January 2008 Archives
SUPER DUPER!!!
So Cal's only Superpipe opened over the weekend at Bear Mountain. The Superpipe is 580-feet-long and 18-feet-high.
Sitting just below the chair lift, the pipe is visible from the base area so you can drop in and sure to be seen by all!
"The Superpipe is one of Bear Mountain's most popular features and attracts snowboarders and skiers from all over Southern California," says Marketing Director Chris Riddle.
The feature was ready in time for Bear Mountain's Burton AM Series amateur Halfpipe and Slopestyle competitions.
Skiers and snowboarders also had a chance to test drive Burton boards, boots and bindings at the largest product demo in the snowboard world.
Mountain High Ski Resort reported another 12 to 20 inches of new snow, bringing the weeklong storm total to close to 6 feet! That's the most snow the Wrightwood resort has seen since the big 2004/05 season when they got 278 inches of snow.
I thought that was very impressive until my friends in Banff Springs, Canada, sent me their latest email. A fresh blast of winter weather in Banff National Park brought only 11 inches of new snow last week. Guess all their snow fell down here.
BUT, so far this season, more than 13 feet of champagne powder has fallen on the three resorts of Banff, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village (pictured courtesy of Sunshine Village.) The snowfall is set to continue this weekend with heavy snow storms in the forecast.
Skiing in the Canadian Rockies outside Calgary is still a great bargain. LA skiers can buy vacation packages for as little as $90 a person per day. These featuring some of Banff and Lake Louise's most affordable lodging at either Deer Lodge, Inns of Banff, Lake Louise Inn or The Bow View Lodge. and Skiers also get a tri-area lift ticket valid at Ski Norquay, Lake Louise Mountain Resort and Sunshine Village.
Package prices are based on 4 Night/ 3 Days of skiing. For a quote call (877) 754-7080.
I'd like to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the skiers who lost their lives in avalanches over the weekend. It's always a tragedy whenever a fellow skier or snowboarder dies in an accident.
The incidents also raise the question of safety whenever skiing out of bounds. I personally never ski out of bounds because I don't have the skills or equipment. Anyone want to share their thoughts on the matter?
Below is a press release from John McColly, the director of marketing at Mountain High Ski Resort.
"This week, storms dropped up to four feet of snow in the San Gabriel Mountain Range in the Angeles National Forest. The heavy snowfall drew thousands of skiers and snowboarders to local resorts, but conditions turned deadly when visitors ventured beyond Mountain High Resort's posted boundaries.
"Beginning on Friday afternoon, San Bernardino County Fire Department and Antelope Valley Search and Rescue, with the assistance of Mountain High personnel, responded to reports of missing persons and began working to locate them.
"Three skiers triggered an avalanche in Government Canyon, located just east of Mountain High's posted boundary, that eventually cost one skier his life. The victim, a male in his early 20s, was located and transported via ambulance to Desert Community Hospital in Victorville, CA where he was later pronounced dead. In a separate area known as Sawmill Canyon, also beyond the resort's posted boundary, avalanches took the lives of two other skiers.
"Additionally, a male snowboarder in his early twenties exited the resort's boundaries and ended up south of the resort in the San Gabriel river valley. After spending the night outdoors, that visitor hiked out under his own recognizance and sustained only minor injuries.
"Mountain High offers its condolences to the families of the deceased individuals and wishes them the best during these difficult times. Mountain High Resort does not promote out-of-bounds skiing and recommends that all visitors stay within resort boundaries."
It's official, Mountain High has received more than 3 FEET of snow over the last 24 hours.
“We’re really excited about the new snow and we’re really hoping for more this weekend. By far this is one of our best years with respect to snowfall," says John McColly, director of marketing.
Most of the East and West Resorts were open yesterday and today, with skiing enjoying 50 inches of fresh powder on 44 trails.
So far this year, the Wrightwood resort reports a 30-59 inch base with snowfall adding up to 75 inches.
The weather forecast is predicting another 4-7 inches of snow by the end of the weekend.
Chains are currently required, but by mid morning Saturday, roads should be clear with all restrictions lifted.
Cowabunga! Mountain High is reporting 
10 TO 18 INCHES OF NEW SNOW AND THERE IS MORE TO COME!!!
Last night the Wrightwood resort received close to a foot and a half of fresh powder. And there's more on the way Friday and Saturday.
Meanwhile, Big Bear got 4-6 inches of new snow overnight. Bear Mountain and Snow Summit report excellent powder to packed powder conditions on a base of two to three feet.
Plus this winter storm will last several days bringing a possibility of substantial snowfall. So check it out for yourself, just be careful getting there.
