Resort/Trip Reports: The Worldʼs 50 Largest Ski Resorts Six Great

Transcription

May-June 2013
Volume 26 Number 3
The Worldʼs 50 Largest Ski Resorts
Six Great City-Based Ski Trips
Resort/Trip Reports:
Whistler/Blackcomb
Madonna Di Campiglio
Powder Mountain to Sundance
Steamboatʼs Winter Carnival
Where Americaʼs Ski Clubs Are
Going this Summer and Fall
20 Exciting Trips!
Your Passion is
our Profession
Book your group ski trip with us
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May-June 2013
Trip Reports
Volume 26 Number 3
Whistler/Blackcomb
Powder Mountain/Sundance
Madonna Di Campiglio
Resort Reports
Steamboat Winter Carnival
Stay in the City/Ski Nearby Resorts
6
11
Salt Lake City - Reno - Quebec - Innsbruck - Interlaken - Granada
Ideas from Other Clubs
Ski Club News
Where Ski Clubs Are Going in the Summer
Ski Council News
Travel News
Vail Resortsʼ New Epic Discovery for Summer
Ski Industry News
The 50 Largest Ski Resorts in the World
18
20
22
23
24
Cover Photo: Switzerlandʼs Interlaken at night.
Photo this page: Mountain biking in the Swiss Alps is just one of the things
ski clubs will be doing this summer.
Both Photos: Courtesy of Swissimages.
Bob Wilbanks
Editor
303-689-9921 -- [email protected]
THE NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER is published by Rowil Publishing,
P.O. Box 4704, Englewood, Colorado 80155.
Phone or Fax: 303-689-9921.
E-mail: [email protected]
800-633-7064
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THE NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER provides a forum for sharing ideas
between the nation's ski clubs. The publication is sent to the officers of
approximately 2,200 ski clubs and 44 councils with a total membership
of 750,000 skiers, and is an independent entity with no official affiliation
with any ski club or ski council.
Unless stated to the contrary in the article, any ski club wishing to copy
an article in this publication may do so providing that credit is given to
The National Ski Club Newsletter, the originating ski club, and -- when
available -- the author of the article.
Katie Petito
Assistant Editor
www.katiepetito.com
Articles, newsletters, and guest editorials are solicited for possible publication. We cannot be held responsible for the return of material submitted. Please include mail, e-mail, and telephone contact information
with submittal.
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The National Ski Club Newsletter is published four times per year.
For materials to be included in an issue, we need to receive them by
the dates shown below.
November-December issue:
September 10
January-February issue:
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March-April issue:
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May-June issue:
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Ski
2012/2013
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EDITORIAL
The Squeaky Wheels Gets Greased -- or Maybe It Gets on TV!
Even if you live in New York, Washington
D.C. or perhaps Chicago, your local newspaper is working with perhaps half the number
of reporters it had a few years ago -- but it still
has to fill a lot of its pages with local news.
That means that they are actually hungry for
information about what is going on in the city.
So tell those newspapers and TV stations
when the ski season starts in your hometown.
(That would be the night you start selling trips
to your members.) Tell them about your summer sales events when you start to set up tables
for those activities at your meeting. You won’t
get mentioned every time you do so, but it can’t
hurt to try and think of the new members such
exposure might send your way.
Does your club have a public relations officer to do these things? If not, why not? All it
takes is a quick e-mail, phone call, or note to
the appropriate reporter or editor at your newspaper or TV station. What about those local
weekly neighborhood newspapers? They often
have entire pages devoted to “What’s Happening Around Town”. Make sure you put
them on your PR list -- along with the local
newspaper and all the TV stations.
By Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
How to Get on Local TV News for a Week
Invite the local TV and newspaper reporters
to your season-opening meetings. Better yet,
try inviting them on your ski trips. I remember when the Miami Ski Club invited all three
network stations to send a reporter on their
Steamboat trip a few years ago and -- to their
surprise -- all three stations accepted the offer.
(Having all three stations do this is probably
not a good thing as competition is tough in that
business and no TV station wants to see the
other stations working on the same story.)
But that story does suggest a great idea.
When contracting for your ski trip, ask the resort if they would comp a local TV reporter
and camera person to accompany your club
and do daily updates on TV. (Invite the stations one at a time -- not all at the same time.)
If you live in a major market, this would result
in better exposure than the resort could possibly afford to purchase; it’s a great perk for the
reporter and camera person; and your club and
the resort are featured on the local TV news
every night. You should get new members and
the resort would get additional business from
the mass-media exposure. Everybody wins!
Bob Wilbanks, Editor, at Quebecʼs Ice Hotel.
Photo: NSCN.
And Donʼt Forget Social Media Venues
If you can’t get the TV reporters to come,
post the trip on Facebook, YouTube, or other social media every day. You won’t get the exposure that you would if you were on the local
CBS affiliate, but it will help. It’s the age of
almost universal communication venues. Take
advantage of the fact to get more new members!
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Brand of
May-June 2013
The National Ski Club Newsletter
Page 5
Ski Kouncil of Illinois Goes to Whistler
By Tony Curcio, President Ski Kouncil of Illinois (SKI)
SKI skiers and Whistler Representative Ondrea Ross at Whistler/Blackcomb.
During the last week in January, 89 skiers
representing four ski clubs from Bloomington/Normal, Champaign, Peoria, and Springfield, all members of Ski Kouncil of Illinois, or
SKI for short, arrived at Whistler, B.C., for a
week of fun on the mountains.
When Ski Magazine (October 2012) rated
Whistler-Blackcomb resort their Number 1 ski
destination, our ski council knew we were
going somewhere special. What we didn’t expect was how overwhelming this place is and
how friendly the people are. Additional accolades could not be written about the mountains
that haven’t been said many times before. All
I can say is whatever you have read or
heard…it’s all true.
The two-hour bus ride from Vancouver airport along the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler
is full of photographic moments. On a clear
day, the scenery is breathtaking with views of
waterfalls, bald eagles, Vancouver Island separated by a strait, and finally, mountain ranges
as far as the eye can see. Of course the key here
is visibility. Most people have heard of the
poor weather conditions along the coast and at
the base of Whistler-Blackcomb. There are
many days at the lower elevations where fog
and clouds set in. It is understandable because
this area is part of a rainforest. However, at the
higher elevations the sky is mostly clear. There
are other days where the alpine is cloudy and
the base is clear. Then there are times when the
fog and clouds hover around mid-mountain
and the base and peak are sunny. An hour later
it can all change. Therefore, just deal with it
and ski to the area that suits you.
SKI kicked off the week with an orientation
night that included representatives from the
Page 6
Photo: Courtesy of Ski Kouncil of Illinois.
Aava Hotel, Whistler Resorts, and Zip Trek.
After introductions were made, Ondrea Ross,
Group Sales Account Executive for Whistler
Resorts, took over as MC to explain the numerous activities Whistler has to offer. This information was especially helpful to the
non-skiers in the group. Of course, one of the
main activities for all was riding the Peak-toPeak Gondola from Whistler to Blackcomb.
When the lighting is good one can see the
Fitzsimmons Creek at 3,500 feet below that
separates the two mountains.
The zip line at Whister/Blackcomb runs year-round.
Photo: Courtesy of Zip Ecotours.
On Tuesday, SKI combined a “poker run”
with clues to finding playing cards on the
mountains. Fourteen teams of four skiers were
formed from different clubs and similar skiing
ability. With the help of Gemma Prescott from
Whistler Resorts, SKI was able to place the
cards at manned locations on the mountain and
at the base. Whistler Resorts provided a discount for SKI to purchase prizes.
Wednesday was our banquet night at the
Aava Hotel. They provided a large room for
dining and a room for ordering drinks and setting up the buffet. The hotel also provided a
sound system for our event. The food was delicious and well presented, all for a reasonable
price. During the evening raffles were conducted and prizes were awarded to the “poker
run” winners.
On Thursday SKI reserved the services of
Professional Skier Matt Mohr for anyone who
wanted to ski more challenging terrain. Matt
“ran us into the ground” when he took us to
the glaciers and back bowls as well as through
the woods in what was considered by all as an
unforgettable day of skiing.
During the week, several members engaged
in a variety of “non-skiing” activities such as
dogsledding, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, visiting museums, and the going to the
Scandinave Spa. One of the more exciting
ventures was the zip lines located in the forest
and over the creek. Ziptrek Ecotours has packages for up to nine different zip lines. Several
people also took advantage of the open practices for the Luge World Championships at the
Olympic Sliding Center. What a thrill to see
those sleds fly by. The challenge was to catch
a still photo of them!
Of course, a successful ski trip for a large
group requires a lot of planning. SKI trip leaders Dave Durdel, Tony Curcio, Mike Joyce,
and Sherrill Leslie began the process by working with tour operator Gloria Saiya-Woods
from Ski.com. In addition to setting up our
trip, she arranged for discounts on ski rental
and on-mountain ski storage. Along with
Whistler Resorts she included “Fresh Tracks”
tickets in our package where skiers board the
lift an hour before opening. After they enjoy
a huge buffet breakfast, it’s off to make the
first tracks in new or freshly groomed snow.
SKI is fortunate to have built a great relationship with Gloria, who has accompanied us on
several of our trips.
