Vail Resorts Commits US$85 Million in Resort Improvements for 2014-2015 Vail Resorts will invest approximately US$85 million in resort improvements this winter to elevate the guest experience, bringing its five-year resort investment total to US$492 million. Improvements will include multiple express chairlifts and restaurants, significant renovations at the Lodge at Vail, A RockResort, and snowmaking upgrades.
Park City is Now Epic Vail Resorts has acquired Park City in Utah. The iconic mountain resort now joins the Epic Pass, expanding the collection of legendary mountains offered on the industry-leading pass to 22 resorts and more than 12,950 hectares of the best skiing and riding in the world. In addition to the Epic Pass, Park City will also be included on the Epic Local Pass, Epic 7-Day Pass and Epic 4-Day Pass offering skiers and riders the best value and greatest flexibility in Utah.
Vail Resorts to Invest an Unprecedented $50 million in Park City in One Season Vail Resorts has announced planned upgrades to Park City Mountain for the 2015-2016 ski season. The plan, which totals over $50 million, is one of the most ambitious and impactful capital programs in U.S. ski industry history and will transform the guest experience at Park City Mountain Resort. The plan would establish the connection between Park City Mountain and Canyons Resort, creating the largest single ski area in the country with more than 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, and complete a number of critical upgrades to the infrastructure of both resorts.
Vail Resorts Launches Initiative to Make Skiing and Snowboarding More Accessible to Women New this season, Vail Resorts has launched a new company initiative to increase women's participation in skiing and snowboarding. Over the course of the 2013-14 ski season, vail Resorts conducted research with female guests, at resorts and online, to better understand the barriers to the ski experience for women. As a result of this research, the company has launched new women's specific programming and ski school offerings. Vail Resorts is looking forward to continuing to expand the initiative going forward.
Make the World Your Mountain with the Epic Pass The Epic Pass continues to be the best value and most popular lift product in the industry offering guests access to 22 mountains and a savings of up to 30 percent as compared to single-day lift ticket pricing. The Epic Pass provides skiers and riders with unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Canyons and Park City in Utah; and Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe. Vail Resorts is also pleased to announce a new partnership with one of the snowiest and most celebrated powder skiing resorts in the world – Niseko, Japan – as well as continued partnerships with Verbier, Switzerland and Les 3 Vallées, France. The Epic Pass now includes five free consecutive days at Niseko, Japan, as well as up to five free consecutive days at both Les 3 Vallées, France and Verbier, Switzerland. The Epic pass is on sale through Nov. 23 for US$769 for adults at EpicPass.com
Explore the Mountain Like a Local with EpicMix Guide EpicMix Guide is the fifth generation of the groundbreaking and award-winning EpicMix application, following the introductions of EpicMix Photo, EpicMix Racing and EpicMix Academy. EpicMix Guide will re-imagine how skiers and snowboarders maximize their time on the mountain by using guest input to generate a customized, step-by-step navigational guide to experience Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge or Keystone in Colorado, Canyons in Utah, or Heavenly, Northstar or Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe like a long-time local. Guests will have the ability to log into any one of the various EpicMix channels (app, mobile web, desktop) and answer a variety of questions including: desired resort, starting location at the resort, terrain difficulty desired, and length of time available. EpicMix Guide then pours over 350 possible itineraries to automatically generate the optimal route for that guest on that day. The EpicMix development team sought the insider knowledge of each resort’s most experienced Ski and Ride School instructors to build itineraries which would let guests explore each mountain in a unique way that is appropriate for the corresponding skill level. Once an itinerary is completed, skiers and riders can share their itinerary, along with photos and other stats about their day, on social media through Facebook and Twitter.
