Messages posted by : J2SkiNews
Thanks again - agreed on this last point, but then they already have big name European resorts as partners and included on the pass. I suppose membership might be more unlimited now they own the ski lifts (non-Vail resorts seem to have a limit of a week of pass use on their slopes each season). I was told recent years have seen more Australian skiers than British ones at resorts in the US after Alterra and Vail bought half of the main resorts there between them. So Aussie skiers buying Epic/Ikon passes to ski Aussie slopes can now ski North American resorts for no extra cost. Just the minor matter of crossing the Pacific, paying for lodging etc... |
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Thanks as always Swingbeep. It does seem an odd move by Vail Resorts as I think they're usually fairly savvy and clinical with their purchases. It's hard to see how they're going to get much back on a fairly large chunk of cash even by the scale of the amounts of money these corporations spend these days. I believe their Epic Pass product, and getting more people to buy it, is a crucial part of their business plan so perhaps they envisage a carrot (discounted pass?) and stick (price rise on normal lift ticket) for captive market of Andermatt property buyers to move them on to that? I think that's one of the complaints in resorts like Whistler that they've taken over - locals who only want to ski Whistler have to buy an Epic pass costing considerably more than their old season pass used to (they say...). But would Swiss law stop that being something Vail could do anyway?
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Reports from Bulgaria indicate that the country's ski areas have managed to record better than expected trading figures despite multiple obstacles to smooth operations. The unpredictability of the pandemic and operating and travel restrictions associated with it was of course the key issues faced, but there were unexpected factors too including high inflation, surging energy prices and at the end of the season the sudden loss of the Russian skier market, which is a sizable part of the business of some Bulgarian areas. On the upside it has been a good winter for snowfall, although strong winds impacted the operations of some centres. Occupancy rates typically averaged 70 to 90% with the majority of guests arriving from within Bulgaria. Business was also back up from Israel and the UK and countries closer to Bulgaria including Greece and north Macedonia but down from Turkey. Bansko and Pamporovo are reported to be closing for the season next weekend on April 10th, then Vitosha on April 15th, but Borovets plans to remain open until the end of April. |
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French ski resorts are insisting reports of heavy snowfall this morning after a largely dry and sunny March are no 'Avril Poisson' joke. Ski areas across France and across the Alps woke to a midwinter scene this morning as temperatures dipped by 10-20 degrees on their highs of the past few weeks. Accumulations of 10-20cm have been reported so far although forecasts suggest some resorts could see as much as 60cm (two feet) of fresh snow in total by the start of next week as cold snowy weather is expected to continue through the weekend. 
It's good news for skiers and boarders who have booked Easter ski holidays, or even trips in the post-Easter latter half of April which a number of tour operators have put on sale to extend their planned seasons in a response to surging demand as covid restrictions ease. In fact, some holidays are now available into May when a number of high-altitude resorts remain open,
The latest good news on covid restrictions easing is that France has announced it will allow in non-vaccinated people on holiday for the first time this year, so long as they have a recent negative test result from an official body. Italy also ends the requirement to show a covid pass to use ski lifts as of April 1st. But the requirements remain varied from country to country and rules for children in particular vary. ExpressTest, which run 40 testing centres across the UK, have a free tool on their website that travellers can use to check the latest requirements for any country: https://www.expresstest.co.uk/find-the-right-test/ There were plenty of Avril Poisson jokes from ski areas though, with one saying it was introducing camel tours as a new apres ski activity following all the sand that blew in from the Sahara in recent weeks.  |
