Here’s a look at some new developments you can expect to see at WA, OR, ID, MT and AK resorts when they open this season:
WASHINGTON
*Summit at Snoqualmie – Summit West will run a fully enclosed, 210-foot, moving carpet lift for ‘first-timers’. Summit Central’s Silver Fir terrain will benefit from the re-grading of Hog Wild Trail and construction of an enhanced connector trail which links Silver Fir and Golden Nugget trails. Alpental constructed a new ski patrol station near the top of the Armstrong Express quad chairlift, which will be open to the public. This past summer, USFS approved the ski area’s proposal to build a new 10,000 square foot, two-story guest services lodge at Silver Fir (in lieu of expanding the existing Silver Fir Outpost building). The plans include a 7,000 square foot main floor for approx. 200 restaurant seats, a 3,000 square foot bottom floor housing restrooms, rentals, retail, guest services and storage, and a 5,000 square foot heated plaza with direct access to the lift loading area and parking. The USFS approved implementation of the plan before fall 2012.
*Mt. Baker Ski Area has invested $3.5 million in the construction of a mid-mountain warming hut. Steeped in the traditions of Cascadian architecture, the new Raven’s Hut will provide indoor seating for 300 customers.
*Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park completed a thorough remodel of its Snoplay Daycare Center, which was made possible with assistance from Children’s Choice Dental. Mt. Spokane also installed a point-of-sale software system, which now supports a direct-to-chairlift ticketing function.
*Crystal Mountain’s RDL Test Center debuts this winter – Located underneath the top terminal of the Mt. Rainier Gondola, it will feature the latest technology from equipment makers Rossignol, Dynastar, and Lange. Word has it that Crystal will try to open for skiing in late October or early November, weather permitting.
OREGON
*Mt. Hood Meadows - Providing access from the main base area to a ridge near the resort’s Heather Canyon chairlift’s upper terminal, the new Stadium Express quad chairlift will greatly improve access to the ski resort’s northern terrain and chairlifts.
*Mt. Bachelor constructed a 60-seat, heated Umbrella Bar at its Sunrise base area and made major renovations to the mid-mountain Pine Marten Lodge.
*Mt. Hood Skibowl installed a moving carpet lift for its tubing hill and expanded the tubing hill capacity by 40%.
*Timberline Lodge & Ski Area will begin celebrating Timberline Lodge’s 75th Anniversary by hosting the “kick-off” events for the nation’s Skiing Heritage Week on April 8 and 9, 2012. In addition, Timberline invested more than $1.5 million in improvements to the Wy’east Day Lodge – with construction of a new mezzanine with seating capacity for 140 people.
IDAHO
*Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area replaced its venerable Superior Chairlift with a $5 million high-speed quad chairlift. The Superior Express will move twice as many people twice as fast.
*Lookout Pass completed a lodge addition, adding seating for 80 guests. In addition, Lookout Pass added a large sun deck to the lodge to augment its seating capacity.
*Schweitzer Mountain Resort constructed a 700-foot zip line, which will operate during the summer and winter operating seasons – weather permitting.
*Silver Mountain Resort created Gold Pan Alley – a new children’s adventure trail – and expanded the gladed terrain in the basin served by Chair 3.
MONTANA
*Whitefish Mountain Resort installed the Bad Rock triple chairlift to provide an additional way up the mountain from The Base Lodge (and access to chairs 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the Upper Village’s dining, retail, and lodging properties). The resort also developed a new bar in the third level of The Base Lodge.
ALASKA
*Alyeska Resort added gladed terrain in the Race Trail and Lower Bowl areas
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