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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Shaun White, Torah Bright and Jossi Wells Top Field at World Superpipe Championships Snowboarding sensation, Park City All-Star and defending champion Shaun White, Australia's Torah Bright, and New Zealand skiing phenomenon Josiah (Jossi) Wells were each crowned the 2008 World Superpipe Champions Saturday at Park City Mountain Resort. White clinched the men's snowboarding championship with a top score of 93.00, Bright secured the women's snowboarding championship with a best run of 96.67, and Wells took the men's skiing top honors with a best run of 96.33. They each took home a $15,000 prize purse. "This year, the World Superpipe Championships were better than ever with the skiers and snowboarders astonishing thousands of spectators all on one day," said Paula Fabel, spokesperson for Park City Mountain Resort. "The pipe was cut perfectly, the athletes went huge and the snow started falling in true Utah style just as the winners were announced." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Ski Salt Lake Shootout Winners Announced The inaugural Ski Salt Lake Shootout culminated this past weekend with an awards dinner to remember at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort's Aerie Restaurant. Bellingham, Washington-based photographer Grant Gunderson took home the Best in Show Grand Prize and a $4,000 check with his shot of Bryce Phillips making a powder turn under star-trailed skies above Little Cottonwood Canyon. Up until 4:30 a.m. the night before the judging deadline, Gunderson spilled the beans about this long sought-after shot. "This shot really means a lot to me due to the fact that so many variables had to come together for it to work. I got the idea for this two years ago, and then it took me about a year to figure out the technicalities of how to make it work, and then another year to get the right combination of conditions. To see the image win Best in Show is hugely satisfying." Hoots and hollers prevailed as competing athletes and photographers alike viewed a week's worth of action during a 15-minute slideshow of the event. Ski Salt Lake Marketing and Media Manager and event organizer Adam Barker commented, "This has been a spectacular week of hard work and dedication on the part of all the participating athletes and photographers. We couldn't ask for a better way to showcase the snow, terrain and beauty that sum up the Ski Salt Lake Experience." As Ski Salt Lake's media partner in the Shootout, Ski Press Magazine will feature the winning images in their March issue of 2009. Video slideshows of the winning images, video interviews with the photographers and a compilation video of the entire week will be found at www.ski-saltlake.com and www.skipressworld.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Smith Wins XTERRA Winter World Championship Brian Smith, 32, of Gunnison, Colo. jolted past Josiah Middaugh, 29, of Vail, Colo., less than 20 meters from the finish line to win the inaugural XTERRA Winter World Championship in dramatic fashion Saturday at Snowbasin Resort. After nearly two hours of grueling racing action that included mountain biking, snowshoeing, running and ski mountaineering in falling snow flurries, Smith pulled off a come-from-behind victory by a little more than one second in 1:58:29.92. "I didn't think I could do it until four gates before the finish and I saw Josiah (Middaugh) snow plowing," said an exuberant Smith. Middaugh was using Nordic skate skis that are not suited for steep downhills, while behind him Smith slipped into a randonnee set-up better suited for both the climbing and descending. "I've been alpine racing since the third grade so that last stretch was my cup of tea," Smith said. "I had goose bumps, it was unreal," spectator Mike Caldwell of Ogden said of the dramatic finish. "That's about as pure and epic a sporting moment as I've ever witnessed." The XTERRA Winter World Championship was the marquee event in a three-day multi-event sports extravaganza held March 7-9 at Snowbasin Resort. The first-of-its-kind multisport race combining the four disciplines of ski mountaineering, mountain biking, running and snowshoeing. Each night in Ogden the XTERRA Winter World Championship hosted parties that featured video highlights along with food, music, and the opportunity to get together with other athletes. Event organizer TEAM Unlimited is producing a half-hour TV show highlighting the XTERRA Winter World Championship festival for distribution to ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, major cable stations and resort networks throughout the country via national syndication. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Vertical Express for MS Lands at Solitude The 2008 Vertical Express for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) hit the slopes of Solitude Mountain Resort on Sunday, challenging skiers and riders of all ages and abilities to benefit The Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis. The Heuga Center, based in Vail, Colo., provides comprehensive programs that empower people and families living with MS to transform and improve their quality of life. Jimmie Heuga himself was at the Solitude event this year, his first visit in six years, and could be spotted Sunday morning cruising around Solitude's freshly groomed corduroy on his bi-ski. Teams of three skiers/riders each raised a minimum of $1,000 to enter the Vertical Express for MS. The day's activities included an on-snow scavenger hunt, running gates through Solitude's race course, prizes, complimentary lift tickets, food and goodie bags. Teams that raised $15,000 or more earned a free trip to Vail to attend the April Awards celebration, April 10-13, 2008. "It's a wonderful event and a wonderful cause," explained Cheryl Facktor of Indianapolis, Ind. as she and partners Philip Mervis, also of Indianapolis, and Salt Lake resident Rob Hanel scoured for clues during the morning scavenger hunt. Like many participants Sunday, Facktor has a personal attachment to the disease, having lost an uncle to multiple sclerosis. Proceeds from the event allow people with MS to live full, productive lives by supporting The Heuga Center's one-, three- and five-day programs that teach people with this incurable neurological disease how to manage it to the best of their ability. The Powder Puff Girls, a.k.a. Dr. Andrea White, event director Safia Keller and Katrina Jensen, all of Salt Lake City, have been participating in the Vertical Express for MS in Utah for 14 years and won Sunday's Poker Run scavenger hunt. However, "It's not about winning, it's about raising the most amount of money to help The Heuga Center," said Keller. "All the people with the disease that come and have gone through the program and say how it's changed their lives, it's great to be able to fund that." The Powder Puff girls raised more than $17,000 this year alone, and will thus be heading to Vail in April. The Vertical Express for MS has raised more than $800,000 in Utah in the 15 years it has been conducted in the state. Cheryl Crane, Director of Development for The Heuga Center, confirmed that Sunday's event exceeded its $55,000 target. "At this point we're at about $58,000," Crane said on Sunday afternoon, "but we've still got some money coming in." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Reckless Skiing Outlawed in Park City In a unanimous vote last week the Park City Council approved a new statute that makes skiing or snowboarding out of control within the city limits a Class B Misdemeanor, similar to a Driving Under the Influence charge. A conviction will carry with it up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain Resort both lie within the city limits of Park City. Summit County already has a similar law on the books. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Alta Spring Festival The first weekend in April marks this year's second-annual Alta Spring Festival, the product of local Town of Alta businesses' combined efforts, offering food, live music, children's activities, free ski demos, a ski competition and artists' market. "The business community of Alta becomes very involved in planning the Spring Festival and we are excited to offer more events this year," commented Alta Visitor's Bureau Director Susan Ragsdale. "We anticipate the festival will grow each year and become a fun tradition that skiers can count on each April." The three-day festival begins on Friday and features a seafood barbeque at the Albion Grill and volleyball courts at the Rustler Lodge. On Saturday, at the base of Collins chairlift, ski manufacturers' reps will have 2008-2009 ski models available to try for participants who have a credit card for a deposit. A Kid's Fair tent will be set up and the Goldminer's Daughter will feature live music and outdoor grilling on the patio. The Alta Historical Society will feature a slide show that evening at Our Lady of the Snows chapel. Local artists will have items for sale all three days at the Goldminer's Daughter Galley. On Sunday, Alta Ski Area is hosting a ski competition on High Rustler from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Alta Lodge will have a barbeque on the deck for spectators to watch the event, followed by apres ski. Winners will be announced from the base of Collins chair at 4 p.m. In addition to activities, the community is hosting a charity event to raise funds for three non-profit agencies: the Alta Public School, Stand Strong Again and the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research. Tickets will be available at Alta area lodges and Spring Festival venues at a cost of $2 per ticket or six for $10. Prizes include a pair of skis, overnight lodging, dining and more. Winners will announced on Sunday at the awards announcement at the base of Collins at 4 p.m. For a complete schedule, visit the Alta Visitors Bureau at www.altaresortassociation.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Jeep Terrain Park Challenge Held At Snowbird The Jeep Terrain Park Challenge, a progressive grassroots ski and snowboard program now in its third year of promoting safety and responsibility at terrain parks, held a safety clinic and competition on Saturday at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort. Terrain parks, one of the nation's newest and fastest growing trends, push skiing and snowboarding to the extreme as riders navigate through a series of pipes, rails, tabletops and other obstacles, while pulling off tricks or getting air. With the increasing number of terrain park riders, however, comes a risk of injury to beginner and expert riders alike. To address this concern, Snowbird Resort brought together skiers and snowboarders to one of the nation's best terrain parks and trains riders how to avoid injury when seeking big air or attempting extreme stunts. The Jeep Terrain Park Challenge guides riders through the National Ski Area Association's Smart Style program, emphasizing awareness of surroundings, knowing one's limits, and respecting other riders. "It's well known that there is a surplus of talented skiers and snowboarders in the Utah area," said Kate Danaher, Director of the Terrain Park Challenge. "We're thrilled that this event will allow them to meet at Snowbird to showcase their skills while also learning the latest in terrain park safety." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Deer Valley Resort's Food & Beverage Director Honored for Lifetime Achievement Deer Valley Resort Director of Food and Beverage Julie Wilson was honored at the 11th annual Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Wilson received the award at a banquet celebrating all Dining Award recipients, held February 19th at Salt Lake City's Grand America Hotel, with over 200 food lovers, restaurateurs and guests in attendance. The Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards are selected by an independent panel of local food/restaurant experts. Of Wilson, staffers at Salt Lake Magazine wrote, "Julie Wilson has been working to elevate Utah food and wine for years, and in the process, she has helped make Deer Valley a world-recognized dining destination. Wilson is an expert in service, atmosphere, food, wine, quality control and all that goes into making dining a pleasure. The uncommon longevity of her staff is testament to the quality of her leadership." Wilson has been employed at Deer Valley since the ski resort first opened in 1981. She was initially hired as Silver Lake Lodge manager, and promoted to assistant food and beverage director two years later. Within five years, at age 27, Wilson became Deer Valley's food and beverage director. "I am both completely surprised and profoundly honored to have received this award," says Wilson. "I have to say, though, that I accept this award for all of the food and beverage staff at Deer Valley. It's a wonderfully talented group of people, many of whom have also been working at the resort for decades. We're able to create the fresh, innovative fare that our guests love because we get support from management to be creative, educate ourselves and strive to be our best, every day." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com 2nd Annual All Mountain Treasure Hunt at Park City Mountain Resort Park City Academy is hosting the second annual All Mountain Treasure HUNT at Park City Mountain Resort on Friday, March 14th and Saturday, March 15th. The HUNT is open to all intermediate and advanced skiers or snowboarders who are game for a fun afternoon at the ski area. Sponsors include Park City Mountain Resort, JANS, White Pine Touring and Ski Utah, among others. The weekend kicks off with the HUNT evening party on Friday, March 14, at Park City Mountain Resort's Legacy Lodge and includes dinner, mini-auction, full cash bar, and dancing to the Gamma Rays. The All Mountain Treasure HUNT takes place on Saturday, March 15, following lunch at the Legacy Lodge. Teams of two will be given a "clue passport" leading to nine different checkpoints on the mountain. Each team uses strategy to be the first to find the nine clues, punch the team's passport at each checkpoint, and then cross the finish line. The three fastest teams receive prizes. At one of the checkpoints, teams will pick up a numbered golden coin; one coin will be worth two adult season passes to Park City Mountain Resort for the 2008-09 season. This grand prize is valued at around $3,000. The HUNT is a fundraising event for Park City Academy's Scholarship Program. Park City Academy is an independent school that has been developing student leaders within the Park City community for 19 years. For more information and to purchase a team, visit www.parkcityhunt.com or call 435-649-2791. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com 2008 U.S. Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Championships Come To Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow March 14-16 The 2008 U.S. Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Championships are coming to Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow, March 14-16. Come see the nation's best Nordic athletes as they vie for titles on the Olympic ski jumps and Olympic trails. The Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow venues will welcome the nation's best men and women ski jumpers on both the normal and large Olympic ski jumps. The Nordic combined athletes, who do both ski jumping and skiing, will contest the cross country portion of their event on the Olympic trails at Soldier Hollow. All will be gunning for the title of best in the U.S. Returning after a six-year hiatus, the event will draw nearly 100 of North America's best athletes including Nordic Combined World Champion Johnny Spillane and World Championships silver medalist Bill Demong who currently is having the most successful season for an American on the Nordic Combined World Cup circuit. This event will also provide another opportunity for the U.S. women ski jumpers to showcase their abilities as they continue their quest for inclusion into the Olympic Winter Games. The 2008 U.S. Championships will run March 14 - 16, with competitions on Saturday and Sunday. The event is free for spectators. For a complete schedule and additional event information, visit www.olyparks.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Westminster College's Professional Student Athletes Continue to Make a Name for Themselves Whether they shred, fly, ride or rip, students at Salt Lake City's Westminster College are making a name for themselves - and it's often on the front of the sports pages. On Feb. 22, sophomore Graham Watanabe (2006 Olympian) placed first in the FIS World Cup snowboardcross in Japan. Freeskier and sophomore Ashley Battersby placed first at both the U.S. Freeskiing Open in Copper Mountain, Colo. and the Nippon Freeskiing Open in Japan. Freshman Liz Stephen made history on Feb. 27 by taking the bronze in the women's 15K mass start in the Under-23 Cross Country World Championships in Malles, Italy. Continuing the winning streak, Westminster sophomore and U.S. Ski Team Aerialist Emily Cook picked up her first World Cup win in Moscow, Russia on March 1. Flying off a towering scaffold under challenging weather conditions, the former 2006 Olympian competed in front of a crowd of over 30,000 spectators, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Our student pro-athletes are incredibly disciplined," said Deb Vickery, Associate Director of Westminster's START Center. "Balancing rigorous training schedules and academic commitments requires a lot of time management and dedication. These students averaged a 3.34 median G.P.A. for the Fall '07 semester, which attests to the quality of athletic scholars that Westminster enrolls." Westminster is partnered with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) which manages the athletes of the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding and provides tuition grants that allow national team athletes to pursue their Olympic dreams and their education aspirations at the same time.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Outdoor Retailer Winter Tradeshow Generates $15 Million Economic Impact on Salt Lake The Outdoor Industry Association and over 17,000 manufacturers, retailers and suppliers to the Outdoor Industry will fill Salt Lake City's Salt Palace Convention Center this week during the annual Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Tradeshow, creating more than $15 million in direct economic impact to Salt Lake. Top initiatives for this show include the health and future of the national parks, connecting with today's teens, environmental sustainability, technical communication standards, fair labor practices, and outdoor recreation policy. Typical local beneficiaries include hotels, restaurants, local attractions, convention centers, ski resorts, food services, exhibit companies, audio/visual, sound, light and staging services, local transportation firms and shopping centers, as well as many other support services in the city and surrounding areas. The $15 million estimate is based on research from the University of Utah's Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR). According to BEBR, a Salt Lake convention delegate in 2007 spent $889 during an average three-day stay. Active Utah outdoor recreation fuels tremendous economic growth in Utah. It contributes $5.8 billion annually to Utah's economy, supports 65,000 jobs, generates nearly $300 million in annual state tax revenues, and produces nearly $4 billion annually in retail sales and services across Utah, accounting for almost five percent of the Gross State Product. The event kicks off today with the Backcountry Base Camp day featuring gear testing at Snowbasin Resort before buyers, exhbitors and members of the media move on to the Salt Palace Wednesday through Saturday. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Powder Mountain Files to Incorporate As a Town Powder Mountain, in attempt to further development of the northern Utah ski resort that spans the border of Weber and Cache Counties, on Friday filed a petition with Weber County to incorporate as a new town. Powder Mountain officials wish to develop the 5,500-acre "mom 'n pop" ski area into a luxury resort featuring single family homes, hotels, and an equestrian center to complement the resort's ski and snowboard facilities. Cache County officials have expressed uncertainty regarding the effect the incorporation petition will have on ongoing talks to create a development proposal pending before the county. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Talisker Club Park Unveils New Spa Facilities Talisker Mountain Incorporated, an exclusive residential development in Park City, recently unveiled Talisker Club Park, a series of clubhouses designed by the renowned architecture firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP. At the heart of Talisker Club Park, members will enjoy Talisker Spa at Tuhaye - an oasis of tranquility set in a stunning natural environment. "Talisker Spa at Tuhaye embraces the holistic pathway of replenishing the body, mind and spirit," said Talisker Spa manager Angel Stewart. "Our array of treatments blends Native American traditions, herbal apothecaries and holistic, energy-healing modalities with international, cutting-edge spa concepts, setting it apart from any other spa in the world." Fiery rock, exotic marble, and sparkling amethyst awaken the senses with their electrifying beauty. Spa treatment rooms, including as a separate manicure/pedicure room, are finished with Teakwood marble from Pakistan, Jerusalem gold limestone, black granite, Venetian plaster and quartzite floors. Talisker Spa features private men's and women's changing suites, including steam rooms and whirlpool areas, each featuring a glass-tiled shower with five soothing showerheads. The whirlpools, finished with a white pearl pebble tec surface and trimmed with aqua and green Ann Sacks glass tile, are scalloped to create five personal seating areas, each with its own set of jets. The steam rooms feature black granite floors and hand-cut granite boulders, seating six, while six sets of white granite footrests stay cool amidst the steam and two grand amethyst geodes glow from backlit crystal niches recessed into the walls. Chilled to 60 degrees is the decadent "cold room," offering members a refreshing blast of water from the 12-inch showerhead, and showcases the hand-carved, white granite "Giving Bear," which holds refreshing ice chips in its paws. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Picabo's Ski Challenge 2008 Benefits Victims of Child Abuse Olympic Gold Medalist Picabo Street hosted the fourth annual Picabo's Ski Challenge, an amateur ski race and après ski party to raise awareness and support for victims of child abuse. The event took place Park City Mountain Resort on Sunday, and all proceeds support National Children's Alliance and Children's Advocacy Centers nationwide. Held during the opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival, corporations and individuals sponsored race teams from across the country to raise money and awareness for abused children. Each race team was captained by a celebrity, sports figure or dignitary. As part of the festivities, select sponsors had the chance of a lifetime to participate in "First Tracks," skiing with Picabo Street and other world-champion skiers before the resort opened on Saturday and Sunday. A VIP reception dinner including a live and silent auction was held Saturday evening at Deer Valley Resort. Live auction items included: a Four Seasons Paris package, E! Entertainment experience with Giuliana DePandi, Access Hollywood experience with Billy Bush, Las Vegas NASCAR giveaway, Korbel California Winery package, and private ski lessons with Picabo Street, among many other prizes. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Wine Dinners at 9,000 Feet at The Canyons Lookout Cabin Restaurant, an award winning on-mountain dining spot at the top of the Golden Eagle and Short Cut lifts at The Canyons Resort, will be offering three separate wine dinners this season. During the months of January, February and March Chef Jacob Guay and his team will be producing exceptional menus specifically to be paired with unique wines. The first event, "An Evening in Piemonte", took place last night and was co-sponsored by Greg Neville of Lugano Restaurant in Salt Lake City. Guests enjoyed a six-course meal paired with wines from the Produttori del Barbaresco winery, presented by Director Aldo Vacca of Produttori del Barbaresco who made his first-ever trip to Utah to bring with him exclusive wines not available anywhere else in the state. Also on hand for the dinner was Chris Zimmerman of Visa Imports, lending his knowledge of these fine Italian wines to lucky diners. Wine dinners at Lookout Cabin begin with a ride on the Flight of The Canyons gondola and a cozy sleigh ride through the woods to the restaurant. Reservations for February and March wine dinners are highly recommended and can be made by calling 435-615-8042. More information is available on line at www.thecanyons.com/wine. The price for the event is $125 per person. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com T he North Face Announces 2008 Big Mountain Snowboarding Tour with Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort Stop Expanding competition opportunities in the sport of big mountain snowboarding, The North Face and Mountain Sports International (MSI) have unveiled The North Face Masters, a two-stop tour designed to cater to the motivation, talent and skill of world-class big mountain snowboarders, including a stop in Utah at Snowboard Ski & Summer Resort. "Open big mountain competition is very exciting to the development of the sport," said world-renowned rider and The North Face athlete, Johan Olofsson. "With the simplicity of a starting line, mixed terrain, and a finish line, what each snowboarder opts to go for during their runs will be the result of creativity, skill, and risk." The North Face Masters features a $45,000 cash prize purse and an opportunity for big mountain snowboarders to pit themselves against athlete and mountain alike. The North Face Masters kicks off at Snowbird February 8-11, where competitors can look forward to the notoriously challenging Little Cottonwood Canyon terrain littered with chutes, cliff drops, and the legendary lake-effect Utah powder. The North Face will award male and female champions of The North Face Masters, Snowbird, the chance to continue their winning streak at The North Face Masters tour at Alyeska Resort in Alaska. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com X-Dance Film Festival in Salt Lake This Week The 8th annual edition of the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival has moved into Salt Lake City from Park City this year, where action sport filmmakers, top athletes, cutting-edge bands, DJs and key figures from the entertainment industry are gathering to celebrate action sports culture. Running side-by-side with the Sundance Film Festival, the X-Dance Festival is being held in Salt Lake through January 23rd. The festival headquarters and screening room are located at the Off-Broadway Theater (272 South Main Street) with VIP parties occurring at The Broadway Bistro and the Award Ceremony/Closing Party at The Depot on Wednesday, January 23, in conjunction with the opening of Outdoor Retailer Convention. Most events are open to the public. "X-Dance and Salt Lake are a match made in heaven and the festival's move to Salt Lake simply strengthens the message that Salt Lake is the hub for outdoor recreation," comments Scott Beck, president & CEO of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Hosting X-Dance in Salt Lake further complements the incredible exposure that began with the annual Outdoor Retailer Winter and Summer trade shows, and has come full circle with events like the AST Dew Tour and now the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival. Without a doubt, Salt Lake is taking its rightful place as the epicenter of year-round outdoor recreational opportunities." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Fifth Annual Backcountry Awareness Week is Feb. 4-10 Utah's unparalleled avalanche education and awareness program continues this winter with the Fifth Annual Backcountry Awareness Week Feb. 4-10, 2008. The event features snow safety clinics, on-snow demonstrations, avalanche transceiver drills and an evening fund-raiser featuring New York Times bestselling author David Oliver Relin. David Oliver Relin, author of the runaway New York Times bestseller "Three Cups of Tea," is the keynote speaker at the fund-raising evening Friday, Feb. 8. Relin will present his experiences writing and reporting the book, show slides from his travels to the Karakoram Himalaya and discuss the work of Greg Mortenson with the Central Asia Institute and the current crisis in Pakistan. The benefit dinner including Relin's presentation, dinner, drinks, a book signing and a silent auction will take place in the Cliff Lodge Ballroom at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort from 5:30-9 p.m. A ticket to the event is $75 and tables of eight are available for $700. Exclusive front-row seating is available for $250 per ticket and $1,600 per table. For reservations call (801) 933-2147. Three Backcountry Awareness Week clinics will be held at Snowbird Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 9-10. A snow safety clinic with Exum Utah's Tyson Bradley will be offered from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, and will include an all-day Tram ticket and lunch for $59. From 1-3 p.m. Saturday Eric Murakami of Backcountry Access will lead a free advanced beacon course. Wasatch Backcountry Rescue President Dean Cardinale will conduct a hasty search clinic from 9-11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, that will include an all-day Tram ticket and lunch for $59. For further information, visit www.snowbirdrc.org. To register for Backcountry Awareness Week clinics or the evening fund-raiser, contact Snowbird's Activity Center at 801-933-2147. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Court Upholds Wasatch Powderbirds Heli-skiing Permit Last Tuesday, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's ruling that allows Wasatch Powderbirds to continue heli-skiing and snowboarding operations in the mountain areas of Wasatch-Cache and Uinta National Forests. The court affirmed that the U.S. Forest Service complied with all laws when it renewed Wasatch Powderbirds' permit in 2005. Save Our Canyons and Utah Environmental Congress each argued that continued helicopter skiing interferes with non-motorized recreation in the area, and that the Forest Service acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner in granting the renewal. The court rejected all of the arguments presented by the two environmental groups. Wasatch Powderbirds has continuously held and renewed the permit for the past 34 years. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Deer Valley Resort To Host First World Cup Ski Cross Competition When it Produces Another Freestyle FIS World Cup February 1 & 2, 2008 The world's top freestyle athletes will be welcomed to Deer Valley's renowned moguls and aerial courses for the Freestyle FIS World Cup scheduled for February 1 and 2, 2008. Deer Valley will host an exciting new discipline this year as well - the first World Cup Ski Cross ever to take place in North America. Deer Valley has become known as a Mecca for freestyle skiing events, having successfully hosted six World Cups (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007), and the 2002 Olympic Winter Games freestyle events, the 2003 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships and the Chevy Truck U.S. Freestyle Championships in 1999. Deer Valley Resort has also won the honor of hosting the FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships in 2011, marking the first time ever that an American resort has hosted freestyle World Ski Championships twice. This year's Freestyle FIS World Cup will include Aerial, Dual Moguls and for the first time ever in North America, a Ski Cross competition. Close to 300 athletes from around the world are expected to attend and the high-flying action on snow will be intense, especially with the "new school" freestyle tricks like moguls 1080 off-axis cross, the 'Nate Dog', named for Deer Valley Ambassador and 2005 World Champion Nate Roberts, and in aerials, quint-twisting jumps like the 'Hurricane'! The two days of competition and festivities will include Ski Cross qualifications and Aerial finals on Friday, February 1, and Ski Cross and Dual Moguls finals on Saturday, February 2. Aerial and Dual Moguls finals will be at night under the lights at Deer Valley's Olympic arena. As always, live musical entertainment and fireworks will be part of the spectacular show. For more information on Deer Valley's 2008 Freestyle FIS World Cup call 800-424-DEER (3337) or visit the Resort Web site at deervalley.com. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Ski Utah's License Plate Poker Can Still Be Won A new winning hand has been submitted to Ski Utah's License Plate Poker contest. Orval Dorius of Murray, Utah currently holds the highest hand of A03 0AW, full house - aces and 10s (W = wild card). This hand could end up winning him a new pair of skis or a snowboard but the competition is by no means over. "We have seen lot of impressive hands in this competition," said Ski Utah president Nathan Rafferty, "However, there is still a lot of room to win. We have yet to see four of a kind." Four of a kind would be possible in the competition if three of a kind was dealt with a "W", the wild card. License plate poker is simple to play and all Utah vehicle owners are eligible to enter. Contestants must email a picture of their new plate with their name and city to poker@skiutah.com in order to enter. License plate letters and numbers are scored like poker hands. The player with the highest plate will hit the slopes next winter with a brand new pair of Rossignol skis and bindings or a Burton snowboard with bindings. Ski Utah will accept new contestants throughout the 2007-08 winter season. For more information or to enter, visit www.skiutah.com. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com New Year Brings Massive Winter Storms to Utah Major winter storms hit Utah ski resorts this past weekend leaving as much as 34 inches at Utah ski resorts. With December snow totals nearly 170% of average, these early January storms are creating prime skiing conditions. Park City-area resorts received as much as 29 inches in the last 72 hours and Powder Mountain, near Ogden, received 24 inches on Sunday alone. Weather forecasts suggest more storms are anticipated to follow with as much as 18 inches of additional precipitation as base depths at some resorts approach the 100-inch mark. "This latest storm came from the Pacific, which typically brings tremendous amount of precipitation to Park City Mountain Resort, and this time was no exception as we received almost three feet of snow in three days," said Peter Curtis, president and general manager of Park City Mountain Resort. "Snowstorms like the ones we've had this past week just go to show what kind of consistent precipitation and snow conditions Park City gets." The storms followed an earlier series of snow dumps over the Christmas holiday week, when nearly 50 inches of new snow fell in Utah's mountains, including an incredible 35 inches falling in the Cottonwood Canyons between Thursday, December 20th and Saturday December 22nd. A Christmas Eve storm blanketed resorts with as much as 15 additional inches, and sunny skies on Christmas Day created perfect powder skiing conditions for visitors and locals alike. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Lucky 13: 13 Days, 13 Resorts, 13 Great Deals Think it's too late to find good deals on skiing and snowboarding? Well, then, January 19-31 are your lucky days. January is national "Learn-A-Snowsport" month declared by SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the national nonprofit association for snowsport suppliers. Utah resorts have created 13 great offers to make it easy and affordable for Utahns to play in The Greatest Snow on Earth. The offers are perfect for locals looking to learn to ski or snowboard. Packages include discounts on skiing, rentals, lessons and more. Locals can also enter to win a free beginners ski or snowboard lesson at a different Utah resort each day by logging on to www.myfoxutah.com, January 19th through January 31st, 2008. One lucky person will win each day. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com U.S. Takes Six Medals at Huntsman Cup Slalom The U.S. Ski Team's Laurie Stephens (sit-ski; Wenham, MA), Allison Jones (standing; Colorado Springs, CO) and Gerald Hayden (sit-ski; Merced, CA) took top spots in their divisions in the slalom race of the annual Huntsman Cup hosted by Park City Mountain Resort Jan. 2. The Team picked up six podiums all together. "We're really happy with how the ladies and the men did," said U.S. Head Coach Ray Watkins. "Every day is a new day and a new opportunity to be better than we were. We just want to have everybody go in there with a good positive mindset and get ready to go after these guys." "It felt pretty good today. Every competition I go in ready to do my best," Hayden said. "There's a lot of factors involved in winning or blowing out but it just all came together and it felt good." Paralympic slalom champion Allison Jones took first in the women's standing race at 1:38.22. In second was Elitsa Storey (standing; Ketchum, ID) with a time of 1:47.19, followed by Australian Louise Williams at 1:49.71. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Utah Winter Games Launches Friends & Family Ski and Snowboard Race Series Gather a group of friends or family members and get set to race at some of Utah's ski and snowboard resorts as part of the Utah Winter Games Friends & Family Race Series, which kicked off this past Saturday at Brighton. Now in its 22nd season, the Utah Winter Games Friends & Family Race Series is a fun tradition open to skiers of all ages, abilities and disciplines including skiing, telemark and snowboarding. Twenty different race classes are offered based on age and gender. Each competitor will receive a goody bag and prizes from Utah Winter Games sponsors. To participate, simply sign up the day of the race at the resort. The cost to race is $10, plus a valid lift ticket (discounts are available for race participants). To qualify for the race series finals, participants must race in at least two qualifiers, or win one gold medal in a qualifier. For more information, visit utahwintergames.org or call 1-866-OLYPARKS. Utah Winter Games Friends & Family Race Series Schedule: January 5 - Brighton Ski Resort January 12 - Alta (no snowboarding races at this location) January 19 -Snowbasin January 26 - Brian Head February 2 - Park City Mountain Resort -Friends & Family Series Finals FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Utah Pro Skiers Establish Headwear Brand Utah-based big mountain ski stars Julian Carr and Billy Poole have launched several new initiatives for their homegrown headwear brand, Discrete Sport, for the 2007-08 ski and snowboard season including new marketing tactics and a bolstered product line and athlete team. Discrete has committed to a sponsorship of the 2008 North American Freeskiing Series sanctioned by Mountain Sports International, a partnership that is directly aligned with Discrete's target audience. The company will also for the first time establish a presence at the SIA tradeshow in Las Vegas in January, where Discrete will display their product line of 35 headwear styles for the 2008-09 season. Discrete is also launching a new and improved website, www.discretesport.com. Poole and Carr are using an established athlete team to mold Discrete into a unique snowsport brand appealing to snow enthusiasts and hard core riders alike. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com 2008 Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series Returns to Snowbird Entering its third year, the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series (USFS) and Freeskiing World Tour (FWT) have become the largest cohesive competitive Big Mountain Freeskiing tours in the history of the sport. The Subaru USFS features an unprecedented six stops in 2008 including a return to Utah's Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort that appears on both series' calendars. The Subaru USFS continues to bring fierce competition to some of the best Big Mountain Freeskiing resorts in North America. The 2008 season will include the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals at Snowbird March 18-23, a well-known event that serves as an official stop on both the Subaru USFS as well as the FWT. The USFS, which is sanctioned by the International Freeskiers Association (IFSA), now boasts a bigger prize purse than ever before at over $100,000 cash. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Deer Valley to Host North America's First World Cup Ski Cross Known for hosting freestyle ski competitions, Deer Valley Resort will welcome the Visa Freestyle International, a stop on the FIS Freestyle World Cup tour to its slopes February 1 and 2, 2008. The event will feature aerials, dual moguls and, for the first time ever in North America, a World Cup ski cross competition. More than 200 athletes from approximately two dozen countries are expected to participate in the event. Competition begins Friday, February 1 with the ski cross qualifications on Deer Valley's Solid Muldoon ski run, followed by the aerials event on White Owl (the 2002 Olympic Winter Games aerial course) Friday evening. On Saturday, February 2, the ski cross event will take place on Solid Muldoon, followed by the dual moguls event Saturday evening on Champion (the 2002 Olympic Winter Games moguls course). The evening events, which begin at 6 p.m., are particularly exciting as athletes compete under the lights, and Deer Valley entertains guests with live entertainment and fireworks. Awards will be presented immediately following the competitions in the finish area, followed by entertainment and a fireworks display at approximately 9 p.m. General admission for all events is free to the public. For those guests looking for an enhanced spectator experience, Freestyle Feast tickets are available for dinner ($75) on either Friday or Saturday night or for lunch ($65) on Saturday in the VIP tent. Tickets also include a commemorative gift. Tickets can be purchased by calling 435-645-6510 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children six years and under are free. Deer Valley's 2008 Visa Freestyle International will be aired on NBC television on Sunday, February 10 at 2 p.m. and on Versus at 5 p.m. E.S.T. as well as on Sunday, February 17 at 4 p.m. E.S.T on Versus. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2007 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Another Record Season for Utah Ski Resorts Winter 2006-07 snowfall may have been below average across Utah's Wasatch Mountains, but although locals were whining visitors were smiling, and Utah's ski and snowboard industry notched its fourth consecutive record-breaking season. Visits to Utah ski resorts totaled 4,082,094 skier days during the 2006-07 winter season, surpassing Vermont to become the third most skied state in the U.S. behind Colorado and California. "We've seen some strong growth over the past five years. Momentum is definitely on our side," said Nathan Rafferty, President of Ski Utah, the marketing arm of the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association. "With the most consistent snowfall anywhere in the world and unrivaled access via an international airport that continues to add non-stop destinations, we're on the right path." Despite snowfall totals pushing beyond the 400-inch mark, many considered last season a lackluster snow year, at least by Utah standards. Last year's skier-day count was 4,062,188, a difference of 19,906. The ski season began Nov. 15 and continued through May 20. "There's no question we're spoiled here in Utah. With over 600 inches of snowfall the previous two seasons, we knew that a sub-500 inch year was going to have an impact. With Utah locals accounting for almost half our skier visits, they're a critical component to our success," said Rafferty. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2007 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Utah Resorts Shine in SKI Magazine Rankings SKI Magazine's annual Top 50 Resort Guide, which hits newsstands Sept. 25, lists Deer Valley Resort as the #1 ski resort in North America and Park City Mountain Resort at #6. Utah resorts heavily dominate the lifestyle rankings as well, with Snowbird, Utah being voted the "Best Skier's Mountain" and Alta, Utah coming in as the "Best Weekend Escape." Deer Valley captures the #1 spot for the third time in the survey's 20-year history, noted for its top notch service, grooming and dining. "It really is an incredible honor when you consider the company we keep among the resorts consistently voted in the top five," says Bob Wheaton, president and general manager of Deer Valley. "The award is truly due to all the hard work and dedication of the staff here at Deer Valley." "Utah's resorts work really hard to provide the best ski experience available," says Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah. "I'm happy to see our success recognized on so many different levels. It is becoming more and more apparent to skiers and riders everywhere that The Greatest Snow On Earth is being complemented by the world's greatest resorts." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2007 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Alta to Implement Automated Ticketing After decades of traditional hand-printed lift tickets adhering to metal wickets, Alta officials have decided to implement a high-tech point-of-sale (POS) ticketing system and automated lift access controls in time for the coming winter season at the Utah skiing icon. After several years of evaluation and analysis, Alta signed an agreement with Park City-based Axess North America to implement a new POS ticketing system and handsfree access control system. Axess Gates and radio frequency identification (RFID) tickets will be used to control access to the lifts while providing guests various web-based functions. Alta spokesperson Connie Marshall indicates that the Alta access gate design will be unique. Instead of the turnstile design employed at other ski areas, Axess North America has designed for Alta a two-part gate that will open away from the skier, Marshall says, believing that it may be the first design of this type to be implemented at any ski area worldwide. A two-antenna system will be deployed to ensure adequate communication between the access gate and the user's lift ticket. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2007 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com New Chairlift Highlights $9M of Summer Improvements at Deer Valley A new high-speed chairlift and ground-penetrating radar are but two high-tech improvements coming to Deer Valley this winter, part of a $9 million investment by the Utah ski resort to upgrade its facilities this year. A new high-speed detachable quad chairlift, Lady Morgan Express, expands the ski terrain in Deer Valley's Empire Canyon area for the 2007-08 ski season. The area will include over 200 new skiable acres, 65 acres of gladed skiing and eight new runs. Perhaps the most amazing change taking place at Deer Valley, however, involves new "Snow Scan Ground Penetrating Radar." Combined with a GPS system, the radar will provide color coded maps of snow depth on any part of the mountain, allowing ski resort staffers to manage snow more efficiently. Upper and lower decks at the ski resort's Snow Park Lodge will be replaced with heated pavers. Additionally, new enhanced, energy efficient heater systems will be installed in all 22 chairlift terminals. The resort also replaced five snowcats and 21 resort snowmobiles, and purchased 51 new snow guns to expand its snowmaking arsenal with additional energy-efficient fixtures. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2007 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com EPA Recognizes Snowbird's Efforts U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials recently presented the EPA Environmental Achievement Award to a number of recipients, including Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, for their efforts in the American Fork-Pacific Mine site Good Samaritan cleanup. Carol Rushin, EPA assistant regional administrator, presented the award to Ted Fitzgerald, Trout Unlimited (and retired U.S. Forest Service); Jim Baker, Bob Bonar and owner Dick Bass, Snowbird Corp.; and Sylvia Gillan and Kerry Goodrich, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service. "These individuals took extraordinary steps to clean up a polluting, abandoned mine site, helping to save a watershed and in the process blaze a trail for other good samaritans to follow," said Rushin. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2007 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com Construction Underway on USSA Training Center in Park City On July 18th, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. headed a list of distinguished guests officiating at the historic groundbreaking for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's (USSA) Center of Excellence, the most significant project in the organization's century-long history. The first national training and education facility for competitive skiing and snowboarding in the United States, it will bring America's athletes and supporters together. In addition, it is a complement to the 2002 Olympic legacy and the growing winter sports industry in Utah. USSA, the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding that has been based in Utah for more than 30 years, says its $22.5 million facility will be finished in 2009, providing final training benefits for athletes headed to the 2010 Olympics, but will be in full-force for athletes aiming for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The 85,000-square foot Center is being built on a five-acre parcel at Quinn's Junction, east of Park City near the intersection of State Route 248 and U.S. Highway 40. It will blend the best of high-performance athletic facilities, including strength-training areas, a gymnasium, a climbing wall, ski and snowboard ramps, trampolines, a nutrition center, rehabilitation facilities, and educational areas for athletes, coaches and clubs. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2007 Jessica Kunzer, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 jessica@skiutah.com New SoCal Flights to Utah Snow JetBlue Airways just last Thursday announced the addition of one daily nonstop flight between Salt Lake City and Burbank, Calif., beginning December 15, just in time for the new ski season. With its new service, JetBlue will offer Southern California skiers access to Utah snow from two metro Los Angeles airports -- Long Beach and Burbank -- with a total of three daily flights. To celebrate its new nonstop service, the low-fare airline is offering an introductory fare of $69 each way for flights between Salt Lake City and Burbank if booked online at jetblue.com with a 14-day advance purchase. "Our customers keep asking for more service from more airports and we're happy to provide it," said Frankie Littleford, vice president of JetBlue's Salt Lake City-based reservations department. "With our service to Long Beach and now Burbank, JetBlue is making it even easier to jet between Los Angeles and Salt Lake, regardless of which airport you prefer to use." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Snowbird to Keep Skiing Into May Continuing the tradition of the longest ski and snowboard season in Utah, Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort officials announced last week that the resort will remain open daily through Sunday, May 13 and then weekends thereafter, conditions permitting. "The calendar says spring but it continues to feel like winter at Snowbird," said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. "The skiing and riding is still great and we want to share this with our guests." Snowbird will offer the Tram, Peruvian Express and Tunnel, Chickadee, Wilbere, Little Cloud, Gadzoom and Mineral Basin Express chairlifts through Sunday, April 29. Lift hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. From April 30 through May 6, the Tram, Little Cloud, Mineral Basin Express, Wilbere and Gadzoom chairlifts will operate daily and lift tickets are $49 per day. During this time, Mineral Basin Express will operate in the morning and close in the afternoon while Little Cloud will be closed in the morning and open in the afternoon. Lift hours will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Tram and Little Cloud will operate May 7-13, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and tickets are $49 per day. After May 14, the Tram and Little Cloud will operate Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as conditions permit. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Park City Mountain Resort Ends Ski Season with Appeal for Climate Action To conclude the winter season, Park City Mountain Resort participated in the "Step It Up" event on Saturday, April 14 - the national day of climate action. This enviro-friendly event brought tens of thousands of Americans together all across the country at meaningful, iconic places demanding that Congress take bold action on climate change. "The skiing and riding has been fantastic at the Resort this winter season although we've faced inconsistent natural snowfall and varying temperatures," said Krista Parry, director of marketing & communications for Park City Mountain Resort. "This winter has been a scary reminder of what global warming is really capable of, however our grooming and snowmaking team did a tremendous job of maintaining impeccable snow in unfavorable conditions." Following the snowmelt, Park City Mountain Resort will re-open for the summer season from Friday, May 25 until mid-October, seven days a week. The Resort's newest activity, the Alpine Coaster, which saw great success last fall and this winter, will operate all summer long, conditions permitting. In addition to the coaster, one of only three of its kind in the country, the Resort will feature a variety of summer activities including: the Alpine Slide, the ZipRider, the climbing wall, miniature golf, horseback riding, the human maze, the Legacy Launcher, Little Miners Park, lift-served mountain biking and hiking and lift-served access to Park City's historic Main Street. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com New Resort at Deer Valley, EPA Cooperate on Mine Site Cleanup Reclamation of the Daly West Mine site, adjacent to the Empire Canyon Lodge at Deer Valley, is the nation's first Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse (ER3) pilot project. The final stages of major cleanup activities are currently being completed in preparation for a mixed use redevelopment by DV Luxury Resort, LLC, as a Montage resort, spa and residential complex. Federal, state and local officials gathered at the site April 17 to celebrate the project's completion, including Utah Governor, Jon Huntsman, Jr.; EPA Administrator, Stephen L. Johnson; Park City Mayor, Dana Williams; and United Park City Mines Vice President, Kerry Gee. Gee's company once mined silver and other ore in the hills above Park City, on land currently operated by both Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort. The Montage resort is being designed to qualify for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. Construction on the resort's 178 rooms/suites and 94 resort residences is scheduled to begin this summer, with completion expected in 2010. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Wolf Mountain Adds Lift-Served Mountain Biking At Wolf Mountain, the list of summer activities continues to grow. In addition to the second season of Music in the Mountains concert series, Wolf Mountain will be offering lift served mountain biking for this first time this season, and will open the Wolf Lair's Mountain Bike Terrain Park. "We are excited to be opening the Wolf Lair's Mountain Bike Terrain Park, and pleased to be able to offer our riders earthen features, four cross, board walk jibs and plenty of family fun recreational trails," said Bill Cox, Wolf Mountain's General Manager. "Our goal is to offer exciting, youthful, high-adventure fun and continue to progress the sport of mountain biking and provide riders from beginners to expert levels with features that keep them coming back for more." Wolf Mountain's Bike Terrain Park is scheduled to open for the summer season on May 26, 2007, and is scheduled to be open Saturdays and Sundays until June 28th when it will be open Thursday thru Sunday through September 1st. The bike park will then be open Saturday-Sunday until mid-October, weather permitting. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Summer in Park City Full of Events A number of special events take place throughout the summer in Park City. While the full calendar of events is available at www.parkcityinfo.com, here is a sampling: Park City's Traditional Independence Day Celebration, July 4: All-day activities include a pancake breakfast at City Park; 5k walk/run; mid-morning parade down Main Street followed by a picnic, free live entertainment and games for children at City Park; annual doubles volleyball tournament; and a fireworks display at dusk. Park City Food & Wine Classic, July 12-14: Featuring numerous food and wine seminars, a Grand Tasting serving fine wine and cuisine, Wine Maker's Dinners and reserve tasting. Call 877-328-2783 for more info. www.parkcityfoodandwineclassic.com The 38th Annual Park City Kimball Arts Festival, August 4-5: Presented by Kimball Art Center. More than 200 selected artists line historic Main Street. Enjoy food, beer gardens and live bands throughout the weekend. The festival offers four days of fun with the Kimball Art Auction & Gala on Thursday, August 2 and a Gallery Stroll with more than 20 participating art galleries offering fine art, hors d'oeuvres and live music on Friday, August 3. Call 435-649-8882 for more info. www.kimball-art.org 2007 Fidelity Investments Park City Jazz Festival, August 24-26: Presented by Park City Jazz Foundation. The 10th Annual Park City Jazz Festival promises to be the best ever with top musical headliners performing in the picturesque Deer Valley Outdoor Amphitheater. VIP packages with reserved seating and VIP Lounge are available, as well as General Admission tickets allowing picnics on the lawn. Call 435-940-1362 for more info. www.parkcityjazz.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Sundance Celebrates Summer Sundance Resort offers both relaxing and invigorating activities throughout the summer months. Back this summer at Sundance is the Full Moon Lift Ride. Enjoy the chairlift twice monthly under the full moon and stars. The lift re-opens from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on May 31 for the first full moon lift ride of the Summer Season. Sundance Mountain Biking School offers mountain biking clinics for all levels, covering skills from basic balance to high-speed descents and are offered during normal hours of operation, preferably with 24 hours' advance notice. Sundance will introduce a Mountain Biking Ladies Day Program this summer as well, modeled on the popular Ladies Day ski program. A number of bike races fill the summer calendar at Sundance. The Resort and Parks Sportsman have teamed up to stage a Super D. A cross between downhill and cross-country, the Super D challenges a mountain bike racer's ability to ride fast in all conditions whether uphill or down. Quite simply, the fastest time wins. For those who prefer the asphalt, road riders will gather on July 9 for R.A.N.A.T.A.D., a 165-mile ride starting at Sundance that climbs 11,000 feet through Utah Valley and up over the Nebo Loop in Payson and Nephi and then back to finish at Sundance. The Summer Season at Sundance opens up on the weekend on May 19 and 20, and will be open seven days a week beginning May 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Snowbird Hosts Al Roker and the Today Show One of the nation's highest-rated morning shows and its affable weatherman, Al Roker, beamed its broadcast live from Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort on April 17. The broadcast, staged both on the ski resort's Chickadee ski hill and on the Snowbird Center Plaza Deck, featured the Wasatch Adaptive Sports program and several of its participants including Marc-Andre Belliveau, a big mountain skier who appeared in numerous ski movies and magazines before being paralyzed from the waist down in a ski accident one year ago. Belliveau is skiing again using a sit-ski and instruction from Wasatch Adaptive Sports. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com On The Move: Herwig Demschar, Teresa Leavitt Powdr Corp announced last week that Herwig Demschar will join the ski resort operator effective May 15 as Chief Operating Officer. He is currently the Vice-President of Venue Management for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. Park City-based Powdr Corp owns several ski resorts including Park City Mountain Resort in Utah; Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon; Nevada's Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort; Alpine Meadows at Lake Tahoe; and Boreal Mountain Resort and Soda Springs at Donner Summit in California. The company recently announced its intention to purchase Killington Resort and Pico Mountain in Vermont. Amer Winter & Outdoor Americas -- a business unit of Amer Sports Corporation that manages ski gear makers Salomon and Atomic as well as wrist-top computer firm Suunto in the United States -- has hired Teresa Leavitt as Director of Human Resources. Currently Director of Human Resources for ALCOA Howmet Castings in Hampton, Virginia, Leavitt began her new role with Amer on March 26. With 12-plus years of HR management experience, Leavitt will handle all HR duties including building a new Amer Winter & Outdoor Americas team in Ogden as the company relocates to Utah later this year. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com New Logo for Ski Utah Ski Utah chose its annual Local Media Day, held Saturday, April 7 at Park City Mountain Resort, as the venue to publicly unveil its new logo. The new mark was created by Infinite Scale Design Group (ISDG), an internationally recognized design firm based in Salt Lake City. "We are thrilled to have a brand that we feel accurately conveys the emotions of the product that Ski Utah markets," commented Ski Utah president Nathan Rafferty. "The new logo seamlessly blends elements of the organization's old mark with a modern insignia that will serve us well into the future." The new logo is composed of a progressively canted, "fat" snowflake. Through the middle of the flake runs a mountain range, an extension of the old logo. Together, the components of the new design visually encapsulate the world famous snow and unrivaled accessibility that have put Utah skiing on the map. "This change of direction is strictly cosmetic," insisted Rafferty. "Our adage has been and always will be 'The Greatest Snow on Earth'. We feel this mark speaks directly to that message."  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Below-Average Snowfall Fails to Dampen Enthusiasm for Utah Skiing In his keynote address to attendees at Ski Utah's annual Local Media Day, held Saturday, April 7 at Park City Mountain Resort, Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty indicated that despite below average snowfall, skier visits during the 2006-07 winter season will approach the record-breaking 4 million mark achieved during the 2005-06 ski season. "It's no secret that Mother Nature didn't fully cooperate," Rafferty acknowledged, but while it may have kept some jaded locals away, visitors continued to flock to Utah's 13 ski and snowboard resorts. Rafferty indicated that the state's ski industry is on track for close to 4 million skier visits again this winter, possibly ranking among the top three ski seasons in the state's history. Rafferty took the opportunity to remind attendees that the 2006-07 ski and snowboard season isn't over yet. Brighton, Deer Valley Park City Mountain Resort, and Solitude will remain open through April 15. Alta will end its ski season April 22, and Snowbird plans to operate its lifts through at least the end of April and hopes to reach mid-May.  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Spring Festival Starts This Week at Alta Alta Ski Area will be open for skiing through Sunday, April 15, reopening April 20, 21 and 22 for the season finale. A number of special events have been lined up for the ski resort's final days of this winter season. Things are already winding down at Alta, as Sunday was the last day for the resort's Supreme and Cecret ski lifts. There are plenty of special events scheduled for Alta Spring Festival, however, to send things out in style. Friday April 13 Demo Day - half-price demo rentals at all of Alta's ski shops Seafood BBQ on-snow at the Albion Day Lodge 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday April 14 Demo Day - free demos from over 20 vendors at Wildcat Base. Test next year's skis! Ski with an Alf Engen Ski School Instructor and get a tip. Live music and great eats on the deck at Goldminer's Daughter Sunday April 15 Demo Day - half-price demo rentals at all of Alta's ski shops. Baldy Brews Brat & Burger Beach Bash at Watson Shelter Bluegrass music 12:30- 2:30 Sunday April 22 Closing Day Baldy Brews Brat & Burger Beach Bash at Watson Shelter Bluegrass music 12:30- 2:30  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Snowbird Offers $249 Spring Pass Deals enabling skiers and riders to enjoy Snowbird's great spring skiing conditions and many events include the $249 Spring Pass and the Late Season "Spring Ski" Package. The $249 Spring Pass is valid beginning April 1 through Snowbird's closing date. Snowbird offers the longest ski and snowboard season in Utah and plans to operate through April, conditions permitting. To purchase the spring pass or for more information contact Snowbird Tickets at (801) 933-2200. The Spring Ski Package is valid April 1-30, 2007, and includes a minimum of three days of skiing and three nights of lodging for rates starting at $99 per person, per day, based on double occupancy. Call 1-800-453-3000 for more information or to book a reservation. Upcoming spring events at Snowbird include: The North American Gelande Championships Presented By Dynastar and The North Face, Fri., Sat., Sun., April 13-15 - Featuring professional and amateur ski jumpers soaring hundreds of feet using alpine ski equipment. InSpring Slopestyle Competitions, Sat., Sun., April 21-22 - Snowbird's third annual InSpring Slopestyle Competition will be open to amateur skiers and riders eager to show their skills. Live music will entertain skiers and riders on the Snowbird Center Plaza Deck every Fri., Sat. and Sun. from 1:30-4:30 p.m. through April 29. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com On The Move: Park City Mountain Resort's Brian Suhadolc Park City Mountain Resort has announced that Brian Suhadolc, a 16-year veteran at the popular Utah ski and snowboard resort, has been promoted to Operations Manager. "We are always looking to promote from within and Brian's proven leadership and commitment to the company made him the natural choice for the operations manager position," said Peter Curtis, president and general manager of Park City Mountain Resort. "His innovative programs, including our 'Signature Run' grooming, have raised the bar on grooming and snowmaking and far surpassed industry standards." Suhadolc has been one of the resort's key leaders, enjoying success in several positions. Most recently he was the Slope Maintenance Manager, overseeing the grooming and snowmaking departments; prior to that position, he worked as a snowmaker and groomer. In his new position, Suhadolc will continue to oversee the Grooming and Snowmaking department in addition to Lift Operations, Lift Maintenance, Vehicle Maintenance, Buildings, Mountain Patrol and the Race department. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2007 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Park City Mountain Resort Studies Effects of Global Warming Park City Mountain Resort, its parent Powdr Corporation, and KPCW radio will present the results of the first-ever comprehensive scientific study of global warming's potential effect on Park City Mountain Resort and the Utah snow sports industry at 6 p.m. tonight at the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts in Park City. Scientists at Stratus Consulting and the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado, Boulder, have projected what the snow pack will look like at Park City Mountain Resort in the years 2030, 2075 and beyond. "I was shocked when I heard the results of this study for the first time," said John Cumming, CEO of Powdr Corp. "Bottom line, if global warming continues at its current rate, it will mean the end of snow sports and our business as we know it. However, as the study shows, there is still a window of opportunity for all of us to help save our snow, but we - and our political leaders - need to take decisive action now." Key funding for the $60,000 Save Our Snow study was provided by Park City Mountain Resort, Powdr Corporation and KPCW radio. Additional funding was provided by Deer Valley, The Canyons and the Summit County Recreation, Parks and Arts Tax. Deer Valley to Host Freestyle World Cup Deer Valley Resort is preparing to host the world's best freestyle moguls and aerial skiers during the 2007 Chevrolet Freestyle International, a stop on the annual World Cup circuit, this Thursday through Saturday. More than 200 athletes from approximately 28 countries are expected to participate, including 2006 Olympic aerial gold medalists Evelyne Leu (Switzerland), Han Xiaopeng (China) as well as reigning moguls World Champions Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) and Deer Valley Skiing Ambassador Nate Roberts (Park City, UT). This World Cup marks Deer Valley's 9th anniversary of hosting freestyle competition, including the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the 2003 FIS Freestyle World Championships, 1999 Chevy Truck U.S. Freestyle Championships and five World Cups (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005 & 2006). Admission to Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's events on the Champion and White Owl ski runs is free to the public. Both trails are located on Deer Valley's lower Bald Eagle Mountain, just up from the main day lodge (Snow Park Lodge) on Deer Valley Drive in Park City. Dean Cummings' Big Mountain Camps at Snowbird Famed big mountain skier Dean Cummings is hosting a series of ski camps at Snowbird this winter, scheduled for January 19-22, February 1-4 and 5-8. Daily private guiding and avalanche education instruction are available through his H2O Big Mountain Camps. The camps are designed to accelerate skiing skills with early mountain tram runs, side door tram access, one day of heli-skiing with Wasatch Powderbird Guides and ski patrol connections to reach the best terrain more often. Lodging is provided at the Cliff Lodge with access to the Cliff Spa. Spots are available to skiers age 16 and up. For details look online at www.h2oguides.com/big_mtn_camp.php or contact Cummings via cell (907) 831-1386 or at the H2O office (801) 998-8619. Improve Skills at Alta's Telemark Camp A telemark camp scheduled at Alta Jan. 12-14 will focus on understanding the fundamental movements of telemark skiing and applying them to carving on the groomed runs, control and fluidity in the bumps, steeps, and off-piste skiing. Instruction for the camp is provided by the Alf Engen Ski School, and every day includes video analysis of your skiing. The price for the three-day camp is $522 and includes instruction, video analysis, and ski school lift line access. Lift tickets are sold separately. Call Alf Engen Ski School at 801-359-1078 x271 to register. Snowbasin Nordic Relay and Demo Jan. 13 Snowbasin will be holding a Nordic Relay race at 10 a.m. this Saturday next to the Finish Line Tubing Hill, in conjunction with equipment demos from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants in this team-style event must have three members in their group and can consist of any combination of age and gender. Prizes will be awarded to the first three groups to finish. The relay will be held in three legs: the first two legs will be in classical style and the third leg will consist of skating. Prizes include alpine lift passes, hats and t-shirts. Hot cocoa and a warm fire will be available for all relay spectators. Demo equipment is provided by Grizzly Center, Canyon Sports, Rossignol, TOKO Wax and Diamond Peak. There is a registration fee for racers. Call (801) 620-1032 for more information. Win a Season Pass at Powder Mountain Powder Mountain's 3 on 3 