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For information and opportunities while visiting Utah, visit some of these sites and activities:
• www.skisolitude.com
At Solitude you'll wake up with the mountain right outside your window.
Whether you're looking for a first-class hotel experience or the space to spread out with friends and family in a three-bedroom condominium, Solitude Resort Lodging has the right accommodations for you. Along with slope-side convenience and amenities like access to Club Solitude, each accommodation has its own unique brand of charm that allows you to reconnect with nature and with each other. Click here for reservations!
Save 10% on lodging when you book your tansportation. Mention Code: CTDR
• www.lifestyleprops.com
Your personal connection to the best vacation properties in Utah. Specializing in Solitude lodging and Brighton lodging guaranteeing you a great stay at two of the world's most stunning ski resorts. Helping you find the perfect place to escape!
• www.lifestyleprops.com
Lifestyle Properties Real Estate is a progressive real estate brokerage in Utah that specializes in selling as well as residential properties across the Wasatch.
• www.SkiUtah.com
Check out all of the latests activities of Ski Utah below:
Ski Utah Video: http://www.youtube.com/therealskiutah#p/u/0/oj-WXeM2zZ0
Ski Season Underway in Utah
With six resorts already open and three more scheduled to open this week during the snowiest November in recent memory, Utah's 2010-11 ski and snowboard season is already in full swing.
Brighton Resort kicked off the winter season on Nov. 11, followed closely by its neighbor in Big Cottonwood Canyon , Solitude Mountain Resort, on Nov. 12. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort joined the open list on Nov. 13, as did Alta Ski Area this past Friday. Park City Mountain Resort and Brian Head Resort fired up their lifts for the first time this season last weekend.
Scheduled to join them this week are three resorts surrounding the Ogden Valley : Snowbasin, Powder Mountain and Wolf Mountain . The remainder of Utah 's 14 ski and snowboard resorts will follow in December.
Utah Snowflakes Landing Back on TV
The Utah Office of Tourism, an agency of the state Governor's Office of Economic Development, launched its winter "Life Elevated" advertising campaign during a Capitol news conference last Wednesday to promote Utah 's skiing and The Greatest Snow on Earth. The $1.1 million campaign includes three new 30-second commercial spots that will rotate on 13 national cable networks beginning in January.
"The ski industry is a major part of our vibrant tourism industry," said Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell, who joined industry officials to announce at the press conference. "Not only is skiing important for our state's overall economic health, but I know my family and I enjoy skiing because it's a wonderful way to get out and get active."
For the third year in a row, the popular television spots will feature the humorous "snowflakes" created for the Utah Office of Tourism by Salt Lake City-based advertising agency, Struck/Axiom. Print and online ads for the winter campaign began running this month in a coordinated effort with Ski Utah , which markets the state's 14 ski resorts.
"Our coordinated marketing efforts with Ski Utah and other partners have allowed us to leverage our marketing dollars," said Leigh von der Esch, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism (UOT). "The new television commercials emphasize Utah 's accessibility and the close proximity of our resorts to Salt Lake City International Airport ."
" Utah 's ski and snowboard resorts are leading the country in resort improvements and additions for the 2010-11 winter season," remarked Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty. "These upgrades, combined with early season snow, make Ski Utah very excited for the coming season."
At the unveiling of the TV spots at the State Capitol, UOT also announced a public month-long participation element to the ad campaign utilizing social media. In cooperation with Ski Utah , the office is asking for the public to go online and vote for their favorite ad. The ads are posted on both the Office of Tourism Web site (www.utah.travel) and Ski Utah 's site (www.skiutah.com), where the public can not only vote on their favorite spot, but also enter to win free ski gear from Ski Utah . Winners will be announced Dec. 17.
Two of the ads will air on national cable television channels from Jan. 2-23, 2011. The networks include: A&E, Bravo, ESPN/ESPN2, Food Network, Fox News, History, MSNBC, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery, and Discovery Science.
Olympic and World Cup Ski Racer Ted Ligety Named Ambassador of Powdr Corp
Park City-based ski resort holding company Powdr Corp, parent company of Park City Mountain Resort, on Thursday announced that Olympic Gold Medalist Ted Ligety has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as an ambassador of all the company's ski resorts, representing each of the mountain resorts individually. The deal is part of a new Powdr Corp initiative across their resorts in support of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) teams.
"I am very pleased to be working with Ted as an ambassador of all the Powdr Corp family of resorts," says John Cumming, CEO of Powdr Corp. "Ted is such a remarkable individual, and an overall amazing person to be around, that I feel he will be a great ambassador for all our resorts."
This week, Ligety and the U.S. Men's Ski Team have been race training at another of Powder Corp's properties, Copper Mountain in Colorado , in preparation for a challenging World Cup season.
In addition to Park City Mountain Resort and Copper Mountain, Powdr Corp owns or operates the following ski resorts: Killington Resort, Vt.; Pico Resort, Vt.; Mt. Bachelor, Ore.; Boreal Resort, Calif.; Soda Springs Resort, Calif.; Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, Nev.; and Gorgoza Tubing Park, Utah.
U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Coming to Canyons Resort
Two-time Olympic champion Seth Wescott and silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis will be among the athletes vying for titles as the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix makes a snowboardcross stop Feb. 11-12 at The Canyons in Park City . The event was announced at a press conference held at the new snowboardcross venue in the renovated plaza at the base of Canyons Resort.
Athletes, including Canyons' Jonathan Cheever, Shaun Palmer and Park City 's JJ Tomlinson, along with several other U.S. Snowboarding snowboardcross team members, signed autographs and met with fans to celebrate the first major international snowboarding event to be held at Canyons Resort.
