National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
January-February 2022
Rep. Blake Moore Introduces Bill in Congress Supporting J-1 Visas. Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Annie Kuster (D-NH) have introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives expressing congressional support for BridgeUSA programs, formerly the Exchange Visitor J-1 Visa Program. The resolution has received support from the National Ski Areas Association, the Utah Tourism Industry Association, Ski Utah, the Park City Chamber of Commerce, and the University of Utah. More. TownLift via Google Alerts
Will the Spirit and Frontier Airline Merger Drive Skier Visits? In a $6.6 billion deal expected to close in the second half of 2022, Spirit Airlines will merge with Frontier, giving Denver-based Frontier Airlines the controlling stake in the combined entity. The merger of these two major discount airlines will form the fifth largest airline in the United States and offers expanded potential for cheap access to mountain destinations. More. SAM
Fires, Landslides, Lack of Snow: The Ski Industry Girds for Battle. From firestorms in California’s Tahoe region to melting glaciers in the Alps, ski areas face a daunting array of environmental threats. Here’s what some resorts are doing. More. The New York Times
Will there be enough snow in the West to ski in 50 years? New study has bleak answers. The negative impact climate change could have on winter has been discussed at length, but an October study paints maybe the bleakest forecast to date: In 35 to 60 years, mountain regions in the American West could see little to no snow. More. KSL.com via Inntopia | Destimetrics
Ski Resorts Aim for More Efficient Snowmaking Amid Drought. With decreasing snowpack due to drought and climate change, the ski industry has invested millions of dollars in more efficient snowmaking systems. More. U.S. News/Associated Press via Google Alerts
U.S. Women’s Ski Jumpers Won’t Compete in the Beijing Olympics. They Failed to Qualify. American women helped lead the international fight to include women’s ski jumping in the Winter Olympics, and the U.S. team was once ranked No. 1 in the world. But in a major blow to the program, American women failed to garner enough points in qualifying competitions to send any athletes to the Beijing Games. More. WBFO NPR Buffalo via Google Alerts
Chicago Metro Ski Council’s Norge Ski Club sends four men to the U.S. Olympic Ski Jumping Team. Congratulations to Kevin Bickner, Casey Larson and Patrick Gasienica for making the US Olympic Ski Jumping Team. All three members of the team are from CMSC’s own Norge Ski Club! Submitted by CMSC.
Club Med is Shaking Up the North American Ski Resort Experience. Club Med’s first North American property at a mountain resort since the early 2000s is up and running slopeside at Canada’s Le Massif ski area. With plans for a second North American location at Utah’s Snowbasin solidified (with an expected opening in December 2024), the Le Massif Club Med could be the first nod to whether the European-embraced, all-inclusive mountain resort vacation is going to be the next big thing to boost the mountain sports industry. More. SAM
Aspen Skiing Co. Gives Company-wide $3/Hr. Raise. Aspen Skiing Company (Ski Co.) said Thursday it will give all salaried and hourly employees a $3/hr raise, effective Sunday, Feb. 13. The move boosts starting pay to $20/hr. for most hourly employees and represents an annual increase of $6,240 for those in salaried positions. More. SAM
.Camelback Resort to Provide Season Passes for Winter4Kids Participants. Camelback Resort and Winter4Kids have partnered on a new initiative to support skiers and snowboarders from diverse economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. The initiative will provide three years of season passes, and other opportunities, to graduates of the Winter4Kids program. Winter4Kids, based out of the National Winter Activity Center in Vernon, N.J., is a non-profit that provides children with a multi-session, multi-year program offering experiential learning, healthy meals, equipment, clothing, and mentoring. Since its inception in 2015, more than 10,000 children have participated. More. SAM
Blacktail Mountain (MT) Joins Indy Pass. The Indy Pass has added Montana ski area Blacktail Mountain to its growing list of resorts in the Northern Rockies, bringing its total number of partners to 77 in North America, 81 worldwide. More. SAM
Schweitzer (ID) Opens New Employee Housing. Schweitzer has converted a former assisted living facility in nearby Sandpoint into employee housing for winter and summer seasonal staff. More. SAM
Wild Mountain (MI) to Install 40-Kilowatt Solar Array. Wild Mountain is installing a 40-kilowatt solar array this spring. In 2021, Wild Mountain became the first Carbon Neutral Certified ski area in North America, and this solar investment aims to help the mountain continue to drive down its overall carbon usage. More. SAM
Park City Patrol Union Votes Yes on New Contract. The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) voted to approve a new contract with Vail Resorts (VR) on Friday. The union agreed to a base wage of $15 an hour, with $1 an hour incentive for patrollers who work some shifts out of both Park City Mountain Resort base areas, Canyons Village and Park City. The hourly base wage for first year patrollers had been $13.25. More. SAM
New Ice Hotel Opens By Italian Glacier. A new ice hotel has opened on Italy’s Presena Glacier at Passo Tonale in Trentino. More InTheSnow.com
Is the Ikon Pass Ruining Utah Skiing? Some Locals Think So. Although skiing has always drawn tourists to Utah – specifically to the larger, more posh resorts like Park City, Deer Valley, and even Snowbird – recent years have seen an extreme uptick in out-of-state skiers and boarders trying out local favorites like Solitude, Brighton, and Alta. More. ABC News 4 Salt Lake via Inntopia | Destimetrics