2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships | Dream It. Live It. Share It. The clock is ticking down to the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships at Vail and Beaver Creek. The World Championships represents the largest and most impressive collection of ski racing talent in the world, second only to the Olympics, with approximately 700 athletes from more than 70 nations. Beaver Creek will host the majority of the competition – all of which is free to spectators – while Vail is set to serve as the official hub of the ceremonies and nightly festival events – concerts, parties, art and culinary features – from Feb. 2 through 15. Experience the World Championships at home in the United States and see the world’s best ski racers in action while enjoying thousands of acres of terrain and the Vail and Beaver Creek experience that guests have come to expect and love. VailBeaverCreek2015.com
Investments That Will Outlive the 2015 World Championships Long before the bid for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships was won, there’s been a tremendous commitment to excellence and investment in the guest experience both on and off the mountain at Vail and Beaver Creek. At Vail, six lift upgrades in just six years; a new on-mountain fine dining restaurant; improvements to snowmaking capabilities, countless base developments like The Arrabelle at Vail Square, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail, Four Seasons Vail, Sebastian and Solaris; and of course the un-matched terrain including the legendary Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin. At Beaver Creek, recent improvements include a new high speed quad chairlift, 7 new hectares of terrain that is also part of the new Raptor ladies’ speed course, snowmaking improvements, Talons Restaurant, which will serve as the press center for the World Cup and the World Championships, and a new combination chairlift currently being installed. Unlike other major sporting events, the major infrastructure needed to host the 2015 FIS Alpine World Championships has been well in place, ready to welcome the world and prepared to be enjoyed by millions for years to come.
VAIL
The Lodge at Vail Receives a Major Facelift Vail’s landmark hotel, The Lodge at Vail, A RockResort, will undergo significant renovations this fall to debut for the 2014-2015 winter season. The property’s unrivaled Vail Village location, just steps from Gondola One, as well as its alpine chalet charm and impeccable service, have made it a favorite among visitors for years. The transformation will bring the iconic hotel to the forefront of Vail’s evolution, providing guests with modern comfort and chic décor. Fifty-six hotel rooms will be completely renovated, including interior finishes, furnishings, soft goods, lighting and the installation of air conditioning. The hotel’s corridors, main stairways and lobby will also receive upgrades while maintaining the authentic character and cozy ambiance for which the hotel is known. This comes on the heels of a major renovation to Pool One last summer, as well as the addition of a new RockResorts Spa and fitness center in 2008. LodgeatVail.RockResorts.com
Nightlife. Elevated. Last year, Vail Mountain re-imagined the nighttime experience in the Colorado Rocky Mountains with Décimo, an exclusive nightclub experience located at 3,124 meters above sea level. For its debut, Décimo featured three-time Grammy nominee, DJ, producer and artist Paul Oakenfold – in an event that matched the legendary reputation of the mountain and resort. Vail Mountain is pleased to announce that Décimo will be returning for the 2014-2015 season for six exclusive nights. Décimo is only accessible by Vail Mountain’s state-of-the-art Gondola One featuring heated seats and complimentary Wi-Fi. For event dates and additional details please visit http://www.decimovail.com/
BEAVER CREEK
New Beaver Creek Combination Lift Beaver Creek is replacing the Centennial Express Lift with a new high-speed, state-of-the-art combination lift for the 2014-2015 ski season and the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. The first-ever configuration of its kind and the longest-ever installed by Doppelmayr, Beaver Creek’s unique combination lift includes a series of six-passenger chairs alternating with 10-person gondola cabins. Skiers and snowboarders will have the option of riding on the chairlift or in a gondola cabin, serviced by two different lines. The chairs will be accessed by a moving conveyor. The combination lift is considered to be a significant benefit to beginners, and kids, particularly those engaged in ski school lessons, thanks to the loading and unloading ease of the gondola cabins. The new uphill carrying capacity will be 3,400 people per hour, an increase of 35 percent.
Beaver Creek Cookie Company When the clock strikes 3 p.m. in Beaver Creek, skiers flock to the base of the mountain for Cookie Time. This tradition started as a guest service program in 1985 and today has evolved into a daily event where Cookie Time Chefs greet skiers and riders with silver trays full of warm chocolate chip cookies. New next winter, Cookie Time cookie lovers will have the opportunity to purchase and take home their favorite chocolate chip cookies from the Beaver Creek Cookie Company. The same delicious cookie used for Cookie Time will also be available to enjoy off the slopes or brought home as a memento. In addition to cookies, they will be serving their sweet and savory crepes including such favorites as the Après Crepe- Nutella and bananas, as well as the Grouse Crepe, a chicken-bacon savory treat.
