By Neil English
Ski resorts have been spending millions of dollars - even through the global recession - to attract new customers with improved facilities. Here's a discerning selection of the major developments in North American ski areas for the 08/09 winter season.
Biggest feat of engineering
Canadian wonder resort Whistler
officially opened a record breaking gondola, in early December. The Swiss-designed-and-built
system links, the two previously separated mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb.
Normally skiers and snowboarders would choose which huge mountain to ski, on
a daily basis. Now the Peak 2 Peak gondola, which between the load bearing,
pylon towers of each mountain, has an unsupported cable stretching nearly two
miles, links the two. Two of the 28 gondolas, which carry 28 passengers each,
are glass-bottomed, allowing bird's eye views of the vast Fitzsimmons Valley
floor, nearly half a kilometre below at the steepest point. The faint hearted
can spend the 11 minute-long crossing time in the bulk of the gondola cabins,
only fitted with normal side view windows! Now skiers and boarders have access
to 8,171 acres of lift-linked terrain in a single day, unrivalled in North America.
Grandest spa hotel development
The five-star, ski-in, ski-out, Stowe Mountain Lodge, at the base of, and next
to the main lift, accessing Vermont's
highest peak, Spruce Mountain - easily scoops this accolade. This six-storey,
sensitively and strikingly designed lodge and lavish spa area, offers genuine
slope-side accommodation well worthy of Stowe's Ski Capital of the East reputation.
The recent addition of a gondola linking the Spruce ski area with Mansfield
also means skiers and boarders have 116 runs, spread over 485 skiable acres
to enjoy. All visitors to Stowe
can use the state-of-the-art, luxurious spa and wellness centre at the lodge,
but guests enjoy access to myriad, spacious, high-design, communal areas and
lavish dining facilities too. Those wishing for a strictly private or exclusive
stay, can make full use of specially designed, sound-proofed or allergy-free
suites, and the 24-hour in-room dining and spa treatment, services.
Most thoughtful innovations
Squaw
Valley, on the north shores of Lake
Tahoe, in California, has invested in new scanning technology, meaning skiers
and boarders no longer have to remove gloves and fumble about with cold hands
in pockets, for the elusive ski pass every time they take a lift, or risk it
pinging back in their face! The new system, of which there are many types around
the skiing world, is designed to read a card inside your breast pocket and automatically
revolve the turnstile for you. They've also cleverly built a mid station at
the top of the new Exhibition lift here, which runs parallel with the base-to-summit,
KT-22 lift. This means a big chunk of Squaw's impressive, 4,000 skiable acres,
will be accessible early season and late season, on the lower mountain. Now
skiers and snowboarders can access the lower slopes without having to ride the
lift all the way to the top, where the upper slopes are so rugged they need
far more snow-fill to make them safe. Good thinking Squaw!
If hitting the slopes in North America seems like the perfect
winter holiday for you, check out the latest
VHOT ski deals.
Neil English is a freelance travel journalist who specialises in skiing. He regularly writes for the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday.