Ski Utah Blog - Articles by Author Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director
Showing 10 articles out of 15.
More Utah Resorts Open
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on November 20, 2009
Have you gotten out to ski or snowboard yet? By the end of this week five Utah ski and snowboad resorts will have opened leaving snow enthusiasts no excuse not to get out and ride! Wolf Creek Utah, Solitude and Brighton have already opened for the season. Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort opened Friday, November 20 and Park City Mountain Resort and Brian Head will open Saturday, November 21.
So, brush the dust of your boards and get your ski legs on!
Happy skiers and boarders load the first chair of the season at Snowbird on Fri., Nov. 20, 2009.
Westminster Students look to Crystal Ball to Predict Olympic Quotas
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on November 11, 2009
U.S. Snowboarding is a step ahead of the curve this Olympic season as a project in conjunction with its partnership with Westminster College has enabled officials to forecast how many athletes will be Vancouver Bound this year.
In the past, U.S. Snowboarding's athletes attended as many World Cup events as possible in order to ensure athlete qualification, as there was no data available to show which competitions were most advantageous to attend and which were not.
"We decided to create a model to help U.S. Snowboarding get rid of those educated guesses," Bonner explained.
While the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding has been a partner of Westminster College for nearly five years, U.S. Snowboarding first approached Westminster College in 2008 to ask for help with forecasting its athletes' competition schedules to maximize the U.S. team’s Olympic chances. With the team’s domination of the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Games, it hoped to continue a strong performance while balancing its athletes’ busy schedules. A key part of that is ensuring that U.S. athletes have strong results on the World Cup circuit which is used to determine national quotas for each of the three snowboarding Olympic events. The goal was to maximize the quota spots in as many events as possible.
Using a spreadsheet-based software suite for predictive modeling, forecasting and simulation called Crystal Ball, the students put together a program that could determine which athletes should compete and where they needed to compete to get maximum results while minimizing costs and interference to the athletes’ professional competition schedules. Since many snowboarders juggle their schedules with major events like World Cups, U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, the U.S. Open and X-Games, it was essential to develop a system that could help them balance their season.
After working tireless hours in the library and seeking guidance from their professor, Dr. Alysse Morton, the students completed what they considered to be a “perfect” model for the team. The model is capable of taking the athletes’ previous, present and future predicted scores, as well as the scores from other competing athletes from around the world to predict whether the athletes would qualify for the Olympics or not.
"The model works by predicting a range that each athlete could score in a given competition based on their previous results in similar events, such as the World Cup," described Bonner. "Then this score is multiplied by either a one, if they attended the event, or a zero if they did not attend the event. Then all of the athletes are put in order based on their ranking in the raw scores. The rank received is assigned with corresponding points to the athlete."
While the program sounds relatively easy to understand, the duo had a few glitches along the way.
"The main problem we faced when working on this project was the actual gathering of the previous athlete data due to many of the athletes' short history competing at the World Cup level. Also, snowboarding halfpipe is a relatively new sport in the Olympic Games, which made it hard to gather good data. We had to predict the athletes’ average performance and calculate the possible range that they could achieve at their maximum and their minimum potential," said Gerner.
U.S. Snowboarding Program director Jeremy Forster believes the model was very useful in planning the upcoming competition season.
"The work that was done was a great help in planning our season and the athletes’ schedules," he said. "The initial forecasting was very useful and looks like it will be quite accurate once the final Olympic quota spots are determined on January 18, 2010."
When asked if any of the results surprised him, he noted, "In general, I think the results were expected but the model helped validate our initial thoughts."
All in all, the feedback the students received was very positive.
"Overall, I think they did a great job. Both Claire and Karl put a lot of time into understanding the goal of the project and researching the results of the athletes to make sure the data was as accurate as possible," said Forster.
"All the feedback we have received from USSA has been extremely positive," echoed Bonner. "I believe that they are truly stoked about being able to reduce their costs and have the ability to predict more accurately which athletes are going to qualify for the Olympics."