"The announcement of this event marks the first time The Canyons has hosted a world class international event," said the resort's Vice President, Marketing Todd Burnette. "We're looking forward to hosting the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix to help us showcase the re-creation of the resort. With the course we are building and the overall level of hospitality we are planning for the riders, we are confident that The Canyons will quickly become one of the favorite stops on the world tour."
The two day event will kick off Friday, Feb. 11 with the men's and women's qualification rounds with the finals held on Saturday, Feb. 12. Following the head-to-head race, spectators can expect a live concert to celebrate the competition.
The event is scheduled to air on U.S. television Feb. 19 on NBC at 2 p.m. and Versus at 4 p.m. EST.
Deer Valley Resort Kicks Off 30th Anniversary Season with Celebrity Skifest
Deer Valley Resort kicks off its 30th anniversary winter season with the excitement of the Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest Dec. 4-5. The invitational ski event pairs former Olympic ski legends with television and film celebrities for a weekend of skiing, live music and fundraising for the environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance, which supports and empowers Waterkeeper member organizations to protect communities, ecosystems and water quality.
"We're very excited to kick off our 30th anniversary season with this year's Celebrity Skifest," says Deer Valley Marketing Director Coleen Reardon. "It's always nice to welcome our guests on opening weekend with some glamour, some fun and by helping out a non-profit organization we feel strongly about: the Waterkeeper Alliance."
The Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest will include giant slalom races on both Saturday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Dec. 5 at noon each day on Deer Valley 's Birdseye run. The competition will be televised by CBS on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. (EST) following NFL Football. The public is welcome to watch the ski racing portion of the event adjacent to the Birdseye ski run.
Some of the best-known legends of U. S. skiing are scheduled to compete in this year's event, including Steve Mahre, Phil Mahre, Tommy Moe and Deer Valley 's own Ambassador of Skiing Heidi Voelker. Celebrities scheduled to attend at this time include: Susie Essman, Virginia Madsen, Bobby Kennedy, Max Kennedy, Bob Woodruff, Patrick Warburton, Oliver Hudson, Rob Morrow, Ian Ziering, Joey Pantoliano, Hill Harper, Dylan Bruno, Larry David and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Ski Resort Bookings Indicate Slow but Steady Recovery
In the latest data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP), the month of October finished ahead of October 2009 and the upcoming winter season shows continued improvements in both bookings and room rates at ski and snowboard resorts across the western U.S. , including those in Utah . However, despite small consistent gains, overall occupancy and rates continues to lag significantly behind patterns established prior to the October 2008 economic meltdown.
"After two years of uncertainty and sluggish growth in the travel industry, it is clear that what we once considered the 'new normal' is not so new anymore and is simply becoming, well, just plain normal," said Ralf Garrison, MTRiP founder and director.
Actual occupancy for October 2010 at the 265 property management companies sampled by MTRiP in 15 mountain destination communities, representing 24,000 rooms across Colorado , Utah , California , and Oregon , was up 12.9 percent while average daily rate was up 4.1 percent. Bookings during October for the coming season are trending up for arrivals in every single month, most notably with November up 21.1 percent and the crucial holiday month of December up 13.7 percent.
For the coming season, on-the-books occupancy as of Oct. 31 for November is up 14.6 percent compared to the same period in 2009 while the daily rate for is down 0.7 percent November. For the next six months, November to April, on-the-books year-over-year occupancy is up 2.7 percent from the same period in 2009-10 while the daily rate is only up 0.1 percent for the same period.
"Many lodging destinations are getting their best deals out early to encourage consumer bookings and it seems to be working," explained Garrison. "Occupancy is up and rates are essentially tracking the same as with last year's discounts. The pattern suggests an ongoing buyer's market and that is good news for consumers."
According to MTRiP analyst Tom Foley, there are several factors at play in the greater economy that may be influencing the gradual upward trend. "The Dow Jones Industrial average is up 9.6 percent since May, the Index of Leading Economic Indicators posted gains in four of the last five months, travel prices are up 4.4 percent since last summer, and national occupancy rates are up 8.8 percent," he explained. "However, the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) remains shaky and is only 3.6 percent higher than the summer of 2009; with the high unemployment rate remaining essentially unchanged over the summer, traveling behavior didn't resume as strongly as we hoped," he added.
Snowbasin Hosting Finals of Gatorade Free Flow Tour
In conjunction with the Winter Dew Tour Toyota Challenge finals this February, Utah's Snowbasin Resort will see the winners crowned in the 2011 Gatorade Free Flow Tour, a 54-stop nationwide contest that provides a direct route for young skiers and snowboarders to reach the professional level competition of the Dew Tour.
The Gatorade Free Flow Tour will showcase top amateur winter athletes competing in snowboarding (slopestyle and superpipe) and freeskiing (slopestyle and superpipe). Snowboarding disciplines will have separate competitions for men and women, while the freeski contests will be open to both.
The 10-event schedule will include resorts in all areas of the United States - the East and West Coasts , the Midwest, and the Rocky and Wasatch Mountains , with a local competition being held at Brighton Resort Feb. 5-6, 2011. Open to all amateur snowboarders and freeskiers 21 and younger, registration for the Tour is now available at www.gatoradefreeflowtour.com
In addition to the main contests, each stop of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour will also include a Junior division, offering separate rail jam and superpipe contests for snowboard and freeski competitors 13 and under. The Junior Jam will take place prior to each of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour's Open Division competitions, giving young amateurs valuable contest experience.