We also owe the success of our trip to Ondrea Ross of Whistler Resorts and Hattie
Myers from the Aava Hotel. Ondrea worked
with our trip leaders to ensure we experienced
all that Whistler could offer for a reasonable
price. She introduced us to many people representing restaurants, rentals, après-ski, and
activities for non-skiers. Hattie and her team
worked with us to ensure great accommodations, service, exclusive breakfast buffets and
happy hours at the White Spot, and banquet
room logistics.
Next year SKI is planning to go to Jackson
Hole. The pressure will be on everyone to surpass the high expectations of the Whistler trip.
CORRECTION:
The photo at the top of this
column in the March-April 2013 issue was of
Whistler/Blackcomb but was identified as Banff.
Please excuse the error.
May-June 2013
NO WONDER WE’RE CONSISTENTLY RATED
THE #1 RESORT IN NORTH AMERICA
P: Eric Berger
TRIP REPORT
Endowed with breathtaking alpine peaks and glaciers, incredible and varied terrain, over 39 feet of
snow a year, plus endless shopping and dining options within a vibrant Village, Whistler Blackcomb
is the perfect place for your next Ski Club getaway.
Call Ondrea Ross at 1.888.932.3400 ext 3006
whistlerblackcomb.com/groups
TRIP REPORT
Day Trip from Powder Mountain
to Sundance, Utah, Was a Winner
By Kurt Krueger, Mountain High Snowsport Club
From their Lift Lines
While on a trip to Powder Mountain, Utah, border Bishop’s, Grizzley, and Redfinger Bowls,
in 2012, several members of Portland, Oregon’s most of which are marked black diamond, but a
Mountain High Ski Club drove the two hours few runs from the ridge into Bishop’s are
from Powder Mountain to Sundance Ski Resort. marked double black. The black diamond
The ski area, owned by actor Robert Redford, markings are genuine. Bishop’s is a very large
is the southernmost of the cluster of ski areas and challenging bowl, and we’ve got the phoaround Salt Lake City, near the town of Provo, tographs to prove it.
Snow conditions were described by a sign at
Utah, an hour from Salt Lake City.
the top of the mountain (at
Sundance turned out to
8,250 feet) as variable
be bigger than expected
powder. The reality was
and with at least three tothat the snow was wind detally ungroomed bowls,
posited, but powder is
steeper and more challengSking Sundance. Photo: Courtesy of Ski Utah
powder no matter what its
ing than you might think.
source. There was lots of
See video that the club posted at http://
fluffy powder to keep us all entertained for
vimeo.com/39954705.
Sundance is now highly recommended, so hours, both skiing in the bowls and taking runs
we suggest that you put it on your “to ski” list. off the ridge in the opposite direction.
Ticket prices at Sundance are modest at just
The area is served by three fixed-grip double
chairs, the bottom of which serves mainly be- $49 and the over-65 crowd can ski for just $15
ginner and intermediate terrain and has three per day. By the way, the trail map is drawn
unloading stations. For the more advanced with a perspective that makes the bowls apskier, this lift delivers them to the upper moun- pear more like gullies but, believe us, they are
tain where two lifts give access to the ridges that really full-fledged bowls and quite challeng-
Illinois Ski Club Planned a
Very Different Utah Ski Trip
From the Piccadilly Ski Clubʼs
Newsletter
ing.
It was completely different from anything a
ski club had ever offered before. Two days of
skiing at the Canyons and one day at Sundance.
The idea was to stay at Homestead Resort which
shuttles guests about 30 miles to the Canyons
and Sundance for skiing, and then dive, snorkel.
or just relax in their Homestead Crater, the only
warm water scuba diving destination in the U.S.
The Homestead Crater is a 55-foot-tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock that nature has hollowed out and filled with 90° to 96° water.
Divers descend 55 feet into the hourglassshaped depths and the resort has created a tunnel through the rock wall at ground level and
built decks and a soaking area for people to access the crystal clear mineral water. Resort
guests can swim, scuba dive, snorkel, enjoy a
therapeutic soak or just take the self guided
crater tour about the history, geology, and archeology of this unique natural phenomenon.
While it sounded like a great trip concept, the
trip was cancelled for lack of sign-ups -- but trying out the Homestead Crater as a side trip or a
place to base a club ski trip might still be a vi-
TRIP REPORT
Warren Ski Club Skis Madonna di Campiglio
Trip report by Curtis Bell, Trip Leader
From the Warren Ski Clubʼs Newsletter
The Warren Ski Club at Madonna di Campglio.
Photo: Courtesy of Warren Ski Club.
The Warren Ski Club traveled to Madonna
di Campiglio, Italy, a small beautiful town nestled in the Italian Alps, excited about the 94
miles of ski runs. We stayed in the wonderful
four-star Hotel St. Raphael, which served us
excellent dinners each evening and great
breakfasts each morning. We were located a
very short walk from the gondola, which allowed us to start our day in a magnificent ski
area offering us long, beautiful runs with a
spectacular view of the Dolomite region.
Madonna di Campiglio is a small town that
lies in a valley surrounded by ski runs going
in all directions. This small town is filled with
wonderful shops and night clubs, offering you
a variety of things to do in both the day and
night. It is a small town that is popular with
skiers from Great Britain and other European
countries and is just now being discovered by
Americans as a great place to come and enjoy
the wonderful ambiance that Europe has to
offer skiers from North America.
The first two days were beautiful cloudless sunny days with perfect conditions. This
made it perfect for getting beautiful scenery
pictures in an attempt to capture some of the
beauty that the Italian Alps have to offer. The
next few days had snowfall mixed with some
clouds, offering tremendous ski conditions for
everyone. One member captured some great
video of everyone skiing with his GoPro camera. The week ended with another beautiful
sunny day to end on.
After skiing each day our members were offered a variety of ways to relax at the hotel
with its sauna, solarium, hydro massage, pool,
and Turkish bath. With a nice variety of night
spots our members had places to go before or
after dinner. Dinner each evening at the hotel
offered a nice selection of choices, all which
taste great.
After a week of skiing we then headed for
Venice for three days of sightseeing this beautiful historical city. We went on a gondola ride to
capture some of the magic this city had to offer
and enjoyed eating at restaurants along the river.
We also went to the island of Murano where
several of us purchased some of the beautiful
handmade Murano glass that’s made there.
Several people on this trip said that
Madonna di Campiglio offered the best skiing
they ever experienced in Europe.
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Page 8
May-June 2013
May-June 2013
Page 9
RESORT REPORT
Steamboat Celebrates Mardi Gras and 50 Years of Skiing
While the Townʼs Winter Carnival Celebrates 100 Years
Steamboatʼs Winter Carnival is where the local kids get pulled by real cowboys on horseback down Lincoln Ave.
Sometimes, however, itʼs by a real cowgirl as shown in the photo below.
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aspensnowmass.com | 877-282-7736
While the town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, celebrated the 100th anniversary of its
Winter Carnival February 6-10 this year, the
mountain village was humming with Mardi
Gras events and their season-long celebration
of Steamboat Resort’s 50th anniversary.
Winter Carnival in downtown Steamboat
Springs and its adjacent Howelson Hill combines the rich ranching history of the area with
the town’s exciting skiing heritage. Starting
Wednesday the town is hopping with ski jumping competitions, nordic ski races, skijoring,
street races, a ski jump race for kids, shovel
races, a pancake breakfast, and musical events.
Saturday morning local ranchers on horseback pull kids on skis down Lincoln Avenue
(the main street through town) in a sport called
skijoring. When you see a six-year-old kid
being pulled on skis behind a horse for two
blocks in just over eight seconds, then ending
with a snow spray that looks like Lindsey
Vonn’s race finish, you know that you’re in the
American west’s ski country. That afternoon
featured ski jumping at the 98-year-old Howelson Hill, and the day ended with a lighted man
skiing down the face of the oldest ski area in
Colorado. Sunday began with a parade where
the local high school band skis down snow-covered Lincoln Avenue in formation and the day
ended with a concert.
May-June 2013
Steamboat Spring’s Winter Carnival is listed
as one of the top 10 winter carnivals in the
world by National Geographic magazine and
its America’s oldest continuously operating
winter carnival west of the Mississippi River.
While the town of Steamboat Springs was
celebrating Winter Carnival, uphill at the ski resort, Mardi Gras was in full swing from Thursday through Fat Tuesday, with vintage ski races,
Bourbon Street happy hours at a different bar
Photos: NSCN.
each day, plus face painting and a Saturday afternoon parade at Gondola Square. There were
lots of beads, street performers, a beer garden, a
snow sculpture contest, a free concert, and fireworks in the evening. The restaurants served
Cajun and Mardi Gras specialties -- oyster sliders, fried shrimp, jambalaya, raw oysters, oysters florentine, gumbo, and shrimp po’ boys -plus traditional Mardi Gras drinks, often accompanied by Zydeco music. It’s a six-day
Page 11
Stay in the City -- Ski The Surrounding Resorts
Less Expensive Lodging, More Touring Options, More Cultural Attractions, More Restaurants
Interlaken has been a summer tourist destination for two centuries and its located just below the Jungfrau ski region -- and they lower their hotel rates for ski season.
