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source: November 28, 2010 - Ski resorts across the Sierras agree - it's been a while since they've had a Thanksgiving weekend like this one.

Last week's storm dropped about 100 inches of snow on some peaks, allowing some resorts to open terrain that they normally don't open until after New Year's.

Forecasts for Saturday call for four to eight more inches of snowfall in the Sierras.

That, said one resort spokeswoman, is just "the icing on top of the cake."

Squaw Valley already has a storm total of 99 inches and cold temperatures have kept the snow firm, said spokeswoman Amelia Richmond.

"We've never had this much snow for opening," Richmond said. "The last time anyone I've been able to talk to can remember this much snow before Thanksgiving was 1973."

Sierra-at-Tahoe and Alpine Meadows both reported storm totals of over 100 inches of snow, virtually all of which fell last weekend. As a result, slopes are in mid-winter form.

"Top to bottom, the entire mountain essentially is open on the first day of operation," said Kirstin Cattell, spokeswoman for Sierra-at Tahoe. "That is very rare.

"We pretty much went from looking at dirt and rocks to you can't find your car if you didn't move it for a day," she said.

The heavy snowfall allowed Alpine Meadows to open today, said spokeswoman Rachael Woods. At its midmountain snow stage Alpine Meadows took in 105 inches from the storm, Woods said.

"Terrain we'd expect to have open by Christmas or New Year's is open today," she said. "It's a banner day."

The National Weather Service forecast for Saturday calls for snow during the day and into the evening, easing off by Sunday morning.

Temperatures are forecast to be in the low 30s on Saturday, fall below 20 degrees in some areas near Lake Tahoe at night, and return to the high 20s on Sunday.

Farther south, near the Kirkwood Mountain Resort, snow showers might last into Sunday.

The Kirkwood resort is reporting a base of 73 inches and 85 percent of its trails open. The last time the resort opened for Thanksgiving was in 2004, said retail manager and buyer Carolyn Reuter.

"We have plenty of snow and we're opening lifts every day," Reuter said. "Our prognosis is good."

November 28, 2010 - Whether they blame the weather man or Mother Nature, ski resort officials aren't satisfied with the amount of snow that has fallen so far.

Jane Eshbaugh, Holiday Valley marketing director, said their target date to be ready to go was Friday, but because of the weather, it doesn't appear that will be the case.

''It's not looking promising. We do expect some snow fall for the weekend, but not really extended cold for snowmaking,'' she said. ''We're keeping our options open. Once the weather cooperates, we will be able to make snow for a couple of days and be ready.''

On Friday, resort officials said the snowmaking crew began making snow at 4 p.m. Snowguns were set up and staged on the Yodeler, Mardi Gras, Candy Cane and School Haus slopes. Snowmaking is planned to continue with the goal of opening the resort by next weekend, weather permitting.

The possibility of 12 inches of lake-effect snow predicted through Sunday morning will help get the season started. The weather forecast calls for a warmup Tuesday and Wednesday, then colder temperatures again Thursday with more natural snow.

"Stay tuned for updates on the exact opening date. Mother Nature's the one who ultimately calls the shots," said Steve Crowley, Holiday Valley director of mountain operations.

The Holiday Valley website, holidayvalley.com, will have up-to-the-minute details.

The resort located in Ellicottville has 58 slopes and 13 lifts, include its new $3.5 million morning star high-speed quad chairlift. New this year are two new slopes - the bear cub for beginners and gobbler glade for more experienced skiers. Also there is a new rails park, expanded snowmaking capabilities to make more snow quicker and an expansion of the warming hut in the tubing park.

Once ski season gets rolling, Holiday Valley will be open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The eight-hour weekend ticket costs $57 and $48 during weekdays for adults. For more information, visit www.holidayvalley.com or call 699-2345.

Jack VanScoter, Cockaigne Ski Area owner, said once the weatherman gets the weather right and the snow starts to fly the slopes in Cherry Creek will be ready for willing participants.

''We are ready to open, but the weatherman is going to determine when we can start,'' he said. ''We have all of our lifts inspected and personnel hired and trained, all we need is for the weatherman to give us some snow.''

VanScoter said he is about to start his 41st year at Cockaigne and is still having fun. New features this year include new ski rental equipment. Skiers can attend ''Retro Ski Days'' Dec. 20-23 and ''Christmas Race Camp'' Dec. 26-30. For more information on schedule of events, visit www.cockaigne.com or call 287-3223. A weekend ski ticket is $34.