Tour officials are encouraging early registration as there are limited spots for all competitions. There is a $20 registration fee for one day of competition and a $30 registration fee to compete both days at a tour stop. Registration fees do not include lift tickets.
The winners in each of the 54 contests (30 slopestyle and 24 superpipe) will be flown to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place in conjunction with the Winter Dew Tour's Toyota Championship, Feb. 12-13 at Snowbasin. The two overall snowboard superpipe and slopestyle champions and the overall freeski superpipe and slopestyle champions will earn a spot to compete against the pros at the first stop of the 2011-12 Winter Dew Tour the following season.
Skis Burn in Southern Utah
Brian Head skiers and riders tossed their gear into a giant bonfire last week in hopes for a snowy winter ahead. And it seems to be working.
Brian Head's Ullr Burn was held in front of the southern Utah resort town's fire station. The event is a fun ritual sacrifice to the Norse god of snow held annually in hopes that he will bring a bounty of snow to Brian Head's slopes. Old ski or snowboard equipment, gear, mate-less gloves, etc. are burned in a big metal drum as sacrifice to Ullr.
For more than 25 years, Brian Head residents Bob Goldhirsch and Tim Deutschlander have organized the Ullr Burn. Although the mythical Viking god of snow, Goldhirsch likes to believe that he's the god of après ski as well. According to Goldhirsch, who has been grooming the slopes of Brian Head Resort in a snowcat for the past 20 years, "There is no set time. When it feels right, we do it. Our purpose is to appease Ullr to give us a good winter season."
In addition to the big bonfire, the celebration also included fireworks and a toast with the aptly named Ullr peppermint schnapps.
Ullr apparently looked kindly upon the sacrifice, for Brian Head opened its Chairlifts Three and Black Foot on Saturday, serving three runs and a terrain park with 11 features, rails and boxes even as a series of massive snowstorms moved into Utah over the weekend.
"We look forward to another tremendous Utah ski and snowboard season," said Brian Head General Manager, Henry Hornberger. "Last year Brain Head had over 400 inches of 'The Greatest Snow on Earth,' and already we have a base of over two feet of natural and man-made snow.
Second Annual Freeride Avalanche Summit at Snowbird Dec. 16-17
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort and the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) are once again partnering to offer the second annual Freeride Avalanche Summit, Dec. 16-17. The two-day clinic is targeted towards advanced and expert skiers and riders who want practical and professional instruction on avalanche awareness, safety and rescue.
The Freeride Avalanche Summit will include a unique blend of instruction that combines the expertise of industry leading avalanche forecasters with the experience and influence of local, professional athletes. Expected participants include: Members of the UAC; Snowbird Ski Patrol; Gordy Pfeiffer, professional skier; Jenn Berg, professional skier; Ben Wheeler, professional skier; Chris Coulter, professional snowboarder; Wasatch Powderbird Guides; and more to be announced.
"Last year's Avalanche Summit proved that there's a tremendous demand for affordable, high-end backcountry training for advanced local skiers and riders," said UAC Forecaster and Freeride Avalanche Summit founder Craig Gordon. "We're excited to once again bring together leading forecasters with some of the best winter athletes in Utah for what is sure to be a premier event."
The Freeride Avalanche Summit offers more than 20 hours of classroom and on-mountain instruction during the two day session. Topics include snowpack analysis, terrain assessment, first aid techniques, emergency notification procedures and more along with ski patrol briefings and real life line selection sessions with professional athletes. A tentative schedule can be found at www.snowbird.com/freerideavalanchesummit.html .
The Summit costs $150 and is limited to 40 participants. Advanced and expert skiers and riders can register by visiting the Snowbird Activity Center or calling (801) 933-2147 Thursdays-Sundays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Interested parties can leave a message with contact information during non-business hours.
New Italian Restaurant at The Chateaux at Silver Lake Launches Next Month
The Chateaux at Silver Lake has announced the grand opening of its Cena Ristorante and Lounge. A Stein Eriksen Lodge Management Corporation restaurant, Cena's grand opening for the 2010-11 winter season is slated for Dec. 1 with a unique blend of Italian cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere. The new restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the winter season.
Zane Holmquist, Director of Food and Beverage and Executive Chef of Stein Eriksen Lodge's renowned Glitretind Restaurant, along with Cena's Executive Chef Chris Wellmon, will oversee Cena Ristorante and Lounge's tasty menu offerings. Both chefs bring a variety of fresh and locally grown fare, as well as their individual creative ideas to the menu. Sample menu items include antipasti and crostini appetizers, house-made pastas, flat-bread pizzas from a wood burning oven, famous Italian-style meatballs and entrees such as butternut squash raviolis. Prices will range from $6-11 for appetizers, $9-11 for pizzas and $14-22 for pasta and entrees.
"It's exciting to expand our horizons, which is exactly what we are doing by offering a casual, family-friendly restaurant to our guests at The Chateaux and the Silver Lake area," said Holmquist. "There are a growing number of lodging options in the area and those visitors, as well as local residents, appreciate being able to choose from a variety of exceptional dining options."
Six Westminster Students Named to 2011 U.S. Alpine Ski Team
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association recently named six Westminster College students to the 2011 U.S. Alpine Ski Team roster. The 49-member team features two Westminster Olympians who competed in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver .
Sophomore Alice McKennis was named to the Women's A Team. Freshman Travis Ganong was named to the Men's B Team, while freshman Hailey Duke, and sophomores Megan McJames, Laurenne Ross and Leanne Smith were named to the Women's B Team. Sophomore Andrew Phillips was named to the Men's C Team.
