East Coast Kick Off: Opening Week at Killington The day has finally come: east coast skiers and riders were welcomed to Killington Resort in Vermont to kick off the 2014-2015 season beginning Monday, November 3rd. Opening day was offered exclusively to season pass holders, but Killington opened to the general public on Tuesday, November 4th. Opening on October 25th for the 2013-14 season, Killington is known throughout the east as the first resort to open each year, offering skiers and riders that first sweet taste of powder. I was lucky enough to begin my riding season at Killington on Saturday. College students flocked to the resort for the season’s first opening weekend in Vermont. Conditions Report ameliatraynor | November 13, 2014 0 Comments
Ski North Korea: The Hermit Kingdom’s Masik Pass Ski Resort Located just a 2.5 hour drive east of Pyongyang, Masik Pass Ski Resort is North Korea’s first and only ski resort. Offering 11 ski runs, 4 lifts, and 120 rooms in a state-of-the-art hotel, the resort also includes amenities such as a swimming pool, bars, cafés, billiard tables, a karaoke room, a steam room and a dry sauna. The project has come under heavy criticism, with French, Austrian, and Swiss companies refusing to provide chairlift technology to the resort, which was called a “propaganda project” by the Swiss. Masik’s lifts were made in China. North Korea is infamous for indulging in extravagant, monumental projects while disregarding large economic issues like providing consistent electricity and reliable food for it’s citizens. ameliatraynor | November 11, 2014 1 Comment
Squaw’s 2014-2015 Magazine Available Online Squaw Magazine is now available online, featuring articles on skiing the Pacific Crest, the new Tahoe Super Pass, North Face’s guided backcountry trips, and the best places to eat and stay on your trip to the Olympic Valley. Squaw calls it the “ultimate guide” to Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows. Check out articles on Squaw’s spring skiing, as well as the sweet gallery of photos taken at Squaw and Alpine Meadows […] ameliatraynor | November 7, 2014 2 Comments
Tahoe’s Resorts Suffer Due to Decreased Air Service Lake Tahoes acclaimed ski resorts have suffered a 40 percent drop in domestic visits over the last decade, compared to only a 4 percent decline for other Western ski resorts. Resort executives suspect the drop is a result of decreased air service to nearby airports. “There is one certainty, and that is if you’re inaccessible, no matter how much snow you have, you’re just not going to be desirable,” CEO of Squaw Valley Andy Wirth said. A sustained drop in domestic travel to resorts could be crippling for Tahoes economy, but many are confident that through increased marketing efforts and a push to improve air service, theyll be able to bounce back. ameliatraynor | November 3, 2014 0 Comments
Amelia Traynor
Conditions Report