BRECKENRIDGE
Breckenridge Colorado Super Chair and Peak 9 Restaurant Renovation On the heels of launching Peak 6 last season, the ski industry’s most significant terrain expansion in the last decade, upgrading the Colorado Super Chair from a quad express to a six-passenger express will provide a 30 percent increase in capacity for Peak 8’s primary and most-frequented lift. It will help disperse skiers to the surrounding peaks and provides a faster route from Peaks 6 and 7 to Peak 9, where an entire interior remodel of the existing Peak 9 restaurant, along with a new kitchen will provide a warm, welcoming, high-quality guest experience at the resort’s most scenic dining location, sitting at 3,436 meters.
The Peak 6 Expansion Is Open Last season, Breckenridge Ski Resort added over 218 hectares to its famous landscape via the Peak 6 are just north of Peak 7. Peak 6 includes 162 hectares of lift-served terrain and 58 hectares of hike-to terrain, representing a 23 percent increase in resort’s skiable acres. Peak 6 features high-alpine, intermediate bowl skiing – a rare find in North America.
2014 Dew Tour Returns for the 7th Consecutive Year in Breck, Dec. 11-14, 2014
The culmination of the 2014 Dew Tour will once again take place in Breckenridge, Colo. with four days of snowboard and freeski competitions, as well as live concerts and the interactive Dew Tour Experience, featuring athlete meet and greets, games, and giveaways.
KEYSTONE
Kids Ski Free Is Back at Keystone Keystone Resort has long been a place where kids rule; from specialty family-friendly après offerings to mountaintop snow forts, the resort is a winter wonderland that allows kids and parents alike to truly enjoy their well-earned vacation time together. For the 2014-2015 ski season the resort continues its dedication to providing great value to families of all sizes with the world’s simplest Kids Ski Free offer, now in its third season. Every day, all season, children 12 and under will ski/snowboard for free at Keystone. As simple as childhood itself, Keystone’s Kids Ski Free program removes the red tape and fine print, has no blackout dates and is available on all weekends and holidays, a rarity in the ski industry. To qualify children must stay two or more nights in one of Keystone’s numerous accommodation options, which span from luxury hotel rooms to cozy ski-in/ski-out condominiums. In just its first two seasons, the incredibly successful program has provided more than 60,000 Kids Ski Free tickets; proof that when it comes to family, Keystone is at the top of the game.
One of a Kind Family Fun Kids won’t just ski free at Keystone, they’ll enjoy a mountain experience designed to ignite their imagination and provide little touches that make a big difference. The resort’s daily Kidtopia programming is back for a fourth season with special events and activities for the whole family including the World’s Largest Snowfort at 3,488 meters. This winter, experience the first-ever Family Ski Trail featuring new terrain, ski and ride with Keystone’s friendly mascot, Riperoo, take advantage of family photo ops with EpicMix Photo and meet the resort’s avalanche dogs. Camp Keystone, the resort’s unique ski school offering will introduce a new indoor/outdoor slide, a one-of-a-kind way for kids to begin their day on the snow, while post-snow fun at kids après parties are a well-deserved treat (and big kids can partake in Colorado brews and the resort’s mug club). A kids-only PJ party brunch offering, mountaintop fondue dining and sleigh ride dinners even make meal time memorable at Keystone. Plus, with a treasure chest at check-in, red wagons to haul gear (and tired little ones), daily cookie hour and front row family parking, Keystone pulls out all the stops when it comes to a hassle-free family vacation experience.
