2013-14 Winter Season Features a Storm of Improvements and New Pass Offerings From Utah’s Resort - October 15, 2013

SALT LAKE CITY, UT- With 11 resorts less than an hour from the Salt Lake City International Airport, visitors will spend more time enjoying the slopes and less time in the car. Utah’s average annual snowfall of 500 inches of The Greatest Snow on Earth® and a host of on and off hill improvements for the 2013-14 winter season, make the unparalleled access just the icing on the cake. The upcoming season is the year of more: more pass benefits, more on-mountain activities, more gourmet food, more snowmaking, more high-speed lifts and more convenience for our visitors.

Home to 14 world-class ski resorts, there’s a perfect match for every beginner, intermediate and pro. Utah boasts an ever-expanding menu of amenities and services for lodge bunnies, foodies and children including: tubing, snowmobiling, luxurious spa treatments, award-winning restaurants and some of the best ski/snowboard instructors around. Visit Utah, where the only thing you’ll get less of is time in the car.

Pass Benefits and Coops

Utah’s resorts are stepping up the pass offerings for the 2013-14 season with better deals, more benefits for pass holders and much more.

Day of Arrival Ticket Deal: Alta and Snowbirdare offering 50% off day tickets within 24 hours of arrival. The guest must register online before arrival. *Full details were not available at press time. Contact Susie English for more details.

Big Cottonwood Pass: Brighton Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort have teamed up to introduce the Big Cottonwood Pass with access to over 3,700 acres of terrain, 130 plus trails and 15 lifts. The scenic SolBright trail connects the two resorts. For only $999, this joint pass is valid at both resorts throughout the entire season with no blackout dates and includes night skiing at Brighton.

Best Pass Benefit in the Wasatch: Alta, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort and Snowbirdhave teamed up to offer season pass holders an exciting new benefit. Qualifying season pass holders at the 4 participating resorts can enjoy 3 days each of free lift access at each of the other three mountains. With a Snowbird or Alta season pass you also get free ridership on UTA Ski Bus Routes and Trax, 50% off day passes at Aspen/Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Mammoth, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Whistler Blackcomb, Durango Mountain Resort, Red Lodge Mountain, Homewood Mountain Resort, and Wachusett Mountain Ski Area and discounts to on-hill amenities.

Epic Pass: Canyons Resort is now Epic! Now under Vail Resorts

management, Canyons Resort Epic Pass is only $709, with unlimited skiing and riding at Canyons, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Eldora, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. The Epic Pass now includes 5 days at each Verbier, Switzerland; Arlberg, Austria; and now Les 3 Vallées, France.

Mountain Collective: Alta was one of the four inaugural destinations last season in the Mountain Collective and for the 2013-14 season has combined with Snowbird. The Mountain Collective is an extraordinary alliance of the world's best independent resorts. For $379 those who join the Mountain Collective receive two free days and an unlimited 50% off lift tickets, plus exclusive lodging deals at each of six destinations: AltaSnowbird, Aspen/Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows and Whistler Blackcomb.

Powder Alliance: Snowbasin, along with twelve mountains in the west have joined forces to create the Powder Alliance. The twelve signature resorts offer three FREE days of skiing to anytime pass holders from other participating Powder Alliance areas, plus speacial offers on lodging, rentals, buddy tickets and more. These twelve mountains include Snowbasin Resort, Crested Butte, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Stevens Pass, Timberline, Schweitzer, China Peak, Mountain High, Arizona Snowbowl, Mt Hood Skibowl, Angel Fire Resort, and Bridger Bowl.

On hill improvements

Utah’s resorts continue to invest in on hill improvements to provide faster lift rides, more snow, more terrain and an overall better experience for the guests.

Snowbird: For the 2013-14 season Snowbird is putting in the only new chairlift in Utah. The original Gad 2 chairlif, from 1971, is being replaced with a high-speed detachable quad, which will cut the ride time in half. Snowbird is also expanding their Cat Skiing for Nature operations to open up more terrain without the traverse. Cat Skiing for Nature was introduced to the resort last season and gives clients access to the Mary Ellen Gulch, the backside of Mineral Basin.