In Findley Lake, Peek'n Peak is guaranteeing a minimum of 100 days of skiing and riding for the 2010-11 winter season. If its trails aren't 100 percent open, daily lift tickets will be discounted based on the percentage of open terrain. Their state-of-the-art snowmaking technology and naturally great snow location means guests are skiing and riding on a minimum of a 6-inch groomed base. The resort has 27 slopes and trails serviced by eight chairlifts. Peek'n Peak is open seven days and nights a week throughout the ski season with equipment and helmet rentals available. A weekend pass costs $56 for adults. For more information, visit www.pknpk.com or 355-4141.


source: www.observertoday.com

KUUSAMO, Finland - The U.S. Ski Team's Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) moved up 13 places in cross country but it did little to brighten a tough opener for the USA in the FIS World Cup in Kuusamo. Demong made his way through the pack to move up from 45th in the jump to finish 32nd. Fellow Olympin Jason Lamy-Chappuis of France dominated the day, leading the jump and taking the win.

It was a day of some massive jumps. Lamy-Chappuis led with a jump of 137 meters, taking the lead on style points. While Austria's Eric Frenzel went an astounding 148.5 meters. Demong, who jumped 50th, was well off the mark at 105.

In the quick turnaround 10k cross country, Lamy-Chappuis started two seconds ahead of Frenzel. The two battled the entire distance, with Lamy-Chappuis holding on for a 6.6 second victory margin. Austria's Mario Stecher took third while teammate Felix Gottwald moved all the way from 21st to fourth.

Bryan Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) led the USA in the jump, finishing 35th. Demong carried a whopping four minute, seven second deficit into the cross country and could do little but find solace in picking off skier after skier to move up 13 spots. Ironically, Finland's strong Hannu Manninen was even further back in 48th, and caught Demong with the second fastest cross country time. Demong was 12th fastest.

Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) ended up 35th with Bryan 37th.

"It is hard not to be upset but in reality we are here with a new group of guys competing full time on the World Cup," said Head Nordic Combine Coach Dave Jarrett. "It is going to take some time to build them up to 2014. The new group is ahead of Billy and Johnny's curve for their age and need to be mixing it up on the World Cup more often. If they (Bryan and Taylor Fletcher) can consistently be in the points, working their way up, we will be satisfied."

Action continues Saturday in the Finnish resort at the gateway to Lapland just south of the Arctic Circle.

Complete results are available at: fis-ski.com.

source: www.theskichannel.com

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Never mind the double black diamond slopes. How about whizzing through the trees on a zip line or careening down the hill on a roller coaster?

Appealing to the adventurous crowd, a number of New England ski resorts have added year-round zip lines and Mountain Coasters.

"It’s a matter of being harnessed by one of our guides and letting gravity do the rest," said Sunday River spokeswoman Darcy Morse, of the Newry, Maine-resort’s zip line tour, in which users are suspended from a cable on a pulley.

Vermont’s Smugglers’ Notch is building a "canopy tour" — about 1,220 metres of zip lines where riders will cross sky bridges and rappel from trees — to open by the end of December, with a mini course ready by the end of this month. New Hampshire’s Bretton Woods and Loon Mountain, along with Maine’s Sugarloaf, all plan to have their zip lines — popular in the summer — open this winter.

"It’s kind of a unique way to experience the White Mountains and kind of seeing it from a different angle, you know rather than from the skis or from the slopes, but being up in those old-growth hemlocks and seeing it from up there," said Craig Clemmer, director of sales and marketing for Omni Mount Washington Resort, which includes Bretton Woods.

The zip lines range in length and cost, from around $25 for a short trip at one resort to $110 for a guided tour lasting more than three hours.

If you prefer to be closer to the ground, several resorts are offering another thrilling way down the mountain — on a roller coaster.

At Okemo in Ludlow, Vt., riders in sled-like cars carrying two passengers will zip down and around steel tubular rails, controlling their speed. The Timber Ripper, which is expected to open in mid-December, first climbs 488 metres and then drops 114 metres on a track with added features like waves, camel backs and banking loops. "It looks like it’s going to be crazy, but fun," said Okemo spokeswoman Bonnie MacPherson.

Mountain Coaster rides are an option, too, at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, N.H., and Attitash Ski Resort in Bartlett, N.H., which this year was bought by Missouri-based Peak Resorts. The company will offer season passes and tickets good at both Wildcat Mountain Ski Area and Attitash.