The students are continuing to refine the numbers throughout the 2009 season to ensure the model is as accurate as possible. In January, when the official Olympic team is finally selected, the students will find out just how accurate the model really is.
Veteran's Day Snow and Deals
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on November 10, 2009
It looks like Mother Nature is likely to celebrate Veterans Day with a little treat for Utahans. Starting Wednesday snow is in the forecast for Utah’s ski resorts.
With snowfall likely through Sunday, members of the Military can kick off the ski season with unbeatable deals! Many of Utah’s great ski resorts offer special ski deals to Military and their families throughout the season. Check out the below list of military deals.
Brighton Resort offers discounted unlimited season passes for military.
Season Pass: $599
The Canyons Resort offers a $54 day pass by showing your military ID at the ticket window.
Deer Valley Resort offers special pricing to military members and their family.
Season Pass: $765/ Day Pass: $60
Park City Mountain Resort offers military personnel a discounted season pass. The military season pass is currently available for $595. A military ID is required for purchase. Park City also has daily tickets available for military personnel at a rate of $64 (during regular season). Military ID is required for purchase of the day ticket as well.
Powder Mountain Resort offers discounted season pass for both active and retired military and their spouses.
Season Pass: $405
Snowbasin Resort is offering 2 orientation sessions, exclusively for military and their families stationed at Hill Air Force Base, to introduce them to special offers at Snowbasin.
1st Session: Wednesday Dec. 9th, 2 to 4PM 2nd Session: Saturday Dec.12th, 10AM-Noon
Snowbird Ski& Summer Resort offers discounted day passes for active military.
Day Pass: $59/ Tram Pass: $51
Sudance Resort offers special midweek season pass for military for only $279.
Mon.-Fri. only. Excludes Dec. 26th - Jan. 1st, Presidents Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.All Active Military, EMS Services, Firefighter, Policeman, School Teacher, Hospital Personnel. Must show valid ID to verify service. Limited to the above listed service ONLY. Valid for service person and spouse only. $279
Most resorts require military ID in order to get discounted pricing. In addition to individual resort deals, Hill Air Force Base Tickets & Travel office sells discount lift tickets all season long.
So you think you can "Thriller" dance?
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on October 30, 2009
It is no secret that Michael Jackson can dance, but trying to imitate his moves really illustrates what talent he had. Today, I gathered with hundreds of my friends at the base of Park City Mountain Resort's Town Lift to perform a "Thriller" snow-dance. We did not succeed in our goal of breaking the Guiness Book of World Records for a simultaneous "Thriller" dance but a great time was had by all. I have no doubt that Mother Nature will take note of this effort and gift Utah with another incredible winter. We plan to attempt to break the record again next year. I hope to see you there! Check out the below footage of the event shot LIVE by Fox 13.
Be a Part of "Thriller" Snow Dance History
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on October 29, 2009
Meet at the Town Lift Plaza, located on Park City's lower Main Street, on Friday, October 30th from 3:00 - 5:15 p.m.. Tanya Taylor, Performing Arts Director at Park City Academy, will teach the dance from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Filming will begin at 5:00 p.m. Season passes and PCMR day tickets will be raffled off after the performance. Halloween costumes or ski and snowboard attire along with ski or snowboard BOOTS are also encouraged.
The current "Thriller" Dance record (not on snow) is held by a group of 242. Let's "Beat It" Friday. Make sure you sign in with a PCMR team member upon arrival to be counted in the record breaking attempt.
Video footage will be produced and sent to The Guinness Book of World Records, media outlets including CNN and The Weather Channel and distributed among social networks.
Hope to see you Friday!
Solitude Treats Skiers and Snowboarders to Skiing on Halloween
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on October 29, 2009
Itching to snowride? Well, now you can at Solitude, the first resort to open in Utah for the 2009-10 winter season.
Solitude is welcoming the winter season by opening ahead of schedule! Snowmaking began as early as the first week of October and Mother Nature has been especially cooperative – thus allowing Solitude to move up Opening Day by one week to Friday, November 6, 2009.