CANYONS
Newly Re-Designed Cloud Dine Restaurant atop Canyons Construction is underway on the new Cloud Dine building atop Dream Peak. Cloud Dine is one of Canyons’ most popular on-mountain dining locations, offering a fresh menu of items including made-to-order salads, homemade flat bread pizzas and specialty sandwiches. The new Cloud Dine building will almost double in size to roughly 735 square meters, which more than doubles seating availability including an 79 square meters outdoor dining deck. Total expansion of the dining area is roughly 130 percent. Cloud Dine is scheduled to open Dec. 1, 2014.
Largest Resort in Utah Canyons is Utah’s largest and most dynamic ski and snowboard resort. With nine mountains, 183 trails, 1,619 skiable hectares, world-class lodging and award-winning dining it’s no wonder that Canyons was ranked the #4 resort in North America by Outside Magazine, and ranks in the Top 10 in SKI Magazine annual reader rankings. If our terrain isn’t enough, Canyons offers the only resort-based heli-skiing in Park City through Wasatch Powderbirds to access the deepest powder in the Wasatch Mountains.
HEAVENLY
Unbuckle at Tamarack Unbuckle at Tamarack, rated as the No. 1 après ski party in North America by Forbes and confirmed by CNN Travel, is Lake Tahoe's highest elevation après ski party featuring music, drinking, dancing and the lovely Heavenly Angels – ripping skiers by day and go-go dancers when the sun dips below the Sierras. Après takes place daily from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. with half-priced drinks and food specials and, exclusively on, Fridays and Saturdays, a live DJ (including special guest DJs), the Heavenly Angels, giveaways and lots of dancing. So, unbuckle those ski boots and snowboard bindings and take your après game to the next level!
DJ Cat Heavenly upped the ante in December 2013 by partnering with Aaron Hagar to retrofit a retired grooming machine into a custom-built mobile DJ station, complete with 52 high-output speakers, provided by Kicker Audio, and 1,200 watts of power. Three remote control actuators slowly open the walls and roof of the DJ cat to reveal lights, speakers, and a 132cm LCD screen, all clustered around a state-of-the-art DJ podium. This DJ cat brings the party to skiers and riders on the mountain.
“Go All In” After Hours at Heavenly Party and stay like a rock star at Tahoe’s newest property, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe. Scheduled to open during the 2014-2015 winter season, the world-famous Hard Rock will feature a 2,323 square meter casino with 539 rooms, multiple restaurants and bars and live entertainment both indoors and out. If relaxing on your private lakeside balcony is more aligned with how you go “all in,” head to The Landing Resort & Spa, Lake Tahoe’s only 5-star boutique lakeside resort. You’ll appreciate the new hotel's thoughtful amenities, lively personality, restorative spa packages and contemporary European design. In addition to the new world-class lodging options, a stunning new shopping area, The Chateau, is scheduled to open fall 2014. The center will feature boutique shops, restaurants and bars directly across the street from Heavenly Village.
NORTHSTAR
tost - Bubbles on the Slopes. Every Day. New for winter 2014-2015, Northstar will host t?st, the celebratory culinary tradition that redefines the art of the daily toast. Celebrating the mountains, Lake Tahoe and the tradition of toasting to friends and family, Northstar invites guests to raise their flutes and sip bubbles each day on the mountain at 2 p.m. Luxurious, whimsical and an ode to fun in the mountains, t?st invites guests to enjoy the authentic atmosphere of “California laid-back luxury” found only at Northstar.
KIRKWOOD
Expedition: Kirkwood For the adventurous, thrill-seeker types, Expedition: Kirkwood provides a level of education and training that goes beyond the typical ski school experience. Expedition: Kirkwood, rated as Men’s Journal’s top black-diamond ski school program, provides avalanche certification courses, women’s specific programs, beacon training, powder cat tours, private guides, specialty ski and board clinics, a Junior Expedition Team program (JETS), and progression sessions in some of the most extreme in-bounds terrain in North America. Featuring the West Coast’s largest avalanche awareness and backcountry certification program, Expedition: Kirkwood provides expert skiers and riders with a unique backcountry experience while still upholding the highest standards of safety that Vail Resorts is known.
For more information on what’s new or newsworthy or to receive updates, visit news.vailresorts.com.