"I'm excited about the group we've put together," said third-year U.S. Ski Team men's head coach, Sasha Rearick. "There is an incredible diversity of experience."
Westminster currently has more than 50 students on the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team who compete in a variety of disciplines, from snowboarding to cross-country skiing. Westminster is the Official Provider of Educational Services to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team and offers a USSA Tuition Grant program to all current USSA national athletes and qualifying alumni.
Hyatt Expands Presence in Utah with Escala Lodge at Canyons Resort
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts this month announced its plans to introduce Hyatt Escala Lodge at Park City in late November. The ski-in, ski-out condominium hotel property is located at the base of the Sunrise Chairlift in the Canyons Resort in Park City .
This mountain retreat at the Canyons features native mountain stonework and timber frame construction. Hyatt Escala Lodge at Park City consists of 85 spacious condominiums, which can be divided into 178 residential-style, hotel suites ranging in size from one-bedroom units at 680 square feet to four-bedroom units with 2,810 square feet. The suites feature mountain view balconies, living and dining rooms, fully equipped gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances, alder cabinets, extensive millwork, and hardwood flooring, as well as in-suite washers and dryers. With stone fireplaces in all living rooms and in most master bedrooms, and custom stone flooring, jetted tubs, and European frameless showers in the bathrooms, guests will experience a sophisticated escape.
At Park City 's Hyatt Escala Lodge, guests will be able to enjoy a fitness center, a steam room, year-round heated swimming pools, two oversized spa tubs, and a ski valet. Other planned amenities for the property include a new restaurant and bar, expanded meeting and event space, an expanded fitness center, a Camp Hyatt, and a grab-and-go market.
For business and social events, Hyatt Escala Lodge will offer approximately 4,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space providing an elegant setting for small gatherings and executive retreats.
The hotel was developed by SDI Realty Group, a privately held real estate company based in Provo .
Stein Eriksen Lodge Unwraps Its Holiday Glory
Stein Eriksen Lodge, Utah 's only Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond property, is once again offering guests a magical holiday mountain getaway with its crowd-pleasing, elaborate gingerbread display, its towering 32-foot, lavishly decorated tree, its gourmet holiday feasts and more.
Set to capture all the mystery and enchantment of Harry Potter, this year's impressive gingerbread display transports guests to the mystical world of Hogwarts. The magical scene will be prominently displayed in the Main Lodge next to the welcoming Christmas tree and features more than 400 pounds of gingerbread, 80 pounds of icing and 150 hours of creation time by Executive Pastry Chef Ann Giles Sweisford and her team.
In addition to marveling at the gingerbread masterpiece, guests of all ages can express their own creativity in gingerbread classes led by Chef Sweisford. The Build Your Own Gingerbread House parties will be held Monday, Dec. 20 and Tuesday, Dec. 28 from 4-5:30 p.m. The cost is $60 per participant and includes hot chocolate, gingerbread panels, icing, candies and instructions and gingerbread recipes from Chef Sweisford. Reservations can be made through the hotel's concierge at (435) 645-6460. Guest will want to book early for the limited-sized classes and children eight and under require adult supervision.
Festivities at Stein Eriksen are made more delightful with savory, gourmet holiday meals. Special dining options at the acclaimed Glitretind Restaurant will be available to guests for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.
"Whether guests are looking to hit the slopes, unwind by a crackling open fire while sipping fine wine, feast on award-winning fare with all the trimmings or simply bask in extravagant holiday wonder, a holiday stay at the Lodge will provide lasting memories," said Russ Olsen, CEO of Stein Eriksen Lodge. "Spending the holidays with us has become a favorite tradition among families because they are free to escape the mayhem and let us take care of every special detail. We delight in providing guests a true winter wonderland setting."
Utah Kids with Diabetes to Ride in Park City with Pro Snowboarder Sean Busby
Teens are learning how to shred down the mountain and balance blood sugars in a special empowerment program called Riding on Insulin, taking place Dec. 11 at Canyons Resort. The day, led by Sean Busby, a 26-year-old professional snowboarder with type 1 diabetes, promotes courage and confidence and shows children with type 1 or type 2 they can overcome mental and physical challenges.
"Riding on Insulin is a place where kids can try a winter sport in a safe environment, share tips on managing their disease, and make new friends who are just like them," Busby says. "I always find myself learning from the campers who come to my camps. It's been the best medicine, aside from insulin, for managing my diabetes."
After enduring a complicated diagnosis at age 19, Busby considered retiring from snowboarding. "I didn't know if it would be possible to still snowboard at a high level and have type 1 diabetes," he admits.
Fortunately, Busby found inspiration at Children's Congress, an event organized by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). "I read stories of 5-, 8- and 13-year-old kids who've been living with type 1 diabetes all their lives," he recounts. "I realized how fortunate I was to be able to live 19 years free of diabetes, and I was determined to give back to those kids - they inspired me to continue snowboarding." Thus, Riding on Insulin was born.
"Our goal is to show teens they don't have to let anything, including their diabetes, stop them from pursuing their passions," explains Aimee Greenholtz, founder of Kids Rock The World (KRTW) and member of the board of directors of the JDRF in Salt Lake City. "Sean is the perfect example, and at KRTW Presents Riding on Insulin, we are giving kids the tools they need to go after their dreams, showing they are not alone in the world."
Fifty type 1 and type 2 kids ages 12-16 years, from the Salt Lake and Park City area, will be led through this one-day program by snowboard instructors trained in diabetes. A doctor will be at Riding on Insulin all day, and morning and afternoon snacks, as well as lunch will be served. Spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The program costs $50, and kids can sign up at www.kidsrocktheworld.org
At Solitude you'll wake up with the mountain right outside your window.
