Mammoth Adds Sixpack
The new six-passenger, $6.5 million Cloud Nine Express replaces an ancient double to speed rides from the Eagle Lodge side of Mammoth Mountain, CA (tel. 800/MAMMOTH; www.mammothmountain.com) to 10,371 feet near Dragon's Back in just over six minutes, cutting ride time in half and accessing to hundreds of acres of intermediate and advanced trails.
Jiminy Peak To Rely in Wind Power
Massachusetts' Berkshires are the southern extension of Vermont's Green Mountains, but the Berkshire resort of Jiminy Peak (tel. 413/738-5500; www.jiminy.com) has become New England's greenest resort. Its new $3.9 million, 1.5 megawatt on-site wind turbine will generate about 33 percent of the resort's total electricity consumption. Jiminy Peak is the first private company in the U.S. to purchase a wind turbine in the "megawatt class" size (1 million watts or more) for its own energy use.
Alyeska Boosts Snowmaking; Upgrades Hotel
Alyeska (tel. 800/880-3880; www.alyeskaresort.com) Alaska's only full ski resort, has undertaken a $4.5 million mountain upgrade, extending snowmaking extended from the base to the top of the tram, enabling the entire vertical to open by Thanksgiving. Alyeska has also increased its beginner terrain expansion and widened four upper mountain runs. By the start of the season, the Hotel Alyeska at the tram base will also upgrade its 304 rooms and many public spaces. Additional lodging is in nearby Girdwood and Anchorage, 40 miles away.
Hunter Pass Holders Reap Aspen Discounts
Season pass, Big Lift Card and Try-Pack holders at Hunter Mountain, NY (tel. 800/HUNTERMTN, Ext 2200; www.huntermtn.com) are eligible for discounts at Aspen and Snowmass (tel. 800/525-6200; www.aspensnowmass.com) this season. These include Hunter's new transferable season pass.
Loon Mountain Finally Launches South Peak
Loon Mountain, NH (tel. 603/745-8111; www.loonmtn.com) have been gazing at South Peak for a generation. A new high-speed quad has finally be strung up to the 2,450-foot summit. The first three trails two snowmaking-equipped cruisers and one gladed run with natural snow only, open this season -- not quite one-third of the terrain planned for this longest-planned but newest terrain expansion. The first runs were cut in 1996, and locals have been poaching powder ever since. Now, they have to share with anyone with a lift ticket.
Zermatt Improves Inter-Area Connections
Zermatt, Switzerland (www.zermatt.ch) has added a new chairlift with (get this!) heated seats in the Sunegga area, another new quad from Hohtälli to Kellensee to improve the connection between connection between Rothorn, Gornergrat and the Matterhorn sector, and a short surface lift in the Stockhorn sector to access a popular free-riding area.
New Chairlift at Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo (www.cortina.dolomiti.com), the jewel of the Italian Dolomites, has unclogged a chronic bottleneck with the new Taiarezze-Malon quad chairlift, replacing an old double chair. With an hourly uphill capacity of 1,200 riders, it is part of Cortina's strategy to increase lift capacity rather than adding new ski runs.
Sierra Resort Expands Backcountry Options; Food Service
California's Sierra Resort, formerly Sierra-at-Tahoe (tel. 530/659-7453; www.sierraattahoe.com) has five new access gates into Huckleberry Canyon's 300 ungroomed, expert acres. Initially, this steep, rugged terrain at he top of the Grandview Express will be skiable only with an instructor, but independent access is expected. Also expected are bigger lunch crowds at the 360 Smokehouse BBQ at the top of the lift. Sierra has also remade the West Bowl Bar & Grill into the Baja Grill, specializing in such freshly made Mexi-Cali hits as fresh fish tacos, quesadillas, burritos and tacos.