"Endless Winter Snow"

Snow Alert - Minnesota

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A couple of parting photos

Spring morning at Alyeska Resort Alaska earlier this week

Last call for Inawashiro Japan , host to FIS Freestyle earlier this year

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Cardrona - New Zealand
New Chairlift at Cardrona’s Captains Basin

Cardrona today announced the purchase of a high speed detachable quad chairlift in Captains Basin. The new Poma chairlift will be ready to ride at the start of the 2008 season.

The Captains Express chairlift’s speed will be two and a half times quicker than the existing quad with a journey only taking 3 ½ minutes versus the existing 9 minutes. Assuming no queue, a person who skied 11 runs at Captains Basin would ski them one hour faster due to faster chairlifts.

“This chairlift is one of the fastest chairlifts on the market and will mean an average Cardrona family will get lots more skiing and snowboarding on an average day”, say Gary Husband, Field Manager.

“The chairs are also more comfortable with padded seats and footrests, and the stations are covered just like our other high speed chairlift, the Whitestar”, says Husband.
Chairlift Details
Run time: 3.5 minutes; Speed 5.08 m/sec
Capacity: 2400 people / hour
Towers: 15; Chairs: 75
Length: 1069m; Vertical: 262m; 25% average grade

Additional Quotes “The Captains Basin is the top intermediate basin in New Zealand with kilometres of blue runs across varied terrain. The new high speed chairlift means less time on a chair and more time building confidence on the slopes”, says Bruce McGechan, Sales and Marketing Manager.

“By the time the 2008 season starts Cardrona would have invested over $12 million in new developments over the last four years.
www.ropeways.net

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National Ski Areas Association - National Convention
The National Ski Areas Association is the trade association for ski area owners and operators. It represents 326 alpine resorts that account for more than 90 percent of the skier/snowboarder visits nationwide. Additionally, it has 400 supplier members who provide equipment, goods and services to the mountain resort industry.

NSAA analyzes and distributes ski industry statistics; produces annual conferences and trade shows; produces a bimonthly industry publication and is active in state and federal government affairs. The association also provides educational programs and employee training materials on industry issues including OSHA, ADA and NEPA regulations and compliance; environmental laws and regulations; state regulatory requirements; aerial tramway safety; and resort operations and guest service.

NSAA was established in 1962 and was headquartered in Springfield, Mass. In 1989 NSAA merged with SIA (SnowSports Industries America) and moved to McLean, Va. The merger was dissolved in 1992 and NSAA was relocated to Lakewood, Colo., because of its central geographic location. NSAA is located in the same office building as the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the National Ski Patrol in Lakewood, Colo., a suburb west of Denver.
EVENT
National Convention & Trade Show May 28-31, 2008

www.nsaa.org/

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OPEN THIS WEEKEND

*** ALASKA
Alyeska- April 27th Last day of Skiing and Riding www.alyeskaresort.com

CALIF
Alpine Meadows - D8 chutes, Beaver,Butress chutes & Estell Bowls
Don't miss the Mad Cow Downhill May 4
Mad Cow Downhill a epic spring event at Lake Tahoe
The Mad Cow Downhill is a no-holds barred race to the finish. The race will begin promptly when the general public skier's and rider's are off the hill. There are two classes for this event: Skiing & Boarding; sorry, if you are a mono-skier, your racing with the skiers. This event seperates the men from the boys. But, we would love to see the ladies participate. Each class will be racing towards the finish line to be the first to grab an Alpine midweek season pass. If you don't grab it, it's not yours! Sign-ups will be on the Sun Deck, helmets are required, and you must sign a release. If you are underage, your folks need to sign. For more info, call: 530.581.8210
Heavenly Valley the last dance
Mammoth Mountain - Wipe out chutes, drop out chutes & gravy chutes
Squaw Valley -KT-22, and Granite chief OPEN

Purchase Squaw Valley Lift Tickets & Lessons

Sugar Bowl - Mt Lincoln on Donner Summit

OREGON
Mt Hood Meadows - Blue Sky and great corn snow
Timberline Lodge
Longest winter sports season In North America , Palmer Lift all summer long, say hello to Bruno !