Whether you're looking for a first-class hotel experience or the space to spread out with friends and family in a three-bedroom condominium, Solitude Resort Lodging has the right accommodations for you. Along with slope-side convenience and amenities like access to Club Solitude, each accommodation has its own unique brand of charm that allows you to reconnect with nature and with each other. Click here for reservations!
Save 10% on lodging when you book your tansportation. Mention Code: CTDR
• www.lifestyleprops.com
Your personal connection to the best vacation properties in Utah. Specializing in Solitude lodging and Brighton lodging guaranteeing you a great stay at two of the world's most stunning ski resorts. Helping you find the perfect place to escape!
• www.lifestyleprops.com
Lifestyle Properties Real Estate is a progressive real estate brokerage in Utah that specializes in selling as well as residential properties across the Wasatch.
• www.SkiUtah.com
Check out all of the latests activities of Ski Utah below:
Ski Utah Video: http://www.youtube.com/therealskiutah#p/u/0/oj-WXeM2zZ0
Ski Season Underway in Utah
With six resorts already open and three more scheduled to open this week during the snowiest November in recent memory, Utah's 2010-11 ski and snowboard season is already in full swing.
Brighton Resort kicked off the winter season on Nov. 11, followed closely by its neighbor in Big Cottonwood Canyon , Solitude Mountain Resort, on Nov. 12. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort joined the open list on Nov. 13, as did Alta Ski Area this past Friday. Park City Mountain Resort and Brian Head Resort fired up their lifts for the first time this season last weekend.
Scheduled to join them this week are three resorts surrounding the Ogden Valley : Snowbasin, Powder Mountain and Wolf Mountain . The remainder of Utah 's 14 ski and snowboard resorts will follow in December.
Utah Snowflakes Landing Back on TV
The Utah Office of Tourism, an agency of the state Governor's Office of Economic Development, launched its winter "Life Elevated" advertising campaign during a Capitol news conference last Wednesday to promote Utah 's skiing and The Greatest Snow on Earth. The $1.1 million campaign includes three new 30-second commercial spots that will rotate on 13 national cable networks beginning in January.
"The ski industry is a major part of our vibrant tourism industry," said Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell, who joined industry officials to announce at the press conference. "Not only is skiing important for our state's overall economic health, but I know my family and I enjoy skiing because it's a wonderful way to get out and get active."
For the third year in a row, the popular television spots will feature the humorous "snowflakes" created for the Utah Office of Tourism by Salt Lake City-based advertising agency, Struck/Axiom. Print and online ads for the winter campaign began running this month in a coordinated effort with Ski Utah , which markets the state's 14 ski resorts.
"Our coordinated marketing efforts with Ski Utah and other partners have allowed us to leverage our marketing dollars," said Leigh von der Esch, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism (UOT). "The new television commercials emphasize Utah 's accessibility and the close proximity of our resorts to Salt Lake City International Airport ."
" Utah 's ski and snowboard resorts are leading the country in resort improvements and additions for the 2010-11 winter season," remarked Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty. "These upgrades, combined with early season snow, make Ski Utah very excited for the coming season."
At the unveiling of the TV spots at the State Capitol, UOT also announced a public month-long participation element to the ad campaign utilizing social media. In cooperation with Ski Utah , the office is asking for the public to go online and vote for their favorite ad. The ads are posted on both the Office of Tourism Web site (www.utah.travel) and Ski Utah 's site (www.skiutah.com), where the public can not only vote on their favorite spot, but also enter to win free ski gear from Ski Utah . Winners will be announced Dec. 17.
Two of the ads will air on national cable television channels from Jan. 2-23, 2011. The networks include: A&E, Bravo, ESPN/ESPN2, Food Network, Fox News, History, MSNBC, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery, and Discovery Science.
Olympic and World Cup Ski Racer Ted Ligety Named Ambassador of Powdr Corp
Park City-based ski resort holding company Powdr Corp, parent company of Park City Mountain Resort, on Thursday announced that Olympic Gold Medalist Ted Ligety has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as an ambassador of all the company's ski resorts, representing each of the mountain resorts individually. The deal is part of a new Powdr Corp initiative across their resorts in support of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) teams.
"I am very pleased to be working with Ted as an ambassador of all the Powdr Corp family of resorts," says John Cumming, CEO of Powdr Corp. "Ted is such a remarkable individual, and an overall amazing person to be around, that I feel he will be a great ambassador for all our resorts."
This week, Ligety and the U.S. Men's Ski Team have been race training at another of Powder Corp's properties, Copper Mountain in Colorado , in preparation for a challenging World Cup season.
In addition to Park City Mountain Resort and Copper Mountain, Powdr Corp owns or operates the following ski resorts: Killington Resort, Vt.; Pico Resort, Vt.; Mt. Bachelor, Ore.; Boreal Resort, Calif.; Soda Springs Resort, Calif.; Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, Nev.; and Gorgoza Tubing Park, Utah.
U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Coming to Canyons Resort
Two-time Olympic champion Seth Wescott and silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis will be among the athletes vying for titles as the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix makes a snowboardcross stop Feb. 11-12 at The Canyons in Park City . The event was announced at a press conference held at the new snowboardcross venue in the renovated plaza at the base of Canyons Resort.
Athletes, including Canyons' Jonathan Cheever, Shaun Palmer and Park City 's JJ Tomlinson, along with several other U.S. Snowboarding snowboardcross team members, signed autographs and met with fans to celebrate the first major international snowboarding event to be held at Canyons Resort.
