National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
May 2018
Skier visits at U.S. resorts dip about 3 percent this season. Skier visits at U.S. resorts were down an estimated 1.5 million or 2.8 percent this season compared with the prior winter, the National Ski Areas Association announced Friday. A preliminary study showed ski areas tallied 53.3 million visits this year compared with 54.8 million visits in 2016-17. While the overall number was in line with the 40-year average, this season produced the lowest amount of skier visits in seven seasons, according to NSAA’s data. In addition, it was the third-worst season in 18 winters. More. Aspen Times
NSAA Names 2018 Sustainable Slopes Grant Winners. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) selected four member ski areas to receive its annual Sustainable Slopes Grants: Blue Mountain Resort, Pa., Mountain High Resort, Calif., POWDR Resorts, and Snow Creek Ski Area, Mo. The Sustainable Slopes grant program provides cash and in-kind funding to support sustainability projects at NSAA member ski areas. More. SAM
Boreal, Bear Valley, (CA) and Crystal Mountain (MI) Win Golden Eagle Awards. Bear Valley Mountain, Calif.; Crystal Mountain, Mich.; and Boreal Mountain, Calif., won the 2018 Golden Eagle Awards for excellence in environmental initiatives. Sha Miklas of Arapahoe Basin, Colo., was named the “Hero of Sustainability” honoree for 2018. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Golden Eagle Awards, which are overseen in a partnership between SKI magazine and NSAA. More. SAM
Olympians take on politics as they fear climate change is hurting their sport. Five Winter Olympians have traded in the slopes for briefing rooms to urge Congress to take action on climate change. As global temperatures continue to rise, snowboarder Arielle Gold, along with skiers David Wise, Jessie Diggins, Stacey Cook and biathlete Maddie Phaneuf, traveled to Capitol Hill this week to brief lawmakers on how climate change is a growing threat to winter sports and outdoor recreation. CNN via Protect Our Winters
Crested Butte joins Epic; Monarch vows to stay ‘independent’. Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) announced last week its partnership in Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass — a decision that, while touted by resort leaders as “positive” for the local economy, has been met with criticism by some local skiers. At the same time, leaders at Monarch Mountain east of Gunnison have responded to CBMR’s news. More. Gunnison Times via Inntopia|Destimetrics
Reno-Area Ski Resort Approved for Advanced Medical Care. State health officials in Nevada have authorized a ski resort to provide its own advanced medical care for emergencies on the mountain. The Nevada Department of Health Emergency Medical Services Division recently approved the advanced life support care at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe located between Reno and Lake Tahoe. It is the first time an entity that’s not a fire department or medical transport service has received such a designation, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported earlier this month. More. Associated Press via U.S. News & World Report
Berkshire East (MA) Owners to Buy Catamount. The owners of Berkshire East Mountain Resort in western Massachusetts have reached an agreement to acquire nearby Catamount Ski Area. The deal is expected to close in the next two weeks. The purchase price was not disclosed. More. SAM
Boyne Resorts Completes Re-Acquisition of Resorts and Attractions. Boyne Resorts has closed on its purchase transaction with Ski Resort Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Oz Real Estate, to reacquire six mountain resorts and a scenic chairlift attraction formerly owned by Boyne. The company has been operating the seven properties under a lease agreement with Ski Resort Holdings. Boyne Resorts now owns 11 resorts and attractions in North America. Included in the transaction with Oz Real Estate are Brighton Resort, Utah; Cypress Mountain in Vancouver, B.C.; Gatlinburg SkyLift, Tenn.; Loon Mountain Resort, N.H.; Sugarloaf and Sunday River in Maine; and The Summit at Snoqualmie, Wash. More. SAM
Life Goals: 91-Year Old Man becomes World’s Oldest Heli-Skier. An invitation at a friend’s birthday party has turned into a world record for Stan Friedberg: It’s not officially official yet, but Stan Friedberg, 91, is probably world’s oldest heli-skier. More. Vail Daily via Snow Brains
World’s Largest Artificial Ski Area and Adventure Resort Being Planned for Wales. A major artificial ski slope development is being planned as part of a new ‘ultimate adventure playground’ in the new Afan Valley Adventure Resort in South Wales. The resort, currently slated to be built on a 450-acre site in South Wales, is being developed by a company called Northern Powerhouse Developments (NPD) and alongside the world’s largest synthetic slope will also offer a wide variety of outdoor pursuits and adrenaline-fueled activities. More. Snowbrains