For images and video assets exclusively for editorial use, visit: vailresorts.box.com/VailResortsMediaAssets
Media Contacts: May Lilley, MLilley@vailresorts.com Rosalie Waxman, RWaxman@vailresorts.com
Park City is Now Epic Vail Resorts has acquired Park City in Utah. The iconic mountain resort now joins the Epic Pass, expanding the collection of legendary mountains offered on the industry-leading pass to 22 resorts and more than 12,950 hectares of the best skiing and riding in the world. In addition to the Epic Pass, Park City will also be included on the Epic Local Pass, Epic 7-Day Pass and Epic 4-Day Pass offering skiers and riders the best value and greatest flexibility in Utah.
Vail Resorts to Invest an Unprecedented $50 million in Park City in One Season Vail Resorts has announced planned upgrades to Park City Mountain for the 2015-2016 ski season. The plan, which totals over $50 million, is one of the most ambitious and impactful capital programs in U.S. ski industry history and will transform the guest experience at Park City Mountain Resort. The plan would establish the connection between Park City Mountain and Canyons Resort, creating the largest single ski area in the country with more than 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, and complete a number of critical upgrades to the infrastructure of both resorts.
Vail Resorts Launches Initiative to Make Skiing and Snowboarding More Accessible to Women New this season, Vail Resorts has launched a new company initiative to increase women's participation in skiing and snowboarding. Over the course of the 2013-14 ski season, vail Resorts conducted research with female guests, at resorts and online, to better understand the barriers to the ski experience for women. As a result of this research, the company has launched new women's specific programming and ski school offerings. Vail Resorts is looking forward to continuing to expand the initiative going forward.
Make the World Your Mountain with the Epic Pass The Epic Pass continues to be the best value and most popular lift product in the industry offering guests access to 22 mountains and a savings of up to 30 percent as compared to single-day lift ticket pricing. The Epic Pass provides skiers and riders with unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Canyons and Park City in Utah; and Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe. Vail Resorts is also pleased to announce a new partnership with one of the snowiest and most celebrated powder skiing resorts in the world – Niseko, Japan – as well as continued partnerships with Verbier, Switzerland and Les 3 Vallées, France. The Epic Pass now includes five free consecutive days at Niseko, Japan, as well as up to five free consecutive days at both Les 3 Vallées, France and Verbier, Switzerland. The Epic pass is on sale through Nov. 23 for US$769 for adults at EpicPass.com
Explore the Mountain Like a Local with EpicMix Guide EpicMix Guide is the fifth generation of the groundbreaking and award-winning EpicMix application, following the introductions of EpicMix Photo, EpicMix Racing and EpicMix Academy. EpicMix Guide will re-imagine how skiers and snowboarders maximize their time on the mountain by using guest input to generate a customized, step-by-step navigational guide to experience Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge or Keystone in Colorado, Canyons in Utah, or Heavenly, Northstar or Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe like a long-time local. Guests will have the ability to log into any one of the various EpicMix channels (app, mobile web, desktop) and answer a variety of questions including: desired resort, starting location at the resort, terrain difficulty desired, and length of time available. EpicMix Guide then pours over 350 possible itineraries to automatically generate the optimal route for that guest on that day. The EpicMix development team sought the insider knowledge of each resort’s most experienced Ski and Ride School instructors to build itineraries which would let guests explore each mountain in a unique way that is appropriate for the corresponding skill level. Once an itinerary is completed, skiers and riders can share their itinerary, along with photos and other stats about their day, on social media through Facebook and Twitter.