"The announcement of this event marks the first time The Canyons has hosted a world class international event," said the resort's Vice President, Marketing Todd Burnette. "We're looking forward to hosting the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix to help us showcase the re-creation of the resort. With the course we are building and the overall level of hospitality we are planning for the riders, we are confident that The Canyons will quickly become one of the favorite stops on the world tour."
The two day event will kick off Friday, Feb. 11 with the men's and women's qualification rounds with the finals held on Saturday, Feb. 12. Following the head-to-head race, spectators can expect a live concert to celebrate the competition.
The event is scheduled to air on U.S. television Feb. 19 on NBC at 2 p.m. and Versus at 4 p.m. EST.
Deer Valley Resort Kicks Off 30th Anniversary Season with Celebrity Skifest
Deer Valley Resort kicks off its 30th anniversary winter season with the excitement of the Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest Dec. 4-5. The invitational ski event pairs former Olympic ski legends with television and film celebrities for a weekend of skiing, live music and fundraising for the environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance, which supports and empowers Waterkeeper member organizations to protect communities, ecosystems and water quality.
"We're very excited to kick off our 30th anniversary season with this year's Celebrity Skifest," says Deer Valley Marketing Director Coleen Reardon. "It's always nice to welcome our guests on opening weekend with some glamour, some fun and by helping out a non-profit organization we feel strongly about: the Waterkeeper Alliance."
The Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest will include giant slalom races on both Saturday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Dec. 5 at noon each day on Deer Valley 's Birdseye run. The competition will be televised by CBS on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. (EST) following NFL Football. The public is welcome to watch the ski racing portion of the event adjacent to the Birdseye ski run.
Some of the best-known legends of U. S. skiing are scheduled to compete in this year's event, including Steve Mahre, Phil Mahre, Tommy Moe and Deer Valley 's own Ambassador of Skiing Heidi Voelker. Celebrities scheduled to attend at this time include: Susie Essman, Virginia Madsen, Bobby Kennedy, Max Kennedy, Bob Woodruff, Patrick Warburton, Oliver Hudson, Rob Morrow, Ian Ziering, Joey Pantoliano, Hill Harper, Dylan Bruno, Larry David and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Ski Resort Bookings Indicate Slow but Steady Recovery
In the latest data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP), the month of October finished ahead of October 2009 and the upcoming winter season shows continued improvements in both bookings and room rates at ski and snowboard resorts across the western U.S. , including those in Utah . However, despite small consistent gains, overall occupancy and rates continues to lag significantly behind patterns established prior to the October 2008 economic meltdown.
"After two years of uncertainty and sluggish growth in the travel industry, it is clear that what we once considered the 'new normal' is not so new anymore and is simply becoming, well, just plain normal," said Ralf Garrison, MTRiP founder and director.
Actual occupancy for October 2010 at the 265 property management companies sampled by MTRiP in 15 mountain destination communities, representing 24,000 rooms across Colorado , Utah , California , and Oregon , was up 12.9 percent while average daily rate was up 4.1 percent. Bookings during October for the coming season are trending up for arrivals in every single month, most notably with November up 21.1 percent and the crucial holiday month of December up 13.7 percent.
For the coming season, on-the-books occupancy as of Oct. 31 for November is up 14.6 percent compared to the same period in 2009 while the daily rate for is down 0.7 percent November. For the next six months, November to April, on-the-books year-over-year occupancy is up 2.7 percent from the same period in 2009-10 while the daily rate is only up 0.1 percent for the same period.
"Many lodging destinations are getting their best deals out early to encourage consumer bookings and it seems to be working," explained Garrison. "Occupancy is up and rates are essentially tracking the same as with last year's discounts. The pattern suggests an ongoing buyer's market and that is good news for consumers."
According to MTRiP analyst Tom Foley, there are several factors at play in the greater economy that may be influencing the gradual upward trend. "The Dow Jones Industrial average is up 9.6 percent since May, the Index of Leading Economic Indicators posted gains in four of the last five months, travel prices are up 4.4 percent since last summer, and national occupancy rates are up 8.8 percent," he explained. "However, the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) remains shaky and is only 3.6 percent higher than the summer of 2009; with the high unemployment rate remaining essentially unchanged over the summer, traveling behavior didn't resume as strongly as we hoped," he added.
Snowbasin Hosting Finals of Gatorade Free Flow Tour
In conjunction with the Winter Dew Tour Toyota Challenge finals this February, Utah's Snowbasin Resort will see the winners crowned in the 2011 Gatorade Free Flow Tour, a 54-stop nationwide contest that provides a direct route for young skiers and snowboarders to reach the professional level competition of the Dew Tour.
The Gatorade Free Flow Tour will showcase top amateur winter athletes competing in snowboarding (slopestyle and superpipe) and freeskiing (slopestyle and superpipe). Snowboarding disciplines will have separate competitions for men and women, while the freeski contests will be open to both.
The 10-event schedule will include resorts in all areas of the United States - the East and West Coasts , the Midwest, and the Rocky and Wasatch Mountains , with a local competition being held at Brighton Resort Feb. 5-6, 2011. Open to all amateur snowboarders and freeskiers 21 and younger, registration for the Tour is now available at www.gatoradefreeflowtour.com
In addition to the main contests, each stop of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour will also include a Junior division, offering separate rail jam and superpipe contests for snowboard and freeski competitors 13 and under. The Junior Jam will take place prior to each of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour's Open Division competitions, giving young amateurs valuable contest experience.