For skiers and riders who like the "backcountry" experience, Sugarloaf in Carabassett Valley, Maine, is expanding to a neighbouring peak.

This season the resort will open roughly 108 new hectares of gladed terrain and tree skiing that Sugarloaf says will make it the largest New England resort in terms of inbound developed acres. Eventually 262 hectares will be added.

Jay Peak Resort in northern Vermont is in the midst of a $140-million development that includes a new indoor ice arena and next year an indoor water park while Vermont’s Stowe Mountain Resort is turning to the arts, with a new 420-seat performing arts centre for theatre, music, dance, film and lectures.

To make themselves attractive destinations year-round and to get vacationers to return, resorts are giving visitors more options for fun.

"I think it’s a continuation of the expansion of the amenities and offerings and programs far beyond what was always just a core component of skiing and riding of years past," said Parker Riehle, president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association.

So far this year, Vermont resorts are seeing a spike in season pass sales, particularly on early season deals, said Riehle.

But resorts are hoping that skiers and riders, who gave up the extra spending on food, lessons or equipment during the recession, might feel more comfortable this season to spend a little more. Last year, resorts saw a slight uptick in that extra spending but not to the level of years past, said Riehle.

University of Vermont economics professor Art Woolf is cautiously optimistic about ski area’s fortunes this season.

"If we have a good weather year, we’ll probably see a little growth in ski season because people are feeling a little better, feeling a little more comfortable, a little less worried about the future," he said.

Meanwhile, Bretton Woods has seen its zip line, added in 2008, grow in popularity, spread by word of mouth.

"We get all these little letters from people saying it should be on everybody’s bucket list of things to do," said Clemmer. "It’s such a wonderful experience."

‘If we have a good weather year, we’ll probably see a little growth in ski season because people are feeling a little better, feeling a little more comfortable, a little less worried about the future.’

While the recent cold and snowy weather has been rough for drivers, it was good to skiers.

Big Sky Resort opened Thursday with what was described on the resort's website as "the best conditions in 10 years" for an opening day. The base depth was 50-70 inches, with 36 of 150 runs open.

Great Divide announced this week that it would have its earliest summit opening ever, with Mount Belmont, Good Luck and Back Yard lifts running Friday and Meadow Mountain Lift expected to open Dec. 4. The ski area has a lower mountain snow depth of 34 inches.

Whitefish (Big) Mountain will open Dec. 4, and skiers are gushing about the snow. The base is pegged at 35 inches.

Teton Pass near Choteau is hoping to open Dec. 10, "subject to lifts being finished" and snow conditions, according to the resort's website. The ski area reports a base at the top of the chairlift of 22 inches.

Showdown near Great Falls also is expected to open Dec. 10. It has a base of 39 inches at the summit.

Good snow has already fallen throughout California, a sign that the ski industry may be on track for a second year in a row of above-average business.

For Larry Davis, gray skies and low-hanging clouds are reasons to smile: They mean the ski season is here.

A late November storm dumped several feet of snow on high-elevation resorts in the Eastern Sierra and Lake Tahoe and dusted lower-elevation resorts in Southern California with several inches of powder.

Davis, a stock trader from Santa Clarita, made it up to Mammoth Mountain for opening day Nov. 11, declaring it the best he had seen in years.

"The runs at the top were open. They had 8 inches of powder," he said. "It was cold and they had really good snow."

In fact, good snow has already fallen throughout the state, an early sign that the ski industry may be on track for a second year in a row of above-average business.

"It depends on the white stuff," said Bob Roberts, executive director of the California Ski Industry Assn. "It's all about timing."

All seven of the major ski resorts around Lake Tahoe are operating for the Thanksgiving weekend, marking the earliest lake-wide opening in the last five years. Even the lower-elevation resorts in Southern California had enough snow and cold temperatures to operate snow-making machines to open by Thanksgiving Day.

And it seems November storms have kicked off ski season early throughout the West. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming opens Saturday with 10 feet of snow, the greatest amount for opening day in the resort's history. In Colorado, the Breckenridge and Keystone resorts also got enough snow this month to open some of their most popular runs in mid-November, the earliest time in the resorts' history.

Across the country, resort operators hope that an improving economy will bolster spending on food, drinks and souvenirs this year. In the depths of the recession, some ski resorts offered discounts for furloughed state workers. But few such deals are coming this year. In fact, many lift ticket prices are going up.