         Snowbird is launching a new blog called SkiMums. It is all about moms taking care of themselves and having a great time on the mountain. The SkiMums will meet on Mondays and the group will be periodically ski with an instructor and other days adventure on their own.

Deer Valley Resort:  Deer Valley is building new ski run on Little Baldy Mountain called “Gnat’s Eye” for the upcoming season. It is for beginner level skiers. The resort is also investing $4.5 million for upgrading air water snowmaking guns, purchasing two more ultra-low energy efficient SnowLogic tower guns, 24 new EPA-approved Ski-Doo mountain snowmobiles and three new Prinoth snowcats.

         For summer 2014 operations, Deer Valley is cutting a new hiking-only trail on Flagstaff Mountain.

Solitude Mountain Resort: Solitude has spent the summer regarding and widening the SolBright trail that connects Solitude to Brighton Resort. The SolBright trail will now be accessible for all levels of skiers and riders, which will be a huge benefit for the Big Cottonwood season pass holders.

Brighton Resort: Brighton Resort is implementing a hands-free, RFID (radio frequency identification) Access Ticket system this summer, which will allow access through entry gates to get on the lifts. The Access Ticket system is the same system that Solitude uses and allows the two resorts to partner on the new Big Cottonwood pass.

         A new girls only terrain park will open for the 2013-14 season. Brighton is working with Grete Elliassen, a professional freeskier, to design the girls only park, as well as Burton and Red Bull.

Snowbasin Resort:  By building a 4^th well, Snowbasin Resort increased their snowmaking capacity to over 615 acres. More snowmaking will mean that the resort can open more terrain earlier in the season for their guests.

         The resort is partnering with Burton Snowboards to build a dinosaur Riglet Park and Learn to Snowboard program for ages 3-6 years old. A Rossignol Experience System is being introduced as the rental outlet and will feature all the new Rossignol Experience equipment.

Alta’s Rustler Lodge: Alta’s premier lodge is getting a makeover this summer. It includes brand new guest rooms with gas fireplaces, new indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis, a new sauna, three new spa-treatment rooms and a new pedicure-manicure room.

New Trax line

The Utah Transit Authority completed its latest project last spring, a new TRAX line from Salt Lake City International Airport to downtown Salt Lake City. This new line not only provides streamlined transit to Utah’s urban core but, with a quick transfer at Salt Lake’s Intermodal Hub skiers and boarders can find bus connections all the way up to the hill, and to Ogden and Provo as well. Salt Lake City is developing public transit faster than any other city in North America.

Birthday Celebrations

Ski Utah’s Interconnect Tour is celebrating its 30^th birthday this year. The tour takes advanced and expert alpine skiers on the ultimate skiing odyssey, exploring the Utah’s resorts and off-piste terrain. Groups ranging from three to a maximum of 12, ski with highly educated guides who lead both Deer Valley departing and Snowbird departing tours. New for the 2013-14 season, private trips can be completely customized to suit the wishes of the skiers.

In 2013-14, Park City Mountain Resort celebrates half a century of skiing, snowboarding, and an intimate connection with one of the world’s great ski towns. First as Treasure Mountain, then Park City Ski Area and finally as Park City Mountain Resort, PCMR has grown into a premier winter resort that attracts guests from all over the country and the world. From the “Skiers’ Subway” to hi-speed 6-packs, PCMR has been at the center of skiing and snowboarding’s growth in North America.

Stellar Packages: Ski, Stay, Dine!

The Ski, Stay & Dine Package allows guest to enjoy Deer Valley Resort’s award-winning cuisine, luxury accommodations, renowned skiing and service along with a 20% savings on lodging and lift tickets at participating properties. The package includes a $50 dining certificate valid any of Deer Valley Resort’s owned and operated evening restaurants.

Stay at Sundance Mountain Resort and Ski Free! Book your stay in a luxurious mountain cottage and receive two free lift passes per night of stay, also include night skiing and the Sundance Nordic Center.  Sundance also offers an opportunity to experience the Sundance Film Festival at the place where it all began. Enjoy screenings in the Sundance Screening Room, as well as in Park City.

Alta’s First Sleep-around is a unique introduction to the lodging and skiing that Alta has to offer. With the package the guest will get 3 nights of lodging at a different lodge each night (Alta will make the move seamless from lodge to lodge) including daily breakfast, on-mountain lunch and dinner, 3 days of skiing, demo skis each day and a tour of the mountain on the first day. (Only available Dec 5-8, 2013).

