MyFOXChattanoogaWhere to ski this winter: U.S. resort upgrades & improvements

 

Where to ski this winter: U.S. resort upgrades & improvements

Updated: Oct 25, 2011 03:24 PM EDT
ere's a sampling of some of the more noteworthy ski area improvements for the 2011-12 North American season. (©Stockbyte/Thinkstock) ere's a sampling of some of the more noteworthy ski area improvements for the 2011-12 North American season. (©Stockbyte/Thinkstock)


By Eric Peterson

Ski resorts from coast to coast were busy this summer with all sorts of upgrades and improvements on-mountain and in the villages below. From newer and faster lifts to bigger and better terrain parks, the work has likewise been all over the map. Here's a sampling of some of the more noteworthy ski area improvements for the 2011-12 North American season, which is just getting going: Early snow in Colorado already opened Wolf Creek, Loveland, and Arapahoe Basin.

Vermont 

Burke Mountain (www.skiburke.com) has installed a new high-speed quad to the summit that's three times faster than the Willoughby Chair. You'll also enjoy five new trails from the top A new wind turbine helps offset energy use. (Opens mid-December)

Mount Snow (www.mountsnow.com ) expects to have the Bluebird Express -- the only high-speed detachable six-passenger bubble lift in the U.S. -- running for the start of the 2011-12 season. (Opens Nov. 26)

Stowe Mountain Resort (www.stowe.com) has replaced its most popular lift, the 1980s-era Four Runner, with a new high-speed detachable quad chairlift to the top of Vermont's highest peak, Mount Mansfield. (Opens Nov. 19)

Maine

Sunday River (www.sundayriver.com ) has added 60 acres of new glades in the Blind Ambition area, a blue/black trail with just the right tree density. You'll also enjoy improved snow-making and grooming. (Opens early November)

Colorado

Aspen/Snowmass (www.aspensnowmass.com) has installed a new high-speed quad in the Tiehack Express on Buttermilk, cutting the ride time from 18 minutes on the old Upper Tiehack and Eagle Hill lifts to 7 minutes. (Opens Nov. 24) American Airlines has new non-stop flights to Aspen from L.A. and Dallas.

Beaver Creek (www.beavercreek.com) has a new high-speed four-passenger lift in Rose Bowl, as well as increased grooming on the bowl's black-diamond runs. You'll also enjoy new coaching clinics, women's workshops, and kid's programs. (Opens Nov. 23)

In Avon, noted restaurateur Richard Sandoval took over the restaurant at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa.

Copper Mountain (www.coppercolorado.com) has a new lift in the Union Creek high-speed quad, replacing the old High Point lift. (Opens Nov. 4)

Loveland Ski Area (www.skiloveland.com) replaced Chair 4 with a fixed-grip three-passenger chairlift that's much faster than its predecessor. (Opened Oct. 15)

SolVista at Granby Ranch (www.granbyranch.com) is improving its terrain parks, including features made from a satellite dish, a gas tank, and logs. (Opens Dec. 14)

Montana

Big Sky Resort (www.bigskyresort.com) is opening five new blue and black trails on more than 20 acres of new terrain on Andesite Mountain. (Opens Nov. 24)

Utah

Beaver Mountain (www.skithebeav.com) near Logan has added a new beginner lift in the Little Beaver, increasing skier capacity and adding 400 more feet of terrain to the run compared to the old lift. (Opens early December)

The Canyons Resort (www.thecanyons.com) has completed its massive expansion, including a pair of new lifts. One of the newcomers has heated seats; there is also a new base area and more than 300 acres of new terrain. (Opens Nov. 25)

Near Beaver, Eagle Point (www.skieaglepoint.com) reopened last year (it was Mount Holly and Elk Meadows in its previous incarnations) and is adding 200 acres of new terrain, largely tree skiing and steeps for 2011-12. (Opens Dec. 15)

Sundance Resort (www.sundanceresort.com) is moving and expanding its terrain park and keeping it open during night skiing. (Opens Dec. 10)

Wyoming

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (www.jacksonhole.com) added a new lift -- the double-chair Marmot -- that takes skiers and snowboarders 1,200 feet up from South Pass Traverse to the top of the gondola. You can also expect improved snow-making, grooming, and kid's facilities. (Opens Nov. 26)

California

New for 2011-12, Squaw Valley USA (www.squaw.com) and Alpine Meadows (www.skialpine.com) have teamed up to share their 6,000 collective acres via a single lift ticket or season pass and an interconnecting shuttle. This season marks the first phase of a $50 million improvement at Squaw. (Opens Nov. 23)

Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort (www.sierraattahoe.com) will offer snowcat service for expert skiers and riders to its recently opened backcountry terrain in Huckleberry Canyon. (Opens Nov. 24)

Northstar Resort (www.northstarattahoe.com) has added 170 acres of sidecountry terrain on Lookout Mountain with about 1,000 feet of vertical for advanced skiers and riders. Newly acquired by Vail Resorts last season, Northstar has $30 million in improvements underway. (Opens Nov. 18)

Related Information:

Trip Ideas: Family, Single, Student, Winter Sport

Destinations: Colorado, Utah, Vermont, Lake Tahoe, Maine, Wyoming, Montana

View the original "Where to ski this winter: U.S. resort upgrades & improvements" story at www.frommers.com 

Content provided by
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
 N O P Q R S T U V W Y
*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.

  • Recently Featured Destinations

  • Ringed by snow-capped mountains dropping down to sandy beaches, in Vancouver you can snowboard and sail on the same day.
    Ringed by snow-capped mountains dropping down to sandy beaches, in Vancouver you can snowboard and sail on the same day.

  • As often as you have seen it on TV or in a movie, nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Las Vegas.
    As often as you have seen it on TV or in a movie, nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Las Vegas.

  • Pint-sized Singapore is a mosaic of contrasting cultures: traditional, colonial and futuristic all at once.
    Pint-sized Singapore is a mosaic of contrasting cultures: traditional, colonial and futuristic all at once.

  • The hometown of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara has come a long way since the Civil War era.
    The hometown of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara has come a long way since the Civil War era.

  • Iconic, hip, trendsetting and ever-changing, New York City lives up to its superlatives.
    Iconic, hip, trendsetting and ever-changing, New York City lives up to its superlatives.

  • Cannes's glitzy image is embodied by its Film Festival, but a tamer city charms all year round.

  • Whether you go for canals or coffeehouses, the Flower Market or the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam will captivate you.

  • Whether you're looking for designer fashion, exquisite cuisine, or nightlife that doesn't stop, Buenos Aires leaves little room for disappointment.

  • Behind its public face of luminous marble memorials and Capitol Hill politicking, Washington, D.C., leads a wondrously varied life.

Powered by WorldNow