Additionally, Solitude will open Link Lift one day only for pass holders, on Halloween Day October 31, 2009 – officially kicking off the 2009-2010 Utah Winter Season. So, don your favorite Halloween costume and treat yourself to a day on the slopes this Halloween. What will you dress as?
Visit Solitude’s website for more information – skisolitude.com
Will Mother Nature Trick or Treat?
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on October 26, 2009
The forecast is calling for snow, more snow and even more snow. Some forecasters suggest that the Wasatch Mountains may received 1-2 feet of glorious snow by Thursday morning. But, is Mother Nature playing a Halloween trick on eager Utah skiers and snowboarders, or will she treat us to early freshies? What do you think? Guess how many inches of snow you think Utah will receive by Thursday morning and receive a Utah goody.
SNOWBASIN TO HOST WINTER DEW TOUR, JANUARY 15-17
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on July 14, 2009
The Winter Dew Tour, the world’s premier season-long winter action sports tour, announced that Snowbasin, a Sun Valley Resort, in Huntsville Utah, near Ogden Utah, will host the second of three stops Jan. 15-17, 2010 for the Tour’s second season. The Winter Dew Tour showcases top winter athletes from around the world competing in freeskiing (slopestyle and superpipe) and snowboarding (slopestyle and superpipe) for both men and women.Snowbasin, which hosted the Men’s and Women’s Downhill and Super-G events for the 2002 Winter Olympics, is a new host resort for the Winter Dew Tour, which had its inaugural season in 2008-09. ”Utah hosting the Winter Dew tour along with the Summer Dew tour continues to illustrate the growth Utah is experiencing in the action and adventure sports industry”, said Jeff Robbins, president & CEO of the Utah Sports Commission, “Utah will receive significant benefit from this new event providing an anticipated $5 million in economic impact and $6 million in national and international media exposure.”
All three stops of the Winter Dew Tour will be televised Live on NBC and simulcast around the world on Eurosport 2, Extreme Channel and Fox Sports Australia, with additional coverage on USA Network and MTV2.
“Both the Summer and Winter Dew Tours have proven to be well regarded events by fans and athletes alike,” said Kent Lyons, General Manager of Snowbasin. “We are beyond excited to host the Winter Dew Tour, and we feel that Snowbasin will make a great fit.”
“The state of Utah has had a tremendous partnership with the Summer Dew Tour over the last three years which has exposed our beautiful state to millions of people around the world,” said Lieutenant Governor Gary R. Herbert. “Utah is the State of Sport, and we’re looking forward to hosting the world’s best freeski and snowboard athletes this winter at Snowbasin.”
“We are thrilled to be the host community for this event,” said Mayor Matthew R. Godfrey, Mayor of Ogden, Utah. “Ogden’s national reputation as being the Mecca of high adventure recreation is a perfect match for a premier extreme winter sporting event like the Winter Dew Tour.”
“We are extremely excited to have Snowbasin as our new host resort for the second stop of the 2009-10 season,” said Chris Prybylo, Vice President of Events for Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports. “Utah has proven to be a great fit for the Summer Dew Tour and we look forward to continuing that success for the winter competitions.”
The complete 2009-10 Winter Dew Tour schedule is as follows:
Date Location
Dec. 18-20 Breckenridge Ski Resort – Breckenridge, Colo.
Jan. 15-17 Snowbasin Resort – Huntsville, Utah
Feb. 5-7 Mount Snow Resort – West Dover, Vt.
Entering its second season, the Winter Dew Tour had nearly 70,000 fans experience last year’s inaugural season and an average of 26 million viewers tuned in via NBC, USA and MTV2 during 2008-09. The top athletes in the world will take part in this year’s Tour, all competing for the highly coveted Dew Cup that will be awarded in Mount Snow, Vt. at season’s end. The ’08-’09 Dew Cup champions include Shaun White (Snowboard Pipe and Slopestyle), Kelly Clark (Snowboard Pipe), Spencer O’Brien (Snowboard Slopestyle), PK Hunder (Freeski Slopestyle) and Tanner Hall (Freeski Superpipe).