Delicious Health Conscious On-hill lunches

The classic hearty ski lunch—burgers, nachos, pizza—will always be popular, but many resorts, and their creative chefs, are now offering healthier on-hill options.

Powder Mountain, Powder Keg: New management brings some “fancy” additions to this pub menu, including the mouth watering Kale and Grapefruit Salad. Crisp and tart, a delightful surprise, unpretentiously served up on a paper plate in true Powder Mountain style.

Alta Resort, Collins Grill and Watson Café: Located in mid-mountain off the Collins lift, both restaurants use suppliers who are as local and sustainable as possible. A favorite, the balsamic beet salad is tossed in sweet balsamic dressing over fresh organic spinach with gorgonzola and basil.

Satisfying Sips

Utah resorts aren’t only offering more unique food options, but are expanding their exceptional wine selections. The Aerie in the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird Resort features over 1,000 wines to choose from, with expansive choices in Bordeaux, Cabernet and wines from the Alsace that complement the menu of sushi and game. Wine Spectator, the authoritative magazine on viticulture, recognized Deer Valley Resort’s restaurant, The Mariposa, with its Award of Excellence for 2013.

Puppy Love

Both Snowbird and Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) recently welcomed brand new search and rescue puppies. AT Snowbird is Marty, a Czech German Sherpard named after Marty Hoey, a Snowbird ski Partroller who passed away climbing Mt. Everest. And over at PCMR is Lilly, a Labrador–Pointer Mix.

Olympic Legacy

Utah hosted the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and 12 years later boasts the most active ongoing Olympic venue use in the world. From ski jumping events to the naming ceremony for the first-ever U.S. Olympic Freeskiing Team, the road to Sochi starts in Utah.

         Upcoming Events:

         December 29

         U.S. Nordic Combined & Ski Jumping

         Utah Olympic Park

         January 8-11

         FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup

         Deer Valley Resort

         January 17-19

         U.S. Sprint Grand Prix

         (U.S. Olympic Freeskiing Team Naming Ceremony)

         Park City Mountain Resort

         With unprecedented accessibility to the Salt Lake City International Airport, world-class event venues and training facilities, many Olympic athletes choose to call Utah home. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is based in Park City and Olympic hopefuls train at the 85,000-square foot center of Excellence, which opened in 2009 and offers programs in everything from cardio to sports physiology and nutrition.

         The 2002 Games put Utah on the map for skiers and the state has seen a 38 % increase in skier day visits since. Direct expenditures from skier and snowboarders have increased 83% from $704M in 2002-03 to $1.29B in 2012-13.

Off the Slopes

         At Sundance Resort glassblowers turn discards into art. Artists in residence from Tlaquepaque, Mexico combine artistic and environmental purpose, as they transform discarded bottles into glassware for the Sundance restaurants and artwork that is sold in the Sundance Art Studio.  The Art Studio features classes daily in pottery, painting, jewelry making and photography. No experience is needed to create your own piece of art for yourself or for a gift. 

What’s New with Ski Utah

Skiutah.com is getting a full makeover and it is a joy ride, refreshed and re-imagined. Find deals to make a dreamy ski vacation doable any time the snow is falling. First-time visitors to the website will be greeted by a "Welcome to Utah" page while return visitors will be served up snowfall totals and other inspirational content pieces. This is your insider's guide to Utah's 14 world-class resorts. Plus, don't overlook Ski Utah's dynamic blog team who contribute to the website daily—providing packing tips, family tips, not-to-miss food, secret powder stashes and more. 

Ski Utah’s 2nd annual magazine is available featuring insider tips, travel advise, lodging information, resort stats and much more. The magazine is poly-bagged with Outside’s December issue and Mountain magazine’s winter issue, mainly being distributed in the New York and LA areas.

Find Snow totals for all 14 Utah resorts in one place with the Ski Utah App. Never miss an inch of snow that falls in Utah. Also find resort specific six-day forecast for all 14 resorts, road status, trail maps for all 14 resorts and a ski counter to keep track of any day skied in Utah.