The state's ski resorts recorded 8.1 million visitors last season, up from about 6.8 million in 2008-09. It was a monster season, fueled by some of the best snowfall in years. So much snow fell last year that Mammoth Mountain stayed open until the Fourth of July — long past its typical closing date on Memorial Day weekend.

Visitors to the state's ski resorts last year spent at least $700 million, resulting in about $3 billion in total economic activity, according to the state's ski industry association.

So far this year's season has started out well for ski resorts statewide.

Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area, a resort along the lake, opened Nov. 21, the earliest opening day in 12 years. The Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort normally opens in early to mid-December but this year opened Nov. 23, not long after it got buried in 6 feet of snow.

Mammoth Mountain, one of the most popular ski resorts for Southern Californians, opened on schedule — the second Thursday of November — thanks to a storm that dropped nearly 3 feet of snow the previous week.

"Seems like it's off to a bang," said Craig Pursuit, a dentist from Manhattan Beach, who skied opening day at Mammoth, where business has been on the rise after a dismal 2008-09 season.

This season, pre-booking sales are on the rise at Mammoth and discretionary spending appears to be recovering, said Pam Murphy, Mammoth Mountain's senior vice president. Although skiers may be spending more this year, she said resort visitors were still cautious.

"They're watching their dollar closely," Murphy said.

Still, Mammoth hopes high-income skiers are ready to spend even more. This year, the resort launched a "black pass," a yearlong lift ticket that costs between $10,000 and $25,000. Among other benefits, pass holders will be allowed to cut to the front of lift lines.

This has rankled some locals who have complained that Mammoth is trying to cater to the high-end market after resort founder Dave McCoy sold his controlling interest in 2006 to Starwood Capital Group of Greenwich, Conn., led by hotel mogul Barry S. Sternlicht.

"Mammoth isn't changing at all," Murphy said. "It's still the same people. We're just trying to add a product that they'd like."

In Southern California's San Bernardino Mountains, Mountain High opened Nov. 11, Snow Summit opened Nov. 13 and Bear Mountain opened Nov. 24 — a couple of weeks behind schedule for resorts that typically open near the end of October using snow-making equipment.

Mt. Baldy, the closest resort to Los Angeles, opened Thanksgiving Day, relying mostly on man-made snow to cover the runs.

Dan McKernan, a spokesman for the Big Bear Lake Resort Assn., is not complaining about the late start. "We are fortunate this year that Mother Nature provided us the white stuff," he said.

Resort operators say they believe that skiers who have been holding tight to vacation money during the recession are ready to spend again.

At Mountain High "there is definitely a buzz in the air," resort spokeswoman Kim Hermon said. "We've been packed."

Roberts of the California Ski Industry Assn. said he remained cautiously optimistic about the season because meteorologists attributed last year's heavy snowfall to the weather phenomenon known as El Niño. He said weather forecasters now expected a La Niña weather pattern, which should generate the same number of storms but less rain and snow.

"I've been in this business for 40 years and every year is different," he said.

A wicked winter storm blasted Jackson for four days, dumping three feet of snow and snarling holiday travel, but launching the ski season to a historic start.

Some areas saw 37 inches of snow drop Saturday through Tuesday. Flights were cancelled at Jackson Hole Airport, and winds up to 68 mph created a blizzard, made driving difficult and raised the avalanche danger.

Avalanche forecasters predicted the danger today to be considerable, meaning natural avalanches are possible. Meteorologists say the storm will slowly subside, but sub-zero temperatures will follow.

On Mount Glory, an avalanche Tuesday afternoon just missed a snowboarder and blocked Highway 22 between Wilson and Victor, Idaho.

Chris Towles was finishing a run down the northeast ridge of Mount Glory when the avalanche ran over a track he had laid down 15 seconds earlier.

“I saw this huge, 20-foot-tall snow cloud coming down the slide path,” he said. “The debris piled up feet from me” and covered the width of the road with up to four feet of snow.

Towles and his partner took a relatively safe route down the ridge. He zoomed in and out of the slide path only at the end of the run, he said.

“If I had been about 15 seconds slower, I might have been buried on Teton Pass,” he said. “It was a pretty impressive thing, seeing that air blast coming down that slide path. Scary as hell, too.”

Towles said he and others who saw the slide break loose were fairly certain the avalanche was natural and involved no skiers or snowboarders. Department of Transportation workers were on the scene quickly and moved people out of the danger zone, he said.