A ski trip based in a city or centrally located
town offers an entirely different experience
than your traditional stay-at-the-resort trip. If
your ski club has a lot of non-skiing spouses or
others, there’s usually a great deal for them to
do and places to visit during the day while the
skiing spouse is on the hill. Almost by definition, there are more restaurants, more shopping,
museums, and other cultural options in the city.
It’s also almost always a lot less expensive to
stay in a nearby city -- especially from Christmas to New Year when the commercial hotels
are almost empty of business travelers. What
you do miss is the cozy, almost isolated, feeling
of a ski resort, so it’s a trade-off -- but city trips
do give your members another option. Here are
some of our favorites and the advantages that
they offer.
Reno, Nevada is a favorite place to stay while skiing North
Lake Tahoe. Photo: Courtesy of Reno Visitors Bureau.
Page 12
The Resort Selection of Salt Lake City
The city runs a ski shuttles to Brighton, Solitude, Alta, and Snowbird -- but your club will
probably want to charter buses and add Park
City, the Canyons, Deer Valley, Powder Mountain, Snow Basin, and perhaps even Sundance
(see article on page 6) to the list. That’s 10 worldclass resorts to ski from a single hotel room!
For those wishing to do something other than
ski, there’s the free Thursday night Mormon Tabernacle Choir practice, professional basketball
games, the largest genealogy facility in the country, plus shopping and restaurants. And don’t
worry about getting a drink here. The bars are
now open to the public and the restaurants serve
alcohol. And, if you’re thinking about a New
Year’s Eve trip, SLC also has a huge street party
for New Year’s Eve that’s a blast!
The Economy of a Reno-Based Ski Trip
Skiing Lake Tahoe while staying in Reno
has been a tradition for many ski clubs for
years. Shuttles pick up skiers at most of the
hotels and transport them to Mt. Rose, Northstar, and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows or
your club can charter buses for better schedules and even more destination choices.
Hotels are a bargain here. Reno’s 2,000-room
Grand Sierra Resort’s rates start at $49 (plus a
$10 resort fee) per room and the Atlantis Casino
has a $75 rate for your room, a lift ticket to Boreal, $20 in food credits, and $20 in slot play.
And there are lots of restaurants and bars in
the hotels -- many of them offering entertainment ranging from lounge acts and big name
stars, to major musical productions.
Photo: Swissimages.
The European Charm of Quebec City
While staying in Quebec City, Skiing Mont
Sainte Anne is just 25 miles away and Le Massif is approximately 60 miles from the city -but you can take the ski train to Le Massif and
the train ride is an experience all by itself -starting with the Chute Montmorency at your
departure point, a waterfall that’s 108 feet
higher than Niagara Falls.
Charter buses are the best way for groups to
get to Mont Sainte Anne from Quebec.
If you stay at the Frontenac Hotel, take the
adjacent funitel down to Quebec’s Old Town
located on the St. Lawrence River bank. It’s a
World Heritage Site and a souvenir shopping
paradise. The city offers French, English, and
North American food, architecture, culture, and
history, including a fortress just above the hotel.
Salt Lake City and the mountains at night.
Photo by Adam Barker courtesy of SLC CVB
May-June 2013
Interlaken, Switzerland
Calling a town of 5,500 people a “city” is a
stretch, but Interlaken is an inexpensive base
for skiing the Jungfrau region of Switzerland.
There are lots of hotels and shuttles to the interconnected ski areas of First, Kleine Scheidegg, Männlichen, Wengen, and Schilthorn,
and the villages of Grindelwald, Wengen, and
Mürren.
Interlaken means between the lakes, and the
town is nestled at the base of the mountains
between Lakes Thun and Brienz. It’s been a
summer tourist mecca for more than 200 years
and their hotel rates are reduced in ski season.
Don’t miss the Jungfraujoch -- The Top of
Europe -- research station above Kleine Scheidegg and the revolving Piz Gloria Restaurant
at the top of the Schilthorn area. The restaurant was featured in the James Bond Movie, In
May-June 2013
Small photos this page:
Photo above: The historic Alhambra with Sierra Nevada resort in the background.
Photo courtesy of Tourismo de Granada.
Below left: The Hotel Frontenac above Quebecʼs Old Town.
By Jean-Pierre Huard and Courtesy of Quebec Tourism.
Below right: Innsbruck as seen from Nordpark ski area.
Photo: Courtesy of Innsbruck tourismusbüro..
Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Innsbruck, Austria
Innsbruck is sometimes called the center of
Austrian skiing. Surrounded by mountains,
the city is overlooked by its famous ski jump
facility, and it is connected by underground
train and lifts to the Nordpark ski area and by
ski shuttles to Igls, Axamer Lizum, Kuhtai,
Stubai Glacier, Tulfes, and Mutter Alm. The
Winter Olympic Games were held in Innsbruck in both 1964 and 1976.
Innsbruck is on the train line and there are
scheduled tour buses to Salzburg, Munich, and
Neuschwanstein Castle -- which was the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.
When taking a day off from skiing, there are
museums to visit about the area’s history as
well as the Kaiserliche Hofburg palace with its
famous golden roof, and Swarovski’s museum
and factory in the nearby village of Wattens is
one of the most visited attractions in Austria.
Granada, Spain
Sierra Nevada Ski Resort is just outside of
Granada, Spain, in the Andalucia Mountains,
and it is Europe’s southern-most ski area
Granada is famous for its Alhambra -- an
ancient Moorish Castle and fortress famous for
its gardens and pools. It was built as a fortress
in 889, converted to a palace by the Sultan of
Granada in 1333 and captured by Spanish
Catholic monarchs in 1492.
When in Granada, see the Gypsy Flamenco
dancers, bull fights, and take the city tour. It’s
also a good base to visit Gibralter and its baboons and to take a 35-minute, high-speed ferry
ride from nearby Tarifa, Spain, to Tangier, Morocco, to visit what is really another world -and also so that you can say that you visited
Page 13
CLUB MANAGEMENT
Ford Thunderbirdʼs New Electronic Voting
By Jim Michon, President of Ford Thunderbird Ski Club
From their Towline
Change…….. What thoughts come to mind
when you hear or read that word? Hesitation?
Fear? The unknown? Or, do you think of exciting? Or maybe improvement or necessity?
Well, people sometimes have an instinct to resist change, but let’s look at five reasons why
change is good:
1. Without change, things stay the same and
ultimately will stagnate and die.
2. Most people are afraid of change because it
forces them outside their comfort zone. (Go
there, it’s not that uncomfortable.)
3. Without change there is no adventure in life.
4. It takes much more energy and effort to resist change than to accept it.
5. It’s much easier to embrace change than
fight.
I particularly like the first one. That looks to
be a lot scarier than NOT changing, doesn’t it?
Times and the economy have changed and
our club has to flex a bit with those changes.
Our club dollars do not go as far as they used
to anymore. These changes are basically about
saving the club unnecessary costs. They will
also save us some time.
Electronic Balloting
First of our upcoming changes is how we
elect our annual board of directors. We are
moving to electronic balloting. We have a system and a service that’s been tested to be more
accurate, entirely hack-proof, faster, cost-effective, and simpler than the old mail-andcount method. You may have seen some of the
surveys sent out via our service that you’ve
taken online sent by me? One that you might
remember is the Trip Selection Survey from
last winter? Well, the ballot will be very much
like that, only it will list the candidates for
each position on the board. Only selection of
one candidate per office can be made. For security, each email invitation to vote has an embedded code in it so it can only be used once
to add to the vote counts. It can be forwarded
to other e-mail addresses, used on different
computers, even sent from different countries.
But it will only count the vote that first time it
is submitted. It may look like you are voting
more than one time, but the tally will only be
counted once. We’ve tried and tested that very
thoroughly.
We ask members to do three things regarding this new way of voting:
First, if you use email but do not have your
email listed with the club, please send us an email and allow us to use your e-mail for this
balloting method. That will be the only time
that we will use that e-mail address. And, if you
ever get any e-mail from the club that you don’t
want, we can remove your name from any distribution list we use. Also, please e-mail me if
you have changed your e-mail address in the
past year and it is different than what you put on
last year’s club application.
Second, watch for a test ballot/survey and
click the link to take it. It’s very simple, and
I’d like you to see how it will work. We will
also be using that e-mail as a check for
“bounces” or failed e-mails. I will also insert a
text box after the pseudo-ballot for anyone to
enter comments. Feel free to use it.
Third, please vote in this fashion when the
“real” ballot is sent out. There are no plans to
mail hard copies to anyone who has an e-mail
address registered on our member roster via
club applications. However, you will have the
option of printing and mailing your own ballot
and return envelope as reflected in the Election Guidelines. Attending the March club
meeting to vote in person is also an option.