Jason Perry, Jeff Robbins-Utah Sports Commission, Rep. Brad Dee, Torah Bright - Winter Dew Tour Athlete, Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, Chris Prybylo-Alliance of Action Sports, Kent Lyons - GM Snowbasin
Ski Season is Over in Utah
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on June 4, 2009
Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort announced today that due to recent warm temperatures, rain and rapid snowpack melting in the past week, that they are closed for the 2008/09 season, and will not be reopening this weekend as previously planned.
Snowcat operators spent most of the day working on some areas of Little Cloud that had very little snow, large rocks and, in one case, a small river. Unfortunately, they were not able to ensure enough coverage for safe, skiable terrain. The Little Cottonwood Canyon resort received 621 inches of snowfall this season and offered skiing and riding for 194 days, the longest in Utah.
“Despite our plans and the hard work of our snowcat operators, we won’t be able to offer any more skiing and riding this spring. The recent rain and warm temperatures have dropped the snowpack more than we expected,” said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. “We thank our season passholders and guests for a great season, and look forward to an amazing summer line-up here at Snowbird.”
The Utah resort is currently offering summer Tram operations for foot passengers daily, with operating hours from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Summer activities including the new Wasatch Mining Company Gemstone Mine, Peruvian Chairlift and Tunnel, Alpine Slide, four-station climbing wall, ZipRider, Bungy Trampoline, Mechanical Bull and Inflatables, are scheduled to begin Saturday, June 13. Hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (except for the Peruvian Chairlift and Tunnel which closes at 5 p.m.) and activities may be limited. Horseback and ATV tours are tentatively scheduled to begin Fourth of July weekend, conditions permitting.
Thanks for a great season Mother Nature! We are eagerly awaiting another.
Stay tuned for Ski Utah's new fitness blog containing details on how to stay in ski shape all winter long...
Paralympian Shatters World Record By Rocking the White Rim Trail
Posted by Jessica Kunzer - Communication Director on May 27, 2009
Super athlete Chris Waddell completes a 103-mile Southern Utah trail ride in less than 3 days
Chris Waddell, the most decorated male skier in Paralympic history, has set another world record. Waddell just returned from a groundbreaking trip to Southern Utah’s popular White Rim trail. Waddell used a handcycle to propel himself across 103 miles of dirt road in less than three days. The previous record was six days.
- Waddell spent three days peddling himself through the dirt and sand roads of the White Rim Trail.
“It is a huge deal,” explains Waddell. “What this means to me on a social level is that I can do this on my own. That feasibly I could go on this type of a ride and keep up with able-bodied friends on mountain bikes.”
Waddell spent three days peddling himself through the dirt and sand roads of the White Rim Trail. The last and most difficult leg of the trek requires a 1500-foot climb and a 12- mile uphill ride back to base.
Waddell’s determination, spirit and strength are an inspiration to many. “Never have I seen someone put their head down and dig so deep from within,” comments Dave Penny, Waddell’s trainer and coach. Waddell’s next and most challenging expedition is set for the fall of 2009 in Africa. This is where he plans to summit the 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro. If successful, he will become the first paraplegic to summit the tallest free-standing mountain, unassisted.
Waddell, who was involved in a skiing accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, was determined to get back on the slopes. He mastered the monoski and spent 11 years on the U.S. Disabled Ski Team where he won 12 Paralympic medals over four years. The Kilimanjaro climb is just one facet of Waddell’s new concept called One Revolution (www.one-revolution.com). While in Africa, Waddell and his team will be donating handcycles to disabled individuals in Tanzania.
The purpose of One Revolution is to change preconceived notions about the disabled community. “One Revolution means so many things to me,” says Waddell. “One revolution of the handcycle, one revolution to change the way people see the disabled community and one revolution of the globe, which symbolizes steady, fundamental change.”