“We did a beacon search and a probe search” to ensure nobody was buried, he said.

Several skiers had to abandon their vehicles at the top of the pass and ski down to Wilson, he said.

The snow and wind also posed problems for Thanksgiving travelers at Jackson Hole Airport. The blizzard shut down the airport runway Tuesday. Two morning flights and four noon flights were cancelled.

“Today was a lot worse than yesterday,” airport director Ray Bishop said. “We haven’t turned a wheel all day.

“We’re out working on the runway and making some progress, but we’ve got a long ways to go,” he said. “We’re essentially, for technical purposes, closed.”

Besides wind and snow, runway friction is a factor. The airport is required to close the airstrip when the surface is too slippery. Even if the runway passes friction tests, pilots may still choose not to fly, he said.

Stranded passengers have been understanding, Bishop said. “They didn’t have to go very far to look at the window to see what the weather is.”

On the highways, the Wyoming Department of Transportation recommended no unnecessary travel. “The problem is the wind is going to stick around,” Tory Thomas, district maintenance engineer, said.

And while the weather is supposed to clear on Thursday, cold temperatures could create black ice, Thomas said.

Thomas reminded those braving the roads to slow down, have winter tires, and carry extra food, water and blankets in the car. Holiday travelers should let people know their route and their expected arrival time so, if overdue, people will know where to search.

The National Weather Service’s winter storm warning for Jackson expired at 11 p.m. Tuesday, but a cold front bringing frigid temperatures will keep winter’s icy grip on the valley.

Andy McNeel, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Riverton, said a wet, winter storm coming from the west combined with a strong Arctic cold front sweeping down from Canada.

High temperatures today will hover in the single digits. Overnight lows may fall to 15 below zero.

“With the winds, we’re going to see some wind chill values well below zero,” he said.

The snow, meanwhile, was a glorious sight for ski area managers. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort announced Tuesday it will open its entire mountain on Saturday — the first time it has ever been able to do so in November. Rendezvous Bowl has already received 113 inches of snowfall this season, a record for this date.

Grand Targhee Resort opened its Dreamcatcher and Shoshone chairlifts Saturday, six days earlier than scheduled. Targhee will open its Sacajawea lift Friday, offering all its terrain for skiers and snowboarders.

Avalanche forecasters predict that those who venture into steep, avalanche-prone terrain today “are likely to trigger soft surface slabs up to three feet deep.” Deeper hard slabs of up to five feet could also be cut loose, especially by heavier triggers such as snowmobiles or groups, Tuesday evening’s report said.

Today’s avalanche conditions will be refined this morning at jhavalanche.org.

The storm did not sweep through without delivering some humor. Internet chatter spread a story about a woman giving birth in an ambulance atop Teton Pass.

Mike Moyer, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS battalion chief, dismissed the story. While federal law prevents him from providing more information, he said no children were born on the highway Tuesday.

Willamette Pass, Ore. -- The first snow storm hit just a few days ago, and that means ski resorts around Eugene are finally and officially opening up.

It's opening day at Willamette Pass and everyone KEZI spoke with say they'd much rather be hitting the slopes than out shopping for Black Friday or even watching the Duck's game. Strapping in, and jumping on the life, to start off the season with a bang.

"There's no better place to be," said snowboarder Jen McFaden.

It's a place where die-hard skiiers and snowboarders get a chance to do what they've waited all year for.

"I've been waiting since they closed last year," said snowboarder Kyle Richner.

Recent storms allowed Willamette Pass Ski Resort to open early this year.

"All of the sudden it went from no snow to about four feet of snow," said Tim Wiper, Willamette Pass Owner. Owner Tim Wiper said the season opener couldn't have come at a better time.

"I think a lot of us just having skiing in our bloods, skiing and snowboarding you just get the itch and so the sooner the better," Wiper said. "You got to get back in the groove a little bit and no better place to come up and slide down the hill.

With three lifts running, and all of the runs on the front side of the mountain open, snowboarders said the first day is the best time to venture out to the Pass.

"Riding the fresh powder is way fun to go through and hit stuff that's not been touched before," Richner said.

"Nice to get the first laps in of the first season, it's a good feeling," said snowboarder Tanner Demoss. The runs are pretty open and they're pretty powdery right now," said snowboarder Daniel Boles. "Not a lot of people clogging up the runs."

They say nothing could beat a day at the mountain.