Tour officials are encouraging early registration as there are limited spots for all competitions. There is a $20 registration fee for one day of competition and a $30 registration fee to compete both days at a tour stop. Registration fees do not include lift tickets.
The winners in each of the 54 contests (30 slopestyle and 24 superpipe) will be flown to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place in conjunction with the Winter Dew Tour's Toyota Championship, Feb. 12-13 at Snowbasin. The two overall snowboard superpipe and slopestyle champions and the overall freeski superpipe and slopestyle champions will earn a spot to compete against the pros at the first stop of the 2011-12 Winter Dew Tour the following season.
Skis Burn in Southern Utah
Brian Head skiers and riders tossed their gear into a giant bonfire last week in hopes for a snowy winter ahead. And it seems to be working.
Brian Head's Ullr Burn was held in front of the southern Utah resort town's fire station. The event is a fun ritual sacrifice to the Norse god of snow held annually in hopes that he will bring a bounty of snow to Brian Head's slopes. Old ski or snowboard equipment, gear, mate-less gloves, etc. are burned in a big metal drum as sacrifice to Ullr.
For more than 25 years, Brian Head residents Bob Goldhirsch and Tim Deutschlander have organized the Ullr Burn. Although the mythical Viking god of snow, Goldhirsch likes to believe that he's the god of après ski as well. According to Goldhirsch, who has been grooming the slopes of Brian Head Resort in a snowcat for the past 20 years, "There is no set time. When it feels right, we do it. Our purpose is to appease Ullr to give us a good winter season."
In addition to the big bonfire, the celebration also included fireworks and a toast with the aptly named Ullr peppermint schnapps.
Ullr apparently looked kindly upon the sacrifice, for Brian Head opened its Chairlifts Three and Black Foot on Saturday, serving three runs and a terrain park with 11 features, rails and boxes even as a series of massive snowstorms moved into Utah over the weekend.
"We look forward to another tremendous Utah ski and snowboard season," said Brian Head General Manager, Henry Hornberger. "Last year Brain Head had over 400 inches of 'The Greatest Snow on Earth,' and already we have a base of over two feet of natural and man-made snow.
Second Annual Freeride Avalanche Summit at Snowbird Dec. 16-17
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort and the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) are once again partnering to offer the second annual Freeride Avalanche Summit, Dec. 16-17. The two-day clinic is targeted towards advanced and expert skiers and riders who want practical and professional instruction on avalanche awareness, safety and rescue.
The Freeride Avalanche Summit will include a unique blend of instruction that combines the expertise of industry leading avalanche forecasters with the experience and influence of local, professional athletes. Expected participants include: Members of the UAC; Snowbird Ski Patrol; Gordy Pfeiffer, professional skier; Jenn Berg, professional skier; Ben Wheeler, professional skier; Chris Coulter, professional snowboarder; Wasatch Powderbird Guides; and more to be announced.
"Last year's Avalanche Summit proved that there's a tremendous demand for affordable, high-end backcountry training for advanced local skiers and riders," said UAC Forecaster and Freeride Avalanche Summit founder Craig Gordon. "We're excited to once again bring together leading forecasters with some of the best winter athletes in Utah for what is sure to be a premier event."
The Freeride Avalanche Summit offers more than 20 hours of classroom and on-mountain instruction during the two day session. Topics include snowpack analysis, terrain assessment, first aid techniques, emergency notification procedures and more along with ski patrol briefings and real life line selection sessions with professional athletes. A tentative schedule can be found at www.snowbird.com/freerideavalanchesummit.html .
The Summit costs $150 and is limited to 40 participants. Advanced and expert skiers and riders can register by visiting the Snowbird Activity Center or calling (801) 933-2147 Thursdays-Sundays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Interested parties can leave a message with contact information during non-business hours.
New Italian Restaurant at The Chateaux at Silver Lake Launches Next Month
The Chateaux at Silver Lake has announced the grand opening of its Cena Ristorante and Lounge. A Stein Eriksen Lodge Management Corporation restaurant, Cena's grand opening for the 2010-11 winter season is slated for Dec. 1 with a unique blend of Italian cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere. The new restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the winter season.
Zane Holmquist, Director of Food and Beverage and Executive Chef of Stein Eriksen Lodge's renowned Glitretind Restaurant, along with Cena's Executive Chef Chris Wellmon, will oversee Cena Ristorante and Lounge's tasty menu offerings. Both chefs bring a variety of fresh and locally grown fare, as well as their individual creative ideas to the menu. Sample menu items include antipasti and crostini appetizers, house-made pastas, flat-bread pizzas from a wood burning oven, famous Italian-style meatballs and entrees such as butternut squash raviolis. Prices will range from $6-11 for appetizers, $9-11 for pizzas and $14-22 for pasta and entrees.
"It's exciting to expand our horizons, which is exactly what we are doing by offering a casual, family-friendly restaurant to our guests at The Chateaux and the Silver Lake area," said Holmquist. "There are a growing number of lodging options in the area and those visitors, as well as local residents, appreciate being able to choose from a variety of exceptional dining options."
Six Westminster Students Named to 2011 U.S. Alpine Ski Team
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association recently named six Westminster College students to the 2011 U.S. Alpine Ski Team roster. The 49-member team features two Westminster Olympians who competed in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver .
Sophomore Alice McKennis was named to the Women's A Team. Freshman Travis Ganong was named to the Men's B Team, while freshman Hailey Duke, and sophomores Megan McJames, Laurenne Ross and Leanne Smith were named to the Women's B Team. Sophomore Andrew Phillips was named to the Men's C Team.