2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships | Dream It. Live It. Share It. The clock is ticking down to the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships at Vail and Beaver Creek. The World Championships represents the largest and most impressive collection of ski racing talent in the world, second only to the Olympics, with approximately 700 athletes from more than 70 nations. Beaver Creek will host the majority of the competition – all of which is free to spectators – while Vail is set to serve as the official hub of the ceremonies and nightly festival events – concerts, parties, art and culinary features – from Feb. 2 through 15. Experience the World Championships at home in the United States and see the world’s best ski racers in action while enjoying thousands of acres of terrain and the Vail and Beaver Creek experience that guests have come to expect and love. VailBeaverCreek2015.com
Investments That Will Outlive the 2015 World Championships Long before the bid for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships was won, there’s been a tremendous commitment to excellence and investment in the guest experience both on and off the mountain at Vail and Beaver Creek. At Vail, six lift upgrades in just six years; a new on-mountain fine dining restaurant; improvements to snowmaking capabilities, countless base developments like The Arrabelle at Vail Square, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail, Four Seasons Vail, Sebastian and Solaris; and of course the un-matched terrain including the legendary Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin. At Beaver Creek, recent improvements include a new high speed quad chairlift, 7 new hectares of terrain that is also part of the new Raptor ladies’ speed course, snowmaking improvements, Talons Restaurant, which will serve as the press center for the World Cup and the World Championships, and a new combination chairlift currently being installed. Unlike other major sporting events, the major infrastructure needed to host the 2015 FIS Alpine World Championships has been well in place, ready to welcome the world and prepared to be enjoyed by millions for years to come.
VAIL
The Lodge at Vail Receives a Major Facelift Vail’s landmark hotel, The Lodge at Vail, A RockResort, will undergo significant renovations this fall to debut for the 2014-2015 winter season. The property’s unrivaled Vail Village location, just steps from Gondola One, as well as its alpine chalet charm and impeccable service, have made it a favorite among visitors for years. The transformation will bring the iconic hotel to the forefront of Vail’s evolution, providing guests with modern comfort and chic décor. Fifty-six hotel rooms will be completely renovated, including interior finishes, furnishings, soft goods, lighting and the installation of air conditioning. The hotel’s corridors, main stairways and lobby will also receive upgrades while maintaining the authentic character and cozy ambiance for which the hotel is known. This comes on the heels of a major renovation to Pool One last summer, as well as the addition of a new RockResorts Spa and fitness center in 2008. LodgeatVail.RockResorts.com
Nightlife. Elevated. Last year, Vail Mountain re-imagined the nighttime experience in the Colorado Rocky Mountains with Décimo, an exclusive nightclub experience located at 3,124 meters above sea level. For its debut, Décimo featured three-time Grammy nominee, DJ, producer and artist Paul Oakenfold – in an event that matched the legendary reputation of the mountain and resort. Vail Mountain is pleased to announce that Décimo will be returning for the 2014-2015 season for six exclusive nights. Décimo is only accessible by Vail Mountain’s state-of-the-art Gondola One featuring heated seats and complimentary Wi-Fi. For event dates and additional details please visit http://www.decimovail.com/
BEAVER CREEK
New Beaver Creek Combination Lift Beaver Creek is replacing the Centennial Express Lift with a new high-speed, state-of-the-art combination lift for the 2014-2015 ski season and the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. The first-ever configuration of its kind and the longest-ever installed by Doppelmayr, Beaver Creek’s unique combination lift includes a series of six-passenger chairs alternating with 10-person gondola cabins. Skiers and snowboarders will have the option of riding on the chairlift or in a gondola cabin, serviced by two different lines. The chairs will be accessed by a moving conveyor. The combination lift is considered to be a significant benefit to beginners, and kids, particularly those engaged in ski school lessons, thanks to the loading and unloading ease of the gondola cabins. The new uphill carrying capacity will be 3,400 people per hour, an increase of 35 percent.
Beaver Creek Cookie Company When the clock strikes 3 p.m. in Beaver Creek, skiers flock to the base of the mountain for Cookie Time. This tradition started as a guest service program in 1985 and today has evolved into a daily event where Cookie Time Chefs greet skiers and riders with silver trays full of warm chocolate chip cookies. New next winter, Cookie Time cookie lovers will have the opportunity to purchase and take home their favorite chocolate chip cookies from the Beaver Creek Cookie Company. The same delicious cookie used for Cookie Time will also be available to enjoy off the slopes or brought home as a memento. In addition to cookies, they will be serving their sweet and savory crepes including such favorites as the Après Crepe- Nutella and bananas, as well as the Grouse Crepe, a chicken-bacon savory treat.