"Not many people being here Black Friday and the Duck game going on kind of get the mountain to ourselves, get some fresh tracks," said snowboarder Jordan Loos. "It's a lot of fun out here opening day.

"This is the best way to spend Black Friday," said McFaden.

Wiper said they have crews working on the backside of the mountain where nine runs are currently closed. They plan on having both peaks open by this weekend. Employees say they have high hopes for this season and they're predicting a long one full of fresh powder.

Northern Michigan ski resorts are busy scurrying and making snow for the start of the 2010-2011 season.

7&4's Kate Fox headed to Crystal Mountain Ski Resort to check out their progress on covering the slopes.

Crystal Mountain Public Relations Director Brian Lawson says, "If you're looking for people who get really excited about temperatures in the mid to low twenties a lot of them are right here at the resort because that means we get to make snow."

Lawson says they started up the snow guns at 9:00pm Thursday night.

The next couple weeks are a critical time for the Northern Michigan ski resorts as they prepare for the upcoming holidays which are some of the most important weeks for ski business.

Lawson says,"The earlier we can make snow the better and as long as temperatures stay low we can make a lot of snow and we can make it pretty quickly."

Temperatures 28 degrees or lower are ideal conditions for making snow so resorts are hoping for more days like today.

Lawson explains how Crystal Mountain's snow guns operate, "Our system we can cover an acre of terrain with a foot of snow in one hour, if were running at capacity and under ideal conditions we can get a lot of work done as long as mother nature cooperates and she's doing pretty well right now."

He also says the snow will make a great addition to Crystal Mountain's Holiday Trail Celebration which is Friday night from 5:00pm to 9:00pm.

For the region's ski areas, this week's snowfall may be too much of a good thing. More ski lifts are starting up soon, but lowland snow could keep urban skiers at home.

Some ski resorts, including Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker, 49 Degrees North and Mount Hood Meadows, got enough early snow to open last week.

With more snow in the forecast, Mount Bachelor plans to open Wednesday.

Sun Valley opens on Thanksgiving and Silver Mountain and Schweitzer in north Idaho aim for Friday.

Scott Kaden directs the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association.

Scott Kaden: "This is about an average opening. Most operators do like to get open the weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday period because that is such a busy period."

If you're headed into the mountains, the ski operators say to expect early season conditions with occasional rocks and bare patches.

Kaden says ski centers are expecting a good year despite the down economy.

He says some families are choosing trips to local or regional resorts instead of flying to Colorado or British Columbia.

Alaska, which has always been a source of awe and mystery, has some of the best skiing in the world, and the Alyeska Resort is one of the finest resorts in the state. With a top elevation of 2751 feet and a 2501 vertical drop, the area gets an average of 631 inches of snow annually. Although this is some of the best skiing in the world, you won’t find the slopes overly crowded, and there are no long lift lines. There are nine lifts, including six chair lifts and two surface lifts, and one cable car line.

There are 68 trails for beginners, intermediates, and experts, with the majority of the trails designed for intermediate skiers. Night time skiing is allowed, which makes your ski experience more adventurous and thrilling. You will see snow capped mountains, hanging glaciers, and of course, the famous Northern Lights. This resort is ranked number nine of the top twenty-five killer ski trips by Skiing Magazine.

The season begins at the Alyeska Resort in mid November, and runs through mid April. This area of Alaska boasts the longest daytime areas in the United States, with approximately sixteen hours of daylight each day during April. During December, however, there are only about seven hours of daylight – which makes night time skiing necessary if you are going to get in the time that you want to spend on the slopes.

The Alyeska Prince Hotel is the place to stay! Here you will enjoy elegant rooms and fine dining. Nightly entertainment is available as well. There are other nightlife spots in the area as well, that are not associated with the Hotel. If tubing interests you, then visiting the Glacier Tubing Park is an absolute must! Featuring two lanes of terrain and a surface lift, everyone in the family will enjoy spending time at the tubing park. The Alyeska Terrain Park is a must for snowboarding enthusiasts. Other winter activities that can be enjoyed in and around the Alyeska Resort include flight seeing, helisking, ocean cruising tours, dog sledding, ice climbing, back country skiing, mountaineering, and polar bear viewing.

At the Alyeska Resort, the ultimate winter vacation can be experienced. Brave the elements, then return to the Hotel for some pampering. Get a taste of what Alaska is really like, and what skiing is meant to be! There are activities for the entire family to enjoy, and there are many area sights and attractions to be enjoyed as well. This really is an awesome winter family ski vacation!

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