Intramural Team Challenge is a unique series of nighttime terrain park competitions between teams of three competitors held under the lights at the Sundown Terrain Park on three Wednesday nights from 5 to 9 p.m. Three terrain park features to be used in the evening's competition will be randomly selected on the day of each event. Teams can compete for nightly prizes and earn points based on the team's performance. The team with the most points at the end of the three part series will win 2007/08 Powder Mountain season passes. The events will be held on January 10, February 7 and March 7. Registration begins at 4 p.m. on the evening of each event and is free for anyone with a lift pass. For more information, visit powdermountain.com. Sundance Preserve Hosts Second Mayor's Summit on Global Warming During November, the Sundance Preserve, a not-for-profit organization for arts, culture and the environment, hosted the second annual Sundance Summit: A Mayors Gathering on Climate Protection at Sundance Resort. The Summit was co-hosted by Robert Redford, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability. The Summit brought together 31 mayors, representing five million Americans, at the Sundance Village to further the leadership mayors have shown in global warming initiatives. The focus of this year's summit was to provide mayors with a "tool kit" to help them reach out to constituents on the scientific consensus on global warming and the urgent need for action. The mayors left the Summit armed with various public education, media outreach, and policy resources. The Sundance Summit closed with mayors making specific commitments and calls to action in their cities, including creating incentives for more green practices, adding hybrid vehicles to city fleets, encouraging green building standards, and increasing energy efficiency of public facilities. Picabo's Annual Ski Challenge Olympic Gold Medalist Picabo Street is hosting the 3rd Annual Picabo's Ski Challenge, an amateur ski race and après-ski party to raise awareness and support for victims of child abuse. This event takes place at Park City Mountain Resort on Sunday, January 21st during the opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival, and all proceeds support National Children’s Alliance and over 600 Children's Advocacy Centers nationwide. Each race team is captained by a celebrity, sports figure or dignitary. This year the line-up includes Bill Rancic from "The Apprentice" and Billy Bush from "Access Hollywood," among many others. As part of the festivities, select sponsors will have the chance of a lifetime to participate in "First Tracks," skiing or snowboarding with Picabo Street and other world-champion skiers before the Resort opens, on Saturday, January 20th and Sunday, January 21st. The weekend includes a private VIP reception dinner, amateur ski race including tented buffet luncheon, apres-ski party and entertainment on the hill. See www.picaboskichallenge.org, email picaboskichallenge@yahoo.com or call (866) 849-5913 for registration information. Utah Winter Games Competition Season Begins After dozens of Utah Winter Games learning clinics, the time is at hand for Utah's weekend winter warriors to put those newly acquired winter sports skills to the test. Every weekend from now through the end of March, there will be amateur winter sports competitions taking place at numerous venues around the Wasatch Mountains. High excitement comes to Brighton on January 27th when the always sold-out Jeep Terrain Park Slopestyle Challenge hits the hill. That event is limited to the first 80 competitors to sign up. There are separate events for snowboarders and skiers. The winners automatically qualify for the Jeep Terrain Park regional slopestyle competitions later in the season. There will be 75 national qualifiers who will go head-to-head in the regional competitions, and the winners will go to the Jeep National Slopestyle Championship in Lake Tahoe in March. Park City Mountain Resort will host the age-graded KSL Family and Friends ski race on March 3rd. Scattered around the rest of the weekends are lots of ski racing, cross-country, biathlon, curling, long-track speed skating, figure skating, ski archery, ski jumping, luge, and a wild bunch of snowboard slopestyle, jibbing, jam sessions, and even a competition devoted entirely to jibbing on and off trees. Check the Utah Winter Games web site at www.utahwintergames.org for more information . Utah's Wasatch Ski Distribution Announces Ski Trab US Race Team Wasatch Ski Distribution, U.S. distributors of Ski Trab touring skis, have named their U.S. Race Team for 2007. Ethan Passant and Jari Kirkland of Crested Butte, Colorado, along with Zahan Billimoria of Driggs, Idaho, Pete Swenson of Boulder, Colo. and Grant Guise of Arthur's Pass, New Zealand will race on the World Cup-dominating Trab Duo Race skis this coming season. Pete Swenson, the 2006 North American Series Champion, will both coach and race this season on the Trab Duo Sint Aero, a mid-fat version of the Duo Race. The team will be co-sponsored by Arva, CAMP, Patagonia & Scarpa. Ski Trab, of Bormio, Italy, manufactures touring skis that use carbon fiber and other proprietary modern technologies to save significant weight without sacrificing performance. Wasatch Ski Distribution is based in Salt Lake City. On The Move: Chris Rybak Chris Rybak is Park City Mountain Resort's new Food and Beverage Director, joining the team this summer. Chris began his executive career path at Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado as Executive Chef at the Resort's signature restaurant, the AAA Four Diamond-rated Alpenglow Stube. Keystone subsequently promoted Chris to Food and Beverage Executive Chef before he joined the Park City Mountain Resort team. A graduate from Hocking Technical College of Culinary Arts in Nelsonville, Ohio, Chris is the past president and founding member of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Top of the Rockies Chefs Association. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 26, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com National project promotes winter sports as a fun way to enjoy the snow season while staying in shape and learning something new. Over 100 venues nationwide! White Pine Touring has participated as a Winter Trails snowshoe anchor site for the last 5 years. The 2006 Winter Trails event drew over 200 participants to the joint retailer and guiding service, which is located in Park City, UT. White Pine Touring offers guided snowshoeing tours and backcountry lessons, as well as a 20km cross country skiing facility. The Winter Trails initiative to promote health, fitness and outdoor enjoyment during the latent winter months fits nicely into the area’s goal to heighten people's awareness of the environment and their health through active human-powered recreation. White Pine Touring partnered with Winter Trails puts on a great event that includes free demo snowshoes and free snowshoe rentals. Free guided hikes will be between 10am-12noon. Their standard cross country lessons will also be available throughout the day. Winter Trails is a nationwide public awareness campaign that promotes the health, fitness, social aspects and benefits of snow sports participation. The twelfth annual Winter Trails event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007 at over 100 venues across the United States, and on Saturday, Feb. 17,2007 at Estes Park, Colorado. This program is part of a larger program called Winter Feels Good and presented through a partnership among SnowSports Industries America, the American Hiking Society, and the Cross Country Ski Areas Association. The one day event is geared towards families, hikers and fitness walkers, recreational enthusiasts, school groups and youth organizations who are interested in learning more about the sports of snow shoeing and cross country skiing. Who: Winter Trails is presented through a partnership between SnowSports Industries America, the not-for-profit member-oened trade association representing snow and winter sports companies, American Hiking Society, a recreation based conservation organization that promotes and protects foot treails and hiking experience, and Cross Country Ski Areas Association. Where: White Pine Touring 1685 Bonanza Ave. Park City, UT 84068 (435) 649 6249 www.whitepinetouring.com More than 100 venues across North America Go to www.wintertrails.org for updates on locations and event details. When: Saturday January 6, 2007 Sponsors: Alpina, Atlas Snow-Shoe Company, Atomic Ski USA, Excel, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), Redfeather Snowshoes, Rossignol Ski, Salomon, Swix, Tubbs Snowshoes, Whitewoods, W.L. Gore Associates, Grabber, Grangler, Kahtoola, Panoptx, and PEPSICO. Media Sponsors are Cross Country Skier magazine, Ski Trax magazine, Snowshoe magazine, and XCResorts.com. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com December 18, 2006- Park City, UT—On JANUARY 5-7, 2007 at Park City Mountain Resort, the National Ability Center will host the 20th Annual Huntsman Cup. The Huntsman Cup is one of the nation’s leading disabled ski-racing events, bringing together a highly competitive field of racers from across the country and world. About 100 competitors are expected to participate and will utilize mono-skis, outriggers and other adapted equipment as they race for the fastest times three events, two of Giant Slalom and one Slalom event. Members of the United States Disabled Ski Team, the strongest disabled ski team in the world, and other experienced racers from the US will give spectators a weekend of intense and exciting ski racing. Members from the Canadian National Team, Australian National Team and other international team representatives are also expected. The Huntsman Cup takes place on the same race course used during the 2002 Winter Olympics for the Giant Slalom events. The Huntsman Cup always plays an important role in the selection process for naming the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. It is also a FIS-NORAM race and a point qualifier for the Disabled World Cup and U.S. National Disabled Championships. In addition to the Hunstman Cup the National Ability Center is also introducing the Chris Waddell Training Camp January 3- 4, 2007. This two day training camp will feature rigorous on the slope training with a professional coaching staff featuring Chris Waddell. Chris is a four time Paralympic skier and holds the record for having more Paralympic medals (12) than any other male skier. Enrollment for the camp and the Huntsman Cup is open through December 31, 2006. For more information contact the National Ability Center at 435-649-3991 or visit www.DiscoverNAC.org. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 8, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Snowbird, Utah – The ribbon will be cut signifying the opening of Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort’s new Peruvian Express Chairlift and North America’s first ski area tunnel Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006. Journalists are invited to meet on the Snowbird Center Plaza Deck at 10 a.m. to ride the new high-speed quad chairlift to the ribbon cutting in the tunnel. Both the tunnel and the lift will open to the public for the first time after the ribbon cutting takes place. Snowbird Chairman Dick Bass will lead the ribbon cutting and other participants will include Snowbird President Bob Bonar, Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty and State Senator Carlene Walker. Journalists should come prepared for winter conditions. The entire event can be attended on foot, skis or snowboard. After the event journalists can ski the intermediate Chip’s Run to the base or ride the chairlift down. What: Ribbon cutting and grand opening of Snowbird’s new Peruvian Express Chairlift and Peruvian Tunnel from Peruvian Gulch to Mineral Basin. Where: Peruvian Gulch, Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort. Take Little Cottonwood Canyon Road to Snowbird Entry 2 and park near the Snowbird Center. When: Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006. Arrive at the Snowbird Center Plaza Deck, Level 3 of the Snowbird Center, no later than 10 a.m. for trip to the tunnel on the new Peruvian Express Chairlift. Who: Snowbird Chairman Dick Bass, Snowbird President Bob Bonar, Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty and State Senator Carlene Walker. Contact: Christa Graff Graff Public Relations, LLC 435-640-7921 or Email: christa@graffpr.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WINTERFIT SNOWBALL STARTS TO ROLL Park City, UT (November 1, 2006)  -- The state’s WinterFit program is ready to explode out of the starting gate, and Director Heidi Hughes says the first team to sign up is expecting big-time results. “WinterFit is a fun way to get healthy, lose weight, and compete against other teams for prizes,” says Utah Winter Games Executive Director, Heidi Hughes.  “Teams of almost any size can sign up and participate in a range of winter sports activities. Your team can be family, friends, neighbors, or that competitive gang you work with. The team captain logs the results on the WinterFit website in order to show progress and keep score. The team concept helps motivate members to keep at it since they don’t want to let the rest of the team down but the real value is health, not competition. “ The first team to get on board comes from Utah Vacation Homes in Salt Lake City. I am already building a trophy stand because I expect our team to crush the competition,” said Captain Tristan Webb of the UVH Snow Patrol.  “Winter is often a time when a lot of people tend to be more sedentary, and the WinterFit team challenge will motivate me and my co-workers to get up and get healthy.” Hughes comments that Webb’s team will have to work hard to stay on top of the Leader Board. Similar programs around the country have attracted over 30-thousand fun-loving health enthusiasts, and Utah can expect similar results. WinterFit is sponsored by the Utah Winter Games and you can sign up online at www.utahwintergames.org. The Utah Winter Games are the oldest and biggest amateur winter sports event in the country. They continue the legacy of 2002 in Utah by making it possible for large numbers of people of all skill levels to have a wonderful time with winter sports. In the 2005-2006 20th anniversary season, more than three thousand people took part in 20 competitions in 15 sports and 32 instructional clinics. With the help of principal sponsor KSL, this coming season's Games will be significantly larger with more sports at more venues for more people. The Utah Winter Games: All Ages, All Abilities, Always Fun. For more information on WinterFit and the Utah Winter Games, please contact Christa Graff at 435-640-7921 or christa@graffpr.com or visit the Utah Winter Games web site at www.utahwintergames.org.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 24, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com SnowJam 2006 to Kick Off the Season in Style Following two epic years of 600-plus inches of the Greatest Snow on EarthTM, Ski Utah will hold its season kick-off party to the local ski and snowboard community pumped for the coming winter season while promoting Salt Lake City as America's biggest, most amazing ski town. The free party will take place at the Gallivan Center, an outdoor concert and festival venue in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, on Nov. 11 from 4 to 10 p.m. Utah Snow Jam 2006 – Rockin' the Powder is geared for powder hounds of all ages and will feature live music by 80s cover band, the Metal Gods and music spun by DJ Knucklz. Other offerings will include the Ski Utah Photo of the Year contest, ski and snowboard videos, gear demos, beer garden, food vendors, giveaways from all Utah resorts, local celebrity pro athlete poster signings, best ’80s ski outfit contest, and more. Special deals and prizes will be available for Utah ski resort season pass holders. Athletes thus far confirmed to attend Joe Pack, Heidi Voelker, Josh Madsen and Caroline Gleich. Alta Turns to Wind Power Alta Ski Area has joined Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky program to purchase 900,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of clean, renewable wind power for the next 12-month period, offsetting over 23% of Alta's energy consumption. The environmental impact is equivalent to avoiding 900 tons of CO2 emissions per year. "It is the right thing to do," remarks Alta's President and General Manager, Onno Wieringa. "We appreciate the opportunity to work with this program to take our commitment to the next level." Through Clif Bar's SkiGreenTM program from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Alta also powers its Sugarloaf lift via wind energy, translating to another 11% of Alta's energy consumption. This brings the total to 34% of Alta's total power consumption offset by renewable wind power. Atomic, Salomon Moving to Utah The largest snow company on earth is getting set to make tracks in The Greatest Snow on EarthTM. Amer Sports Corporation -- the world's largest sports equipment company, and parent of ski makers Salomon and Atomic -- has selected Ogden, Utah for the home of its recently created Winter & Outdoor U.S. unit. The unit also includes the ski equipment brands Volant, Dynamic and Koflach as well as the wrist-top computer brand Suunto and Bonfire Snowboarding. Amer Sports expects to initiate its relocation efforts in the Spring of 2007. Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey is working to attract businesses in the ski industry to what Ogden is calling "The Hub" and invigorate Weber County's economy. Amer's relocation of its Winter and Outdoor U.S. unit is Godfrey's latest success in this initiative. Already Scott USA, Descente North America, Goode, Kahuna, and SnowSports Interactive call Ogden home, although Quiksilver Rossignol recently chose nearby Park City instead to consolidate its North American operations for all of its snowsports brands. Ski Utah Focuses on the Environment Ski Utah has launched its new KeepUtahCool.org Web site to address global warming, inform users regarding the ways it can impact the ski industry, and offer suggestions for individuals to make a difference. It also contains a section devoted to environmental programs Utah ski areas have implemented to help alleviate the effects, from re-vegetation to purchasing wind power. "We want to ensure that future generations of skiers and snowboarders can continue to enjoy The Greatest Snow on EarthTM," explained Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah. "Much of our state's economy relies on tourism dollars that the ski industry delivers, so we felt compelled to launch a site that would remind people of global warming's impact and also let them know that it is a fixable problem if we act now, as individuals and organizations." The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has created a global warming awareness campaign called Keep Winter Cool. Ski Utah, inspired by NSAA's efforts, used some of the organization's content for KeepUtahCool.org. Deer Valley Party to Benefit Youth Programs The freestyle skiing program at the Utah Olympic Park and the Park City Snowboard Team are among the beneficiaries of the JANS Winter Welcome on October 28 at the Silver Lake Lodge at Deer Valley ski resort. This year marks the 26th anniversary of JANS Winter Welcome. Guests have the opportunity to spend the evening mingling with Olympians and Champions, enjoying hors d'oeuvres and libations from a variety of specialty bars, a dinner prepared by Deer Valley's finest chefs and of course bidding on a plethora of silent auction items. Monies raised through JANS Winter Welcome will directly support the athletic programs affiliated with the Youth WinterSports Alliance, a collaboration of non-profit organizations brought together to foster in children the love of winter sports in a positive, safe, and fun environment, including the Deer Valley Freestyle Team, Kids Inc. of Utah, National Sports Foundation, Park City Alpine Club, Park City Nordic Team, Park City Ski Education Foundation, Park City Snowboard Team, Summit Ski Team and the Wasatch Luge Club. For further information on attending JANS Winter Welcome contact the Youth WinterSports Alliance at 435.901.3715 or youwinpc@xmission.com. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 10, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com First Snows Fall Upon Utah Resorts A potent storm system brought a quantum change to the weather pattern across Utah in mid-September, propelling Utah directly from summer to early winter. The first storm dropped up to a foot of snow on the state's ski and snowboard resorts in the first snowfall of the upcoming season, and a second storm followed almost immediately thereafter. “There is still work to be done on the new Peruvian Tunnel and Peruvian Express chairlift before winter arrives, but this first snowfall is exciting for everyone who loves to ski,” said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. Snow also fell overnight on the slopes of Alta, Brighton, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Solitude, Sundance, The Canyons, and Wolf Mountain. Eager skiers and riders were found tracking up the slopes of Wasatch Mountain ski and snowboard resorts. Snowbird’s Snow Safety Department does not officially begin seasonal snowfall records until Nov. 1 so this September snowfall will not count toward the annual accumulation that averages 500 inches. Milder weather has since returned to Utah, but the early snowfall bodes well for the winter season ahead. Utah Ski Resorts Announce 2006-07 Improvements In an effort to expand upon last winter's record-setting four million skier-day season, Utah ski and snowboard areas have numerous improvements in the works for winter 2006-07. From new lifts to more terrain to North America’s first ski area tunnel, Utah’s ski resorts will welcome visitors with a host of new amenities this winter. Alta Ski Area Alta this summer completed the detailed finish work on its new Watson Shelter mid-mountain restaurant, including hanging a selection of art reflecting the resort’s past and present. Crews have re-vegetated the landscape surrounding the lodge. Alta's other projects include upgrades to its maintenance shop and improvements to the spring system at Alf's Restaurant, Alta's other mid-mountain eatery. Both ski school sales offices were redecorated with art from renowned photographer Ray Adkinson. Deer Valley Resort On the mountain, Deer Valley officials are replacing the ski resort's existing Sterling triple chairlift on Bald Mountain with a high-speed detachable quad. New glade skiing will also be added off of the Sultan chairlift. Off the hill, they're expanding the base area Snow Park Lodge to include new bathrooms on the slope side of the building as well as enhancements to the employee cafeteria. Park City Mountain Resort At Park City, 14 new snowmaking guns have been installed to produce more snow in the pre- and early seasons. The new guns not only allow the resort to open more terrain during the early season but they also allow the resort to produce snow more efficiently. These snowmaking guns will reduce the Resort’s energy output this upcoming season by more than 1.2 million kilowatt hours, which is equal to not driving 2.5 million miles or planting 275,000 trees, resort officials say. A new Silver Star triple chair has also been installed for the 2006-07 season that will provide guests with an additional way to access the mountain and open up three new intermediate runs in the process. The resort has also retrofitted the gearboxes in all of its detachable chairlifts. Three new snowcats have been purchased to enhance the resort’s commitment to on-mountain grooming. The “Signature Runs,” advanced runs added to the grooming schedule last winter, provide the intermediate skier and rider the opportunity to access more of the mountain. Park City Mountain Resort will add new rails, funboxes and jumps to its four terrain parks. The resort receives input on the design of its parks from the Park City All Star team including Olympic gold medalist Shaun White and X-Games champion Tanner Hall. Powder Mountain After 30 years, Powder Mountain's slow double chair lift at Hidden Lake will be replaced with a high speed detachable quad. Hidden Lake Express will follow the same path as its predecessor, but the travel time on the lift will be cut in half to approximately