go to www.mountsnow.com
or call 1-800-245-SNOW (7669).
©2006 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon,
SpongeBob SquarePants and all related titles, logos and characters
are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Created by Stephen
Hillenburg.
· Wi-Fi: For those who can't totally disconnect, Mount
Snow now offers wi-fi access in the main base area including
the Main Base Lodge. That's in addition to the wi-fi service
already available at the resort's 200-room Grand Summit Resort
Hotel and Conference Center.
OKEMO MOUNTAIN RESORT www.okemo.com
Okemo Mountain Resort's continued improvement, otherwise known
as OKEMO-mentum, means something new for skiers and snowboarders
visiting the popular resort this winter. Big Bang and Eclipse,
are being reintroduced this winter with one major difference
snowmaking. Although both trails officially opened last
winter, the lack of natural snowfall drastically limited accessibility
to Okemo's newest runs. This year, 50 new HKD tower guns will
ensure ample snow coverage. The most exciting quality of Big
Bang is its designation as a double-black diamond the only
non-gladed trail to receive that distinction at Okemo. Other
improvements for this winter include four new Camoplast BR350
grooming machines, including one rigged with a Sherpa direct
pull winch; an expanded 155 million gallon water reservoir for
snowmaking; on-mountain dining enhancements; additional recreational
amenities at Jackson Gore. In addition to 39 new fractional ownership
residences in the Adams House at Jackson Gore, a new ice skating
rink and a new fitness and aquatic center have been constructed
at the area's ever-improving base facility.
PICO MOUNTAIN www.picomountain.com
Along with Killington Resort, Pico Mountain will debut a number
of vacation experience enhancements for the 2006-07 ski and snowboard
season. For starters, the Pico Base Lodge, administration building
and all lifts and lift terminals have received a fresh new look.
In addition the women's restroom at the Pico Mountain Base Lodge
has been renovated and new menu items will debut for the upcoming
winter season. More than $1.5 million in resort improvements
have taken place throughout the summer, including the opening
of the Killington Grand Resort Hotel Spa and continued snowmaking
upgrades.
SMUGGLERS' NOTCH RESORT
www.smuggs.com
· 50 Years Old: Smugglers' is celebrating its 50th Birthday
by engaging guests in its history, stories and programs through
special weekly presentations and events: a trail map for kiddies,
Welcome Party with cake, fireworks and bonfire, Showtime Theatre's
50th Birthday Revue, a Snow Ball and special vacation packages.
· Blue Square Trail: The popular Rum Runners' Trail on
Sterling Mountain gets widened and contoured at its scariest
spots to make this blue square run the best ever for intermediates,
especially those on their maiden trip down the first big mountain
of their lives.
· Terrain Parks: The Morse Highlands Terrain Park shifts
to the Log Jam trail for a longer, wider, and more hit-filled
beginner run. Kids and adults loved the park so much in its initial
2006 season that the same fun potential is being magnified for
2007.
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT www.stowe.com
· Transfer Lift: This winter, Stowe debuts a lift that
skiers and riders have been anticipating for several decades,
an inter-mountain transfer lift. The new lift, which is scheduled
to open in December 2006, will provide ultra convenient transportation
to and from the slopes at the bases of Mount Mansfield and Spruce
Peak. Now, two of the East's most legendary ski mountains are
finally connected, forever changing the way skiers and snowboarders
experience Stowe. The new transfer lift is a Poma ten-person
standing gondola that will span across Vermont's Route 108. The
length of the ride between the two mountains is approximately
1,500' feet, with a minimum travel time of one and a half minutes.
The lift is capable of moving 3,400 people per hour.
STRATTON MOUNTAIN RESORT
www.stratton.com
· We-xplore: For the 2006-07 season, Stratton Mountain
will be offering a children's environmental program, called We-xplore.
Designed from a global perspective, We-xplore will get kids out
and about in the local environment and learning how our surroundings
tie in with the greater picture.
SUGARBUSH RESORT www.sugarbush.com
· New Ski Resort Opening in Central Vermont this December:
Officials from the FOS planning commission announced today that
a brand new resort will open in the mountain hamlet of Warren,
VT this December. The new resort will feature the most diverse
and challenging skiing and riding terrain east of the Mississippi
as well as a $60 million state-of-the-art base village. Officials
for the new resort say.
So everything above is true, except that bit about the terrain.
(Sugarbush has always had the most diverse and challenging runs
in the East.) But when guests roll into the base of Sugarbush's
Lincoln Peak this December, they will think they are at new resort.
The new Lincoln Peak Village, the most ambitious project in Sugarbush's
almost 50-year history, features three new facilities and is
the perfect example of what happens when a resort listens to
its guests.
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