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May-June 2013
sportsamerica.com
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DOING IT RIGHT SINCE 1975
Page 15
CLUB MANAGEMENT
BETTER PRICE
s
BETTER LOCATIONS
s
BETTER GEAR
NEW FOR THE
2013/14 SEASON
GROUP RENTALS THAT ARE PREPAID
BEFORE NOVEMBER 1, 2013 WILL
SAVE AN ADDITIONAL 5% OFF OUR
ALREADY LOW GROUP PRICES.
r #FTU MPDBUJPOT JO UIF CFTU SFTPSUT JO $PMPSBEP $BMJGPSOJB BOE 6UBI
r #FTU HSPVQ QSJDJOH
r #FTU HSPVQ TFSWJDFT JODMVEJOH EFEJDBUFE HSPVQ NBOBHFST
JO BMM PG PVS $PMPSBEP $BMJGPSOJB BOE 6UBI SFTPSUT
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BOOK YOUR GROUP TODAY
call 1-866-464-4431 or email [email protected]
IDEAS from other clubs
Clearwater St. Pete Ski Club (FL)
Cooking Demonstration and Dinner
The Clearwater St. Petersburg Ski Club held
a French cooking class consisting of wine, a
three-course meal, and a cooking demonstration in April. The cost for food and drink is
$40 per person with a minimum of 15 people
and a maximum of 30.
Hi Rise Ski Club (OH)
Bus from Cleveland To Detroit Saves $
Travelling these days can get complicated
and flying from Cleveland can be just plain expensive. Because of this the Cleveland-area
club saved money for each member on the trip
to Whistler/Blackcomb by flying out of Detroit
on Sunday -- which meant taking a bus Saturday and staying near the Detroit airport that
night to make an early flight -- but the saving
flying from Detroit was over $325 per person.
They had a short hop to Chicago and then a four
hour flight toVancouver, British Columbia.
Upper Cape Ski Club (MA)
$99 Membership and Trip Special
This club offered new or renewing members
(if they have been a member for the past three
years) a special price of $99 for membership
and payment for the day bus trip of their choice.
The day trips usually cost $75 each and regular
membership is $45, so it was a $20 savings.
Staten Island Ski Club (NY)
Youtube Video about Ski Club Trip
Check out the professional-looking video
with sound, title page, and credits that Linda
Kantor of the New York’s Staten Island Ski
Club has produced on Youtube about their trip
to Quebec’s Carnival at http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=zjg6msv7rF8. Another great
way to get a ski club some publicity!
Danberry Ski Club (CT)
Facebook Geek Needed
This club was seeking a volunteer to be
their “Facebook Geek” to keep their profile up
to date with photos and descriptions of events.
Battle Creek Ski Club (MI)
Week-Long Trip to Winter Park for $732
How do you run a week-long trip to Winter
Park -- with lift tickets -- for just $839-$732 per
person (not to mention a $312 deduction for
kids 2-5 and a $190 deduction for kids 6-12 and
$170 for kids 13-17)? The first thing the Battle Creek Ski Club did to accomplish this was to
take Amtrak and the second thing they did was
to take advantage of spring break prices at the
resort. The price varied with size of the condo
and the kids stayed with their parents.
Superiorland Ski Club (MI)
Bike and Kayak Swap
This cross-country ski club holds a bike and
kayak swap in late April each year at the local
National Guard Armory. Both members and
non-members bring in related items to sell and
the charges a 20% fee of the purchase price
and which went to support X-C kids programs.
IDEAS from other clubs
Upper Cape Ski Club (MA)
Last Lunch of Trip at Stein Eriksons
This club wrapped up their ski week in Park
City with a lunch buffet at Stein Erikson in
Deer Valley on Saturday. The $40 meal was described as having endless all-you-can-eat gourmet options that could each be the highlight of
other high-end restaurants. The two-hour feast
left everyone too full to move -- but was described as a fitting end to an amazing ski week.
Scottsdale Sea and Ski Club (AZ)
Light Rail Pub Crawl
Partly to celebrate the city’s new light rail
system and partly just to have a good time, this
club hosted a light rail pub crawl on a Saturday
in April starting at noon, hitting as many as nine
bars and restaurants by 6 p.m. It was probably
a good thing that they left the driving to the train.
Roanoke Ski Club (VA)
Trip Report -- on TripAdvisor
This club posted a brief trip report on their
Jackson Hole ski trip in March. The review
not only told a couple of things about the resort, but it gave the ski club some publicity.
demi-lune
Mainline Ski Club (PA)
Tennis Camp Trip
This club is heading for the South Beach
Racquet Club on Hilton Head Island for a
week of tennis camp -- featuring three-hour
morning clinics with a pro for every four to six
players and free tennis in the afternoon.
Idaho Falls Ski Club (ID)
Photo Contest for Poster
These guys have an annual photography
contest and the winning photo is used on the
poster to advertise their annual ski sale. The
rules are; the photo must be taken by a member
of a member or members skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing -- but
the photo does not have to be at a club event.
Huntington Beach Ski Club (CA)
Article: First Trip, First Impressions
This club had an article in their February and
March Blizzard, called “First Trip, First Impressions,” where new members or first ski club trippers gave quotes about what they thought about
their first ski trip with the ski club. The idea certainly made the new member feel welcome.
forteresse
Cheyenne Ski Club (WY)
Yellowstone National Park XC Trip
This club is planning a 2014 XC ski trip to
Yellowstone staying in the park’s Western Cabins and including bus transportation to and from
the park for only $575, double occupancy.
Warren Ski Club (OH)
Group Rate For Airport Parking
The Warren Ski Club Has set up a group rate
at a covered parking facility near the Cleveland Airport, and it can be used by members
even if they are not traveling with the club.
toboggan
STRANGE HOW A SETTING AS BIG AS STEAMBOAT CAN
ACTUALLY BRING A GROUP CLOSER TOGETHER.
Our town seems to have a strange magnetic field
that draws people closer together. You’ll feel it the
moment you arrive when it seems the entire town
is genuinely glad you’re here. And somewhere along
the way, you’ll find that in the unique setting of Ski
Town, U.S.A.® making friends just comes a whole lot
easier. And with nonstop jet service to Steamboat
from 8 cities, including NEW service from Los Angeles,
and convenient connections from over 230 airports
nationwide, getting here is easy too.
Thanks for helping us celebrate our
50th Anniversary this season.
Call 877.255.2628 or Visit Steamboat.com
Steamboat, one of North America’s top ski club destinations!
Page 18
North America / Canada /
May-June 2013
May-June 2013
Québec / more to see after you ski
QuebecOriginal.com/ski
Page 19
SKI CLUB NEWS
Where Are Americaʼs Ski Clubs Going this Summer and Fall?
Increasingly, America’s ski clubs are morphing into ski and activity clubs or ski and travel
clubs as the need for members to stay active and
play together during the “off” season is deemed
necessary to maintain interest in the club and
cohesion among club memberships. This desire
for year-round activities probably began with
rafting local rivers and summer picnic for
decades, upgraded to summer ski trips to New
Zealand more than a decade ago and gradually
developed into major trips around the world --
SKI CLUB NEWS
literally. The Far West Ski Association traveled
to the South Pole in a couple of years ago and
tours of China and Machu Picchu or even
African safaris are no longer rare among ski
clubs. Cruises and bike and barge trips in both
Europe and Croatia are popular. Octoberfest in
Munich is on this list as is the Fourth of July in
Boston and at least two clubs are rafting the
Grand Canyon. Just ask, “What trip is on your
bucket list” and an American ski club is probably going there in the next year or two.
Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna Ski Club is hosting a Northern Italy Walking Tour September
29 to October 12, 2013. They will tour Venice, Florence, Siena, Pisa, and the Italian Riviera -- with
day tours of each of the five towns of Cinque Terre. The $3,865 trip includes 12 nights lodging
at 3- and 4-star hotels, most breakfasts, some dinners, roundtrip air transportation, ground transportation in a deluxe motor coach or train, and an English-speaking guide throughout the trip.
Arizona’s Phoenix Ski Club is hosting a whitewater rafting trip through the Grand Canyon
May 24-30.The $2,535 trip includes helicopter and airline flights out of the canyon, meals, camping equipment and even tips. See [email protected] for details.
Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Valley Ski Association is also going down the canyon utilizing motorized boats June 12-18 for approximately $3,000. See [email protected] for more information.
The Boca Ski Club of Florida is touring Switzerland on electric bikes September 19-29, 2013.
The group of 20 members will travel through the countryside on the bikes while accompanied by
a chartered bus, staying in cozy Swiss Hotels and Pensions, while visiting Lucerne, Lausanne,
Bern, and Zurich. The trip includes airfare, all ground transportation, breakfasts and dinners, and
will cost approximately $3,000.
Houston’s Space City Ski Club will cruise the Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico, for seven
days in May -- visiting six islands including St. Thomas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, for scuba
diving, and to see Magen’s Bay beach; Barbados to tour Bridgetown; St. Lucia, and its Piton
Mountains; and St. Kitts and its 17th century British fortress at Brimstone Hill. Land-only prices
range from $688 to $948, varying with accommodations. Contact [email protected]. for de-
About the time you read this, the Richmond Ski Club will be lying on the beach or next to the
infinity pool at Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico -- overlooking the Sea of Cortez.
Their $1,485 to $1,629 (varying with accommodations) trip to Riu Santa Fe, offers all-inclusive
food and drinks for eight days and seven nights while they enjoy the beach, the ocean, the resort’s
five swimming pools, five restaurants, six regular bars. and a 24-hour sports bar.
Florida’s Clearwater/St. Petersburg Ski and Sports Club’s July Bike and Boat Trip through Germany and Poland from Berlin to Malchin, Germany sold out by January. The $3,535 trip includes
airfare, all ground transportation, breakfasts and dinners on board the boat and a box lunch each
day while on the boat -- plus a three-day post trip to Dublin, Ireland, with hotel and breakfasts, and
entrance to Trinity College, Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick Cathedral, and Jameson’s Distillery.
