- Ski areas across New Mexico are ordered to close for the rest of the month.
- Saddleback GM Andy Shepard joins the Storm Skiing Podcast to discuss reopening, possible 2021 lift additions and more.
- Mission Ridge aims to open Washington’s first bubble chair by the Christmas holiday.
- Big Tupper is likely to be foreclosed on this spring and a group wants the town to buy it.
- Snow Ridge, NY and Antelope Butte, WY join the Indy Pass, bring it to 59 mountains.
- The proposed community ski hill in Valemount, BC looks to buy a T-Bar.
- Could the pandemic finally bring order to chaotic lift mazes in the Swiss Alps?
- The Hermitage Club relaunches as a member-owned ski area.
- Sun Peaks’ new map shows the route of the new Crystal chair.
- Take a video visit to one of America’s largest lost ski areas.
- The City of Burbank opposes a gondola in Griffith Park near Los Angeles.
- Vail Resorts will report earnings on December 10th, traditionally when the company announces capital improvements for the following year.
- Belleayre renames the Superchief lift Belleayre Express and Whiteface christens its new lift Falcon.
- New Bousquet owners intend to upgrade or replace the Blue chair in the coming years.
- The State of Utah officially adds the La Caille gondola base option to the Little Cottonwood transportation study.
Lift Blog 
Wasn’t Hayfever was sold to Bousquet and Barnstormer to Boyne? Plus, like all snowmaking equipment to Vail for Mount Snow? Hermitage’s new website lists all the lifts as still standing plus “near 100%” snowmaking coverage.
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The members bought Barnstormer.
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Only the fan guns went to Vail. They still have air water guns and all other infrastructure.
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Seems West Bowl at Sun Peaks is marked as “closed for the season” although I’m not sure why.
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The resort also confirmed that while the new Crystal chairlift will be operational, the West Bowl T-Bar will not open this year due to operational and maintenance issues.
“We are working on creative solutions for this area of the resort to provide skier access to the West Bowl terrain,” the statement continued.
https://sunpeaksnews.com/spr-to-implement-rfid-scanning-close-west-bowl-t-bar-for-season/
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With earnings tomorrow we may find out what Vail Resorts’ plans are for next summer. Given COVID who knows what will happen but below are some SWAG predictions for Vail Resorts new lifts. Some duplicated from last year.
• Vail – Game Creek Six Pack
• WhistlerBlackcomb – 7th Heaven Six Pack
• Keystone – Peru Six Pack
• Breckenridge – Peak 7 Infill
For some reason I think they will latter the McCoy Park Expansion. Just a hunch.
What do others think?
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I would be shocked if Vail announces anything more than they had already planned for last year. They will update the world on their financial situation tomorrow, but I know plenty of big Alterra mountains are projecting to only break even this season given the limited lodging, lift ticket sales, on-mountain dining, and lessons, where they really make their huge profits, and all of the additional expenses for COVID protocols. The company was excellent at preserving cash last year by postponing projects after the shutdown, but hopefully that will pay off and allow them to be able to invest in the resorts this offseason.
I would also not be surprised if they do not announce any projects but rather say that they will give an update in February or March when they have a better understanding of their winter financials.
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Adding to my post above, it is not a good sign that Vail canceled their cloud seeding program that costs roughly a quarter-million dollars, as new lifts costs are multi-million dollar projects.
https://www.summitdaily.com/news/vail-resorts-cancellation-of-cloud-seeding-this-winter-could-mean-less-water-in-streams/
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