eight minutes. The lift is 6,000 feet in length and rises 1,300 vertical feet. The lift, manufactured in Salt Lake City by Doppelmayr CTEC, will double Hidden Lake's uphill capacity to 2,400 skiers and riders per hour. Solitude Mountain Resort Solitude has purchased another new snow cat to enhance its grooming fleet for this season. For off-piste terrain enthusiasts, the Queen Bess area north of the Honeycomb lift will open for controlled powder skiing this winter. Wolf Mountain On the hill, Wolf Mountain's terrain park will be expanded this winter by 30% to create a longer run with 12 new features. These earthworks ensure that "Wolf's Lair" can double as a mountain bike free-ride park in the summer, and will be groomed in winter by a new Bombardier Terrain Master snowcat. The addition of 16 new snow guns increases Wolf Mountain's snowmaking capacity by 50%. Clean-up efforts to Wolf Mountain's physical plant are currently underway to offer visiting families an affordable, enjoyable experience. Better grading and drainage will mean guests no longer have to drive across a stream or ice flow. Beginners will have an easier time parking and finding the way to the rental shop where their ski day begins. Adjustments will also be made to the grading of the beginner hill. Wolf Mountain is also working on plans to feature a yurt to house a "children's drop-off ski school." Wolf Mountain has acquired a triple chairlift, currently scheduled for installation in time for the 2007–2008 ski and snowboard season. Alta Eliminates Terrain Park In this era of ski and snowboard resorts building, expanding and promoting terrain parks, one Utah ski area is bucking the trend by eliminating theirs. "We found that our skiers were curious about the park, and had a lot of fun times jibbing," Utah's legendary Alta Ski Area announced on their website. "But we were also astonished by how many more of our skiers preferred to use the natural terrain features on our 2,200 acres as their preferred 'park.'" Terrain parks require an enormous investment in equipment time and manpower to both create and maintain. Alta's terrain park, located off Vail Ridge and served by both the Albion and Sunnyside chairlifts, was frequently empty. Many locals consider Alta's terrain to constitute one giant natural terrain park. Alta is one of only four ski areas left in the United States that prohibits snowboarding, possibly contributing to the terrain park's lack of use. This "Skier's Mountain" shares that distinction with neighboring Deer Valley, New Mexico's Taos, and Vermont's Mad River Glen. $10M in Upgrades for The Canyons For 2006-2007 parent American Skiing Company has invested over $10 million in its flagship Utah ski and snowboard resort, The Canyons. Brand new this season, The Canyons will be opening over 200 acres of new ski and snowboard terrain serviced by a new quad chairlift named DreamCatcher. The additional acreage positions The Canyons as the largest ski resort in Utah and one of the largest in North America. “It’s going to be mostly upper intermediate to expert terrain," explains Vice President of Marketing for The Canyons, Todd Burnette. "We are doing some glading right now to open up some paths for some serious tree skiing. It’s all north-facing so the snow will hold there very well.” One of the main arteries at The Canyons is the Tombstone Express high-speed quad. The high-speed quad lift, heavily used in its central location, will be replaced this winter with a high-speed six-pack chair that will increase uphill capacity by 52% to shorten liftlines. Additionally, the Cabriolet lift from the base parking lot to the Forum will receive an extra 12 cabins to increase efficiency in transporting guests between the parking lot and the slopes. The new cabins will result in a 46% increase in capacity for the Cabriolet. Dining on the mountain is also being revamped with 175 extra seats added to an expanded second floor at the mid-mountain Red Pine Lodge. New menu options are under development as well at the Red Pine Lodge to offer a greater variety of dining choices. Construction continues on the Silverado Lodge, which will be completed by late fall of this year to add an additional 200 rentable units at the base of The Canyons. Located directly across the street from the Grand Summit and Forum area, the resort will be managing the property. New SkiUtah.com and RideUtah.com Websites Launched For years, Skiutah.com has been the authority for skiers and snowboarders seeking resort, lodging, dining and snow report information for Utah. As the state continues to set new records for skier day numbers, the Web site’s popularity has exploded as well. The 2005-06 ski season saw a record four million skier days while Skiutah.com matched this total with over 4 million page views per month. “Given the surge in skier days and web visits, we felt it was time to offer those seeking information on skiing and snowboarding in Utah an enhanced online experience that better represents our fantastic ski product. SkiUtah.com has enjoyed great success over the last few seasons but was in need of an upgrade to stay ahead of the curve in internet technology and accessibility. ” said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah. With that in mind, Tim Roberts, Ski Utah’s webmaster, created a new layout and design that is both progressive and more user-friendly. The updated, sleek look offers improved speed and conveniently features the daily snow report on the home page. “With this redesign we hope to continue making strides in increasing traffic on the Web site and remaining the ultimate source for information on Utah skiing on the World Wide Web,” added Roberts. Last year Skiutah.com reported 400,000 visitor sessions and 110,000 unique visitors per month. RideUtah.com received a facelift as well. The site, also administered by Ski Utah, is devoted to snowboarders and is now in partnership with Burton Snowboards. The new site offers greater quality content, an improved look and feel and more detailed information about snowboarding in Utah. It now also features snowboard-related product reviews and athlete interviews. A new Ride Utah snow report will debut this winter. Jeff Boliba, Burton Snowboards’ Global Resort Director and Kimmy Fasani, an athlete on the Burton National Team who is in the midst of relocating from Mammoth to Park City, were on hand Oct. 5 for the RideUtah.com website launch. Both joined Hilary Reiter, Ski Utah’s Director of Communications, to provide interviews to the media. Fasani plans to compete in the Roxy Chicken Jam, Winter X Games, Vans Cup, The Session Vail, US Open, and Global Open Series during the 2006-07 snowboard season. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 25, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com As More Than 600-Inches of the Greatest Snow on Earth Melts, Utahs Ski Areas Kick into Summer Gear SALT LAKE CITY After a second consecutive season of above-average snowfall, Utah resorts are preparing to welcome a growing number of summer visitors who seek mountain adventure, dynamic cultural offerings and dry, moderate temperatures. From hundreds of miles of mountain biking and hiking trails to ZipRider lines to alpine slides and outdoor concerts, there is no shortage of activities for those of all ages and interests. "People are discovering that mountain communities such as Park City have more than just skiing and snowboarding", said Bill Malone, executive director of the Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau. "Our summer business is showing continued growth, with visitors drawn to Park City by its numerous festivals and outdoor concerts, sporting events, a wide range of activities at our three resorts, fine dining, and much more." An increasing number of resorts are recognizing the wide appeal that summer activities have for visitors, and they continue to enhance their offerings. Activities range from Alpine Slides to Aerial Tram rides, patio dining to Oktoberfest celebrations, music festivals to endless hiking. The areas we all love to ski around in the winter shine in the summer with cool mountain air, incredible views and activities for everyone, added Laura Schaffer, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resorts public relations director. Below is a sampling of summer offerings at Utahs resorts. For further details, please visit their individual Web sites. Brian Head Resort June 24 through September www.brianhead.com Scenic Chairlift rides to 11,000 feet on the Giant Steps Chairlift More than 200 miles of single-track mountain biking via lift access or shuttles 18-hole Disc Golf with hole #1 starting at 11,000 feet Hiking, horseback trail rides, ATV rentals and tours Live Music most weekends throughout the summer Summer events include: July 4: Brian Head Town Annual Fireworks Show July 14-15: Thunder on the Mountain Motorcycle Rally Aug. 3-6: NORBA National Bike Race Series Sept. 16-17 14th Annual Oktoberfest & Bavarian Bash The Canyons Resort June 22 to Sept. 3 www.thecanyons.com Access mountain biking and hiking trails and lunch at Red Pine Lodge via Flight of the Canyons gondola Summer events include: June 18, 25, July 9: Sunday Locals Concert Series presented by Zions Park City Bank (free) July 15-Aug. 19: Saturday Summer Concerts presented by Zions Park City Bank (free) July 3: Live music by the Disco Drippers and fireworks (free) June 7 to October (Wednesdays): Farmers Market in the Cabriolet Parking Lot Deer Valley Resort June 17 to Labor Day, then weekends only thru Sept. 17 www.deervalley.com Lift-served mountain biking and hiking via Silver Lake Express and Wasatch Express chair lifts. Deer Valleys Mountain Bike Rental Shop and Mountain Bike School operate daily and offer scheduled clinics and tours for all abilities Scenic, mountain-side deck dining is offered daily at Royal Street Caf Deer Valley Summer Adventure Camp for children ages one to 12 years Live music at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheatre includes: July 4-Aug. 19: Deer Valley Music Festival with the Utah Symphony & Opera July 20: Lyle Lovett Aug. 25-27: Fidelity Investments Park City Jazz Festival Aug. 30: Bonnie Raitt Sept. 4: Willie Nelson Park City Mountain Resort May 26 to Oct. 15 www.parkcitymountain.com Alpine Coaster new this season- Glide through the aspen glades on an elevated track as it winds through nearly 4,000 feet of curves, bends, and loops. Lift-served mountain biking and hiking via the Town Lift from Park Citys Main Street or the PayDay Lift from the resort village Park City Mountain Resorts ZipRider propels the rider more than 2,300 feet with a vertical drop of 550 feet at speeds up to 60 miles per hour hanging 110 feet in the air. Other activities include the Alpine Slide with four tracks, 18-hole miniature golf, and the Little Miners Park for children which includes merry-go-round, kiddie car ride and choo-choo train. Snowbasin A Sun Valley Resort June 23 to October 1 (Friday thru Sunday and holidays) www.snowbasin.com Scenic lift rides Lift-served mountain biking and hiking Full Moon Gondola Rides/Mountaintop Star Party with Ogden Astronomical Society on July 8, Aug. 12, Sept. 8 New this summer: Ride the gondola up to the Needles Plaza Sunday Brunch Al Fresco Free summer concerts on Saturdays, June 25-Sept. 24, featuring a variety of musical genres such as reggae, bluegrass, Celtic and jazz Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort May 27 to Labor Day then weekends only, conditions permitting www.snowbird.com Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, mountain scooters Horseback riding and ATV tours in Mineral Basin Alpine slide, ZipRider, Bungy Trampoline Aerial Tram Rides to Hidden Peak All day activity pass provides unlimited use of Aerial Tram, Bungy Trampoline, ZipRider and Alpine Slide Summer concerts and festivals include: July 7-9: 18th Annual Founders Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival July 28-29: Snowbird Rock & Blues Festival July 30: Wildflower Festival Aug. 26-Oct. 8 (weekends): 34th Annual Oktoberfest Solitude Mountain Resort June 8 to September www.skisolitude.com Unique summer mountain retreat in European style village condos featuring wonderful dining Scenic chair lift rides, Utah premier mountainside disc golf course Hiking, mountain biking, kids fishing, mountain scooters Summer Events Include: July 1: Chris Allaire Memorial Mountain Bike Race (Intermountain Cup) July 28: Wildflower Festival Weekend Aug. 6: Taste of the Nation Sept. 9 and 10: Utah Challenge Disc Golf Tournament Sundance Resort May 26 to Oct. 14 www.sundanceresort.com Scenic lift rides with access to more than 10 miles of hiking trails Lift-served mountain biking Full moon lift rides offered June 10, July 11, Aug. 9, Sept. 7, Oct. 7 Utah Olympic Park Open year-round www.olyparks.com Guided tours Xtreme & Ultra Ziplines, Quicksilver Alpine Slide The Comet wheeled bobsled rides Freestyle Big Air Shows on Saturdays at noon FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 16, 2006 Hilary Reiter - Ski Utah | Director of Communications - O: (801)433-2016 - C: (435) 901-2071 - hilary@skiutah.com - Utah Resorts Smash Skier Visits Record for Third Consecutive Year SALT LAKE CITY - Utah's ski industry is celebrating its third consecutive record-breaking year for skier visits. With at least two weekends of skiing remaining at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, the current estimate has Utah skier days having reached 4,045,030 during the 2005-06 winter season (the National Ski Areas Association defines 'skier days' as one person visiting a ski area for all or any part of a day or night for the purpose of skiing). "We are thrilled to have reached this significant milestone of 4 million skier days," said Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty. "It's great that word is getting out about the unrivaled accessibility of Utah's ski destinations. Delta Air Lines has made it even more convenient for skiers to get to Utah by now providing non-stop service for the State's top 50 markets. Thanks to Delta's expansion of its Salt Lake hub, Salt Lake City International Airport served over 22.2 million passengers in 2005, the most in its history." For the second year in a row, more than 600-inches of the Greatest Snow on Earth fell on Utah's ski resorts. This winter was a 3.8 percent increase in skier days over last season's 3,895,578. Utah resorts have experienced an incredible 29 percent jump over the last three seasons. "The growth trend, State funding for tourism promotion, and the improvements that several resorts have in the works for next year will give us strong momentum going into the 2006-07 ski season," added Rafferty. Total statewide skier days for the past 10 years are as follows: Season Skier Days Rank 2005-06 4,045,030 1 2004-05 3,895,578 2 2003-04 3,429,141 3 2002-03 3,141,212 5 2001-02 2,984,574 9 2000-01 3,278,291 4 1999-00 2,959,778 10 1998-99 3,095,347 7 1997-98 3,101,735 6 1996-97 3,042,767 8 Utah's official ski season continues at least through Memorial Day, May 29, at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort where skiers and riders are currently enjoying a 114-inch base at mid-mountain. For interview opportunities with Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty, please contact Hilary Reiter at (801) 433-2016 or hilary@skiutah.com. Information on Utah's 13 mountain resorts can be found at www.skiutah.com. Release Date: Tue. April 25, 2006 Author: Laura Schaffer (lschaffer@snowbird.com) Snowbird's Dick Bass to Receive NSAA's Lifetime Achievement Award Snowbirds Dick Bass to Receive NSAAs Lifetime Achievement Award Snowbird, Utah Richard D. Bass (Dick), owner and Chairman of Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, will be awarded the National Ski Areas Associations (NSAA) Lifetime Achievement Award on Wednesday, May 24, in Marco Island, FL. Each year, the award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinary and lasting commitment to the ski industry. Bass will be honored for a career in the ski industry that began in 1962 and flourishes today with his ownership of Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in Utah. Its been a 37-year gestation, but when youre hatching a bird this big, it takes a long time to get airborne, said Bass. Bass lifelong involvement in the ski industry began in 1962 when he invested as one of the original limited partners in the Vail Ski Resort development in Colorado. Since then, he has served on the Board of Directors of Vail Associates Inc., assisted with Vail's development of the Beaver Creek Ski Resort under his brother, Harry Bass Jr., and owned stock in the Aspen Ski Corporation and the Alta Ski Lifts Company. Bass began work on his greatest achievement, Snowbird, in October 1969 and had the first lifts turning by December 1971. Bass has since overseen the continued growth of Snowbird into a world-renowned, year-round destination mountain resort, dedicated to the enhancement of Body, Mind and Spirit. SKIING Magazine has ranked Snowbird, along with Little Cottonwood Canyon neighbor Alta, the No. 1 ski resort in the United States for four years running. In April 1985, at age 55, Bass became the oldest person to reach the top of Mount Everest and the first to climb the highest peak on each of the seven continents. His adventures are chronicled in the book he authored, Seven Summits. Established in 1962, the National Ski Areas Association is the trade association for ski area owners and operators. It represents 326 alpine resorts that account for more than 90 percent of the skier/snowboarder visits nationwide. Additionally, it has 400 supplier members who provide equipment, goods and services to the mountain resort industry. The association's primary objective is to meet the needs of ski area owners and operators nationwide and to foster, stimulate and promote growth in the industry. Bass will be presented with NSAAs Lifetime Achievement Award at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 24, at the Marco Island Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Marco Island, FL. April 18, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications, Ski Utah T: 801.433.2016, C: 435.901.2071 , hilary@skiutah.com Were Still Skiing Fresh Powder in Utah Ski Areas Remain Open with Fantastic Conditions SALT LAKE CITY Spring may have officially started nearly a month ago, but today Utahs slopes more closely resemble mid-winter conditions. On April 18, skiers and snowboarders awoke to more than a foot of the Greatest Snow on Earth. Blue skies and deep powder lured late spring skiers to uncrowded slopes. Four of Utahs ski areas are still in operation with base depths well into the triple digits. Snowbasin and Brighton remain open through April 23, and Alta closed yesterday but will re-open for a final weekend of spring skiing April 21-23. Thanks to snowfall that has surpassed 600-inches for the second consecutive year, Snowbird is open daily until May 14 and then will operate weekends only through May 29, conditions permitting. Not only do these resorts continue to have most of their terrain open, but they are also offering reduced late season lift ticket rates. A full day at Snowbasin can now be enjoyed for $35. Snowbird will offer $45 full day lift tickets May 1 to 7 and $35 tickets May 8 to close. The following highlights snow statistics from Utahs remaining open resorts: Resort Storm Total Base Depth YTD Snowfall (annual avg.) Alta 18 174 638 (500) Brighton 11 142 623 (500) Snowbasin 8 140 432 (350) Snowbird 15 159 577 (500) March 5, 2006 - The New York Times For Some Die-Hards, Spring Means the Season Is Just Warming Up By MICHELLE HIGGINS SPRING begins on March 20, but diehard skiers eager to find the best late-season conditions in North America can stretch this year's winter into early July and at one place probably all the way to Labor Day. With abundant snowfall in many mountain towns out West, a handful of ski areas including the Snowbird resort in Utah, and Mammoth Mountain in California plan to remain open through Memorial Day and, if the snow keeps coming, longer. Last year, conditions were so good that both resorts stayed open until the Fourth of July. Although the weather is hard to predict, Snowbird said it might already be on track to do the same thing this year, given that 348 inches of snow had fallen by mid-February about a foot more than last year and that forecasts are calling for more. At Mammoth, Dana Vander Houwen, a spokeswoman said, "I wouldn't be surprised if we made it into mid-June this year." Snow or no snow, most United States ski resorts shut down by mid-April, when bookings slow and seasonal air service stops. Despite record snowfall, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass in Colorado will close on April 16 to make improvements that include installing new lifts. Crested Butte Mountain Resort, also in Colorado, will close on April 10. Most resorts in the Northeast, where the snow season has generally been disappointing, also plan to close by mid-April. "The fact of the matter is, it takes a certain amount of volume to drive the business," said Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association. "There have been many, many years of great skiing right to the bottom of the mountain" during spring, Mr. Berry said. "But when the destination visitor goes elsewhere and locals decide it's time for a vacation in Mexico, that's when it's over." Still, savvy skiers know how to stretch the season. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming, for example, officially closes this year on April 2. But when the resort reopens for summer tourists on May 27, it allows experienced skiers to ride the aerial tram to take advantage of backcountry snow. "With our current snowpack ranking around 150 percent of normal, the snow will be there for a long time in the early summer months," said Anna Olson, a spokeswoman for the resort. "There will be thousands of vertical feet still covered." A few ski resorts usually stay open into June. Arapahoe Basin in Keystone, Colo., plans to go through the first week of June. Whistler Blackcomb, with two mountains in Whistler, British Columbia, plans to close Blackcomb Mountain's winter operations on April 23, but Whistler Mountain will stay open until June 4. The next day, Blackcomb will reopen for summer glacier skiing until July 30. In Girdwood, Alaska, about 40 miles south of Anchorage, the Alyeska Resort is usually open through Memorial Day. But for about two weeks in June, Alyeska offers private ski and snowboard camps for intermediate to advanced skiers and riders. The Timberline Lodge ski area on Mount Hood in Oregon, where there is a permanent snowfield on the upper part of the mountain, is usually open year round, except for two weeks after Labor Day. At the end of May, when the snow typically begins to melt below 6,000 feet, Timberline turns on its upper lifts from Friday to Sunday to carry skiers to the year-round snow. Last year, the resort had to cut the summer ski season short on Aug. 17 because of a lack of precipitation. But Jon Tullis, the resort's spokesman, said it didn't expect to have that problem this year. In fact, its highest lift was buried in snow this month. An extended season often means special deals. Snowbird is offering a three-day Late Season Stay package starting April 9 at $95 a night a person, based on double occupancy, including a lift ticket. From April 23 to May 31 at Mammoth, overnight accommodations start as low as $87 a person, double occupancy; guests who stay two or more nights receive two days of lift tickets free. Some of the best savings can be found in the Northeast, where resorts are using discounts and heavy snowmaking to try to make up for a disappointing season. Hunter and Windham Mountains in upstate New York have teamed to offer a March Mountain Madness discount coupon valid through April 16 that is good for up to 20 percent off lodging (it is found at www.hunterchamber.org/site/mmm/coupon.htm). Another coupon offers discounts on dining, shopping and other services. From March 26 to April 9, Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont is offering two nights of lodging for as little as $69 a person, double occupancy, including two free lift tickets. Canada, which has seen a drop in American tourists because of tighter border security and a less favorable exchange rate, is also offering attractive ski deals to lure travelers across the border. Whistler Blackcomb, for example, has introduced what it calls an Edge Card, which for $69 Canadian (about $61, at 89 Canadian cents to the United States dollar) offers Washington State residents discounted lift tickets and the chance to skip lines at ticket windows. Of course, no matter how much snow is left, spring skiing usually means spring conditions. The cycle of melting and freezing on warmer days causes fluffy powder to crystallize into granular pellets dubbed "corn snow" because the size and shape resemble kernels of corn. Some skiers enjoy the crunchy sound and grabby feel of corn snow. Others prefer powder. But to many die-hards, all that matters is that it's snow. Park City Mountain Resort Announces the 4th Annual World Superpipe Championships Author: Krista Parry [kristap@pcmr.com] Release Date: Thu. February 23, 2006 Park City, Utah (February 23, 2006) Park City Mountain Resort welcomes the worlds top skiers and snowboarders to compete at the 2006 World Superpipe Championships in the new, 22-foot wall, Eagle Superpipe. This invite-only event will be the first major competition following the 2006 Olympic Games and will feature many of the top athletes from the Olympics and X-Games. We love that we can relive some of the Olympic glory in one of the best halfpipe venues, said Jim Mangan, director of action sports marketing at Park City Mountain Resort. The halfpipe is one of the biggest in the world and it will help showcase the talents of these riders at their highest level. The field of athletes will compete for a piece of the $90,000 prize purse in a best of three-run format. On Saturday, March 11, two-time World Superpipe Champion, Keir Dillon, competes against a field of snowboarders, including the 2002 Olympic gold medalist Ross Powers and this years bronze medalist Markku Koski. Also, fresh from the Torino Games gold medalist Hannah Teter, returns to the U.S. to battle against a strong field of women snowboarders including Australias up-and-comer Torah Bright and 2002 Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark. The mens skier event will take place on Sunday, March 12. Park City All-Star and X-Games Ten halfpipe champ, Tanner Hall, will face off against X-Games runner-up Simon Dumont. The event is free to the public and will include live music, food, and giveaways. For a complete schedule of events, information and to apply for media credentials visit www.worldsuperpipe.com/press. Park City Mountain Resort encompasses 3,300 acres, 3,100 vertical feet, nine bowls and eight peaks offering Signature groomed runs, bumps, powder, trees, terrain parks and the Eagle Superpipe, North Americas largest superpipe. The Resort is conveniently located 36 miles away from the Salt Lake International Airport, offering more than 500 non-stop flights daily. For more information about Park City Mountain Resort visit our blog at http://parkcity.typepad.com or our website at www.parkcitymountain.com. February 22, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.534.1779 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Salt Lake City International Airport Has Best On-time Arrival Record in the United States Salt Lake City International Airport recorded the best on-time arrival record among major U.S. airports last year, helped by Delta Air Lines, which was able to maintain its performance level despite filing for bankruptcy in September. "Salt Lake City International Airport's outstanding on-time arrival record further enhances the fantastic accessibility of Utah's ski areas," said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah. "Our visitors are discovering that Utah's resorts are the most conveniently located in the county. Eleven of them are within a one hour drive of the airport, and a great on-time arrival record further enables many of our guests to hit the slopes they same day they arrive." Through December, 83.46 percent of all flights arriving at the airport landed on time, according to the U.S. Transportation Department, putting it at the top of the government's list of the 33 biggest airports around the country. A year earlier, Salt Lake City was No. 3. Delta's on-time rate was 83.64 percent of its flights into Utah's capital city, virtually unchanged from 2004. Delta maintained its record even though it added 29 new nonstop destinations and flew an additional 3.8 million passengers in and out of Salt Lake City in 2005. The Atlanta-based carrier's on-time record was helped by SkyWest Airlines, which operates flights for Delta's Delta Connection service. SkyWest flights landed on time 85.88 percent of the time, the best record among the 12 major airlines providing service to Salt Lake City. In total, the airlines flew 22.2 million passengers in and out of Salt Lake City last year, a 21 percent jump from the previous year. Gann said Delta accounted for almost all of the increase. Its passenger numbers rose 29 percent, to 16.7 million, from 12.9 million in 2004. Delta flies to 98 destinations. Nationally, U.S. airlines flew 642 million passengers last year, 23 million more than in 2004. January 4, 2006 Hilary Reiter, Director of Communications Ski Utah T: 801.534.1779 C: 435.901.2071 hilary@skiutah.com Utah Rings in the New Year with a String of Powerful Snowstorms Ski Areas Report Record Numbers of Holiday Skiers and Snowboarders SALT LAKE CITY - Skiers and snowboarders who made a New Year's resolution to ski more powder in 2006 are already keeping to it thanks to four consecutive storms that dumped several feet of The Greatest Snow on EarthR on Utah's thirteen ski resorts. Several resorts now have base depths of more than 100 inches. Holiday bookings were up as much as 30 percent over last year. "The booking increase is especially impressive given that last year was Utah's second consecutive record-breaking year for skier days," said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah. "Utah locals and visitors could not have asked for a better holiday gift than all the snow we have received over the last several days," Rafferty continued. "Once again, above average snowfall is making for another spectacular early season in Utah." Utah resorts are on par, and in some cases, ahead of last year's record-breaking snowfall. Northern Utah snow levels are currently 120 percent of the average for this time of year. Alta Ski Area is reporting 236 inches of snow so far this season, nearly half of their average annual snowfall. Over 70 inches has fallen since Dec. 26. The resort's lodging was sold out Christmas week. The Canyons Resort reports that their holiday bookings were up nearly 30 percent over last year, and they broke all previous lift ticket sales records on Dec. 30. Nearly four feet of snow has fallen since Dec. 28. Park City Mountain Resort ended a busy holiday period with 75 inches of fresh snow blanketing the slopes since Dec. 27. Powder Mountain's ticket sales were up five percent over last year, and the resort's lodging was completely booked between Christmas and New Year's. They received 37 inches of fresh snow over the past four days. Snowbasin received more snow in the past week than they did the entire moth of January 2005. They also saw more holiday skiers this year than last. Solitude Mountain Resort reported 237 inches of snowfall for the season thus far, receiving 22 inches during the Jan. 3-4 storm. The resort's lodging was sold out during the holidays. Utah resorts enjoying another strong start By Ray Grass Deseret Morning News December 22, 2005 Utah received more snow last year by this date, but when it comes down to inches on the ground, the numbers this year are nearly the same. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning NewsCathy Batten skis the powder at Canyons Ski Resort. By Dec. 22 of last year, Utah's higher-elevation resorts, like Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude, had received close to 200 inches. This year the numbers are around 150 inches, which is still above the norm for this time of year. Last year at this time, the four resorts were holding bases between 70 and 75 inches. The snow report this week showed Brighton with 74 inches, Alta with 71 and Snowbird and Solitude with 65. The snow hit early and hard last year, but then a dry spell hit and the 13 Utah resorts had to rely on a packed base and snowmaking. This year snowstorms have been more consistent and, in looking at the last two storms, have been somewhat of a surprise. The last two storms, including the one Sunday and Monday, were not expected to be much. "But they were and they both came in with perfect timing," said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah. "We've got good snow, now, and our bookings for the holidays are strong. The main thing is we have a good base. Visiting skiers aren't used to the three feet of Utah powder we sometimes get. Conditions now are perfect." Holiday bookings are, in fact, very strong. Snowbird reported 100 percent occupancy last weekend, "and strong bookings through the holidays," said Laura Schaffer, director of public relations. The town of Park City is pretty much full for the holidays. Krista Parry, public relations manager at Park City Mountain Resort, said that with the latest storm, which put down 13 new inches, "We have a great base and conditions now are great. Storms the past two weeks have really helped. Everything is open. We even opened Jupiter Bowl to hiking this week." Solitude and Alta are also reporting strong bookings, with an opening here for one- or two-night stays, but nothing for extended vacancies of six to seven days. Consensus is, the latest storm was just the boost resorts needed going into the busy Christmas and New Year's business. "It was a nice, heavy snow," said Connie Marshall, director of public relations at Alta. "It wasn't like light snow we're used to, but it was the kind of snow that gives us a good base to ensure good skiing." Elsewhere around the country, resorts seem to be doing better this year than last. California, as did Utah, got hit hard last year. In early January, Alpine Meadows in California was reporting a 99- to 163-inch base. This year, two weeks earlier than last year, its base is 33 to 70 inches. Back East, conditions vary. Attitash in New Hampshire is only 47 percent open with a base of 20 to 40 inches; Whiteface in New York is 61 percent open with a base of 18 to 31 inches; and Stowe in Vermont is 90 percent open with a base of 24 to 40 inches. Colorado resorts, however, seem to be doing better. Last year, in January, Aspen Highlands was reporting a base of 54 to 66 inches, where this year, at this point, it has 39 to 53 inches. Vail was 42 to 54 inches last year and this season, at this point, it is reporting 43 to 73. Steamboat has a base of 51 to 62 inches and Beaver Creek has a base of 34 to 50 inches. Whistler/Blackcomb in Canada, consistently rated as one of the top resorts in North America, was only able to open 60 percent of its runs by January of last year. Currently, only 50 percent of the resort's runs are open. Elsewhere here in the West, Big Sky in Montana has a base of 30 to 49 inches, Jackson Hole in Wyoming is reporting 21 to 45 inches, and Sun Valley in Idaho is reporting a base of 31 to 57 inches. Some of Utah's resorts will be putting some Christmas touches on the slopes this week. The Canyons will have Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Christmas elves on the slopes passing out treats to boys and girls Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on the slopes of Snowbird on Friday, and Deer Valley will have Santa on the slopes on Saturday. Saturday, Snowbird and Park City Mountain Resort have torchlight parades planned. Snowbird will hold an interfaith Christmas Eve candlelight service. For the latest in skiing and lodging information, visit www.skiutah.com. Deseret News Article Aug. 26, 2005 Nathan Rafferty Ski Utah | Director of Communications Ski Utah Press Room New and Improved - A Flurry of Upgrades Grace Utah Ski Areas for 2005-06 SALT LAKE CITY Having just notched the best season in Utahs 69-year history, area resorts arent resting on their laurels. They continue to hone, polish, create, add, build, renovate and revise their equipment, amenities, facilities, products and programs. Utahs 13 powder playgrounds have invested millions of dollars in on-mountain improvements this summer, from adding new lifts and lodges to expanded programs and terrain parks. Heres whats new this season: Alta BELOVED ALTA LANDMARK REPLACED: Skiers will find a new mid-mountain day lodge next winter at Alta. Watson Shelter, a favorite spot for lunch by local skiers and out of town guests alike, has been removed and replaced by an all-new Watson Shelter slated for completion this fall. The new Watson Shelter is being built near the Angle Station of the Collins Lift (installed summer 2004). Like the original, most of the materials for construction are granite and wood. The shelters footprint is nearly 5000 square feet. The building will have three levels with plenty of deck space for outdoor dining. It will offer an Alta logo ski shop, generous restroom facilities and an extensive cafeteria. The Watson will also preserve the Collins Grill experience and offer an area for private dining. Beaver Mountain WIDER RUNS & PREP WORK FOR 2006-07: Crews have been working hard at the Beav this summer to widen existing runs off of Marge's Triple as well as creating several new runs in the area. The resort is also prepping for next years major project of replacing Harrys Dream chairlift by pouring footings for the new towers. BASE LODGE IMPROVEMENTS: A facelift of base lodge restrooms including new vanities will greet guest visiting Beaver Mountain this season. NEW SNOWCAT: Beavers new $200,000 Piston Bully snowcat guarantees dreamy and creamy cruising on their groomed runs for 2005-06. Brian Head NEW EQUIPMENT: Brian Head Resort purchased two new snow grooming machines for the upcoming winter season including a brand new 2006 Camoplast bi350 and a 2004 Bombardier br350. The machines are faster, have the latest technology, can cover more acres per hour, and have more horsepower to push snow than previous machines creating improvements in area grooming as well as freestyle terrain and parks. EXPANDING FREESTYLE TERRAIN & PARKS: Under new park management, the Park Crew has great expectations and fresh ideas to improve and expand the existing freestyle terrain. Next years park will have beginner and intermediate boxes, rails, and jumps on the Navajo lift as well as beginner, intermediate and expert terrain parks at Giant Steps. With the addition of the new snow cats, steeper angles can be cut and formed to enhance the expert freestyle terrain. WINTER SPORTS SCHOOL: New for 2005-06, Brian Head offers a "Get Better" lesson for only $20 to guests regardless of their ability beginner to expert giving skiers and snowboarders of all abilities the opportunity to improve their skills with a qualified instructor at a very affordable price. Brighton GROOMING: Brighton Resort added two new Park Bully snow cats for even better grooming. With over 85 years combined experience, Brightons cat drivers know each aspect of the runs and the best way to produce the finest surface for both skiers and snowboarders. Only their most experienced drivers groom their terrain park and half pipe. They are very picky, since they are the first ones to ride their work each morning. Year after year, Brightons employees devotion to the sport continues to ensure a great day for their guests. INCREASED SNOWMAKING: Brighton added two SMI Pole Cat tower guns to their snowmaking arsenal over the summer providing an earlier opening to their Terrain Park. GAZ EX AVALANCHE CONTROL: To continue to ensure the safety of their guests, Brighton installed cutting-edge avalanche control equipment produced by the Gaz Ex Company. This amazing system needs no explosives or fuses. Controlled remotely from the ski patrol office, the system affords increased safety for Brighton personnel who will no longer need to enter avalanche danger zones while carrying explosives. A device remains on-slope which releases controlled explosions just above the unstable snow surface creating a sympathy effect and simultaneous shock wave, increasing the efficiency over traditional methods of hand-thrown charges. Using this method, avalanches can be triggered in all weather conditions and from a safe location, away from the blast site. The Canyons NEW PASSES FOR UTAH LOCALS: Utahs young adults who are not in college can now get a screamin deal with the new No Brainer Pass at The Canyons. This season pass product is for skiers and snowboarders ages 18 25. A No Brainer Pass costs $399 if purchased before Nov. 14. Also, back by popular demand is the Cherry Picker Pass for Utah locals. The Cherry Picker Pass allows Utah locals to pick any 5 days of the season at The Canyons for $29.80 per day. This special 5-pack is $149 if purchased online at www.thecanyons.com before Labor Day. 400 MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION PLAN: In the next 3 years, The Canyons Resort will continue its master expansion plan that will total more than 400 million dollars in improvements both on and off the mountain. Improvements will include new lifts, additional terrain, new lodging facilities, a golf course and continued development of The Canyons Resort Village. This vision is the result of the combined efforts of the many landowners at The Canyons Resort and American Skiing Company. NEW BEGINNER TERRAIN PARK: First time terrain park skiers and riders can feel comfortable in The Canyons new beginners terrain park located off of Saddleback Express. The park will cater to first-time park users and will compliment The Canyons Ski & Snowboard School Terrain Park Clinics that are now available as well. The advanced terrain park will remain in its previous location, off of Sun Peak Express. Deer Valley NEW SULTAN CHAIRLIFT: Part of $8 million in improvements for 2005-06, Deer Valley has replaced and extended the Sultan chairlift on Bald Mountain with a high-speed detachable quad. The new lift offers 1,000 additional linear feet, bringing its vertical drop to 1,760 feet. Extending the lift opens 75 additional skiable acres which includes a new intermediate run and approximately 65 acres of glade skiing. EXPANDED SKI CORRAL: Look for an expansion of the Silver Lake Ski Corral, Lodge Deck and Village Plaza in 2005-06. The Ski Corral has been added on to the Silver Lake Lodge and will be expanded to hold 2,000 pairs of skis. The Silver Lake Lodge deck will be increased by 1,200 square feet with the heated Village Plaza being expanded by 2,200 square feet. ADDITIONAL RETAIL AND RENTAL SHOP SPACE: Deer Valleys Rental Shop and Signatures store will take over the existing Royal Plaza Conference Center which is located adjacent to the Silver Lake Lodge. The Rental Shop will be expanding inventory by 15 percent and will be open daily during the winter season from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. NEW EQUIPMENT & SNOWMAKING: Deer Valley has replaced four snowcats, 12 snowmobiles and 10 snowguns with new equipment. Expanded snowmaking has also been added around the new and improved Sultan chairlift. Park City Mountain Resort NEWLY RENOVATED LEGENDS BAR AND RESTAURANT: Legends, the spot for aprs ski, has been relocated to the plaza level of the Legacy Lodge. The new Legends will boast excellent drinks and food making it the perfect place to relax after a long day on the mountain. BIGGEST SUPERPIPE IN NORTH AMERICA: Park City Mountain Resort purchased a new pipe cutter that gives a new definition to super in the Eagle Superpipe. With 22 foot walls, the superpipe will be the largest in North America. Park City Mountain Resort will also add new rails and funboxes to its four terrain parks. NEW GROOMING AND SNOWMAKING EQUIPMENT: Last season Park City Mountain Resort introduced grooming on several of its advanced, black-diamond runs. These Signature Runs helped to open up more of the mountain to the intermediate skier. Park City Mountain Resort has added two new snowcats, including a winch cat, to its fleet, allowing it to continue its commitment to on-mountain grooming. The resort also added 10 snowmaking guns providing more efficient snowmaking. Powder Mountain HIDDEN LAKE TERRAIN PARK: New for 2005-06, The Hidden Lake Park offers features for more advanced park riders. Located on Hidden Lake trail, the park contains handrails, tabletops, a spine hit, and a quarterpipe. It will be open for normal daytime operation hours, seven days a week and groomed nightly. SHESKIS EXTREME: Advanced and expert skiers can sign up for the Black Diamond women's clinics. SheSkis is Powder Mountain's women's only program taught by women. Learn to ski bumps, powder and the backcountry. Weather and conditions permitting, a helicopter ride to the backcountry will be available for an additional charge. Dates for this clinic are Jan. 31, Feb. 7 & 14. Sign up for the entire session or just one day. Snowbird NEW CREEKSIDE LODGE: A new day lodge in Gad Valley, the Creekside Lodge, will greet skiers and riders for the 2005-06 winter season. The two-story lodge houses the Creekside Cafe, a ticket office, a Mountain School office, retail space and locker rooms. The kicker - a 3,000-square-foot deck offers skiers and riders the ultimate in post-powder lounging after a day on the slopes. IMPROVED GAD VALLEY PARKING LOT: Snowbird's Entry 1 parking lot received a makeover this summer. The main entrance from the parking lot to Gad Valley will be by the new Creekside Lodge (approximately where the old bathrooms were). The two-level, paved parking lot includes stairs and a green strip in the middle to allow easier access to cars and the slopes. For added convenience, UTA will add a bus stop in Gad Valley. SNOWBIRD EXPEDITIONS: The dream of Dick Bass, the first person to summit the tallest mountain on each of the world's seven continents, has been to create a renaissance center for enhancement of body, mind and spirit. This dream becomes a reality this year as Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort launches Snowbird Expeditions, a program offering participants hands-on mountaineering instruction and guidance from the world's foremost experts. David Breashears, a world-famous climber, author and cinematographer, designed these expeditions to combine the optimum blend of intense athletic activity, technical climbing instruction, mountaineering skills, world-renowned healthful cuisine and restorative spa treatments. Visit www.snowbirdx.com for more information. CLIFF LODGE RENOVATIONS: Summer of 2005 marks the beginning of renovations to Snowbird's flagship property, the Cliff Lodge. Lodging rooms will be upgraded with new furnishings, bedding, tile and bathroom fixtures. In addition, most spa level rooms will provide flat screen televisions and Tempurpedic beds. Snowbasin TUBING: Snowbasin will have six lanes of lift-assisted tubing for the 2005-06 winter season. Three lanes will be for the beginning tuber with the other three designed with "more fun" in mind. TRANSPORTATION FROM SALT LAKE CITY: In conjunction with the Grand America and Little America Hotels, Snowbasin will be providing transportation to and from Salt Lake City for their skiing guests. LOCALS ONLY PASSPORT: For Utah residents only - 10 days of skiing for just $430 with a valid Utah drivers license. One passport per person, one pass redeemed per day. Non-refundable. Solitude MOONBEAM CHAIRLIFT: Solitude installed a new fixed-grip quad for 2005-06, replacing the Moonbeam II lift and allowing skiers to get to beginner and intermediate terrain much easier from the parking lot. The new quad allows for easier unloading (due to a gentler off-load ramp) for beginners and makes the mid-mountain intersection much less congested. Moonbeam base visitors are sure to enjoy the efficiency of moving people out of the area during high traffic times, including lunch and the start of the day. MOONBEAM DAY LODGE: The new lodge-style facility is designed to not only be functional and complement the mountain, but to blend with the architecture of the European-styled Solitude village. The 12,000 square foot lodge sits adjacent the Moonbeam Center and is home to a new rental shop, lockers, indoor and outdoor food service, an aprs ski bar, heated patio, a rooftop sun deck and a spacious and inviting sitting den, which will make up roughly one-third of the new facility. The new lodge fills a void at Solitude in providing more amenities, and simply, a comfortable place for relaxing, to day guests. Solitude remains committed to providing a quality experience for each skier or rider on the mountain. NEW TICKETING SYSTEM: Continuing the