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Wilmot Mountain to Open for 2016-2017 Season with $13 Million in Improvements
  • Entire Wilmot Mountain experience enhanced by new owner Vail Resorts, including new lifts, dramatically improved snowmaking, fully renovated base lodge, new kids ski and snowboard school facility, and upgraded terrain park
  • Significant amount of terrain expected to open, including part of the newly expanded terrain park
WILMOT, Wisc. – Dec. 8, 2016 – Wilmot Mountain, a long-time favorite Midwest ski destination, announced today its opening date of Wednesday, December 14, 2016. In addition to welcoming guests back to the ski slopes, Wilmot Mountain will unveil more than $13 million worth of improvements by new owner Vail Resorts this season. Located in Wisconsin just 45 miles north of Chicago, Wilmot Mountain’s 2016 re-opening debuts a modernized ski and snowboard experience, offering the most significant single influx of capital improvements since opening 79 years ago.  
 
“We couldn’t be happier to open our slopes to guests on Wednesday as we continue to put the finishing touches on the improvement projects in the days to come,” said Taylor Ogilvie, general manager at Wilmot Mountain. “The re-imagining of the mountain has been a passion project for the whole team. Bringing the Vail Resorts brand and elevated level of resort experience to this area allows us to showcase the best of snow sports in such a beloved destination.”
 
Vail Resorts improvements at Wilmot Mountain encompass every aspect of the guest experience, from the terrain and lifts, to base area facilities and snowmaking technology:
  • New Lifts. Three new four-person chairlifts, a new high-speed rope tow in the terrain park, and two new surface conveyor lifts in the beginner area have been added. These additions have increased uphill capacity by up to 45 percent, allowing skiers and snowboarders more time on the slopes.
  • Base Area Transformation. The entire base lodge has been transformed and modernized along with an upgrade to the mountain dining offerings to accommodate more guests. In addition, the facility added 400 seats – which more than doubles room for families, groups and adults. In addition, guests will enjoy signature cocktails at the new bar as well as Wi-Fi throughout the space. Approaching completion, The Iron Kettle restaurant will be completely redesigned, and re-named Walt’s Tavern after the founder of Wilmot Mountain, Walter Stopa, and will include a new lounge where parents will be able to watch their children ski and snowboard and enjoy a full-service bar and food service in an energized, comfortable setting.
  • Expanded State-of-the-Art Snowmaking. Significant improvements to the snowmaking infrastructure have increased the snowmaking capacity and allow Wilmot Mountain to open this season with substantial terrain and offer better snow surface conditions throughout the season. More than four miles of new snowmaking pipe and 56 new snowmaking guns have been added.
  • New Kids’ Ski and Snowboard School and Enhanced Beginner Area. The learning terrain has been completely re-graded to be more accessible for beginners, including two new surface conveyor lifts. A dedicated and state-of-the-art children’s ski and snowboard center has been built adjacent to the learning terrain at the base of the ski area, featuring a playful open space for kids along with their own lunch and break rooms.
  • New Terrain Park and High-Speed Rope Tow. A newly expanded terrain park offers unique and innovative features designed and created by terrain park staff at Vail Resorts’ western resorts. The addition of a new high-speed rope tow enables skiers and snowboarders to spend more time in the terrain park.
2016-2017 Ticket Options for Wilmot Skiers and Snowboarders:
  • Wilmot Mountain Single Day Tickets: Daily tickets can be purchased both on site and online. Monday through Thursday, full day lift tickets will run $54 for adults and $49 for children and seniors. Friday through Sunday and holidays, prices will be $64 for adults and $59 for children and seniors. For same-day tickets purchased after 3 p.m., all ticket prices drop $5 off the respective prices listed above.
  • Wilmot Mountain’s Preferred Program: Join the Preferred Program to enjoy local savings in addition to savings at Vail Resorts’ Western ski resorts. Preferred Program participants will save $5 daily on each lift ticket, can skip the line with online access, and can deduct the full value of their daily Wilmot Mountain lift ticket from the price of a lift ticket at any of the eight Epic Resorts out West in Colorado, Utah and Tahoe.  Guests will need to sign up at Guests Services for the free program.
 About Wilmot Mountain
For nearly 80 years, Wilmot Mountain has offered its guests one of the Midwest’s premier destinations for snow sport activities. Situated in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, Wilmot Mountain is conveniently located between Chicago and Milwaukee, affording skiers and snowboarders quick and easy access to 23 trails, seven lifts, two surface conveyor lifts and progression terrain parks with a double, high-speed rope tow. Wilmot Mountain’s recent capital investment of more than $13 million for the 2016-2017 winter season delivered an entirely re-imagined guest experience – from new lifts and restaurants to significant snowmaking improvements, a dedicated children’s ski and snowboard school, enhanced beginner area and expanded terrain park. The ski area’s focus on families, learning and fun, combined with the opportunity for guests to take their passion and skills to Vail Resorts’ iconic western resorts, ensure Wilmot Mountain is truly the place Where Epic Begins. For more information, please visit www.wilmotmountain.com.
 
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate ten world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher in Australia; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com
 
Contact(s)
Lesli Carlson, 303-404-6472, lcarlson@vailresorts.com
J Public Relations, 619-255-7069, vail@jpublicrelations.com
Rachael Muhlenbeck, 773-710-7841, rmuhlenbeck@vailresorts.com
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