Ohio’s Erie Shore Ski Club is planning to spend the Fourth of July in Boston. The $600 trip includes airfare between Cleveland and Boston on the July 3 and returning on July 5, staying in the
Hyatt Regency Downtown. Boston’s celebration includes parades, fireworks accompanied by the
Boston Pops Orchestra, historic re-enactments, craft and art shows, and lots more. There’s no better place to be on the Fourth of July! The club is also planning a $4,400 African Safari in No-
Maryland’s Columbia Ski Club is going to Peru May 2-14, 2013. The $3,750 trip includes a guided
tour of Lake Titicaca, a train ride to and tour of Cuzco; a guided tour of the Ollantaytambo, Pisac,
Maras, and Moray ruins as well as the sacred Valley, ending in Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu
Picchu; and then a private guided tour of Machu Picchu. The trip includes airfare, hotels, most breakfasts, and an experienced guide throughout the trip. E-mail [email protected] for details.
The Ski Club of Washington, D.C., is planning a bike and barge trip through the Mosel Wine
Country of Germany in September. They will fly to Brugge in Belgium, take a quick one-hour bus
ride to Saarburg to board the barge, Patria, which has two-person rooms with baths, a sun deck, bar,
salon, and restaurant onboard. The $2,800 trip will travel from Saarburg to Koblenz -- staying on
board each night and biking past picturesque villages and historical areas during the day.
The Hi Rise Ski Club of Cleveland is hosting a trip to San Francisco and the Napa Valley April
7-13, 2013. The $1,900 trip will include airfare, three nights at the Radisson on San Francisco’s
Fishermans Wharf, two nights at the Embassy Suites in Napa Valley, five breakfasts and three
dinners, a bus tour of San Francisco and another of the Napa Valley, wineries, ground transportation, and all fees. There are also optional tours of Monterey and Carmel.
The Seacoast Ski Club’s New Zealand and Fiji $4,989 trip includes air to and from Boston to New
Zealand and Fiji, 10 nights in New Zealand at Wanaka (Treble Cone, Cardona ski resorts), Queenstown, Methven (Mt. Hutt), and ChristChurch. It includes a three-day pass for lift tickets and day tours
such as Shotover Jet, bungee jump, Milford Sound tour, glowworm caves, and helicopter rides. Then
to Fiji for three days in Nadi, for a Maori haka show, tours, and whitewater rafting.
Rafting through the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon Whitewater’s motorized rafts.
Photo: Swissimages.
Photo: Grand Canyon Whitewater.
Photo: German castle. Courtesy of German National Tourism Office.
Alpaca overlooking Machu Picchu.
Page 20
The Fagowees of Washington, D.C., are planning to attend Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany,
September 25-30, 2013. The land-only cost is as low as $811 (double occupancy) in the three-star
Hotel Metropol, which includes breakfast and is within walking distance of the beer tents and
Mrienplatz shopping district and near the train station. The price includes tent reservations and
all ground transportation. There is also a two-day optional post trip to Amsterdam for $350.
Photo; Courtesy of the German National Tourism Office.
Photo: NSCN.
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
Photo: NSCN.
Onion-style roofs of a Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow.
Photo: NSCN.
Skiing in New Zealand.
Photo: NSCN
The Tampa Bay Ski Club will cruise down the the Volga River from St. Petersburg to
Moscow, Russia, August 24-31 with tours of the Peter and Paul Fortress, The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, churches, palaces, fortresses, and monasteries, and Kizhi Island, along the
way and then seeing the Kremlin in Moscow. Cost of the trip is $1939 and optional days in both
Moscow and St. Petersburg are just $250 per day. For additional information, call 813-289-8344.
Houston’s Bayou City Outdoors is offering more than 20 trips this summer and fall but the one that
caught our eye was a $2,600 trip to Turkey. Starting in Istanbul and its Hippoodrome, where chariot
races were held in Roman times, then aboard a gullet yacht for four days to explore the Bodrm Peninsula and back to Houston -- or to Cappadocia if you chose the $1,400 three-day extension. Other club
trips this summer included Wales, Panama, Alaska, kayaking in Scotland, and an Argentine wine and bike
The Miami Ski Club will host a ski trip to Argentina’s Las Leñas August 15-26, 2013. Las
Leñas is the largest ski resort in South America with 32 miles of trails served by 12 lifts. The
$4,495 trip includes seven days and nights skiing in Las Leñas and three nights in Buenas Aires
-- one at the beginning of the trip and two more after skiing. The trip from Buenas Aires to Las
Leñas will be via chartered plane. See South [email protected] for more details.
The Boston Ski & Sports Club is planning a Bike and Boat Croatia trip May 9-19, 2013. Participants live aboard boats while island hopping among Croatia’s 900 or so off-shore islands and
exploring six of the islands and the Pekjesac Penninsula on bicycles. Cost of the trip is $2,199 plus
a $450 fuel charge and a $135 fee for bike rentals. Airfare, all meals, hotels, ground transportation, and guides are included.
Las Leñas.
Photo: Courtesy of Argentine Tourism.
May-June 2013
May-June 2013
Photo: Biking in Croatia.
Photo by NSCN.
Page 21
SKI COUNCIL NEWS
TRAVEL NEWS
2013 Ski Council Summer and Fall Trips
Vail Investing to Attract in Summer Visitors
More Mountain Adventures at All Seven Resorts Will Begin in Summer 2014
The San Diego Council of Ski Clubs is planning two trips to France this year -- a September
16-23 trip through the Loire Valley by bike with hotel accommodations for $1,400 (land only) that
includes bikes, helmets, and three-star hotels; and a cruise down the Rhone River through Burgundy and Provence to the Cote d’Azur September 23 to October 5 for $3,495 (land only). The
river cruise includes outside cabins aboard the boat, meals, tours, plus cooking lessons and lectures.
and trails. In addition to the activities, U.S. Forest Service Rangers will be on site to provide
eco-educational experiences for kids and families, helping them to learn more about their natural surroundings.
Here are some highlights of what people will
be able to experience, discover and learn across
Vail Mountain from Adventure Ridge into
Game Creek Bowl and down to the mid-Vail
area, accessed by gondolas in Lionshead and
Vail Village -- which will be at all Vail Resorts:
The Texas Ski Council is hosting a Summer Expedition to Ireland September 6-14. Arriving in
Dublin, they travel to Kildare, then the Connemara wilderness, then the cliffs of Moher, Bunratty
Castle, Kilkenny, Dublin’s Trinity College, Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick Cathedral, and Glendalough and Powerscort Gardens. Optional activities include a river cruise, pub crawl, Irish dance
party, sea safari, and a three-day extension to London.
Irish Castle. Photo courtesy of
The Western Pennsylvania Ski Council is hosting a Scandinavian Cruise August 27 to September
10 on Princess Cruise Lines.They will depart from Copenhagen, Denmark; stopping in Oslo, Norway;
Aarhus, Denmark; Berlin, Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia
(two days); and Tallin, Estonia; then back to Copenhagen. Cost of the trip is $2,049 to $3,049, plus
airfare -- varying with accommodations and side trips chosen.
The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Photo: NSCN.
The fourth annual Far West Ski Association Scuba Dive Trip will be to Ambergris Caye in Belize,
and includes seven nights lodging (double occupancy), 6 days of two-tank boat dives, full breakfast
daily, plus airport transfers. The cost is $1,159 per person for divers and $879 for non-divers, not including air. Contact Randy Lew @ 530-304-0802, [email protected], or [email protected]. The
FWSA also plans a September trip to Malaysia and Bormio and a Mammoth adventure in June.
Page 22
May-June 2013
Vail Resorts new Forest Flyer rail ride.
Photo: Courtesy of Vail Resorts.
In late 2011, Congress passed the Ski Area
Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act so
that ski areas on U.S. Forest Service land could
now apply to host summer activities and snow
sports other than cross-country and downhill
skiing, which basically legalized and encouraged what had been going on for years. Vail
Resorts was one of the first companies to submit a comprehensive new summer activities
plan to the U.S. Forest Service under new legislation that was championed by U.S. Senator
Mark Udall of Colorado.
The first phase of Vail Resorts’ Epic Discovery, the company’s summer mountain activity plan, includes approximately $25 million
to transform the summer activities at Vail,
Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, and Northstar which will include zip lines,
ropes courses, climbing walls, summer tubing,
and more hiking and mountain biking trails.
Vail’s new Epic Discovery was designed to
encourage “learn through play,” promoting environmental education and forest stewardship
with numerous activities across the mountains.
They have worked with The Nature Conservancy on environmental education experiences
and the company will contribute 1 percent of
summer lift ticket and activity revenue toward
forest restoration.
This includes a lot of new activities, including zip lines, ropes courses, mountain excursions, and Forest Flyers™ with extensive
environmental and interpretive programming.
Epic Discovery activities and environmental interpretive programming will be designed
to work within the existing infrastructure of lifts
May-June 2013
Zip Line Tours
Three-hour guided tours immersing guests
in the forest habitat using zip lines and aerial
bridges, to learn about the flora and fauna of the
mountain ecosystem.
