While many are waiting for the ski season to take off, resorts have kept themselves busy with improvements that both riders and skiers will enjoy.
At Hunter Mountain in the Catskills, new features were added to its terrain park, the first being two three-inch single-barrel rails mounted side by side for transfers. Another is a low 20-foot funbox.
The terrain park team also resurrected a few of the older rails and boxes for use this winter to mix in with its current lineup. The resort also is going to be rolling out some new sponsored features as well. Thirty Two, the California-based snowboarding company, will continue to work closely with Hunter to create fun contests and events.
The terrain park at Hunter Mountain is located along Park Avenue and Lower Broadway on the front face under B-Lift. To continue support for free riding and snowboarding, this season Hunter Mountain also will be sponsoring Jeremy Thompson, a Hunter Mountain local and professional rider who is expected to drop in for an event at the terrain park on Dec. 30.
“This season my crew and I will continue to build unique snow features that guests can have fun on,” said Mike Velez, Hunter Mountain’s Terrain Park Manager. “We will have many different features for all different skill levels.”
Up the road from Hunter, Windham Mountain added a new trail as part of its $2.4 million capital improvement project for the 2011-2012 season.
The newest trail, WinTuck, is a reclaimed work road that will offer expert skiers and riders an easier track down the East Peak. Where’s Charlie and Assembly Line, two previously unnamed and uncounted trails, will bring Windham Mountain’s total trail count to 49.
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Only three months after Southern Vermont endured its worst natural disaster in decades, Mount Snow Resort managed to complete more than $9 million in capital improvements, including the installation of the Bluebird Express; the only high speed detachable six-passenger bubble lift in North America, which will whisk guests to the mountain’s summit.
Ski Vermont will offer a $29 package for first-time skiers and snowboarders at several resorts across Vermont for the first time this season. The lessons will be available non-holiday for the entire month of January, and based on availability. Registration for the $29 packages will be available at SkiVermont.com beginning tomorrow.