Updated 4/9/2024
KING OF PRUSSIA SKI CLUB
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Council News: EPSC, NSCF, Met/NYSC
Ski Industry News
National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
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Indy Pass 2024-25 Pricing Flat, Adds 200-Resort Guarantee. Early-bird pricing for the 2024-25 Indy Pass will remain steady at $279 when it goes on sale March 1 to current and past pass holders as well as people on last year’s waitlist, who can buy it for $329. Indy Pass currently has 185 independent resort partners, and the company is offering a money-back guarantee that it will grow to at least 200 partners for 2024-25. Details here
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Sugarloaf Opens West Mountain Terrain Expansion. Sugarloaf is opening West Mountain, a new 120-acre terrain expansion served by a high-speed detachable quad with an uphill capacity of 2,400 skiers per hour. “It’s the largest terrain expansion to happen in the Northeast since the late 1970s,” said Sugarloaf president and general manager Karl Strand. Details here
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Blue Mountain and Camelback Join for New Peak to Peak Poconos Pass. KSL Resorts will offer a new joint season pass product for the 2024-25 season called the Peak to Peak Poconos Pass that includes unlimited access to Blue Mountain Resort and Camelback Resort, its two properties in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Details here
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New Mexico's First Ski Area Reopens After Multiple Year Hiatus. Sandia Peak Ski Area in New Mexico was out of operation since 2022. New Mexico’s oldest ski resort is outside Albuquerque. Details here
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Mountain Collective Adds Bromont for the 2024-25 Season. The 2024-25 Mountain Collective pass will provide two-days of access to 25 mountain destinations with the addition of Bromont, in eastern Quebec, which joins Le Massif de Charlevoix as the second Quebec partner on the pass and the eighth in Canada. Details here
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Taos Ski Valley, NM, Becomes First Resort in North America to Use Electric Snowcat. Taos Ski Valley is leading the way in this movement and is the first ski resort in North America to deploy a fully electric snow groomer. Taos Ski Valley is the world’s first and only certified B Corporation ski resort and has been a certified carbon-neutral company since 2021. Details here
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How a Vermont Ski Area Roared Back From a Financial Scandal. Less than a decade ago, the biggest fraud in ski industry history nearly took down a beloved ski area. But Jay Peak, long known for its powder, has since transformed into a sparkling modern resort. Details here
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New Vail Resorts Chairlift-Fall Lawsuit Examines Culpability of Lift Operators. The incident took place in Park City in 2020, where a father jumped off the lift to reach his fallen child. Details here
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Solitude, UT Ski Patrollers Take Giant Step Towards Unionizing. Solitude Mountain Resort's ski patrollers have submitted a petition for union representation by the United Professional Ski Patrols of America. The announcement comes after ski patrollers at Whitefish Mountain Resort, MT filed a petition to join the same union. Details here
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Palisades Tahoe Ski Patrollers Take First Step Towards Unionizing. If successful, the Palisades Tahoe Professional Patrol Association would be the first unionized ski patrol in California. Details here
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Seven Organizations Making Skiing More Inclusive for BIPOC. While the industry is starting to dig into these issues, it’s still a way off from solving them. Luckily, several organizations and nonprofits took up the mantle years ago before “DEI” became the buzzword it is today. These groups are at the forefront of making skiing more accessible and inclusive for underrepresented groups across the United States. Details here
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Skier Dies After Falling Into Tree Well at Wyoming Resort. A skier died after falling into a tree well at Grand Targhee Ski Resort in Wyoming. He was skiing with a partner in bounds until the pair was separated. Other skiers reportedly found him upside down in the tree well before ski patrol arrived and attempted to dig him out. Ski Patrol and EMTs responded but were unable to revive him. Details here
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Should Wealthy Skiers Get to Buy Access to Powder Before the Lifts Open? Rising predawn to chase powder is sacred in ski culture, but an increasing number of resorts are offering early-access programs for people who can afford them. Details here
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Study Says Climate Change Cost U.S. Ski Industry Billions, Study Says, Future Depends on Emissions. U.S. ski areas lost $5 billion from 2000 to 2019 as a result of climate change and could lose around $1 billion annually in the 2050s depending on how much emissions are reduced, a new study found. Details here
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Northern Michigan Ski Industry Sounds Off on New Report Citing Climate Change for Loss of Billions. Northern Michigan’s ski industry reacts to a new report showing that US ski businesses have lost billions over the years because of climate change. Details here
NSAA Journal Winter 2024
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The latest issue of the National Ski Areas Association journal is dedicated to women working in the ski industry – download here to see articles about such things as:
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How far women have come and how far women still have to go
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How NSAA is working with elected officials to promote the ski industry
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How adaptive skier Kelly Brush achieved resilience through athleticism
And so much more. The journal issue is free to download.
Ski Season Is Still Alive and Well in New England
It ain’t over ‘til it’s over! Recent storms have dropped several feet of snow at resorts from New York to Maine. You can get in a few turns for at Whiteface Mountain in New York for $59 on their Council Appreciation Days April 4th and 5th. MetNYSC is still offering discounted lift tickets to Killington ($116) and Pico ($67) in Vermont. If you have any interest in purchasing these vouchers, please contact the MetNYSC rep Lydia Hill for details. Note: since these vouchers must be ordered from the Council, you need to plan ahead to receive the vouchers in a timely fashion.
EPSC Spring Council Meeting – You’re Invited
KOPSC is a prominent member club of the Eastern Pennsylvania Ski Council. Mark your calendars to attend their spring meeting on Sunday, June 2nd at the Trolley Barn in Quakertown. Here is your chance to see what the Council is all about, meet other ski club members, and exchange ideas on working together to keep organized skiing growing. Exact details on agenda and pricing will be announced soon.
News for Current and New IKON Pass Holders
The word is out – the IKON pass went on sale March 14th. Current pass holders can renew at a discount for a limited time. New purchasers can buy at the current offering price, which is expected to go up in the next couple of months.
Being a member of the Metropolitan NY Ski Council has its perks. So heads up if you are thinking of buying the IKON pass this year. You can get it through the MetNYSC for a slight discount off the purchase price advertised on the IKON website. If you are in the market to buy, contact your MetNYSC rep Lydia Hill at 215-760-3322 for information.
If you are renewing your pass for the initial early bird discount, consider doing that through the MetNYSC. You don’t get additional savings, but the Council gets a credit for each renewal. (The Council will give you a code to use on the IKON website.) If the Council acquires enough credits, it will earn an IKON pass that can be sold to help pay for its operating expenses. Last year, MetNYSC earned enough credits to get two base passes and a four-day pass. Contact your MetNYSC rep, Lydia Hill for information before you renew your IKON pass.
EPSC Needs Your Help
Like all not-for-profit organizations, Eastern Pennsylvania Ski Council depends on its volunteers to keep the organization viable. The major purpose of EPSC is to support snow sports and activities within its member clubs (including KOPSC).
EPSC programs and activities include discount benefits, ski trip postings, ski racing, council ski trips and a golf tournament. They are looking for help with these activities, as well as support committees to keep the council working efficiently. Areas that are in need of volunteers are:
Website
Meetings/Programs
Fundraising
Public Relations
Publications
Racing
Ski Trip Planning
This is a good opportunity to get involved in supporting skiing/boarding programs and activities that benefit winter sports in our clubs. Volunteer today. For more information, contact EPSC President, Dave Schoneker at president@easternpaskicounci.org or your EPSC rep Lydia Hill at LHill99@comcast.net.