Ski Resort Roundup

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Even though the majority of our nation’s citizens are feeling the financial pinch of escalating energy costs, which takes a major bite out of disposable income available for alpine skiing and riding, Vermont’s ski and snowboard resorts continue to invest in their facilities to remain competitive in a tight market. Here’s a look at the significant improvements for this season:

ASCUTNEY MOUNTAIN
The resort’s owners have turned over management of their hotel to Florida-based Orange Lake so now they can concentrate their efforts on managing the mountain.

BOLTON VALLEY
Bolton has invested approximately $1 million replacing snowmaking pipes, installing four new SMI Pole Cat fan snow guns, and purchasing a new grooming machine, and tables and chairs for the cafeteria.

BROMLEY
Vermont’s southwestern-most ski area has dropped a cool million on 21 new HKD SV-10 tower snow guns and three new snowmaking pumps which will boost snowmaking capacity by 30 percent, permitting an earlier opening in the season and faster resurfacing after meltdowns.

BURKE MOUNTAIN
Burke rocks on with its year-round commitment to hosting live music by installing a 24-channel sound board and stage lighting in the Tamarack Grill. On the mountain, look for a new terrain park on Lower Foxes Folly.

JAY PEAK
Long time general manager Bill Stenger and a group of investors have purchased the resort from Mont Saint Sauveur International. This summer the tramway’s guide cable was replaced for $2 million and ground has been broken on a new 57-suite hotel at the tram’s base.

KILLINGTON
The resort spent $8.5 million on replacing the Skye Peak fixed-grip quad chair with a much faster detachable model and cutting the new Burton Stash terrain park off the shoulder of Skye Peak. There will be a new beginner’s conveyor belt lift on Snowshed. Over at Pico, lifts have been repainted, snowmaking infrastructure upgraded, and a new deck built outside the base lodge.

MAGIC MOUNTAIN
The mountain’s snowmaking pipelines have been overhauled in the base area and on the Wizard and Trick trails. One snowmaking pump was also overhauled and gladed terrain has been thinned out. Apres ski, food will be served in the Goniff’s Den bar.

MAD RIVER GLEN
It’s been 60 years, so the time had finally come to remodel the restrooms and the lower floor of the base lodge. Traditionalists need not fret—the original time-worn four-man urinal remains on the plumbing line. On the mountain, culverts were added and bridges replaced.

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SNOW BOWL
The staff has been busy keeping up with routine summer maintenance projects.

MOUNT SNOW
Watch for a major change here on the Carinthia side. The entire mountain face will become freestyle terrain. More than 150 energy-efficent fan snow guns were purchased, which will save approximately 200,000 gallons of diesel fuel formerly used to run air compressors. The base lodge has been upgraded, including guest locker room areas.

OKEMO
The big news here is the opening of two black diamond trails on the Jackson Gore side. Rolling Thunder, the steepest of the two trails, has a maximum pitch of 28 percent, with a 53-percent grade and a vertical drop of 859 feet. White Lightening, the second new trail, is approximately 1,000 feet long. To speed the lift loading process in the busy main base area, a conveyor belt loading carpet was installed under the South Ridge Quad. For Superpipe aficionados, a laser guide has been installed on the resort’s Zaug Pipe Monster to help insure accurate pipe cutting.

SMUGGLERS' NOTCH
A new gladed trail named Attitude has been cut on Madonna Mountain and is accessed via the Lower Drifter trail. For beginners, the Hibernator trail has been extended by 500 feet to allow top-to-bottom skiing on Morse Mountain. The three terrain parks will have new features to try out.

STOWE
Even though the resort’s parent company, insurance giant AIG, is in dire financial straits, Stowe was able to install one new detachable quad chair and a triple chair on Spruce Peak. Main Street, the only new trail, was designed for families of diverse ability levels to stay together by taking different lines down the slope. And of course, there’s that snazzy new hotel at Spruce’s base area.

STRATTON MOUNTAIN
Stratton’s trail crew has been hard at work clearing the brush from their gladed terrain network and cutting two new “more difficult” rated trails. The new trails, numbered seven and eight, are located on the skier’s right off the Sunriser SuperTrail in the Sun Bowl area. The resort also added a new winch grooming machine—for the steeps—and a standard grooming machine. To cut energy use, a new variable-frequency drive snowmaking pump, a new air compressor, and 40 tower guns will be on line this season.

SUGARBUSH
Are you ready for some eastern “cat skiing?” The resort will be offering First Track rides up the mountain on powder days, and exclusive cat skiing on Mount Ellen after the lifts shut down in March. Their new snow vehicle accommodates 12 skiers and riders per trip. The Gate House Base Lodge has been expanded to accommodate more customers on busy days, and outside, look for a new deck, barbecue, and fire pit.

SUICIDE SIX
Look for a couple more tower snow guns and updated features in the terrain park here.

Paul McMorris of Taftsville, VT covers the skiing and snowboarding scene for a variety of publications. He skis more than 100 days per season and is a member of the United States Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Selection Committee.