BRECKENRIDGE
Breckenridge Colorado Super Chair and Peak 9 Restaurant Renovation On the heels of launching Peak 6 last season, the ski industry’s most significant terrain expansion in the last decade, upgrading the Colorado Super Chair from a quad express to a six-passenger express will provide a 30 percent increase in capacity for Peak 8’s primary and most-frequented lift. It will help disperse skiers to the surrounding peaks and provides a faster route from Peaks 6 and 7 to Peak 9, where an entire interior remodel of the existing Peak 9 restaurant, along with a new kitchen will provide a warm, welcoming, high-quality guest experience at the resort’s most scenic dining location, sitting at 3,436 meters.
The Peak 6 Expansion Is Open Last season, Breckenridge Ski Resort added over 218 hectares to its famous landscape via the Peak 6 are just north of Peak 7. Peak 6 includes 162 hectares of lift-served terrain and 58 hectares of hike-to terrain, representing a 23 percent increase in resort’s skiable acres. Peak 6 features high-alpine, intermediate bowl skiing – a rare find in North America.
2014 Dew Tour Returns for the 7th Consecutive Year in Breck, Dec. 11-14, 2014
The culmination of the 2014 Dew Tour will once again take place in Breckenridge, Colo. with four days of snowboard and freeski competitions, as well as live concerts and the interactive Dew Tour Experience, featuring athlete meet and greets, games, and giveaways.
KEYSTONE
Kids Ski Free Is Back at Keystone Keystone Resort has long been a place where kids rule; from specialty family-friendly après offerings to mountaintop snow forts, the resort is a winter wonderland that allows kids and parents alike to truly enjoy their well-earned vacation time together. For the 2014-2015 ski season the resort continues its dedication to providing great value to families of all sizes with the world’s simplest Kids Ski Free offer, now in its third season. Every day, all season, children 12 and under will ski/snowboard for free at Keystone. As simple as childhood itself, Keystone’s Kids Ski Free program removes the red tape and fine print, has no blackout dates and is available on all weekends and holidays, a rarity in the ski industry. To qualify children must stay two or more nights in one of Keystone’s numerous accommodation options, which span from luxury hotel rooms to cozy ski-in/ski-out condominiums. In just its first two seasons, the incredibly successful program has provided more than 60,000 Kids Ski Free tickets; proof that when it comes to family, Keystone is at the top of the game.
One of a Kind Family Fun Kids won’t just ski free at Keystone, they’ll enjoy a mountain experience designed to ignite their imagination and provide little touches that make a big difference. The resort’s daily Kidtopia programming is back for a fourth season with special events and activities for the whole family including the World’s Largest Snowfort at 3,488 meters. This winter, experience the first-ever Family Ski Trail featuring new terrain, ski and ride with Keystone’s friendly mascot, Riperoo, take advantage of family photo ops with EpicMix Photo and meet the resort’s avalanche dogs. Camp Keystone, the resort’s unique ski school offering will introduce a new indoor/outdoor slide, a one-of-a-kind way for kids to begin their day on the snow, while post-snow fun at kids après parties are a well-deserved treat (and big kids can partake in Colorado brews and the resort’s mug club). A kids-only PJ party brunch offering, mountaintop fondue dining and sleigh ride dinners even make meal time memorable at Keystone. Plus, with a treasure chest at check-in, red wagons to haul gear (and tired little ones), daily cookie hour and front row family parking, Keystone pulls out all the stops when it comes to a hassle-free family vacation experience.
CANYONS
Newly Re-Designed Cloud Dine Restaurant atop Canyons Construction is underway on the new Cloud Dine building atop Dream Peak. Cloud Dine is one of Canyons’ most popular on-mountain dining locations, offering a fresh menu of items including made-to-order salads, homemade flat bread pizzas and specialty sandwiches. The new Cloud Dine building will almost double in size to roughly 735 square meters, which more than doubles seating availability including an 79 square meters outdoor dining deck. Total expansion of the dining area is roughly 130 percent. Cloud Dine is scheduled to open Dec. 1, 2014.
