Killington Resort

Killington Resort is bringing Alpine World Cup skiing back to the eastern US for the first time in 25 years when the Audi FIS Ski World Cup takes place November 26-27. Giant Slalom and Slalom races will pit the best female technical alpine skiers against one another on Superstar trail, the infamous New England steep that is regularly the Eastern US’s last remaining open ski trail through late May or June. The general public is invited to view the women’s giant slalom and slalom races in a free general admission area at the base of the trail with a jumbo screen for watching the full race course, plus a weekend loaded with festivities including free live music, multiple movie premiers and additional surprises to be announced.

Jay Peak Resort

The folks at Jay Peak are still of the mind that the 5,000 acres between their borders represent one massive terrain park, but they understand the need for focus. So this season the resort is increasing the snowmaking capacity to its LZ and Jug Handle parks by 60%, running a new waterline up the Interstate trail and installing 20 new guns along the Interstate. The expansion will not only allow Jay Peak parks to open sooner, but will also allow the resort to open learning terrain at its Tramside area earlier in the season

Okemo Mountain Resort

After several years of major snowmaking improvements totaling more than $1 million, Okemo is expanding its snowmaking system again. 18,000 feet of new pipe will introduce snowmaking capabilities on Catnap and Suncatcher in the South Face area. A Prinoth Bison X park cat, equipped with a Caterpillar 400 horsepower, tier 4 engine that meets all federal emission standards, is the newest addition to Okemo’s fleet of grooming machines as Okemo enters its third year of partnership with Snowpark Technologies. Rental equipment upgrades include 515 Volkl skis, 153 Burton snowboards and more than 1,000 pairs of boots. Also, Okemo has joined the M.A.X Pass family of resorts this year. Okemo season passholders can take their pass on the road – up to 30 mountains with an Add-On upgrade.

Stratton Mountain Resort

Stratton announces an addition to the vibrant slope-side Village dining fleet– Karma: an Asian fusion experience. A menu inspired by the Asian travels of Karma’s chef will debut with traditional ramen bowls and dumplings fresh-made with local ingredients, imaginative entrees and craft cocktails with a twist like vodka filtered through Herkimer diamonds for a side of positive energy.

Stratton’s snowmaking fleet gets a new computerized control system, allowing snowmakers to record real time energy use for increased snowmaking efficiency.

The Mountain Sports School welcomes Tim Massucco as its new Program Manager for the Stratton Winter Sports Club Freestyle. Massucco’s 16 years of coaching experience will enhance the training curriculums critical to the success of weekend and full-time competitive freestyle skiers.

Mount Snow Resort

Winter 2016-2017 welcomes Mount Snow’s greatest season pass offering yet, the Peak Pass, which features a total of six pass options valid at seven different mountain locations across four states in the Northeast.

With the success of the Grommet Jam Series, Mount Snow is increasing the uphill capacity in its beginner terrain park by 50 percent, by replacing our Ski Baba Lift with a 400’ SunKid conveyer called Grommet (Lift One).

Lastly, taking advantage of the dry spring this year Mount Snow increased trail and glades work. So far over 1600+ hours have been spent pruning, mowing and clearing new lines through tree skiing areas in preparation for powdery runs this winter.

Sugarbush Resort

Sugarbush has invested $750,000 into capital improvements for the 2016-17 winter season which include lift improvements and improvements to the snowmaking pond, continuing to progress upon the on-slope experience. Skiers and riders don’t have to worry about crowded trails thanks to the Valley House Quad Sugarbush installed last season. With the new quad, Sugarbush’s uphill capacity is one of the largest in the northeast, while still managing to spread traffic across 16 lifts and two mountains. The resort has also completed Gadd Brook Residences, sixteen ski-in/ski-out condominiums at the base of Lincoln Peak available as two-, three-, and four-bedroom units.

Vermont Strippers

Vermont Strippers

(NECN: Jack Thurston, Barre, Vt.) – After this weekend’s snowstorm provided the first significant accumulation of the season, several recreation-related industries in tourism-dependent Vermont were cheering. Snowfall totals varied greatly around Vermont, from around three inches in several towns near Burlington, to as many as 17 inches in the Rutland County town of Shrewsbury.

“This is a blessing of white gold,” said Alexis Nelson, the executive director of the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, or VAST. “What a gift before the holiday season!”

The storm coincided with the opening of Vermont’s snowmobile season. Statewide, volunteers and riding clubs are now packing and clearing about 4,700 miles of trails, VAST said. They cannot rely on snow-making technology as many of Vermont’s downhill skiing destinations can, Nelson noted, so the snowfall is a big boost.

The trade group Ski Vermont said after a flurry of investments, snow-spraying guns now service 80 percent of the state’s slopes. However, ski areas will tell you they don’t want to rely on the machines; they want plenty of natural snow from the skies.

The combination is critical to Vermont’s tourism-dependent economy, and the more than $700-million that skiers and riders spend in Vermont in a typical season. “It lets us open up earlier, have better conditions longer, and stay open much later in the season,” said Ski Vermont’s Parker Riehle, describing the combination of natural snowfall and snow-making.

At the Catamount Outdoor Family Center in Williston, cross-country skiers were hitting the trails on the fresh snow Monday, making for a far busier start to the week than staff would normally expect. Catamount does not use any snow-making technology, though at least seven Vermont cross-country resorts have embraced the guns that were once only seen at downhill areas.

“It’s really great to come out on some nice fresh snow, some natural snow, rather than man-made,” said cross-country skier Patrick Carton of Essex Junction, Vt. “It’s a lot softer.”

According to Ski Vermont, the Vermont cross country ski areas that currently have snow-making technology are: Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Rikert Nordic Center in Ripton, Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center, Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center in Huntington, Mountain Top Inn & Resort in Killington, and Mountain Meadows XC Center in Killington.

This weekend’s storm, along with more cold temperatures and light snow in the forecast for Vermont, have given Alexis Nelson hope that it’ll be a good, long season for snowmobiling. “We’re hoping for lots of snow, and continuous cold temperatures,” Nelson said, describing her wishes for the rest of the season.

VAST said it has a new interactive trail map on its website, and a smartphone app coming out before the end of the month that will help snowmobilers identify trails and plan their trips across the state and region.

Vermont Strippers