Heavenly Mountain Resort, Calif./Nev. – October 22, 2012 – Taking a cue from the three to six inches of snow Mother Nature provided on Monday, Heavenly Mountain Resortwill fire up the largest snowmaking system on the West Coast tonight and begin making snow at the top of Gondola, on California Trail and Orion’s Run. Combining natural snowfall, snowmaking horsepower and Lake Tahoe’s highest elevation, guests are assured the best, most consistent and reliable snow surfaces when Heavenly opens for skiing and snowboarding on Friday, November 16, 2012.
“Last season, our guests saw how important snowmaking is to the overall ski and ride experience,” said Pete Sonntag, Heavenly’s general manager. “This early natural snow is encouraging and is, hopefully, an indicator for a big season of snowfall ahead. But, if that doesn’t happen, our guests can be confident in our commitment to provide the best possible snow conditions.”
With a winter storm warning in effect until Tuesday morning, the forecast for the remainder of the week calls for snow until Thursday, with up to 32 total inches expected in the higher elevations. Historically, almost every year that Heavenly has experienced significant snowfall in October, the following winter was above average. The average October snowfall total is 3.06 inches, with October 2004 experiencing the most recent largest snowfall for the month (24”). The 2004-05 winter recorded the fifth biggest snowfall season on record. With outlets like Accuweather calling for a return to normal snowfall for winter 2012-13, Lake Tahoe’s high annual snowfall average should position Heavenly for a big winter.
If Mother Nature doesn’t come through as anticipated, under optimum conditions, Heavenly can cover 73 percent of its 97 trails in machine-made snow, by far the most in the Lake Tahoe basin. In more visual terms, Heavenly can produce three-and-a-half feet of snow over one acre in an hour. That’s enough snow to blanket a football field with eight-and-a-half feet during an average three-hour game.
The Pow Package
This season, Heavenly will be offering a limited-time only, exclusive lodging deal whenever the resort receives six or more inches of new snowfall overnight. Beginning at midnight tonight, Heavenly will offer its first Pow Package, which includes 50 percent off two nights lodging and one free day of skiing. Prices start as low as $111 per person. This deal is only available until midnight on Sunday, October 28. Valid: November 18-December 20, 2012; Sunday-Thursday nights.
For skiers and snowboarders planning ahead, Heavenly Tahoe Vacations, Heavenly’s reservations office, offers guests an ‘Early Booking Snow Guarantee,’ which provides a refund or change of dates if less than 50 percent of the 97 runs are open seven days prior to arrival and no less than 48 hours prior to arrival. This offer is valid December 15-March 31. Call 1-800-HEAVENLY for details or visit www.skiheavenly.com.
Season Pass
The Tahoe Local Pass remains unmatched in value, price and experience with access to more than 263 trails, 14 terrain parks and 10,270 acres of some of the best terrain in the world at Heavenly, Northstar California Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort in California and Nevada. Ski or ride more than four days in one season and, priced at $459, the Tahoe Local Pass pays for itself, then ski or ride for free the rest of the season. Vail Resorts’ entire season pass lineup offers something for every type of skier and snowboarder, including four different season pass options in Lake Tahoe ranging in price from $419 to $699. For more information, visit www.epicpass.com.
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. One of the largest resorts in North America, Heavenly spans 4,800 acres, climbs to Lake Tahoe’s highest elevation at 10,067 feet and features more than 97 trails for every level of skier or snowboader. For more information on Heavenly Mountain Resort, please visit www.skiheavenly.com or call 800-HEAVENLY.
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, and the Heavenly Mountain Resort, Northstar California Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, 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 in the 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.
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