• Heavenly Opens on Friday, November 28, 2008, at 8:30am PST
• The West Coast’s Largest Snowmaking System Allows Heavenly to Open with the Most Terrain and Best Snow Surface Conditions at Lake Tahoe
Heavenly Mountain Resort, Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. – November 27, 2008 – When Heavenly Mountain Resort (www.skiheavenly.com) opens to the public at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, November 28, 2008, for its 53rd season, it will signal the start of the 2008-2009 snowsports season at Lake Tahoe, featuring skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, zip line rides, sightseeing and snow play. The West Coast’s largest snowmaking system has put in over 180 hours to ensure that Heavenly’s guests will be skiing and snowboarding on the most terrain and highest-quality snow surface conditions at Lake Tahoe this Thanksgiving weekend.
“We’re very excited to be open and offering a high-quality winter experience to our guests this Thanksgiving weekend,” said Blaise Carrig, Heavenly’s chief operating officer. “We owe it all to Heavenly’s amazing snowmaking crew and snowmaking system. Although terrain is limited, coverage will be very good and guests will be thrilled to be on the mountain skiing and snowboarding.”
Heavenly will offer skiing and snowboarding primarily on Orion’s run, Heavenly’s signature trail on the upper Nevada side of the mountain. Snow conditions on open trails will be machine-made and machine-groomed snow. Guests will be asked to stay only on designated runs to avoid thin coverage on areas of the mountain without machine-made snow. All access to the mountain will be through the Heavenly Village Gondola. Dipper Express will serve as the primary chairlift, with Tamarack Express and Comet Express open as transport lifts.
For Opening Day, Heavenly lift tickets will be specially priced starting at $59 for adults (19-64), $43 for teens (13-18), $34 for children (5-12) and $43 for seniors (65+). Children four and under ski for free. Early-season package offers start as low as $59 per person, including lift tickets and lodging. Check www.skiheavenly.com for more information.
The Heavenly Gondola will open for sightseeing and snow play on Friday, November 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sightseeing tickets will be $30 for adults, $26 for teens and seniors, and $20 for children. Kids four and under ride for free. The Heavenly Flyer, the longest zip line in the continental U.S., will also be open, weather permitting. Tickets are $40. Ice skating is also available at the Heavenly Village.
East Peak Lodge and Adventure Peak Grill will be open for dining and Café Blue will be serving drinks and snacks on the mid-station deck at 9,100 feet.
Parking will be available for a fee in the parking garage at the Heavenly Village, and free parking is available at Heavenly’s California Lodge. The resort’s complimentary shuttles will be operating with service to the casino corridor, as well as from the California Lodge to Heavenly Village.
With the season getting underway, now is the perfect time to purchase or renew your Heavenly season pass. Heavenly’s $379 season pass gives passholders access to Tahoe’s largest mountain, highest elevation, best view, most epic nightlife and earliest start date. For additional information, to book a ski vacation, check current mountain conditions, view daily photos or webcams, log onto www.skiheavenly.com or call 1-800-HEAVENLY.
About Heavenly
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a world-class destination offering guests a one-of-a-kind combination of scenic beauty and exhilarating on-snow experience. Heavenly is a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc., the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. In addition to Heavenly, Vail Resorts, Inc. owns and operates the Colorado mountain resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction 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.
For more information on Heavenly, please visit www.skiheavenly.com or call 1-800-HEAVENLY.