Adventure Ridge Challenge Tour
A multi-stage tour combining zip lines, ropes
swings, bridge components and other features.
Interpretive Centers for Education
Integrated with trails and activities around the
mountain, these interpretive experiential centers
will provide guests with hands-on information
and activities about forest health, wildlife and
the mountain geography of the forest.
More Hiking and Mountain Biking Trails
Comprehensive interpretive and directional
signage will be integrated to encourage more
hiking and mountain biking across Vail Mountain and descending into the villages below.
Guided horseback riding at Vail Resorts.
Family Forest Adventure Park
A playground of rope challenges and bridges
to introduce kids to the wonders of the forest.
Forest Flyer™.
An alpine slide on raised rails winding its
way down the mountain, following the natural
contours of the landscape through the forest.
Game Creek Deck and Lookout Tower
A panoramic viewing balcony within the
forests, scenery, meadows of wildflowers, and
wildlife.
Segway Trails and Tours
A unique way to enjoy a guided tour with
your own cross-terrain, motorized Segway.
Epic Discovery at Vail Mountain is the first
planned installment of summer mountain adventure plans that Vail Resorts has for each of
its seven world-class resorts. Plans for Beaver
Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly,
Northstar, and Kirkwood will be announced
and submitted in detail this summer. To learn
more about Epic Discovery at Vail Mountain,
visit http://www.epicdiscovery.com.
When you add these new activities with the
long-existing activities such as the outdoor
concerts, lift accessed hiking and mountain
biking, horseback riding, white water rafting,
canoeing, festivals, mountain bike racing, culinary events, and craft or art fairs, Vail’s mountain communities may be a good choice for ski
club summer and fall trips in the future.
Photo: by Jack Afleck and courtesy of
Page 23
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
Zermatt to Invest $1.27 Billion
In Next 5 Years
By Patrick Thorne, AKA the Snowhunter
Switzerland’s Zermatt has announced it
plans to spend the equivalant of $1.27 billion
U.S. in an initiative called “Strategy 2018.”
Key partners of Destination Zermatt-Matterhorn have signed an action plan committing to
the investment, the focus of which will be constant upgrades to the quality of the resort’s tourist
attractions and infrastructure as well as creating
new tourist experiences and communication.
‘‘Large and long-term investments secure our
competitiveness,” said Daniel Luggen, Director
of Zermatt Tourismus who stressed that the secret of the success was everyone in the resort
working together for the success of Zermatt.
The signatories of the Strategy-Charter are
the representatives of the municipality, the Matterhorn Gotthardbahn, Zermatt Bergbahnen
AG, the Zermatt Hotel Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and Zermatt Tourismus.
The resort has spoken of creating a World
Cup ski run, creating a ‘spectacular ski jump
run’ over the Gornergratbahn tunnel, strengthening and securing its heliski business, and expanding its summer ski offering – Zermatt is
one of only two resorts worldwide that tries to
open 365 days a year -- as well as boosting
non-snow-based summer activities and sports
around the resort according a stellarium and
observatory on the Gornergrat. The golf course
will be extended to 18 holes and existing
sports facilities will be improved and made
available for indoor and outdoor use and a
medium-sized events center added.
Almost $20 Million in
Improvements for Afton
Alps and Mt. Brighton
After Vail Resorts’ recent purchase of Afton
Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan, the company has announced that it will
invest nearly $20 million in enhancements and
upgrades to the resorts this summer in an effort
to dramatically improve their guest experiences next winter.
Both resorts will significantly improve their
snowmaking capacity to open earlier, provide
a more consistent and better-quality snow surface all season, and extend the season. They
will get state-of-the-art terrain parks with new
features and rope tows, modernize the base
area facilities, and add Vail Resorts’ signature
EpicMix and EpicMix Racing technologies to
the areas. In addition, Mt. Brighton will get a
new new quad chairlift
Minnesota and Michigan skiers will also be
able to use the $529 Epic Local Pass at eight
Vail resorts in the Western United States including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge,
Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado
and Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood in
Lake Tahoe -- and that’s only $130 more than
just the Afton Alps Pass alone this year.
On April 15, Steamboat Ski Resort
began replacing its Four Points 1,000
square-foot warming hut with a new onmountain 13,000 square-foot restaurant
with a 200 seat main dining room and a
bar that accommodates 30, plus extralarge restrooms, and some retail space.
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Let yourself be enchanted by an inspiring winter world full
of variety and contrasts!
Sample SkiEurope Group Arrangement
7 nights accommodation at 3*** Hotel Sonne,
$1698 per person, double occupancy
- Round-trip air economy class on Swiss
International Air Lines from New York to Zurich
- Airport arrival assistance
- Round-trip transfers by private motor coach
- 7 nights lodging at Hotel Sonne in St. Moritz
- Buffet breakfast daily
(dinner available at a supplement)
- All local taxes and service charges
Editor’s name:
_________________________________
Mailing address:
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Not included:
air taxes and airline fees, currently $640 per
person, subject to change
City:________ State:____ Zip:_______
Group net price per person, double occupancy,
To receive The National Ski Club Newsletter, please fill out
and mail this form to P.O. Box 4704, Englewood, CO 80155
or e-mail the information to [email protected].
Thanks. Bob Wilbanks, editor.
to final payment.
E-mail:_________________
Engadin St. Moritz: pure inspiration.
Includes:
Vice President or Summer trips officer:
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Mailing address:
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Page 24
Ski area Corviglia with view of the frozen Engadin lakes
May-June 2013
based on low season prices, minimum 20
people, and subject to currency adjustment prior
Whether you are looking for an active break,
pure peace and quiet, or a mixture
of the two, you won’t be disappointed –
whatever your budget. Glamorous
St. Moritz is famous for its sublime location, its calendar of glamorous and thrilling
events, its top-class hotels and restaurants,
its seductive shopping with world-famous
labels, and its legendary “champagne
climate” – as well as host of a variety of
high-calibre sporting and cultural events.
For snow sports, St. Moritz offers 217
miles of superbly prepared slopes, three
snow parks and 57 ski lifts, along with 34
mountain restaurants with their inspiring
sun terraces – and of course the region’s
spectacular natural landscapes.Connecting
the resorts, and extending into the glorious surrounding landscape, are 124 miles
of cross-country ski trails and 93 miles of
winter walking paths. St. Moritz is delighted,
too, to be hosting the FIS Alpine World Ski
Championships 2017.
Call one of our Alpine Adventures / SkiEurope
group specialists at 800-333-5533
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
Multi-Resort Season Passes For 2013-2014
Above: Vail Resorts new Lionshead base area ski rink is just one of the nine resorts in the U.S. and one in Switzerlanad
that is accessible with the Vailʼs Epic Pass.
Photo: By Jack Affleck and courtesy of Vail Resorts.
The Mountain Collective Pass has added
two days each at Mammoth Mountain, Snowbird, and Whistler Blackcomb for next season,
in addition to two days each at Alta, Aspen/
Snowmass, Jackson Hole, and Squaw Valley/
Alpine Meadows. The pass will cost $349 for
up to 12 ski days, if buyers ski all six resorts,
and extra days can be added for 50% of the
regular rate -- with no blackout dates. It’s
available online through Liftopia at www.
www.themountaincollective.com.
Vail Resorts Epic Pass now includes unlimited skiing at Colorado’s Eldora Mountain,
Arapahoe Basin, as well as five days of skiing
at Verbier, Switzerland. This is in addition to
unlimited skiing at the Vail Resorts properties
of Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Keystone,
Breckenridge, Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood. There are also less expensive Epic
Passes that are tailored to local markets near
each of their resorts in Colorado, California,
Nevada, Minnesota, and Michigan. The Epic
Pass sold in early spring for $689 but that price
is expected to rise through the summer.
New Hampshire’s $599 Granite Pass is
good for unlimited skiing at Attitash Mountain,
Wildcat Mountain and Crotched Mountain or
you can upgrade to their Nor’Easter Pass and
also ski Jack Frost/Big Boulder and Mt. Snow
for $979 for the 2013-2014 ski season.
The $419 Rocky Mountain Super Pass
added three days of free skiing at Monarch
Mountain for the 2013-2014 ski season in addiPage 26
tion to unlimited skiing at Copper Mountain and
Winter Park -- plus six days skiing at Steamboat.
A season pass to Banff’s ski areas of Lake
Louise, Norquay, and Sunshine Village was
available for $1,849 last season but the price had
not been set for 2013-2014 at press time.
Okemo and Mt. Sunapee, have a combined
pass for just $659 to $1,139 (depending on
blackout-dates) -- or you can add Crested Butte
as well for $1,400 as of press time
The prices for all season passes quoted here
were for early spring and most prices will rise
as it gets closer to ski season. Children, student,
and sometimes senior prices for multi-resort
passes are also usually available at lower prices.
Ski Utah’s Yeti Pass enables you to ski one
time at 14 Utah ski resorts for only $549. That’s
just $39 per day at almost every resort in the
state* -- but there are very few passes available
each year. The Yeti Pass is good for one lift
ticket at each participating resort during the
2013-2014 ski season, it’s nontransferable, and
can only be used by the pass holder. A photo ID
must be presented with a completely intact Yeti
Pass booklet resort voucher at any resort lift
ticket window to receive a same-day lift pass. To
be added to the 2013-14 waiting list to purchase
a Yeti Pass, simply email your contact info to
justin@ski utah.com and you’ll be added to the
waiting list in the order your name is received.