Largest Resort in Utah Canyons is Utah’s largest and most dynamic ski and snowboard resort. With nine mountains, 183 trails, 1,619 skiable hectares, world-class lodging and award-winning dining it’s no wonder that Canyons was ranked the #4 resort in North America by Outside Magazine, and ranks in the Top 10 in SKI Magazine annual reader rankings. If our terrain isn’t enough, Canyons offers the only resort-based heli-skiing in Park City through Wasatch Powderbirds to access the deepest powder in the Wasatch Mountains.
HEAVENLY
Unbuckle at Tamarack Unbuckle at Tamarack, rated as the No. 1 après ski party in North America by Forbes and confirmed by CNN Travel, is Lake Tahoe's highest elevation après ski party featuring music, drinking, dancing and the lovely Heavenly Angels – ripping skiers by day and go-go dancers when the sun dips below the Sierras. Après takes place daily from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. with half-priced drinks and food specials and, exclusively on, Fridays and Saturdays, a live DJ (including special guest DJs), the Heavenly Angels, giveaways and lots of dancing. So, unbuckle those ski boots and snowboard bindings and take your après game to the next level!
DJ Cat Heavenly upped the ante in December 2013 by partnering with Aaron Hagar to retrofit a retired grooming machine into a custom-built mobile DJ station, complete with 52 high-output speakers, provided by Kicker Audio, and 1,200 watts of power. Three remote control actuators slowly open the walls and roof of the DJ cat to reveal lights, speakers, and a 132cm LCD screen, all clustered around a state-of-the-art DJ podium. This DJ cat brings the party to skiers and riders on the mountain.
“Go All In” After Hours at Heavenly Party and stay like a rock star at Tahoe’s newest property, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe. Scheduled to open during the 2014-2015 winter season, the world-famous Hard Rock will feature a 2,323 square meter casino with 539 rooms, multiple restaurants and bars and live entertainment both indoors and out. If relaxing on your private lakeside balcony is more aligned with how you go “all in,” head to The Landing Resort & Spa, Lake Tahoe’s only 5-star boutique lakeside resort. You’ll appreciate the new hotel's thoughtful amenities, lively personality, restorative spa packages and contemporary European design. In addition to the new world-class lodging options, a stunning new shopping area, The Chateau, is scheduled to open fall 2014. The center will feature boutique shops, restaurants and bars directly across the street from Heavenly Village.
NORTHSTAR
tost - Bubbles on the Slopes. Every Day. New for winter 2014-2015, Northstar will host t?st, the celebratory culinary tradition that redefines the art of the daily toast. Celebrating the mountains, Lake Tahoe and the tradition of toasting to friends and family, Northstar invites guests to raise their flutes and sip bubbles each day on the mountain at 2 p.m. Luxurious, whimsical and an ode to fun in the mountains, t?st invites guests to enjoy the authentic atmosphere of “California laid-back luxury” found only at Northstar.
KIRKWOOD
Expedition: Kirkwood For the adventurous, thrill-seeker types, Expedition: Kirkwood provides a level of education and training that goes beyond the typical ski school experience. Expedition: Kirkwood, rated as Men’s Journal’s top black-diamond ski school program, provides avalanche certification courses, women’s specific programs, beacon training, powder cat tours, private guides, specialty ski and board clinics, a Junior Expedition Team program (JETS), and progression sessions in some of the most extreme in-bounds terrain in North America. Featuring the West Coast’s largest avalanche awareness and backcountry certification program, Expedition: Kirkwood provides expert skiers and riders with a unique backcountry experience while still upholding the highest standards of safety that Vail Resorts is known.
For more information on what’s new or newsworthy or to receive updates, visit news.vailresorts.com.
For images and video assets exclusively for editorial use, visit: vailresorts.box.com/VailResortsMediaAssets
Media Contacts: May Lilley, MLilley@vailresorts.com Rosalie Waxman, RWaxman@vailresorts.com