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The London Ski & Snowboard Festival is back in October after a three year break following the withdrawal of previous organisers The Telegraph, quickly followed by the pandemic. New organisers, Smart Group, say their new four-day festival from October 27th to 30th will bring together global resorts, top fashion retailers, the latest technology, Team GB athletes and plenty of entertainment for Winter sports fans and families of all ages and experience levels. Taking place in the same Battersea Park venue as the final Telegraph shows did, the festival will feature a 40 metre ski slope with jump where professional ski and snowboard athletes will perform. There'll also be alpine street food served up and après-ski through to 10.30pm. Taking place over half term, there'll be ski lessons available on the Practice Slope which will also be used for a torchlit toboggan race in the evening. A dedicated entertainment area Bundle Tumble will provide interactive activities, and kids can even show off their best moves in the Parkour Arena with the help of top instructors. The London Ski & Snowboard Festival will host over 120 exhibitors, over 200 brands with a total 5,500 M square of marketplace and 7,500 M square of outdoor attractions. Tickets are available for Avant (daytime 11:00-5:00pm), or Après (evening 5:00pm - 10:30pm) or all day! Tickets are on sale now at https://www.londonskiandsnowboard.co.uk/ Early Bird Ticket Prices: Thursday Avant (Daytime) 11AM-5PM - £12 Avant (Daytime) Student 11AM-5PM - £12 Avant (Daytime) Concession 11AM-5PM - £12 Avant (Daytime) Youth (11-18 ) 11AM-5PM - £10 Avant (Daytime) Child (under 11) 11AM-5PM - Free Avant (Daytime) Family (2 x adult, 2 x child) 11AM-5PM - £40 Après (Evening) 5PM - 10:30PM - £20 Après (Evening) Student 5PM - 10:30PM - £17 Après (Evening) Concession 5PM - 10:30PM - £17 All day 11AM - 10:30PM - £25 Friday, Saturday & Sunday Avant (Daytime) 11AM-5PM - £15 Avant (Daytime) Student 11AM-5PM - £12 Avant (Daytime) Concession 11AM-5PM - £12 Avant (Daytime) Youth (11-18 ) 11AM-5PM - £10 Avant (Daytime) Child (under 11) 11AM-5PM - Free Avant (Daytime) Family (2 x adult, 2 x child) 11AM-5PM - £40 Après (Evening) 5PM - 10:30PM - £20 Après (Evening) Student 5PM - 10:30PM - £17 Après (Evening) Concession 5PM - 10:30PM - £17 All day 11AM - 10:30PM - £25 *Regular ticket and late booking ticket prices will vary. |
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Vail Resorts, the world's largest ski resort operator, has bought a majority share in the company that operates Andermatt ski area in Switzerland. Andermatt has been transformed over the past decade with an investment of over 1 Billion Swiss Francs by a group led by an Egyptian billionaire, Samih Sawiris, building property and totally overhauling the ski area with fast new lifts. This resort operating business has now sold a 55% stake to Vail Resorts, which already operates 40 resorts in the US, Canada and Australia, for 149 Million Swiss francs.
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Jackson Hole is into the final fortnight of its 21-22 season and has announced next season will start with a new Thunder lift in place. The original lift installed 28 years ago in 1994 will be replaced by a newer, swifter capable of carrying more guests uphill.
The current lift runs 102 chairs up through 12 towers, ascending 1,466' in just over seven minutes. At a speed of 2.54 meters per second, with a capacity of 1,400 skiers and riders towards the upper mountain each hour. The new Leitner-Poma lift will travel at 1,000 feet per minute, more than twice the velocity of the original Thunder, and will cut riders' lift time down from just over 7 minutes to 3.6 minutes. Installation will begin in May and load testing of the new Thunder lift is expected to be finished in October. |
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The hot March weather that ended winter and started spring has had an impact on snow cover at the five Scottish ski centres. The 21-22 season had only really got started a month ago after dry and warm weather from mid-December to mid-February prevented a snow base from building, however by early March most of the centres were able to open most of their runs. However the Highlands saw some of the warmest temperatures in the UK when the current warm spell began a week ago and Glenshee announced it was closing for the season at the end of the weekend. The other eastern ski centre, The Lecht, has also closed although not yet said that's it for the season – currently there's a sign of an end to the warm weather from Monday and the possibility of fresh snowfall later this week. Cairngorm has decided to shutdown midweek with the aim of having some snow left for skiing this weekend, it has also warned it has no beginner terrain open at present and that skiers face a walk back to the base. Things are better in the west though, where there has been more snowfall and snow depths are better. Nevis range above Fort William is still open with nearly half of its runs open and Glencoe, which has had the best season of the five, is fully open still and has a big ski and snowboarding festival, The Mighty Coe, running this weekend. |
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