Colorado Ski Country USA also issues a very
limited number of Colorado Gold Pass Medallions which are good at 20 Colorado ski resorts**. Unlike most season passes, the Gold
Pass is fully transferable, there are no blackout
dates, and they cost $3,000 each. For more information about the Colorado Gold Pass Medallions, go to [email protected].
The “all new” Wildwood Snowmass is the
cool mountain lodge Snowmass never had…
until now.
Wildwood brings a hip new vibe to Snowmass with a
cool retro design, all new amenities and the newest
village hotspot, The Bar at Wildwood – a bar &
restaurant serving up the finest craft brews available
from Colorado’s New Belgium Brewery.
FEATURING:
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
Fully renovated king & double/double rooms
Six unique themed suites on the property
Convenient slope-side ski valet storage
Private rooms for group parties & meals
Pool, hot tubs, fitness center & arcade
Great lounge areas to congregate
Trip Leader Comp Program
* Deer Valley does not honor the Yeti Pass.
** Vail Resort, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Silverton
Mountain do not honor the Colorado Gold Pass.
Access to Mammoth Mountain has now been added to the Mountain Collective Pass.
Photo: Courtesy of Mammoth Mountain.
IDEAL NEW SKI CLUB PROPERTY
May-June 2013
40 ELBERT LANE
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, CO 81615
www.wildwoodsnowmass.com
(800) 525-9402
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
Worldʼs Largest Lift-Connected Ski Resorts
As Independently Measured by German Cartographer-Ski Writer
From a Study by Christoph Schrahe
Franceʼs Les Trois Vallées ski area is the worldʼs largest.
The German study to determine the world’s
largest lift-connected ski resorts that’s summarized on the two lists on the next page has
caused quite a bit of controversy in Europe, with
some resorts crying foul at their numbers in the
study and the European ski press saying that the
resorts have been overstating the size of their
resorts and number of runs for years and there-
Photo: Courtesy of Courcheval.
fore have been cheating their customers.
We take a very different view of the study.
First of all Christoph Schrahe is looking at a flat
map of all the lift-connected ski areas and, using
a computer program, reads what a steep ski area
really looks like, how many hectares it covers,
and determines the length of its runs. Comparing his method to actually measuring the surface
area of the resorts brings its own set of issues but
the study does -- for the first time as far as we
know -- measure the size of the world’s major
ski resorts using a single standard so it’s a reasonable way to compare sizes of one resort to
another, if not accurately measure the actual area
or miles of trails. Suffice it to say that any of the
areas listed has more than enough ski terrain to
keep any skier busy for a week or two of skiing.
If a resort says that they have 5,000 hectares
and the study says it’s 4,500 hectares -- so
what? Either way the resort offers a great week
of skiing and virtually nobody is going to ski
every square foot of the terrain anyway. And,
in the end, the difference is probably due to the
way both the surveyors or cartographers came
to their conclusions, so the argument as to
whether the resort or the cartographer is right is
a tempest in a teapot as far as we can see.
We did find it revealing, however, that
when a consistent measuring standard is used
to measure the world’s ski resorts, 36% of the
resorts with the longest trail systems and 18%
of the resorts with the most geographic area
were in North America. That was unexpected!
We took issue with one figure in the study. The study stated that
the Sella Ronda was on 11,750 hectares, of which 4,850 were on
the Sella Mountain which has not been developed for skiing, giving them only 6,900 hectares on which to ski. We thought they
should have counted only the developed land, which moved the
Sella Ronda from first to second place in ski area. Editor
STAY INFORMED ABOUT SKI CLUBS, COUNCILS
AND THE SKI INDUSTRY YEAR-ROUND.
The National Ski Club Newsletter is published
in November, January, March and May each year.
But Americaʼs ski club officers can stay informed about whatʼs going on in the worldwide ski industry, including U.S. ski clubs and councils, year-round with The Ski Club
Officersʼ Newsflash. Itʼs emailed on the fifth of every month -- including during the
summer -- when the print magazine is not published.
If you wish to stay informed about the worldwide ski industry on a year-round basis,
please send us with your email address, name, the office that you hold and the name of
your club to at [email protected].
After the May 2013 issue e will resume publishing the print issues on November 1, 2013.
If your officers or addresses have changed, please let us know ASAP.
Page 28
Thanks.
Bob Wilbanks, Editor
May-June 2013
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
The Worldʼs Largest Lift-Connected Ski Resorts
Whistler/Blackcomb is the fifth largest ski resort in the world -- in terms of trail lengths.
Photo: Courtesy of Whisterl/Blackcomb.
Italyʼs Sella Ronda can be skied in a day by intermediate and above skiers.
# Ski Area
By Area (in Hectares)
1. Trois Vallées
2. Sella Ronda
3. Matterhorn Ski Paradise
4. Paradiski (La Plagne/Les Arcs)
5. Via Lattea
6. Skicircus Saalbach-Hinterglemm
7. Les Portes du Soleil
8. Espace Killy (Val d‘Isère/Tignes)
9. Weisse Arena
10. Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser/Brixental
11. Silvretta Skiarena
12. Grandes Rousses
13. Jungfrauregion
14. Les 4 Vallées
15. Vail
16. Espace Diamant
17. Whistler/Blackcomb
18. Lech/Zürs
19. Le Grand Massif
20. Kitzbühel
21. Les Sybelles
22. Obersaxen–Surcuolm–Lumnezia
23. Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis
24. Serre Chevalier
25. Big Sky-Moonlight Basin
26. Snowmass
27. Galibier Thabor
28. Grande Domaine
29. Espace San Bernardo
30. Les 2 Alpes
31. Vier Berge Skischaukel
32. Grandvalira
33. Skirama Dolomiti
34. Lenzerheide
35. Keystone
36. Beaver Creek
37. Silvretta Montafon
38. Sölden
39. Zillertal 3000
40. Telluride
41. The Canyons
42. Hochkönig Skischaukel
43. Adelboden–Lenk
44. Winter Park
45. Morzine-Les Gets
46. Kronplatz
47. Monterosa Ski
48. Tres Valles
49. Trysil
50. Ski Arlberg (St. Anton/Stuben)
May-June 2013
Country
France
Italy
Switzerland/Italy
France
Italy/France
Austria
France/Switzerland
France
Switzerland
Austria
Austria/Switzerland
France
Switzerland
Switzerland
USA
France
Canada
Austria
France
Austria
France
Switzerland
Austria
France
USA
USA
France
France
Italy/France
France
Austria
Andorra
Italy
Switzerland
USA
USA
Austria
Austria
Austria
USA
USA
Austria
Switzerland
USA
France
Italy
Italy
Chile
Norway
Austria
Area
1 hectare = 2.47 acres
10,170
6,900
6,458
6,343
5,302
4,732
4,560
4,287
4,200
4,173
3,907
3,774
3,526
3,469
3,424
3,245
3,214
3,157
3,027
2,976
2.450
2,400
2,353
2,257
2,206
2,153
2,108
2,102
2,025
1,987
1,980
1,925
1,916
1,900
1,894
1,866
1,729
1,717
1,706
1,695
1,634
1,596
1,593
1,573
1,569
1,551
1,521
1,493
1,479
1,448
By Length of Trails (in Kilometers)
# Ski Area
1. Trois Vallées
2. Paradiski (Les Arcs/La Plagne)
3. Sella Ronda
4. Les Portes du Soleil
5. Matterhorn Ski Paradise
6. Whistler/Blackcomb
7. Via Lattea
8. Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser/Brixental
9. Espace Killy (Val d‘Isère/Tignes)
10. Vail
11. Big Sky-Moonlight Basin
12. Skicircus Saalbach-Hinterglemm
13. Espace Diamant
14. Grandes Rousses
15. Tres Valles
16. Le Grand Massif
17. Weisse Arena
18. Kitzbühel
19. Les 4 Vallées
20. Beaver Creek
21. Grandvalira
22. Serre Chevalier
23. Alta-Snowbird
24. Silvretta Skiarena
25. The Canyons
26. Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis
27. Snowmass
28. Les Sybelles
29. Les 2 Alpes
30. Winter Park
31. Breckenridge
32. Keystone
33. Vier Berge Skischaukel
34. Jungfrauregion
35. Sun Peaks
36. Copper Mountain
37. Espace San Bernardo
38. Killington
39. Skirama Dolomiti
40. Mammoth Mountain
41. Mt. Bachelor
42. Lech/Zürs
43. Grande Domaine
44. Formigal
45. Steamboat
46. Silvretta Montafon
47. Zillertal Arena
48. Telluride
49. Ski Arlberg (St. Anton/Stuben)
50. Park City Mountain Resort
The NATIONAL SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER
Country
France
France
Italy
France/Switzerland
Switzerland/Italy
Canada
Italy/France
Austria
France
USA
USA
Austria
France
France
Chile
France
Switzerland
Austria
Switzerland
USA
Andorra
France
USA
Austria/Switzerland
USA
Austria
USA
France
France
USA
USA
USA
Austria
Switzerland
Canada
USA
Italy/France
USA
Italy
USA
USA
Austria
France
Spain
USA
Austria
Austria
USA
Austria
USA
Trail Length
1 kilomter = .62 miles
493
378
309
263
252
252
251
232
232
222
215
187
178
176
175
172
166
164
164
163
157
156
154
154
143
142
141
141
134
133
133
132
131
130
128
126
126
124
120
119
119
118
118
117
117
116
115
115
113
112
Page 29
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
What Else is Happening In North Americaʼs Ski Industry?
