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Stein Eriksen Lodge, Utah’s only Mobil Five-Star, AAA Five Diamond property, has announced an ambitious goal to raise $50,000 in the future to aid the Huntsman Cancer Institute’s “Room to Heal” campaign-a campaign set to double the Institute’s space for healing and hope. To achieve the desired contribution, the Lodge has appointed one of its luxurious junior suites as “The Giving Room”-where 10 percent of the total room revenue generated from the suite will be donated to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

“Stein Eriksen Lodge feels strongly about giving back to the community and designating a ‘Giving Room’ is an exciting opportunity to help a truly worthwhile cause and organization,” said Russ Olsen, chief executive officer at Stein Eriksen Lodge. “The Lodge strives for excellence in providing guests exceptional service and the Huntsman Cancer Institute is dedicated to excellence in patient care.”

The Huntsman Cancer Hospital expansion will double inpatient capacity from 50 beds to 100 and will double existing imaging and radiation treatment facilities and operating rooms. It will house the new Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant and Myeloma Program and expanded Cancer Learning and Wellness Centers. It will also accommodate expanded clinical trials and enhance patient access to promising new treatments.

By the Lodge pledging a $50,000 contribution, the Huntsman Cancer Hospital will reserve a patient room in the new expansion as the Stein Eriksen Lodge room. The Lodge plans to incorporate decorative elements to reflect the Lodge’s alpine history.

“Expansion has long been part of our vision for Huntsman Cancer Institute,” said Jon M. Huntsman, Huntsman Cancer Institute’s founder and principal benefactor. “We have worked hard to donate or raise the funds necessary to proceed with this great project. Most of the cancer cases undertaken here are acute or more advanced than can be effectively treated at even the finest community hospitals. Patients are coming to the Institute from Utah, the country and the world with hopes that the specialized technology and the latest developments from our research and clinical trials will save their lives. Expansion is critical to our having ample treatment rooms and hospital beds that will allow their hopes to be fulfilled.”

In addition to proceeds raised from “The Giving Room,” Preferred Hotel Group, of which Stein Eriksen Lodge is a member, will contribute a donation to the Institute, and, every night that the “The Giving Room” is occupied from May 1 through Aug. 31, 2009, the Ueberroth Family Foundation will donate matching funds collected from “The Giving Room”. Starting this December, the Lodge will kick off an Employee Giving program, whereby employees may make payroll deductions to help the Lodge achieve the $50,000 donation goal and information regarding “The Giving Room” will be featured in all guest rooms so guests can choose to support the Lodge efforts and request the room for future stays. Additional ongoing promotions will also take place at Stein Eriksen Lodge throughout the upcoming year.

For more information on “The Giving Room” and Stein Eriksen Lodge, contact Sarah Myers at (435) 645-6451 or smyers@steinlodge.com.

The Canyons has just released a pretty sweet deal if you want to stay on the mountain during you ski vacation.  These lodges are some of the nicest around.  The SKI FREE lodging packages include slopeside lodging at The Canyons Grand Summit Hotel, Sundial Lodge or Silverado Lodge, plus two lift tickets per unit, per night of stay (valid only during your stay, choose SKI FREE option when selecting lift tickets) and breakfast for two at The Cabin restaurant or Red Pine Lodge.

There was a great article written yesterday on thestreet.com about ways to save some money while still enjoying the legendary fresh powder which the Utah ski resorts have to offer.

Why Utah? The best reason to go is the snow. The ski resorts closest to Salt Lake City average 430 inches per year — many received 700 last year (58 feet!) — and it’s almost always light, fluffy powder. Colorado, the Sierra Nevadas and even the Pacific Northwest get plenty of powder, too, but Utah’s dry climate and the effect of Great Salt Lake means exceptionally dry snowflakes, containing as little as 4% water. The result? Ice, a staple for East Coast and Midwestern snow riders, is virtually nonexistent. And in February, the sun shines about 60% of days.