tradition of Solitudes cutting-edge ticket and pass technology they have upgraded their ticketing system to give skiers and riders the ability to purchase tickets online and go directly to the lifts. Other new features include online tracking of vertical and lift ride data. Solitude Axess Cards must be purchased for an additional $5 (when purchasing a single day ticket) in order to access the full range of capabilities offered by this unique ticketing system. Sundance FITNESS CENTER: A year-round fitness center will be located in Sundances yurt facility near the Screening Room. Guests can enjoy personal and private exercise, yoga or quiet time before venturing outside. HOME BASE LEARNING METHOD: Sundances Ski and Snowboard School will incorporate a unique learning method and technique called "Home Base, that makes learning fast, simple and more fun. In the past, this program was only available in Sundances special Performance Skiing Labs. It has now become a part of every ski or snowboard learning experience. The method is state-of-the-art with each guest experiencing a new level of performance in a short period of time. BEAR CLAWS CABIN: Sundances mountain-top lodge will receive some fine tuning to further enhance this very special mountain dinning experience. From Bear Claws Cabin, visitors have 360 degree views that rival any European vista with slopes that are manageable for most levels of skiers and boarders. Wolf Mountain NEW OWNER AND NAME: Formerly called Nordic Valley, the latest addition to this Ogden Valley ski area is the name! IMPOVED FACILITIES: A general clean up including repairs of equipment and buildings top the list for Utahs newest ski area. Wolf Mountains facilities improvement schedule includes demolition of some of the old buildings, recontouring and grading of the parking lot and reworking the entryway. NEW GROOMER: A Bombardier groomer, greatly increasing the consistency of Wolf Mountains snow quality, will provide perfect corduroy for 2005-06. THE WOLF PASS: Already on sale at Wolf Creek Resort, the pass provides year-round access to Wolf Creeks Recreation Center including a fitness center, racquetball courts, game room, summer-long access to the pool, tennis & volleyball courts and unlimited day or night skiing at Wolf Mountain. Snowbird to Remain Open Through July 4 Author: Laura Schaffer (lschaffer@snowbird.com) Release Date: Thu. June 23, 2005 Independence Day Skiing Marks Utah's Record Ninth Month, 201st Day Snowbird, Utah - Skiing and snowboarding in Utah has not ended yet, as Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort President Bob Bonar announced today Snowbird will remain open for skiing and riding weekends through July 4, 2005. "There is no better way to end Snowbird's spectacular season than to go out with a bang on the Fourth of July," said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. "Thanks to Mother Nature's delivery of over 630 inches of snow this winter it looks like we'll be able to do just that." The 2004-05 ski season was the longest in both Snowbird's history and in the state of Utah. The season began Nov. 5, 2004, Snowbird's earliest opening ever, and will end July 4, 2005, matching Snowbird's latest closing in 1995. Independence Day will mark the 201st day of lift-accessed skiing and riding at Snowbird during the season that spanned nine months from November to July. Snowbird received 633 inches of snow this winter and the most recent snowfall occurred June 12. The mid-mountain base is currently over 7 feet deep at 92 inches. Skiing and riding will take place the next two weekends and Monday, July 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., conditions permitting. Lift tickets are $30. Park in the Snowbird Center lot, Snowbird Entry 2, and take the Tram to Little Cloud Chairlift, accessing Little Cloud Bowl and Regulator Johnson. Snowbird's late-season skiing and snowboarding is not for beginners. Only advanced terrain is available from the Little Cloud Chairlift. For more information contact Laura Schaffer at (801) 933-2047 or lschaffer@snowbird.com Summertime Begins June 22 at The Canyons Resort Author: Katie Eldridge [keldridge@thecanyons.com] Release Date: Wed. June 22, 2005 The Canyons opens for the summer season this Wednesday, June 22nd with mountain biking, hiking, live outdoor concerts and more! Park City, UT - The Canyons Resort kicks of the 2005 Summer Season on Wednesday, June 22nd. Summer activities include hiking, mountain biking, lunch at Red Pine Caf, and free outdoor concerts on Saturday evenings in The Canyons Resort Village. "We have added and improved several trails this season with the help of the Mountain Trails Foundation," said Scott Pierpont, President of The Canyons Resort. "Mountain bikers can either ride up to mid-mountain or they can use the Flight of The Canyons gondola to access our trail system," added Pierpont. Season Passes from the 2004/2005 winter season are accepted for summer gondola access as well. The resort's summer hours will be Wednesdays through Sundays from 9:30am until 4pm until September 4th, 2005. Hours will shift to include weekends only from September 5th through the 25th. Upcoming Events: Saturday, June 25th - Kids Get "Bike Ready" at The Canyons Kids 15 and under will be able to register their bikes at The Canyons courtesy of the Summit County Sheriff's office. The event happens from 10:00am until 12:00pm. Kids will get a complimentary ride up the Flight of The Canyons gondola and will have the opportunity to learn basic bike skills from The Canyons staff. Registration is free and will take place at Canyon Mountain Sports. Kids must have parent or guardian present to register. Helmets are required. There will be a mini bike park located in front of Red Pine Lodge. For more info, contact Canyon Mountain Sports at 435-615-3440. July 3rd Independence Day Celebration The Canyons kicks off the holiday festivities first with its annual celebration on Sunday, July 3rd. It all starts with a live concert featuring the Disco Drippers at 7:30pm followed by a fireworks spectacular once the sun sets over the mountains. Parking is available in the main lot, and the Cabriolet will be open throughout the evening for village access. Saturday Summer Concerts at The Canyons, Presented by Zions Park City Bank A Park City locals' favorite, the annual Saturday Summer Concerts series is back with another stellar line-up. All concerts are free and open to the public, so bring your lawn chairs, load up the picnic basket and enjoy the sounds of summer in The Canyons Resort Village. Featured bands include Buckwheat Zydeco, Curtis Salgado, and Melvin Seals and the Jerry Garcia Band. July 8th - 9th - Park City Food and Wine Classic On July 8th & 9th The Canyons Resort welcomes the Park City Food and Wine Classic. Throughout the day on Friday, wine enthusiasts can take advantage of a variety of food and wine seminars. On Saturday, The Canyons is the place to be for the Signature Event - Grand Tasting with over 300 wines to sample. The Grand Tasting also features the Steel Chef competition and live entertainment. More information and tickets are available at www.parkcityfoodandclassic.org. The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah is the largest single ski and snowboard resort in Utah and one of the five largest in the United States. Located just four miles from Park City's historic Main Street, The Canyons offers 3,500 acres of diverse terrain over eight separate mountains, accessing 146 trails. Mountain biking, hiking, live concerts and the Farmers' Market are just a few of the warm weather activities offered at The Canyons. Additional details are available at www.thecanyons.com. Utah Resorts Smash All-Time Skier Visits Record Author: Nathan Rafferty [nato@skiutah.com] Release Date: Tue. May 17, 2005 SALT LAKE CITY Utah ski industry marketers are calling it the perfect storm. Early and consistent snowfall, a surging economy, increased marketing efforts, a dearth of snow in other ski regions and the lingering afterglow of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games combined to fuel the busiest season in Utahs 66-year skiing history. For the second year in a row Utah resorts posted a record number of skier days, up 12 percent over last seasons previous all-time high. Some Utah resorts saw October snowfall amounts reach as high as 122 inches - 289 percent of the 24-year average for that month. With the early snowfall we enjoyed this year, its tough to have a bad season. said Ski Utah President Kip Pitou. And it just keeps coming. Skiers and riders at Snowbird saw a two-foot dump just last week. Its been an incredible season. Its tough to argue that The Greatest Snow on Earth was anywhere but Utah this year. With the Utah State Legislatures appropriation of 18 million dollars to fund tourism promotion over the next two years, Utah tourism entities are optimistic about the future. Utahs ski industry is just hitting its stride, says Pitou. We have a lot of momentum going into next year and look forward to pushing past the four million skier day mark. Total skier days (the National Ski Areas Association defines skier days as one person visiting a ski area for all or any part of a day or night for the purpose of skiing) for the 2004-05 ski and snowboard season totaled 3,895,578, a 12 percent increase over last years previous record. Utahs Summit County ski areas (Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons Resort) saw a combined record for the third straight year in a row with visits totaling 1,608,332 - an 11.8 percent gain over last year and a 26.8 percent increase from 2001-02. Total statewide skier days for the past 10 years are as follows: Season ..... Skier Days ..... Rank 2004-05 ..... 3,895,578 ..... 1 2003-04 ..... 3,386,141 ..... 2 2002-03 ..... 3,141,212 ..... 4 2001-02 ..... 2,984,574 ..... 9 2000-01 ..... 3,278,291 ..... 3 1999-00 ..... 2,959,778 ..... 10 1998-99 ..... 3,095,347 ..... 7 1997-98 ..... 3,101,735 ..... 6 1996-97 ..... 3,042,767 ..... 8 1995-96 ..... 2,954,690 ..... 11 Utahs official ski season continues through Memorial Day, May 30, at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort where skiers and riders are currently enjoying a 182-inch base. Summer operations at other Utah resorts begin as early as Friday, May 27. For interview opportunities with Ski Utah President Kip Pitou, please contact Nathan Rafferty at (801) 534-1779 or nato@skiutah.com. Information on Utahs 13 mountain resorts can be found at www.skiutah.com. HAPPY 4/20: A late spring dump drops 18 inches on Snowbird! (Powdermag.com) Author: Keith Carlsen (Powdermag.com) Release Date: Thu. April 21, 2005 http://powdermag.com/features/columns/snowbird_4_20/ As most skiers across the nation dust off mountain bikes and head for beaches, skiers in Utah continue to reap the benefits of the winter that refuses to end. After a week of warm, spring weather, a storm rolled in to the Holyland Wednesday and unloaded 18 inches of the driest powder seen all year. The parking lots at Snowbird Ski Resortthe only area still open in Little and Big Cottonwoodresembled a mid-winter weekend powder day. As one local so aptly stated, Every ski bum in the Wasatch is here today! Still, there were no lines on the chairs and trams moved quickly. The morning started out strong with Gad Chute runs delivering long vertical in waist-to-chest-deep drifts. Around 12:30 p.m. patrol decided it was time to open the crown jewel of the BirdHigh Baldy. My friend Justin Yarmark and I happened to be standing next to the patrol on the tram when they made the decision. Itll be worth the wait, a grinning patroller whispered. Just minutes later we marched with 20 other powder soldiers up to the Baldy gate. With a little aggressive behavior and some luck, Justin and I dove into Baldy without a single track in our view. The top-to-bottom descent was a constant face shot one of the best Baldy runs of the year. With this latest dump, Snowbirds 2004-05 snowfall hit an astounding 584 inches. The ski area plans to remain open daily until May 8th and then open weekends until Memorial Day. For late-season discounts and more info, check out www.snowbird.com. Fox 13 News Receives Ski Utahs Excellence in SnowSports Journalism Award for 2005 Author: Nathan Rafferty [nato@skiutah.com] Release Date: Sat. April 02, 2005 SALT LAKE CITY KSTUs Fox 13 News today received Ski Utahs Excellence in SnowSports Journalism award, honoring the Salt Lake City-based television news team for their coverage of Utahs ski and snowboard industry. Ski Utah President Kip Pitou presented the award and praised the local Fox affiliates commitment to covering Utahs winter sports industry at Ski Utahs Local Media Day held April 2, at Snowbasin. Fox 13 has been a leader in providing information on Utahs winter sports industry, said Pitou. From detailed snow conditions and weather forecasts to in-depth reporting on industry issues, Fox 13 News is a step above the rest in both quantity and quality. Utahs ski industry appreciates their passion, dedication and consistency while accurately and enthusiastically conveying the many winter recreation opportunities here in Utah. Pitou added, Its important to recognize members of the media in our community. They keep skiing and snowboarding at the forefront of peoples minds, and drive the locals to keep our mountain resort business alive. We couldnt do it without them. Past recipients of the award include Mike Gorrell Salt Lake Tribune (2003); Shelley Osterloh and Keith McCord KSL TV (2002); Ray Grass Deseret News (2001); Tom Jordan and Scott Markewitz (2000); KTVX (1999); Kristen Gould Case (1998); KPCW (1997); Ogden Standard Examiner (1996); Larry Warren KUTV (1995); Mike Allen KTVX (1994); Mike Korologos (1993); Steve Howe (1992); John Harrington (1991); Craig Hansel Salt Lake Tribune and Ray Grass Deseret News (1990). Ski Utah represents and promotes the states ski and snowboard industry, including 13 alpine and seven cross-country ski areas, as well as other winter-related businesses. The nine-person office is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association, an organization founded in 1975 and comprised of business members dedicated to the advancement and growth of Utahs snowsports industry. 2005 Closing Dates for Utah Resorts (tentative) Release Date: Mon. March 21, 2005 2005 Closing Dates for Utah Resorts (tentative) Beaver Mountain.....April 2 Sundance.....April 2 Brian Head.....April 10 The Canyons.....April 10 Deer Valley.....April 10 Park City.....April 10 Snowbasin.....April 10 Brighton.....April 17 Solitude.....April 17 Alta.....April 17 Snowbird.....May 30 Powder Mountain.....no set date Junior Olympians Race to Snowbird March 17-20 Author: Laura Schaffer (lschaffer@snowbird.com) Release Date: Wed. March 16, 2005 Contest Features Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super-G Racing Snowbird, Utah - Top ski racers from the Intermountain West will compete in the Western J3 Junior Olympics and J4 Festival at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort March 17-20, 2005. The event gets under way with super-G training in Mineral Basin Thursday, March 17. The men's and women's super-G races are scheduled for Friday, March 18, on the White Diamonds run in Mineral Basin. Saturday, March 19, brings the men's slalom race on the Wilbere Ridge run in Gad Valley and the women's giant slalom race on the Primrose Path run in Peruvian Gulch. On Sunday, March 20, Wilbere Ridge hosts the women's slalom race and the men compete in the giant slalom on Primrose Path. An awards ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday on the Plaza Deck of the Snowbird Center, accessed by Snowbird Entry 2. This event, sponsored by USSA, Chevrolet, Volkl and Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, is free and open to the public. The Primrose Path and Wilbere Ridge runs are visible from the base area and runs within Snowbird, accessed by Snowbird Entries 1 and 2. Spectators can watch the super-G, located in Mineral Basin, with a valid lift ticket. The race schedule may change due to weather. Snowbird has received 387 inches of snow this year and enjoyed one of its best seasons on record. For media information, contact Laura Schaffer at (801) 933-2047/ lschaffer@snowbird.com. Park City Mountain Resort Welcomes an Elite Field to the 3rd Annual World Superpipe Championships Author: Krista Rowles (kristar@pcski.com) Release Date: Wed. February 23, 2005 Park City, Utah (February 23, 2005) Park City Mountain Resort welcomes the worlds top skiers and snowboarders back to the Eagle Superpipe March 12-13 to compete in the 2005 World Superpipe Championships. This years competition boasts the strongest field of competitors in the events history vying for a podium finish and a share of the $90,000 purse. The athletes competing in this years event are the best riders in the halfpipe right now, said Jim Mangan, action sports marketing manager at Park City Mountain Resort. The riders have stepped up their game at every event this season pulling bigger and better tricks. The mens snowboarding field consists of eight top qualifiers from the 2005 Winter X-Games, including breakout star Antti Autti the young Finnish champ who pulled back-to-back 1080s. Competing against Antti Autti will be last years World Superpipe Champion, Keir Dillon, and the 2002 Olympic medalists Ross Powers, Danny Kass and J.J. Thomas. The mens skier event welcomes Simon Dumont, who won the 2005 Winter X-Games and Park City All-Star Tanner Hall who has emerged as a powerhouse in the halfpipe. The womens snowboarding field includes returning champ and 2002 Gold Medalist Kelly Clark and 2005 Winter X-Games champion Gretchen Bleiler, who is sure to give Clark a run for the money. The international contingency is just as impressive with riders coming from around the globe including Torah Bright (Australia), Kazuhiro Kokubo (Japan) and Mercedes Nicoll (Canada). We created this event to continue the Olympic legacy of hosting top-ranked athletes in our world-class superpipe, said Peter Curtis, president and general manager of the Resort. This years championship features riders from around the globe never seen before in one contest. The energy these riders and skiers bring to this contest is incredible. The 3rd Annual World Superpipe Championships will take place Saturday, March 12th with the Mens and Womens Snowboarding competition. The Mens Skier Contest will follow on Sunday, March 13th. The event is free to the public and will include live music, a demo and sponsor village, and beer garden. Telecasts of the World Superpipe Contest will air on NBC and its affiliate stations. For a complete schedule of events, information and to apply for media credentials visit www.parkcitymountain.com/winter/press/. Park City Mountain Resort is a premier winter destination. Offering 3,300 acres of varied terrain, Park City Mountain Resort is consistently ranked among the top-ten mountain resorts in North America for its accessibility, terrain parks and family programs. The Resort is convenient located 36 miles away from the Salt Lake International Airport. For more information about Park City Mountain Resort visit us online at www.parkcitymountain.com. Five Skiers, One Day, 11 Resorts Utah Group Completes 11-Resort Marathon SALT LAKE CITY - They said it couldnt be done - but five Utah skiers proved everyone wrong. Boarding the first chairlift just before 8 a.m. the group survived a daylong ski marathon completing at least one run at 11 different Utah resorts in a single day. The group rode one aerial tram, two gondolas, one six-person high-speed chairlift, three high-speed quads, one triple and four double chairlifts to make 12 runs at 11 areas, ski 19,226 vertical feet and cover 220 miles while driving between resorts. The amount of time needed to drive, ride the lifts, ski down, load and unload equipment and drive to all 11 resorts was nine hours, 41 minutes. Snow quality has always been our calling card, said Nathan Rafferty, Ski Utahs director of communications. Skiing 11 areas in one day proves Utahs accessibility is second to none as well. Interview opportunities and additional images are available by contacting Nathan Rafferty at nato@skiutah.com or 801-534-1779. Avalanche Dog Team School in Little Cottonwood Canyon Author: Dave Fields (dfields@snowbird.com) Release Date: Mon. January 24, 2005 Teams From Western States Taking Part in Regional Clinic Wednesday, January 26 Snowbird, Utah More than 20 teams of highly-trained avalanche rescue dogs and their handlers from around the West will gather in Little Cottonwood Canyon Wednesday, January 26, for avalanche victim search drills, beacon searches, helicopter training and classroom sessions. Wasatch Backcountry Rescue hosts the biennial avalanche rescue dog seminar, which will feature instructors from the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association, one of the premier North American training and certification organizations for avalanche rescue dogs. Ski patrol and snow safety professionals will be available for interviews and demonstrations of avalanche rescue techniques beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 26, at the Alta lower parking lot near the Peruvian Lodge. The clinic will include dogs and handlers from Utah, Washington, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho and California. A University of Utah Air Med helicopter will be working with and flying avalanche rescue dogs and their handlers. Who: Avalanche rescue dogs and their handlers. What: Training in mock avalanches and with a University of Utah Air Med helicopter. Where: First Alta Ski Area parking lot near Peruvian Lodge (west side of the lot). When: Wednesday, January 26, beginning at 10 a.m., continuing throughout the day. Founded in 1976, Wasatch Backcountry Rescue is a volunteer organization made up of snow safety professionals and their avalanche rescue dogs from 11 Utah resorts, Alta Central and Wasatch Powderbird Guides working with Salt Lake, Utah, Wasatch, Weber and Summit county sheriffs offices. For more information, contact Dean Cardinale at (801) 230-9089. Collective Soul and The Canyons Team Up for Tsunami Relief Author: Katie Eldridge (keldridge@thecanyons.com) Release Date: Thu. January 20, 2005 On Wednesday, January 26th, The Canyons hosts a live concert to benefit tsunami relief efforts through Oxfams Asia Earthquake Fund. Park City, UT - The Canyons Resort is the venue for a live, free concert by Collective Soul during the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. The concert, on Wednesday, January 26th, will also be a fundraiser for tsunami relief through Oxfams Asia Earthquake Fund. The live performance begins at 7p.m. in the resort village where guests are asked to make a donation of $10 that will go directly to Oxfams fund to benefit the victims of the recent tsunami in Asia. The concert is The Canyons 2nd Annual Vertical Vibe event. The outdoor concert and fireworks display typically draw thousands of Sundance attendees, and this year is expected to be even more popular, with a large celebrity turnout due to the film festival. We are pleased to be able to offer first-rate entertainment during the film festival, and to have the proceeds go to a pertinent cause, explained Heather LaPerle, Brand Manager of The Canyons Resort. We expect to have a full house in the Forum, and to raise thousands of dollars in a matter of one night, added LaPerle. Event Details: Where: The Canyons Resort Village forum When: 7p.m. - Wednesday, January 26th Why: Fundraiser for tsunami victims What: Live concert by Collective Soul & fireworks display Guests at the concert can park in the main parking lot and ride the Cabriolet into the village. Food and beverages will be available for sale in the Forum as well. Coolers will not be permitted. The event is produced by ON-Entertainment. Collective Soul, consisting of brothers Ed Roland (Vocals/Guitars/Keyboards) and Dean Roland (Guitar) along with Will Turpin (Bass/Percussion), Shane Evans (Drums/Percussion), and newly recruited guitar player Joel Kosche had 19 singles reach the Billboard charts in the following seven years. "December was one of seven songs during that interval to go to #1 on the Billboard Rock Tracks charts, along with the upbeat pop number "Shine, the moving ballad, "The World I Know, "Gel, "Blame, and "Precious Declaration. Oxfam International is a confederation of 12 organizations working together with over 3000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice (www.oxfam.org). The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah is the largest single ski and snowboard resort in Utah and one of the five largest in the United States. Located just four miles from Park City's historic Main Street, The Canyons offers 3,500 acres of diverse terrain over eight separate mountains, accessing 146 trails. Snowbird Surpasses 300 Inches of Snowfall Author: Dave Fields (dfields@snowbird.com) Release Date: Tue. January 11, 2005 Powder-Filled Season Continues with 123-inch Base and More on the Way Snowbird, Utah An epic winter of snowfall that vaulted Snowbird to its earliest opening ever continues as the Little Cottonwood Canyon resort has surpassed the 300-inch mark for season-to-date snowfall. Snowbird is reporting a base of 123 inches at mid-mountain and over 310 inches so far this year for the resort that averages 500 inches a year. In the first 11 days of January, Snowbird has received nearly 5 feet of snow at the base and significantly higher accumulations at mid-mountain. Additional accumulations measured in feet are expected through the week with multiple storms on the radar. Snowbird was able to open the 2004-05 season 15 days early thanks to a series of storms that dumped over 100 inches of snow in October. To see photos from the recent storms, go to www.snowbird.com and click on Picture of the Day. Offering some of the best conditions in the country has increased Snowbirds reservations for the remainder of the 2005 season but rooms still are available. Snowbird is offering a few January early-week vacation packages for select dates. For media information, contact Dave Fields at (801) 933-2041/dfields@snowbird.com or Laura Schaffer at (801) 933-2047/lschaffer@snowbird.com . Snowflakes, Skiers Flock to Utah in Abundance During Holidays Jan. 3, 2005 SALT LAKE CITY - While this year's Christmas storm was tame compared to the 100+ inches of snow that fell over the same period last season, Utah resorts saw yet another prosperous Holiday period with Christmas-week storm totals climbing as high as 67 inches at area resorts and reports of visitation numbers on a record-setting pace. "Although numbers have been strong this Holiday week, and look to be strong throughout the remainder of the season, the work of promoting our ski areas is never complete," said Ski Utah President Kip Pitou. "Utah's ski industry continues to see peaks and valleys in visitation throughout the season, a trend that will be combated with an ongoing strategic marketing and media relations campaign from all levels - resort, county and state tourism agencies." December visits to Skiutah.com were up over 500,000 page views when compared to the same period a year ago with approximately 10,000 more unique visitors. Some highlights from around the state: Alta Ski Area: Resort spokesperson Connie Marshall reported that, "Alta received three feet of snow through the Christmas Holidays leaving skiers 'very satisfied.'" Alta currently reports a 109 inch settled snow depth with 279 inches having fallen to date. Brian Head Resort: Brian Head saw 49 inches of new snow over the last five days. Resort spokesperson Craig McCarthy said, "We had excellent Holiday visitation and would have likely set records had the wind not interfered with our operations." The Canyons Resort: The Christmas-week storm total at The Canyons Resort was well over three feet. Lodging numbers at the Grand Summit Resort Hotel and Sundial Lodge have been consistently strong before, during and after the Holiday period. Recent snowfall has increased call volume significantly putting them well ahead of last season's reservation numbers. The Canyons Resort President Scott Pierpont said, "The product we have is exceptional, and the guests that have been here in the past week have truly witnessed the Greatest Snow on Earth." He added, "If you weren't happy with the skiing at The Canyons and in Utah over the Holidays, you should probably give up the sport." Deer Valley Resort: 50 inches of Christmas-week snow helped Deer Valley reach a record breaking December. Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley Resort General Manager reports that reservations are on pace to break the resort's previous best skier day totals set during the 2001-02 winter season. Powder Mountain Winter Resort: Powder Mountain reports skier visits and revenue both up for the year. "December revenue is up," said resort spokesperson Marc Paulsen. "Our snow quality and quantity over Christmas was the best we've seen in recent history." Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort: Snowbird's recent Holiday period was significantly ahead of last year's thanks, in part, to ideal weather. While huge storms forced road closures last year over Christmas, last week's storm provided optimal conditions for vacationers. Approximately four feet of new snow fell over the Holiday period, which provided tremendous powder conditions for skiers and riders but did not necessitate any road closures. The New Year's storm was the largest of the holiday period, dropping 20 inches over two days. Mid-mountain saw snow totals of 47 inches between Christmas and New Year's, with greater accumulations on the upper mountain. Solitude Mountain Resort: Big Cottonwood Canyon saw the highest accumulations in the state. Starting on Dec. 28, Solitude's storm total topped out at 67 inches of Utah's world famous "Greatest Snow on Earth" pushing their season total to a whopping 309 inches - well over half their annual average of 500 inches and all just two months into the ski season. "Skier visits and lodging nights have been very strong this season. The village at Solitude was at capacity for six days during the Holidays and we saw two capacity days on the mountain," said resort spokesperson Jay Burke. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for later this week with heavy snow accumulations likely. Visit www.skiutah.com for updated snow totals. Nathan Rafferty Ski Utah | Director of Communications O: (800)754-8824 C: (801)209-7883 nato@skiutah.com The "Cherry Picker Pass" is the Perfect Pick for Utah Locals Release Date: Wed. December 22, 2004 Tis the season to give, and the Cherry Picker Pass is the perfect stocking stuffer for everyone, whether theyve been naughty or nice. Park City, UT - Skiing and snowboarding for Utah locals has never been easier or more affordable, thanks to the Cherry Picker Pass at The Canyons Resort. Utah residents can now purchase this new pass online, and ski or ride for $29.80 per day. Some say locals are picky, and now they can be with this flexible 5-day pass. We wanted to offer a product to our locals that would allow them to choose the perfect day, and the perfect conditions at the perfect price, said Heather LaPerle, Brand Manager at The Canyons Resort. Locals can afford to be picky, and we can help them afford to keep coming back to The Canyons, added LaPerle. The Cherry Picker Pass is a limited offer, and is only available online: Cherry Picker Pass Details: For Utah Locals only: must show proof of residency when you pick up your Cherry Picker Pass. You must also present a matching photo ID on the days that you use your card. Only available for online purchase. Cherry Picker Passes take 24 hours to process from the time you check out on our online storefront. Then you can pick (no pun intended) your Cherry Picker Pass up at the main ticket window, at the top of the Cabriolet. Limited quantity available. We will only sell a few bushels of these (actually, 3,000 passes to be exact). After that, you'll have to wait until the next cherry picking season. Good any day of the season, except those really busy holiday ones; not valid 12/25/04 through 1/2/05, 1/17/05 through 1/19/05, 2/19/05 through 2/27/05 and all Saturdays in March. On any other day, you're skiing or riding for just $29.80 a day. The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah is the largest single ski and snowboard resort in Utah and one of the five largest in the United States. Located just four miles from Park City's historic Main Street, The Canyons offers 3,500 acres of diverse terrain over eight separate mountains, accessing 146 trails. Jeep King of the Mountain Series at Snowbird Dec. 18-19 Author: Dave Fields (dfields@snowbird.com) Release Date: Wed. December 15, 2004 All-Comers Open Qualifier Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in Gad Valley to Complete World Class Field of Skiers and Snowboarders Competing for $150,000 Prize Purse Sunday VAIL, Colo. Dec. 2, 2004 On the heels of an opening weekend at Telluride Ski Resort in Colorado full of high speeds, tight turns and photo finishes, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series (www.jeepsports.com) will bring the worlds finest ski and snowboard racers and a record prize purse to Utahs Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort on December 18-19 for the next leg of the Skiing and Snowboarding World Championships. Now in its 12th season, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series, which offers the richest purse in snow racing, will feature top national and international skiers and snowboarders competing head-to-head to capture the King of the Mountain title for their country, a share of over $450,000 (U.S.) in prize money, $20,000 (U.S.) in bonuses from Paul Mitchell and the keys to a new Jeep Liberty. A national audience will be able to view the King of the Mountain Series on CBS Sports and through nationally syndicated television for a total of six hours of coverage between December 2004 and March 2005. Heading into the races at Snowbirds Big Emma run, American Casey Puckett of Aspen, Colo., the 2003-04 King of the Mountain champion, leads the mens individual skiing competition, with former Olympian Martin Fiala of Germany holding down the second spot. In the snowboarding competition, Jasey Jay Anderson of Canada, winner of 11 World Cup titles in the past three years, holds the lead against 2002 Olympic medalist Chris Klug of Team USA. Formerly a pure downhill series, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series has established a reputation for drawing the most elite skiers and snowboarders of the sport, and carries with it a rich history of past Olympic champions, such as Jean-Luc Cretier ('98 Nagano), Tommy Moe ('94 Lillehammer), Josef Polig (92 Albertville), Pirmin Zurbriggen ('88 Calgary), Bill Johnson ('84 Sarajevo), Leonard Stock (80 Lake Placid), and Franz Klammer ('76 Innsbruck). The 2004-05 Series will maintain that legacy, with a line-up of professionals that has produced Olympic medals, world championship titles, national titles and numerous world cup victories between them. Six teams of skiers and snowboarders representing the United States, Austria, Canada, France, Germany and Switzerland will take part in the competition. Rounding out the eight-team field will be four racers (two skiers and two snowboarders) advancing through a National Open Qualifier for top-notch amateur and professional racers. The National Open Qualifier will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Snowbirds Gad Valley (Snowbird Entry 1 and 2). Those interested in participating in the open qualifier may visit www.jeepsports.com for more details or e-mail Denise Lavaroni at denise@eclipsetv.net to officially register. Unlike past years, where qualifiers were required to register as a team, this years format will change to allow participants to register and race individually. The top two qualifying skiers and snowboarders will then be paired to take part in the Skiing and Snowboarding Championships at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 19, also at Gad Valley. In addition to moving the open qualifier to an exclusively individual format, the prize money structure has changed dramatically to reward the individual versus the team as in past years. The racers will be competing for a $150,000 prize purse, with $75,000 for skiers and $75,000 for snowboarders. One of the highlights of the Jeep King of the Mountain Series is its use of an innovative racecourse known as "The Y." The unique course design delivers high-speed excitement in a format that combines the technical skill of Parallel Giant Slalom with the cutting edge drama of skiercross and boardercross. The Y has proved ideal for skiers and snowboarders alike, and the Jeep King of the Mountain Series is the only series to combine the racing elements of these two sports into one event. Racers begin on separate courses and must maneuver Parallel Giant Slalom turns. Midway through the course, racers meet at the Y, the point where the two parallel courses merge into one. There, skiers and snowboarders must race side-by-side on a single course while negotiating banked turns and single and double rollers leading to an exciting finish. Following the Skiing and Snowboarding World Championships at Snowbird, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series will head to Mount Snow Resort in Vermont on January 22-23 and Heavenly Lake Tahoe in California on February 5-6. The Jeep King of the Mountain was established in 1993. Jeep is the title sponsor for the Jeep King of the Mountain Series. Other marketing partners for this season include: Atomic, Columbia Sportswear Company, Edge Advanced shave gel, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Mopar, Sirius Satellite Radio and Ski Magazine. For more information, visit www.jeepsports.com. # # # Contacts:Henry Schneidman Eclipse Television and Sports Marketing 970-926-7750 or henry@eclipsetv.net Al Sommers 512-478-5000 or 512-940-8585 mobile asommers@sommerspr.com Deer Valley Resort Joins Ski Utah Interconnect Tour Author: Nathan Rafferty (nato@skiutah.com) Release Date: Wed. December 01, 2004 Guided Backcountry Ski Tour Now Offers Six Resorts in One Day SALT LAKE CITY Deer Valley Resort has signed on to participate in the Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour this season, giving advanced skiers the opportunity to ski six resorts in one day, it was announced today by Ski Utah President Kip Pitou. This is a great addition to the Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour, said Pitou. The inclusion of Deer Valley Resort gives the tour even more prestige. Their reputation for unsurpassed service makes Deer Valley a perfect place to begin the Interconnect Tour. Deer Valley President and General Manager Bob Wheaton added, We are extremely excited about the opportunity to participate with our close neighbors whove been successfully supporting the Interconnect tour for more than 20 years. This is another opportunity to show how close and accessible Utahs resorts are. The guided tour, which opens for the season on Dec. 15, uses backcountry routes to ski between and through as many as six resorts in the same day. The Ski Utah Interconnect Tour will operate daily through late April, weather and conditions permitting, and is open to advanced skiers in good physical condition. Tours depart four days a week from Deer Valley Resort and three days a week from Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort and are led by professional backcountry guides through Park City Mountain Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Resort and Alta Ski Area. The cost of $150 per person includes guide service, lift access, lunch, use of an avalanche transceiver, transportation back to point of origin and a special-edition finishers pin. This is the perfect way for skiers who may not have the skills or knowledge to venture out of bounds on their own to have an incredible backcountry experience, said Pitou. He added that the tour is unique in North America: This is the only place outside of Europe where you can ski this many resorts in a single day. The Interconnect Tour perfectly illustrates how close and accessible Utahs resorts are. And the backcountry terrain and scenery between the resorts is spectacular. The Interconnect Tour is designed to be done on alpine ski gear. Though the majority of the tour is downhill, it requires some hiking, traversing and the ability to ski diverse ski conditions. For more information, contact Ski Utah at (801) 534-1907 or www.skiutah.com. Brian Head Resort Receives 36 Inches of New Snow Author: Craig McCarthy (craig@brianhead.com) Release Date: Mon. November 29, 2004 Brian Head, UT: Monday, November 29, 2004: Brian Head Resort has received 36 inches of new snow in the last three days from the series of storms that visited Southern Utah this week, including 25 inches of snow on Sunday. The current base depth is 66 inches at the base, and 85 inches at mid-mountain. The Resort has received 150 inches of snowfall, or 12 feet of snow thus far this season. This most recent snowfall is great news for skiers and snowboarders throughout the region, said Henry Hornberger, Brian Head Resort General Manager. We are experiencing the best early season snow conditions in many years, and it is providing our guests with a fantastic winter recreational experience. Brian Head Resorts lifts are open daily from 9:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m., and night skiing and snowboarding is available on Friday and Saturday evenings from 3:30 9:00 p.m. Guests are encouraged to check the Brian Head Resort Web Site at www.brianhead.com for the most current snow conditions, terrain and lift status, and weather forecast. Brian Head Resort is Southern Utah and Southern Nevadas premier winter resort, with an average annual snowfall of over 400 inches of dry, light Utah powder and 500+ acres of terrain for all ability levels. Honored as a Top Family Getaway by the Family Travel Forum, it features the regions highest base elevation at 9,600 feet above sea level, spectacular red rock scenery, and a reputation for a friendly, uncrowded atmosphere. Snowbasin to Open Friday, Nov. 26 Release Date: Wed. November 24, 2004 Lifts in operation will be Needles Express Gondola, Middle Bowl Triple Chair, Porcupine Triple Chair, and Powder Puff Magic Carpet. Lifts open at 9:00 AM. Because of limited access to the bottom, via Bear Hollow and Snow Shoe, we highly recommend you ski or board the upper mountain using the Middle Bowl Triple and the Porcupine Triple. At the end of your day, simply download the Needles Express Gondola to the bottom. The Powder Puff Magic Carpet will be in operation to accommodate beginning and low intermediates. Needles Lodge will have a full service menu for lunch. Earl's Lodge will be serving breakfast rolls, coffee, hot chocolate, and juice. The Grizzly Center will be in full operation for rental needs, accessories, skis, snowboards, boots and clothing purchases. Gift cards will be available for Holiday shopping needs. If you're a beginning skier or snowboarder, or just need a tune up on your technique, the Snowbasin Snow Sports School will be open for classes. The skiing is rated good and the forecast is for a 60 percent chance of snow Friday and Saturday with measurable amounts. For updates visit www.snowbasin.com Atomic Inaugurates Race Series for Shop Employees Author: The Snow Industry Letter Release Date: Thu. November 11, 2004 There's a reason people work in ski shops - and it's not for the big bucks. Atomic knows that and has figured out a way to entice shop rats into the gates. It has partnered with Jeep King of the Mountain Nastar and Ski Utah to create a nationwide shop competition - the Atomic Shop Race Series. By participating, retail shop employees will be eligible to win an all expense-paid trip to Park City to compete in the 2005 Jeep King Of The Mountain Nastar National Championships, not to mention bragging rights. Register a team of at least three employees at www.atomicski.com. (Click 'Dealer Login', enter Username: Bode and Password: Overall. Select "Atomic Shop Race Series" and follow the instructions to register.) The top two teams by team score and the top team from frequency rating as of Feb. 21 will win a trip for their team to the championships in Park City, Utah, March 24-27. The prize package includes dinner with US Ski Team member, Daron Rahlves as well as airfare, lodging, and lift tickets for the competition. 2004-05 Tentative Opening Dates (updated!) Release Date: Tue. November 16, 2004 2004-05 Opening Dates (tentative) Brighton -- OPEN Snowbird -- OPEN Solitude -- OPEN Brian Head -- OPEN Powder Mountain -- OPEN (night skiing only 4p-10p) Alta -- Nov. 18 The Canyons -- Nov. 19 Park City Mountain Resort -- Nov. 20 Snowbasin -- Nov. 25 Deer Valley -- Dec. 4 Sundance -- Dec. 10 Beaver -- no set date Park City Mountain Resort Pushes Back Opening Author: Krista Rowles Parry [kristap@pcmr.com] Release Date: Wed. November 10, 2004 Park City, Utah (November 10, 2004) - Park City Mountain Resort, ranked a top-ten resort by Ski magazine the last 18 years, has postponed its opening due to a recent spell of mild weather. The delay should be short-lived with the weekend forecast calling for snow and colder temperatures. "The Resort received more than six feet of natural snowfall on the upper mountain in October but timing is everything. For the past week, the weather hasn't been cooperating," said Peter Curtis, President and General Manager of Park City Mountain Resort. "Snow conditions above 8,000 feet are excellent and now we need to have cold temperatures on the lower mountain to be able to make snow. Currently the lower mountain does not have enough snow to offer our guests a quality product that meets both their expectations and ours." Park City Mountain Resort is reporting a settled snow depth total of nearly three feet at the Summit. The WeatherBank long-range forecast is calling for snow and temperatures remain in the twenties through next week, which will allow for significant snowmaking. Park City Mountain Resort's extensive snowmaking can cover 500 acres of skiable terrain. Park City Mountain Resort's Benefit Day, with all proceeds from specially priced lift tickets donated to the Park City Education Foundation, will be rescheduled to coincide with the Resort's opening day. All previously purchased Benefit Day tickets will be honored on this day. Season Passes, EZ Access Passes, or any other discount or promotion will not be valid on Benefit Day. Park City Mountain Resort is a premier winter destination. Offering 3,300 acres of varied terrain, Park City Mountain Resort is consistently ranked among the top-ten mountain resorts in North America for its accessibility, terrain parks and family programs. The Resort is conveniently located 36 miles away from the Salt Lake International Airport. For more information about Park City Mountain Resort visit us online at www.parkcitymountain.com. Utah Ski Resorts See October Snow Totals Exceed 100 Inches Author: Nathan Rafferty (nato@skiutah.com) Release Date: Tue. November 02, 2004 SALT LAKE CITY - Several Utah ski areas reported total snowfall depths for the month of October in excess of 100 inches. Located in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta Ski Area led the way with 122 inches of October snow and a settled snow depth of 78 inches. Other resorts posting snow totals north of 100 inches include the traditional Utah powder factories of Brighton Resort (109), Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort (115) and Solitude Mountain Resort (104). Utahs Summit County resorts (Deer Valley Resort, The Canyons Resort, Park City Mountain Resort) all report mid-mountain snow depths of four feet or more. Southern Utahs Brian Head Resort boasts snow totals approaching six feet. Utah is known the world over as having the Greatest Snow on Earth. Mother Nature has definitely delivered this year, said Ski Utah president Kip Pitou. On the heels of last years all-time record number of visitors, were off to a very promising start. Brighton served the opening volley by cranking up their lifts to hungry locals on Oct. 29 - their earliest opening in 21 years. Powder Mountain plans to open on Nov. 2, with Snowbird bumping up their original opening date by nearly two weeks to Friday, Nov. 5. Current Utah resort opening dates are as follows: Brighton Resort -- OPEN Powder Mountain Winter Resort --Nov. 2 (night skiing only 4p-10p) Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort --Nov. 5 Solitude Mountain Resort --Nov. 12 Brian Head Resort --Nov. 13 Park City Mountain Resort --Nov. 13 Alta Ski Area --Nov. 18 The Canyons Resort --Nov. 19 Snowbasin Resort --Nov. 25 Deer Valley Resort --Dec. 4 Sundance --Dec. 10 Beaver Mountain --no set date With temperatures diving and more snow on the way, look for other Utah resorts to open their doors earlier than expected. Visit www.skiutah.com for updated resort openings.

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