WASHINGTON
Stevens Pass
White Pass

CANADA
Whistler
Lake Louise
UTAH
Snowbird
COLORADO
Aspen
Loveland
Silverton

... on the east coast
Killington
Stowe
Jay Peak
Sugar Loaf

Europe
Stubai Glacier -Austria
Stubai Glacier

Hintertuxer Glacier -Austria
Hintertux Glacier

Tignes -France
Glacier open
Tignes

Engelberg-CH
Engelberg

Saas- Fee-CH
Saas- fee

Verbier-CH
Verbier

Zermat-CH

Zermatt

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The North Face STUBAI Glacier - Hintertux Austria
OPEN
Cable Cars / Lifts:
Five cable cars (Gamsgarten, Eisgrat and Schaufeljoch)
Three 6-seater chair lifts (Eisjoch, Fernau and Murmele)
One 4-seater chair lift (Rotadl)
Three double seat chair lifts (Wildspitz, Pfaffengrat, Gamsgarten)
Nine T-Bars and practise lifts

Cable cars and lifts at Stubai Glacier:
Lift Bottom station Top station Distance
Height above sea level m Height above sea level m in m 6-seater cable car Eisgrat I 1,750 2,300 1,890
6-seater cable car Eisgrat II 2,300 2,900 2,300
6-seater cable car Gamsgarten I 1,750 2,300 1,910
6-seater cable car Gamsgarten II 2,300 2,630 1,570
8-seater cable car Schaufeljoch 2,900 3,165 1,155

6-seater chair lift Eisjoch 2,620 3,130 2,268
6-seater chair lift Fernau 2,580 3,064 2,067
6-seater chair lift Murmelebahn 2,607 2,672 499
4-seater chair lift Rotadl 2,632 3,015 1,284
Double seat chair lift Gamsgarten 2,295 2,713 1,904
Double seat chair lift Pfaffengrat 2,919 3,060 323
Double seat chair lift Wildspitz 3,107 3,215 373

www.stubaier-gletscher.com

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Timberline Lodge - Oregon

The Timberline Mountain Operations Team is working hard to get our Palmer Chairlift up and running for the spring and summer season. We have a tentative opening planned for this weekend! With Palmer and our new Jeff Flood Express / Still Creek Basin chair open, we'll offer 3,690 vertical feet of some of the most scenic skiing and riding in Oregon.

Timberline invites you to explore the new Still Creek Basin! We are opening the lower portion of our permitted ski area that lies between the Pucci chairlift and the Stormin' Norman chairlift. This new network of ski trails is the largest and most exciting development of new Timberline terrain since the 1970's. There is something new for skiers and riders of every ability level, and lots of new areas to explore
OPEN
We'll keep the Jeff Flood Express open as long as conditions permit until the end of the winter/spring season which ends May 26, 2008. With the latest storms, and the amount of snow we already have on the ground, things are looking good to keep it open for the rest of the season

www.timberlinelodge.com

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Glacier 3000 - Switzerland
The Glacier 3000 ski area includes 10 installations and 30 km of ski runs ranging from 1350 to 3000 m above sea level. It is a part of the ski area shared with Gstaad Mountain Rides (250 km of ski runs) and the Vaudoises Alps (225 km of ski runs) and is particularly attractive for Freestylers and Freeriders. With the 7km long Olden ski run, Glacier 3000 is able to offer one of the most challenging ski runs in the area - a challenge for any skier or snowboarder

For people who like to have unlimited fun in the snow, the 7 km long Olden ski run is just the right one. The black ski run is one of the longest of this difficulty level in the region

Lifts
Name - Length - Vert - Top Station
P1 Reusch – Oldenegg 1624 m 572 m 1922 m
P2 Oldenegg – Cabane 2270 m 601 m 2523 m
P3 Col du Pillon – Cabane 1960 m 979 m 2524 m
P5 Cabane – Sex Rouge 1551 m 406 m 2930 m
P6 Oldenalp – Oldenegg 797 m 81 m 1922 m

www.glacier3000.com

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SUMMER SKIING - Patagonia
2008 Ski Season Rates are in! Please take a look at 2008 Early Bird Rates at Las Leñas and at the other ski resorts. Also you still have time to book for South America's summer and autumn season. We have great packages including horse riding at an "estancia", trekking in Patagonia and cruising between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas, to name a few of them. Also, we will be introducing a new website focused on Argentina and Chile Wine Routes. So keep checking for more news.

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La Plange - France
LAST CALL of Altitudes resorts :

4 village resorts with access to the entire ski area :

Champagny en Vanoise alt1250m
Plagne Montalbert alt1350m
Montchavin alt1250m
Les Coches alt1450m

The French bumps team has become the best in the world after its incredible progress last winter.
www.la-plagne.com/en/

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