"I'm excited about the group we've put together," said third-year U.S. Ski Team men's head coach, Sasha Rearick. "There is an incredible diversity of experience."
Westminster currently has more than 50 students on the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team who compete in a variety of disciplines, from snowboarding to cross-country skiing. Westminster is the Official Provider of Educational Services to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team and offers a USSA Tuition Grant program to all current USSA national athletes and qualifying alumni.
Hyatt Expands Presence in Utah with Escala Lodge at Canyons Resort
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts this month announced its plans to introduce Hyatt Escala Lodge at Park City in late November. The ski-in, ski-out condominium hotel property is located at the base of the Sunrise Chairlift in the Canyons Resort in Park City .
This mountain retreat at the Canyons features native mountain stonework and timber frame construction. Hyatt Escala Lodge at Park City consists of 85 spacious condominiums, which can be divided into 178 residential-style, hotel suites ranging in size from one-bedroom units at 680 square feet to four-bedroom units with 2,810 square feet. The suites feature mountain view balconies, living and dining rooms, fully equipped gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances, alder cabinets, extensive millwork, and hardwood flooring, as well as in-suite washers and dryers. With stone fireplaces in all living rooms and in most master bedrooms, and custom stone flooring, jetted tubs, and European frameless showers in the bathrooms, guests will experience a sophisticated escape.
At Park City 's Hyatt Escala Lodge, guests will be able to enjoy a fitness center, a steam room, year-round heated swimming pools, two oversized spa tubs, and a ski valet. Other planned amenities for the property include a new restaurant and bar, expanded meeting and event space, an expanded fitness center, a Camp Hyatt, and a grab-and-go market.
For business and social events, Hyatt Escala Lodge will offer approximately 4,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space providing an elegant setting for small gatherings and executive retreats.
The hotel was developed by SDI Realty Group, a privately held real estate company based in Provo .
Stein Eriksen Lodge Unwraps Its Holiday Glory
Stein Eriksen Lodge, Utah 's only Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond property, is once again offering guests a magical holiday mountain getaway with its crowd-pleasing, elaborate gingerbread display, its towering 32-foot, lavishly decorated tree, its gourmet holiday feasts and more.
Set to capture all the mystery and enchantment of Harry Potter, this year's impressive gingerbread display transports guests to the mystical world of Hogwarts. The magical scene will be prominently displayed in the Main Lodge next to the welcoming Christmas tree and features more than 400 pounds of gingerbread, 80 pounds of icing and 150 hours of creation time by Executive Pastry Chef Ann Giles Sweisford and her team.
In addition to marveling at the gingerbread masterpiece, guests of all ages can express their own creativity in gingerbread classes led by Chef Sweisford. The Build Your Own Gingerbread House parties will be held Monday, Dec. 20 and Tuesday, Dec. 28 from 4-5:30 p.m. The cost is $60 per participant and includes hot chocolate, gingerbread panels, icing, candies and instructions and gingerbread recipes from Chef Sweisford. Reservations can be made through the hotel's concierge at (435) 645-6460. Guest will want to book early for the limited-sized classes and children eight and under require adult supervision.
Festivities at Stein Eriksen are made more delightful with savory, gourmet holiday meals. Special dining options at the acclaimed Glitretind Restaurant will be available to guests for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.
"Whether guests are looking to hit the slopes, unwind by a crackling open fire while sipping fine wine, feast on award-winning fare with all the trimmings or simply bask in extravagant holiday wonder, a holiday stay at the Lodge will provide lasting memories," said Russ Olsen, CEO of Stein Eriksen Lodge. "Spending the holidays with us has become a favorite tradition among families because they are free to escape the mayhem and let us take care of every special detail. We delight in providing guests a true winter wonderland setting."
Utah Kids with Diabetes to Ride in Park City with Pro Snowboarder Sean Busby
Teens are learning how to shred down the mountain and balance blood sugars in a special empowerment program called Riding on Insulin, taking place Dec. 11 at Canyons Resort. The day, led by Sean Busby, a 26-year-old professional snowboarder with type 1 diabetes, promotes courage and confidence and shows children with type 1 or type 2 they can overcome mental and physical challenges.
"Riding on Insulin is a place where kids can try a winter sport in a safe environment, share tips on managing their disease, and make new friends who are just like them," Busby says. "I always find myself learning from the campers who come to my camps. It's been the best medicine, aside from insulin, for managing my diabetes."
After enduring a complicated diagnosis at age 19, Busby considered retiring from snowboarding. "I didn't know if it would be possible to still snowboard at a high level and have type 1 diabetes," he admits.
Fortunately, Busby found inspiration at Children's Congress, an event organized by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). "I read stories of 5-, 8- and 13-year-old kids who've been living with type 1 diabetes all their lives," he recounts. "I realized how fortunate I was to be able to live 19 years free of diabetes, and I was determined to give back to those kids - they inspired me to continue snowboarding." Thus, Riding on Insulin was born.
"Our goal is to show teens they don't have to let anything, including their diabetes, stop them from pursuing their passions," explains Aimee Greenholtz, founder of Kids Rock The World (KRTW) and member of the board of directors of the JDRF in Salt Lake City. "Sean is the perfect example, and at KRTW Presents Riding on Insulin, we are giving kids the tools they need to go after their dreams, showing they are not alone in the world."
Fifty type 1 and type 2 kids ages 12-16 years, from the Salt Lake and Park City area, will be led through this one-day program by snowboard instructors trained in diabetes. A doctor will be at Riding on Insulin all day, and morning and afternoon snacks, as well as lunch will be served. Spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The program costs $50, and kids can sign up at www.kidsrocktheworld.org
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