Well if you're not already in Big Bear, you may have a tough time getting to the local ski resorts. Snow has already started falling in the mountains and the National Weather Service say our mountains may get up to TWO feet of snow.
Yikes, that's great for skiing but pretty tough for driving. It looks like there's a chance of snow through Sunday night. Some of it might be pretty heavy, do be careful plowing through the stuff. Don't want you to blow out a knee.
And make sure you take your chains with you. The CHP is sure to make you put them on once you hit the snow level. Please drive carefully.
Wacky Wednesdays continue
Yes, 2 for 1 Wednesdays continue at Mountain High Ski Resort tomorrow.
2 For 1 Wednesdays. Click here for info.
Hard to beat two lift tickets for the price of one, but the first 1,000 skiers will also get a free goodie bag from FUEL TV. This will include CDs, DVDs, stickers, lip balm
Remember, these tickets must be purchased ONLINE before you head up to the ski resort!
Bobby Sato and X103.9 FM will provide music, as well as giveaways with from the Inland Empire.
Then DJ Slipmat will spins those discs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. So come on out and party!!!!
If that doesn't do it for you, REMEMBER lift tickets at Snow Valley Ski Resort are only $19 on Wednesdays. Yes, that's right under $20. Gotta love it!
Drat, we didn't get the snow that we hoped for this weekend.
But it was cold enough for the Big Bear resorts to make tons of fresh new snow for the holiday weekend. This morning, they did report scattered snow flurries and it's looking good for more snow Thursday.
So happy holiday to everyone lucky enough to have the day off. Enjoy your rides on the local mountains.
Roxy Snow Classic – Jan. 20
The Roxy Snow Classic returns to Bear Mountain on Sunday. This popular event is open to female riders of all ages and abilities.
The seventh annual slopestyle event is Roxy's winter salute to its popular summer surf competitions.
The winner will be entered in the Slopestyle qualifying round of the Roxy Chicken Grab. Registration costs only $30, but is limited to the first 100 entrants.
USASA Competitions: Halfpipe #1 – Jan. 20
Bear Mountain will also host a USASA halfpipe competition Sunday.
USASA is a grassroots organization that snowboarders of all ages and abilities to participate in organized snowboarding. Its events promote snowboarding, and helps boarders develop their athletic skills to qualify for national and international competition.
Well, it's still not too late to buy a six pack for Mountain High Ski Resort. No we're not talking beer, dude, we're talking lift tickets. But you better hurry, because the offer ends Jan. 20, so move it or lose it.
The package gives you six eight-hour lift tickets good any day or night for only $179. Do the mathand you'll realize that's just $29 per ticket.
Tickets are usually $51 weekdays and $62 on peak weekends in January and February. So you would save $21 to $32 a trip.
Better yet, tickets are transferable so you can use more than one ticket each day to treat family and friends. Besides, every six-pack is encoded on an electronic access card for hands-free lift access. You can go from your car to the lifts. Awesome!
Tickets are good all season, but expire at the end of the season. They're not valid holidays, Jan. 19-21, Feb. 16-18.
Six-packs are available at more than 240 sports shops in Southern California, as well as the resort's online store... but don't even think of asking for them at Mountain High! Click here for a sales location near you.
Looks like trouble is brewing over slopeside accidents. The Associated Press recently reported that a 60-year-old man is sueing an 8-year-old and his father over a collision that left the older skier with a shoulder injury.
David Pfahler of Allentown, Pa., filed a claim in federal court in Denver, saying that Scott Swimm, then 7, was skiing recklessly when they collided. Pfahler is seeking $75,000 for physical therapy, vacation time, nursing and medical expenses.
Swimm's father, Robb, says he saw the crash and that his son was skiing slowly and in control. "It wasn't a violent collision or anything; Scott just kind of tapped his ski boots," he said.
"Who in the world sues a child?" Scott's mother asked. She said her son weighs only 48 pounds and couldn't have been going faster than 10 miles per hour.
Pfahler's attorney refused to comment on specifics according to the Associated Press, but wanted to go back to work at Reader's Digest.
Which brings us to the question, fellow skiers. What do you think about this case?
Wax those skiis, grab those boards, and head on out to Snow Valley in Running Springs this Wednesday.
To celebrate its 70th anniversary, the local resort has dropped its lift tickets to only $20 for everyone on Wednesdays.
A day of uncrowded skiing for under $20, who would have believed it. But it began last week, so it must be true.
Read about Snow Valley Mountain Resort in the Highlander newspapers at sgvn.com.
