Let’s play earlier!

Keystone Resort is planning to upgrade snowmaking on its opening terrain to a state-of-the-art, automated, energy-efficient system that will assist in allowing the resort to operate more productively in narrow early-season snowmaking windows. This will help to position Keystone to be the first resort to open in Colorado and the U.S. each season with the most skiable terrain, bringing forward the resort’s opening day by up to three weeks each year.

“The ability to expand snowmaking infrastructure in areas of Vail Mountain with higher elevations, colder temperatures and connectivity to areas that typically hold good natural snow would be transformational for the early-season experience for skiers and snowboarders, even in years where conditions are less favorable than we’ve seen across Colorado this season,” said Pat Campbell, president of Vail Resorts’ mountain division. “At Keystone, we plan to invest in top-of-the-line snowmaking technology upgrades, helping position Keystone to be the first for the earliest opening in Colorado and further add to the tremendous value already offered to season pass holders.”

Get to the lift faster.

Improvements to direct-to-lift access across Vail Resorts’ 17 North American mountain resorts
Vail Resorts plans to increase express lift ticket fulfillment capacity by 40 percent through new handheld, mobile technology at its 17 North American resorts to allow skiers and snowboarders who purchased tickets in advance to bypass the ticket window altogether, and obtain their RF-enabled lift ticket from roving ticket agents at base area lifts. Guests will then be able to move directly into the primary lift line to begin their day on the mountain.
“Reducing guest wait times is a top priority across Vail Resorts,” said Katz. “Direct-to-lift technology enhancements for advance purchase lift tickets is one of the more significant transformational investments we can make to improve the guest experience.”

Throughout Vail Resorts

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) today announced that the Company plans to invest approximately $175 million to $180 million in the guest experience in time for the 2019-20 winter ski and snowboard season across its network of 18 resorts. This latest investment is in addition to approximately $150 million invested for this season, bringing the Company’s industry-leading resort investment total to more than $1.2 billion over the last decade.

• New capital continues Vail Resorts’ industry-leading track record of reinvestment in the guest experience having invested more than $1.2 billion over the last decade
• Investments are focused on getting resorts open sooner and with more terrain in the early season through the pursuit of snowmaking upgrades at Vail, Keystone and Beaver Creek
• Additional plans include new or upgraded lifts at Stevens Pass and Perisher, improvements in dining at Park City, Okemo and Stevens Pass, and upgraded skier services at Beaver Creek and Breckenridge as a part of the transformations

Want to read the entire release? Head here.