National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
December 2017
Ski industry tries to maintain stability amid shifting user trends in younger generations. Michael Reitzell, president of the California Ski Industry Association says millennials, people who range in age from 17 to 37, are approaching life differently than previous generations. They are waiting longer to purchase homes and to have kids — much longer than the baby boomers, ages 53 to 77. The narrower generation X group ranges in age from 38-52. More. Tahoe Daily Tribune via Destimetrics
Ski resorts tapping into pop culture tourism with films, reality shows. In the words of reality star Joey Gibbons, Timber Creek Lodge, set in Whistler Blackcomb, is the Downton Abbey of skiing. The Bravo TV/NBC eight-part series is a dramatic departure from the typical extreme powder porn portrayed in traditional ski resort videos and movies. This is pop culture tourism, the rising number of people journeying to locations featured in popular literature, film, music, or any other form of media. More. The Dallas News via Destimetrics
To gain speed, people have been waxing skis for a century. These Utah inventors say they created something better. A Salt Lake City ski company and a University of Utah science professor say their invention means you’ll never need to wax your skis again.
Their polymer-based “permanent base glide treatment” will last forever on the bases of Alpine skis and snowboards, they claim, eliminating the need for wax to reduce friction with the snow. More. Salt Lake Tribune via Google Alerts
Ski California Debuts First Mountain Safety Guide Video. Professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones talks about kid safety on the slopes in a new video series unveiled today by Ski California (aka the California Ski Industry Association) to further educate guests about having a safe experience. The first in a three-part video series arrives after the recent release of Ski California’s first ever Mountain Safety Guide for the 2017-2018 season. More. The Daily Telescope via Google Alerts
Colorado ski season: Mountain coasters, Olympic fun and more. Are you ready for a roller coaster at a ski resort? New attractions in Colorado this season include mountain coasters at four Colorado ski resorts, along with new terrain and new lifts. Colorado is also hosting events themed on February’s Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Colorado’s Olympics fever includes qualifying competitions, lessons hosted by former Olympians and a send-off for competing athletes. More. Fox Sports via Google Alerts
Year-round snowsports complex planned for Castle Rock, Colo. Developers will break ground this month on Miller’s Landing, a new 65-acre mixed-use project south of Denver in Castle Rock, Colo., that is expected to include a year-round outdoor snowsports complex, aptly named Snowsports 365. More. SAM
POMA to Build Five Ropeways for The Compagnie des Alpes. POMA has signed a €38 million (roughly $44.5 million) contract with The Compagnie des Alpes (CDA) to build five ropeways, one each at Val d’Isère, Tignes, Méribel, La Plagne, and Serre Chevalier ski areas. Construction for all will start this summer, and opening is planned for December 2018. More. SAM
China Goes Giant: This Winter Sports Project Eclipses Everything. Six months of winter, as low as -36 degrees Celsius. Harbin in Northeast China sounds like a dream for winter athletes. In China, however, these dreamy conditions alone aren’t sufficient to make ski and snowboard enthusiasts completely happy. That’s why the Wanda Indoor Ski and Winter Sports Resort was opened in July 2017. More. IPSO.com via SIA
