SKI News:James Coleman, managing partner of Pajarito Mountain in Los Alamos, Purgatory Resort in Durango and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort near Taos was named a partner Tuesday in Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff, Ariz., and is now the largest ski area operator in the Southwest.
As part of the announcement, Coleman unveiled a massive $10 million multi-resort capital campaign that will bring significant mountain improvements across the four southwest resorts for the 2015/2016 ski and snowboard season.
This year, Pajarito Mountain of Los Alamos expanded its weir system and the Los Alamos ski area is on pace to collect more water than it has ever gathered before, which means mountain crews will be making more snow than ever before.
The Los Alamos ski area also will build a new trail on the west side of the mountain, providing a gentle slope that’s ideal for beginners.
After 30 years of transporting guests to some of the best ski terrain in Colorado, Purgatory’s Legends Lift 8 will be replaced with a new high-speed detachable quad. The new lift is almost a mile in length, covers about 1,500 vertical feet, transporting guests to Purgatory’s summit in less than five minutes.
As part of the new high-speed quad project, Purgatory will also add two new trails off of Ray’s Ridge while creating an easier route to the bottom terminal of the Legends Lift 8.
Mountain crews will bolster the new high-speed quad with additional snowmaking infrastructure on the trails serviced by Lift 8, allowing mountain crews to open the new lift and some of Purgatory’s best terrain faster.
“Purgatory’s Lift 8 replacement is one of the most ambitious and impactful changes undertaken at this resort in more than a decade,” Coleman said. “These mountain improvements underscore our commitment to giving our guests what they’ve been asking for: a fantastic product and a great value.”
Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort is building its first new quad chairlift this summer and marks the third lift the resort has installed in less than five years. The new quad services popular beginner and intermediate trails, giving beginners an easier way to practice their skills before progressing to more advanced terrain.
In addition to the new quad, a new trail will be added directly under the lift, and mountain crews will also complete the much-anticipated Howdy Extension for the 2015-2016 winter, extending both Howdy and Lower Bambi while adding nearly 5 acres of skiable terrain.
New snowmaking infrastructure is being added for Sipapu’s staple “first to open, last to close” trails, including a new snow gun and a second booster pump at Midway, allowing the mountain team to cover its slopes with more snow in less time.
Resort officials announced today that Arizona Snowbowl will build the ski area’s first new chairlift in 30 years this summer. The new Humphreys Peak Lift is the resort’s first quad, spanning more than a half-mile with a vertical rise of 775 feet while serving multiple new intermediate trails.
Mountain teams are building snowmaking infrastructure for future lifts, including the Grand Canyon Express high-speed lift, and adding snowmaking on the mountain’s popular Ridge Trail, which will allow Snowbowl to open Midway earlier in the season.
“Eric Borowsky pioneered one of the most progressive and innovative snowmaking systems in the country to secure the future of the Snowbowl,” Coleman said. “As we look to the upcoming winter and beyond, we are focusing on creating an even better mountain experience for our guests with the installation of the new Humphreys Peak Lift and future high-speed lifts.”
Skiers and snowboarders may purchase Power Pass season passes that provide unlimited access to all four resorts with a combined 3,088 acres, 28 lifts, over 200 trails and 13 terrain parks, all located within a convenient drive of each other.
“Purgatory, Arizona Snowbowl, Sipapu, and Pajarito make up the largest ski area collective in the Southwest, and we’re committed to making these resorts the best in the region,” he said. “Our season pass collection, headlined by the Power Pass, offers the best value for skiers and riders who live in and love the mountains of the Southwest and, for the first time, guests will enjoy unlimited access to some of the best terrain in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona―all on a single pass, the Power Pass.”
Power Pass season passes are available at discounted summer pricing through midnight Aug. 7, and may be purchased online at ThePowerPass.com or at any of the four resort’s ticket offices.
Updates on all four mountain improvement projects may be found online via special blogs and social media for Pajarito, Purgatory; Sipapu and Arizona Snowbowl.