SKI INDUSTRY NEWS
What Else is Happening in Europeʼs Ski Industry?
Mt. Bachelor at sunset.
Mt. Bachelor received approval from the Forest Service for a 10-year
improvement project that includes three new lifts, a lodge expansion,
new hiking trails, a lift-served downhill bike park, and a zipline course
and rock climbing structure.
ESPN has announced that it’s entertaining new venues for the X
Games with a final announcement due in April 2013. The 2014 X Games
will be held in Aspen, Colo., where they have been held since 2002.
ESPN has announced a list of eligible winter destinations for 2015-2017
games that include Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Park City, Utah; Le Massif, Quebec; and Aspen. According to their press release, “The aim is to explore
different options and determine what is best for the progression and
growth of the X Games franchise. Official proposals from the qualified
entities were due to ESPN by April 2.” Past winter X Games have generated up to $10 million in revenue for the host location and attracted
20,000 to 25,000 spectators a day, plus a TV audience of 232 million.
The opening of North America’s first proposed indoor snow center
has been delayed again by financial and legal debates between various
stake holders. The New Jersey project began more than a decade ago,
was once called Xanadu and is now on to its third owner, Triple Creek,
operator of many of the U.S.’s largest malls, including the Mall of America in Minnesota. The company wants to spend around $2 billion more
on the project which has already cost a similar amount, by adding an indoor amusement and water park. The indoor snow center was completed
around four years ago but, like the rest of the complex, has never opened
-- and it now looks unlikely that it will open before 2016.
In a brief trip report, the Charlotte Ski and Snowboard Club (NC) reports that Jackson Hole’s intermediate skiing has greatly improved with
the addition of the new state-of-the-art Casper high-speed, 4-passenger,
detachable chairlift last summer when the resort also expanded some existing trails to make them more attractive to intermediate skiers. Also,
in 2011, the resort added the Marmot lift that services intermediate terrain from the top of the Gondola to the base of the Thunderlift.
British Columbia’s Big White has a new 60 foot ice tower that’s constructed out of 4 telephone poles this giant ice cube with 3 foot thick ice.
Ice climbing gear is provided for skiers who do not bring their own gear.
Montana’s Bridger Bowl will spend $4.1 million on two new triple
chairlifts this summer, replacing a 46 year old double chairlift. The resort says that the repositioned chairs will increase capacity, reliability,
and comfort on the route as both chairs will also have moving loading
carpets. One of the major reasons for the repositioning of these two lifts
is to move them away from the avalanche paths found at and around the
top terminal of the current lift.
Page 30
Photo by Ross Woodhouse and courtesy of Mt. Bachelor.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort has submitted a new Master Development Plan to the U.S. Forest Service since their lift-served expansion
onto Snowdgrass Mountain was refused by the Forest Service. The new
plan incorporates previous approvals at the main mountain, as well as
adjacent private land development projects, new proposals for terrain
outside their existing permit area on Crested Butte, and a reduced proposal for Snodgrass Mountain -- the source of controversy in the past.
They now propose lower impact levels of winter and summer activities
on Snodgrass Mountain, such as backcountry skiing and snowcat operations, but they’re not proposing lift service on Snodgrass, asking instead,
to expand the terrain and lift capacity on Crested Butte Mountain, including expanding the amount of much needed intermediate terrain. They
propose to add 18 new trails on 133 acres of newly developed terrain
which would give the resort 101 trails on 771 acres -- a 21 percent increase. The plan also adds more than 300 acres of undeveloped sidecountry-style intermediate and expert terrain -- a 33 percent increase.
Overall, they are seeking a 440-acre expansion of the current Special Use
Permit boundary.
Breckenridge’s proposed development of Peak 6 has passed the
U.S. Forest Service approval process and recently received a final goahead after an appeal period ending November 2012. Although more
litigation has been threatened by environmentalists, the resort’s owner,
Vail Resorts, plans to open Peak 6 in the 2013-2014 season -- giving
Breckenridge five new alpine bowls and more than 500 new acres of
lift-served and hike-to-ski terrain -- which will be a 23 percent increase
for the resort. Peak 6 will be Breckenridge’s fifth mountain and will
have 10 new trails, and 13 runs that begin above treeline -- plus the resort’s first above-timberline intermediate ski terrain. Access will be on
a quad chairlift and a detachable six-seat chairlift from Peak 7. There
will also be a new warming hut at the top of the mountain and restroom
facilities at the mid-load location. Breckenridge is among the mostvisited resorts in the U.S., with about 1.6 million skier-days each year.
Vail Mountain is replacing its chair 4 (Mountain Top Express) with
a high speed, six-person chairlift.
A federal judge has approved the sale of Greek Peak, in New York,
to two local businessmen for $6.76 million, following a private auction.
Greek Peak was under Chapter 11 bankruptcy with debts of $47 million.
Google Maps has added another 100 North American ski resorts to
its map feature -- bringing the total number of ski resorts detailed on
Google Maps to 225 -- mostly in North America.
SnoPak.com has compiled an easy-to-read listing of all the major
airlines’ luggage charges and rules at http://www.snowpak.com/
May-June 2013
By Patrick Thorne, AKA the Snowhunter and Bob Wilbanks, NSCN
Italyʼs Sestriere in the Milky Way.
Photo: NSCN.
The Milky Way ski region which straddles the French-Swiss border
has chosen a middle course – retaining human beings to take the pictures, but offering visiting skiers and boarders the chance to purchase
and download images at home or wherever they are, rather than needing to try to get to the photo studio in resort as in the old days.
The new online gallery (www.vialatteaimages.com) is updated daily
with hundreds of photos organized by times and places, making browsing easier -- although it’s in Italian, but not that difficult to understand.
Once the images are found there’s an option of buying them in a traditional print to be mailed to you or as a digital file. The company behind
the service, Vialattea Images, also offers Photo Books souvenirs of your
visit.
A court in Albertville, France has said that volunteer guides showing ski groups around a ski resort breaks French law, which states that
leaders of organized groups on-mountain must be qualified ski or snowboard instructors. The dispute began when a ski host employed by the
British tour operator, Le Ski, was stopped by police on the pistes in the
Trois Valles region of France. The guide was informed that his actions
were illegal, and was told to report to the Courchevel gendarmerie later
that day. The prosecutor in Albertville summoned a representative of
Le Ski, resulting in the ruling. The ruling against Le Ski will put an end
to such service for all British tour operators which typically offer the
“free” guide service and it could also apply to U.S. ski club groups.
A new funitel lift with 10 giant gondola cabins will extend the ski
slopes in the Arlberg by some 40 miles of pistes and connect several
more resorts to the Lech sector for the 2013-2014 ski season. The 1.25
mile long, 12 million euro, Doppelayr-built Auenfeldjet cable-car will
cross the Auenfeld pass to the Geissbühel Alpe creating a link between
Lech-Zürs and the resorts of Warth-Schröcken, thus creating a 211 mile
long ski area on one pass. With 211 miles of runs, the Arlberg will be
one of the world’s seventh largest lift and piste linked ski areas and the
largest in Austria -- although the links are slightly tenuous with the connection between the St Anton and Lech sectors are over fairly extreme
terrain accessible only with a guide.
Switzerland’s Bruson ski area is to be linked to the rest of the Verbier ski area by a gondola from Le Châble to the slopes of Bruson opening in time for the 2013-2014 ski season.
always something
exhilarating
Atlantis is the closest Reno resort to the slopes. Stay in rooms
thoughtfully designed for relaxation and comfort. Enjoy a
dynamic casino floor with more progressive jackpots. Discover
eight delightful eateries for whatever your palate desires. And,
immerse yourself in a world-class spa that inspires wellness.
WE OFFER MORE OF WHAT YOUR CLUB IS LOOKING FOR.
From the vibrant village après ski scene to North America’s only heated
chairlift, Utah’s largest ski resort has everything you could want for your
club’s winter getaway, including world-class accommodations.
And it’s all only 35 minutes from the Salt Lake City international airport.
Get the ultimate ski and
snowboard experience.
Please call 877.348.0003 or visit
atlantiscasino.com/packages.
Stay. Dine. Spa. Play.
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every player’s paradise.
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[email protected]
May-June 2013
3800 S. Virginia Street | Reno NV 89502 | 800.723.6500 |
Page 31
Return Service Requested to:
Presorted Std.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Houston, TX
Permit No. 11648
P.O. Box 4704
Englewood, CO 80155
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SOMEPLACE
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Two million acres of unspoiled national forest.
The best tree skiing in the west.
High-speed lifts with out lines.
Book before July 15th 2013 & ski at 2012 pricing*
*valid on the 5 of 7 day lift ticket
WWW.MTBACHELOR.COM
MT. BACHELOR GROUP SERVICES
[email protected] | (541)693-0957

Resort/Trip Reports: The Worldʼs 50 Largest Ski Resorts Six Great

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