Another heavy winter for Steamboat, Vail?
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo.—Sunday was monochromatic in most mountain towns of Colorado. As the biggest storm yet of the season dumped heavy clumps of wet snow, the scenery was like an old black-and-white photograph from a century ago, but hand-painted here and there to show the aspen leaves still fluttering in the wind.
Contemplating the winter ahead, National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Ramey tells the Steamboat Pilot & Today that it's another La Niña winter, which could result in a winter similar to the one two years ago.
"Our studies indicate that the area should get hit with lots of snow in December and early January, like it did two years ago," he said.
That winter started rambunctiously. Snowfall records were routinely broken from Steamboat to Vail from November into early January. After that, it was merely a so-so winter or worse. Still, the jackrabbit beginning was enough to produce 400 inches of snow at the Steamboat Ski Area, fourth best of all time.
Vail Resorts rebuffed in bid for The Canyons
PARK CITY, Colo. -- Vail resorts has lost round one of a court battle to gain possession of Park City's The Canyons ski resort, but it's not throwing in the towel.
Lacking a preliminary injunction to stop it, American Skiing will go forward with sale of the ski area to Talisker Canyons Finance.
Vail submitted a low bid on the ski resort last summer, being topped by Talisker's offer of $100 million. Vail then offered $110 million, but was told that it was too late.
The heart of Vail's case is a claim that Talisker and another company, Peninsula Advisors, conspired to scuttle an earlier deal between American Skiing and Vail.
Vail reports spending $2 million in its lawsuits, but Rob Katz, the corporation's chief executive officer, vowed to "pursue our legal rights related to this matter."
Bear-killer required to pay $500 to PETA
ASPEN, Colo. -- A Minnesota man who illegally baited and then killed a bear has been ordered by a judge to give $500 to PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. On its website, the group calls for "ending fur and leather use, meat and dairy consumption, fishing, hunting, trapping, factory farming, circuses and bull fighting," notes the Aspen times.
The requirement raised eyebrows in Aspen and beyond. Randy Hampton, a spokesman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, said that had his agency been consulted, "We might have recommended the purchase of bear-proof containers to solve issues on a more localized basis; however, we weren't asked."
Snocat skiing operation possible west of Aspen
CARBONDALE, Colo. -- The seed has been planted for another ski area in Colorado in a former coal mining area southwest of Carbondale.
Unlike most ski areas, though, no lifts are planned for the area, called Coal Basin, but rather a Snocat-served operation. This is about 40 miles west of Aspen.
The Aspen Times notes the area is also somewhat popular among backcountry skiers, although the three-mile hike into the base area makes for a long day. Debbie Strom, general manager of the Redstone Inn, envisions a yurt at the base. The Redstone Inn would be the ski area operator, using a permit from the U.S. Forest Service.
Jim Stark, from the U.S. Forest Service, said there is no interest in helicopter skiing, even if the area is as big as the Vail ski area. "You say helicopters and people wake up pretty quick. One or two Snocats and it's probably not as big a deal."
Telluride CEO wonders if wages aren't too high
TELLURIDE, Colo. -- Dave Riley, the chief executive officer for the Telluride Ski and Golf Co., hasn't exactly made himself a friend of the masses since arriving earlier this year from a ski area in Oregon.
The Telluride Watch explains that Riley was at a meeting of those involved in operating the gondola that connects Telluride and its sibling slope-side town of Mountain Village. The ski company doesn't directly operate the gondola but has a voice in operations.
Using that voice, Riley challenged a proposed pay increase for gondola operators. They currently get $12 an hour starting, with an extra $1 if they stay the course of ski season. A pay increase of $1 per hour is proposed.
"The National Ski Areas Association comparable position and the national wage for that job is $8.06," said Riley. "Only 36 percent of the ski areas provide an end-of-season bonus." He added that he questions the existing wage, let alone the increased wage.
Greg Sparks, the town manager of Mountain Village, which operates the gondola, said that even at existing wages, it's tough to hire gondola operators. Current employees come from homes that are up to two hours away in Shiprock, N.M., he said.
Mapquest, a Web site, says it's 118 miles, from Shiprock to Telluride, or a drive of 2 hours and 35 minutes. Other gondola operators commute from Montrose, which is 90 minutes away.
"There is not one job in the newspaper that is $8, $9, $10 an hour," said a town councilman, Jonathan Greenspan. "The employee turnover rate will be astronomical (at a lower wage)."
Mountain Village, notes The Watch, has been ranked as one of the 10 wealthiest municipalities in the United States.
Tahoe promoters drum support for 2018 bid
TRUCKEE, Calif. (MTN)-- The conversation continues in Truckee and Lake Tahoe about a bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Denver interests are also angling at getting the U.S. bid, and Salt Lake City may aim for a repeat.
Enthusiasts at a recent meeting held in Truckee promoted the Olympics as a way to amp up business -- and loosen federal spigots, reports the Sierra Sun.
Ski resort business went up 40 percent in Utah following the 2002 Olympics, said Jim Vanden Heuvel, chief executive of the Reno-Tahoe Winter Games Coalition. He also noted that Salt Lake City became the No. 1 priority for federal road funding after winning the Olympic bid.
But exactly that same prospect of success drives others to oppose an Olympic bid. "Truckee is a small, quiet mountain town, and for some, the only things worse than a four-ring circus called the Olympics are the four-ring circuses of World Cup events that would follow," said John Eaten of the Mountain Area Preservation Foundation.
In Canada, at the town of Squamish, located about 30 miles down-valley from Whistler, a co-host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, similar apprehension is reported.
"There is an incredible amount of development coming in with the Olympics, which is worrisome for the community," said Sylvie Paillard, editor of the Squamish Chief. Businesses have favored the changes, but residents are more reserved. "People are quite divided, but it hasn't become passionate yet," she said.