Mountain High's North Resort opened to skiers and snowboarders for the first time since November of 2004. Two feet of recent snow made it possible and many turned out to enjoy the former Ski Sunrise.
Located about a mile from Mountain High’s West Resort, the area consists of 70 acres of beginner and intermediate terrain, one lift and a base lodge.
Without snowmaking, the North Resort relies on natural snow and, with several light winters, it was only just today that the mountain finally opened.
“Today is a great day in Mountain High’s history,” said Karl Kapuscinski, President and CEO.
Come on out for some fun in the sun today at Snow Valley. The resort will features games, giveaways and a jib jam.
The big event is sponorsed by VitaminWater. Olympian snowboarder JJ Thomas, VitaminWater spokesman, will sign autographs and share some snowboarding tips.
My boys from JACK FM will broadcast live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you don't know this radio station, you don't know JACK.
My friends at the Tamarack Ski Resort in Idaho report almost four feet of new snow over the past week. And I thought we got a lot of rain. Good grief, you'd need a snorkel to plow through that much snow.
Since Sept 29, the brand new resort has recorded 151 inches of snowfall. To us mathematically challenged skiers, that's almost 13 feet of snow if I did the math right.
Best of all the resort has not been discovered by many people, although I did have breakfast with a couple from Orange County who had just bought a home on the slopes. Go figure!
You're not going to believe this. But the Swiss are running radar traps on their ski slopes! What's next flashing blue lights and sirens?
This week, Swiss ski patrols began treating skiers and snowboarders like cars on the autobahn. The patrol is using handheld radars to check speeds.
Skiers can't go faster than 19 miles per hour. Don't know what happens if you're really cooking in a ski school zone!
I guess the Swiss think the slopes are getting a little too dangerous. Don't know about you but I have no idea how fast I can ski.
What do you think? Ready for some high speed pursuits?
Moutain High's own John McColly made the big time this morning, appearing on a video segment of ABC's Good Morning America.
McColly was interviewed about the problem of speeding skiers.
"Our biggest concern is injury. A, them getting hurt themselves either temporarily or permanently and B, is liability for the resort," the Mountain High spokesman told ABC News.
McColly warned that the resort is pulling the passes from erratic snowboarders who don't heed the warnings.
"We give them one warning. And then if we see it happen again, we pull their pass and in some cases we'll pull a season pass if it continues," he said.
Words to live by, we all have to share the slopes together.
Party, partyy, partyyyy!
Mountain High Ski Resort will throw a big party every Wednesday for the next 10 weeks. In addition to two for one lift tickets, the resort will throw a party with music, contests and gifts.
Today, the first 1,000 guests will receive a free goodie bag from Fuel TV. The DC Team Grudge Match will be presented by Active Ride Shops.
The Edge Radio will provide entertainment during the day, with DJ Slipmat playing from 5 to 9 p.m.
Co-sponsor Skinnie Magazine Party will throw a big party on Jan. 30 with DJs, vendors, drink specials and more. So come on out and enjoy a Winter Wednesday.
Gotta Love It! Bear Mountain Ski Resort has reported 16-20 inches of new snow from the big winter storm that passed through over the weekend.
The system cleared out Monday, leaving excellent ski conditions at the local resort. The Bear is reporting a machine groomed packed powder surface with a base of 20 to 36 inches.
So drive up and beat the weekend crowds!
Check out the latest news about Bear Mountain Ski Resort in my Savvy Skier report in the Highlander section at SGVN.com
Unbelievable!
Mountain High Resort has received two feet of new snow since Saturday making this the largest winter storm in the past three years. The Wrightwood Resort has now received more snow this season than all of last year combined.
“These are the best conditions in three years,” says spokesman John McColly.
The East and West mountains are now 100% open with 46 trails and 15 lifts. Mountain High’s North Resort will also open this Friday offering 70 acres of beginner and intermediate terrain, perfect for families and introductory skiers.
The North Resort is located directly across from the West Resort and a single lift ticket is good at all three areas. Free shuttles run back and forth and meet every 10 minutes in front of the ticket windows.
When fully open, Mountain High consists of three resorts with 16 lifts, 60 trails and 290 skiable acres.
Recent Comments
uncle_vito on Five feet of snow at Mountain High?: When snow is as deep and fresh as this there is a definite avalanche ...
Richard Irwin on Northstar opens in Lake Tahoe : dude, we're expanding our coverage so you have more options. ...
hard-core ski dude on Northstar opens in Lake Tahoe : dude, lake tahoe is hardly in so cal. your funnny.. ...
sharon in La Mirada on Skier sues 8-year-old over slopeside collision : How can this 60 yr old person call himself anything but a lousy skier? ...