Access and variety also separate Utah from the rest of the country. Seven ski areas lie within 38 miles of Salt Lake City International Airport, a major hub with 800 nonstop arrivals every day. There’s also the Utah Transit Authority, or UTA, a public transit system that can get you from the airport, downtown or just about anywhere else in the metro area to the lodge quickly and cheaply.

Alta, Brighton, The Canyons, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbird and Solitude, each with its own character (and price range), offer a combined 14,000 skiable acres, compared to 5,800 for the combined membership of Ski Vermont.

Here are some of the articles suggestions to save some money:

Plan ahead. From lodging to lift tickets and equipment rentals, everything is cheaper if you book early in the season, often before early December. Once you’re on the ground, remember that buying lift tickets and renting equipment before you get to the mountain can also save you money.

Stay in town. Try hotels and condos in Midvale, Cottonwood Heights or Sandy for easy access to the Cottonwoods. Downtown Salt Lake also works well, offering a short trip to Park City and a slightly longer one to the canyons. Check rates at the Residence Inn Salt Lake City Cottonwood or the Best Western Cottontree Inn. If you’re focused on Park City, poke around The Canyons resort and the town’s outskirts, because the town has a fabulous, free shuttle system that runs morning, noon and night.

Take the shuttle or city buses. Loading yourself, your equipment and your ski clothes onto a bus doesn’t sound like fun, but it’s cheap ($2.25 each way). Besides, even with a rental car, you may have to take public transportation to the Cottonwood resorts. Avalanches and avalanche prevention often shut down the roads, or restrict them to buses or four-wheel drive. If it snows overnight, call the resorts’ ski conditions hotlines for road information before you decide where to ski. If you do rent a car, consider your winter driving skills or an all-wheel/four-wheel-drive rental if you’re planning to drive up the canyons.

Scout out discounts. Deals abound, online and on the ground. Wherever you stay, they’ll likely offer discounted lift tickets for nearby resorts. Many offer the Salt Lake Super Pass, with discounts on one to six days of skiing at Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude (with a free day if you buy three days or more by Dec. 1). It’s also available from Ski-SaltLake.com, CheapTickets.com and other travel Web sites. The vouchers include rides on the UTA buses to the resorts. For the Cottonwoods and the Park City resorts (The Canyons, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort), you can also buy tickets at area ski shops such as Canyon Sports or Ski ‘N See in Salt Lake (but not at Park City stores). You can save up to $18 — provided you buy before you head up.

If you’ve ever been to the Alta Lodge there are three things you’ll likely not forget.

1. The character wooden steps that descend from the main road in a seemingly never ending drop to the lodge, adorned with ski images of years gone by. It’s almost reminiscent of going down a mine shaft of Alta’s glory years.
2. The aged lobby that gave you the feeling that you just went back in time a couple of decades but that you’re “home”
3. The proximity to and the views of Alta’s famous run High Rustler.

Built in 1939 the Alta Lodge has long been a favorite for skiers headed up Little Cottonwood Canyon. As you descend the steps from the road the sides of the tunnel walls are lined with photos of long ago powder days and even one very old image of the lodge itself. There’s no doubt that this is a skiers lodge, not a destination 5 star hotel for the rich and famous. It’s a cool place to be weather during the winter or the summer.

New for this season skiers will be entering an entirely remodeled lobby and deck room. The new look and feel reminded me of a swanky boutique hotel at Squaw Valley that I stayed at a few years back. It’s very comfortable and definitely more of a modern feel. The front desk looks more up scale boutique than a skiers lodge, but it’s still run and operated by people with a passion for skiing. You can see it in their eyes.

Next time you’re up Little Cottonwood Canyon, be sure to check out the Alta Lodge.

CONTEST

We’re giving away lunch for two to the Alta Lodge (I didn’t mention that they have a great restaurant) for the first person who can comment with the correct number of steps that you must go down to get from the road to the entry of the Alta Lodge. Good luck.