Industry News
The ski and ride season is underway at Vail Resorts’ northeast ski areas. Okemo Mountain Resort and Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont opened for the 2023/24 winter season on Friday, November 17, 2023, thanks to their state-of-the-art, energy-efficient snowmaking systems. Wildcat Mountain, New Hampshire, announced it will open on Wednesday, November 22, and Mount Snow, Vermont, will follow with Opening Day on Thursday, November 23 – Thanksgiving Day.
Last week, all Vail Resorts across New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York fired up their snowmaking systems as the 2023/24 season approaches. Across the Northeast, much of the terrain is complemented by snowmaking, with Hunter and Crotched at 100% snowmaking coverage, meaning all of the trails are optimized with snowmaking capability.
Vail Resorts’ eight Northeast ski resorts across New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire include Hunter Mountain in the Catskills; Stowe Mountain Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort, and Mount Snow in the Green Mountains; Attitash Mountain Resort and Wildcat Mountain near North Conway; Crotched Mountain Resort in Bennington; and Mount Sunapee near the capital, Concord. There’s something for everyone!
Snowmaking Coverage Across Vail Resorts’ Northeast Ski Resorts:
- Hunter 100%
- Crotched 100%
- Okemo 98%
- Mount Sunapee 97%
- Wildcat 90%
- Attitash 98%
- Stowe 83%
- Mount Snow 83%
“As our snowmaking systems in the East spring to action across our Northeastern resorts, we are prepared to offer another exceptional season on the slopes. By implementing cutting-edge, energy-efficient snowmaking and thanks to the hard work of our incredible teams, we’re working with nature and not against it, ensuring a great experience and even longer seasons for our guests.
– Tim Baker, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the East Region at Vail Resorts
Now is the Time to Lock in Your Epic Pass
Epic Pass products, including regional passes and day passes, are still available to purchase for the 2023/24 season at EpicPass.com. Don’t miss your chance to lock in the best value in skiing and riding today before they go off sale on December 3, 2023. This season, guests are encouraged to purchase their lift tickets or Epic Pass product in advance, especially as the number of lift tickets will be limited each day in order to prioritize the guest experience at each mountain. Passes, including Epic Day Passes and Pass Holder benefit tickets, will not be limited. There is also no impact to guests who enroll in ski and ride school lessons that include lift access, or to employee and dependent pass access.
Guests in the East can hit their backyard slopes, enjoy a range of events and activities, and plan a trip out West all on the Epic Pass, including the Northeast Local Pass or the Epic Day Pass.
Whether planning to hit the slopes one day or every day, by purchasing a pass now, guests will get the best value, plus flexibility and benefits not offered with traditional lift tickets. That includes 20% off on-mountain dining, group ski and ride lessons, lodging, rentals, and more with Epic Mountain Rewards. Skiers and riders can also use the new Mobile Pass technology on Vail Resorts’ new My Epic app this season – allowing them to skip the ticket window and get scanned hands-free with their phones (read more below).
Those who buy their pass now will also unlock access to discounted lodging rates through Vail Resorts’ Pass Holder Exclusive Cyber Sale from Nov. 21 – 27. The Pass Holder Exclusive Cyber Sale will offer up to 20% off lodging rates this winter season, plus an additional 20% off with Epic Mountain Rewards. Pass Holders will have discounted lodging options across Vail Resorts’ portfolio of hotels, condos, and premier vacation residences.
The New My Epic App
New this season, the My Epic app with Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Tickets is now available to download, allowing guests to use their phone as their ticket to the slopes.
Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Tickets is a hands-free option for skiers and riders to use at all 36 of Vail Resorts’ owned and operated U.S. resorts for the 2023/24 season. It allows guests to buy their pass or lift ticket online, activate it in the new My Epic app, put their phone in their pocket, and get scanned hands-free in the lift line using Bluetooth® technology designed for low energy usage to minimize the impact on a phone’s battery life. This season, to ensure a smooth transition, the company will continue to provide physical cards for passes and lift tickets to all guests. For guests choosing to use Mobile Pass this season, watch this video for some tips.
The My Epic app also offers a range of guest-favorite features, including interactive trail maps with GPS location tracking and mountain and resort alerts, including operational information like grooming updates, terrain status, snow reports, and conditions.
Vermont: Stowe Mountain Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort, and Mount Snow
Stowe Mountain Resort, home to Vermont’s highest mountain peak, is where skiers and riders come to renew and deepen their connections to family, nature, and adventure. Amplified by the historic New England village of Stowe, this four-season destination is internationally renowned for its mix of luxury and authentic adventure. This season Stowe celebrates nearly a century of tradition and commitment to safety, in honor of their pioneering Mount Mansfield Ski Patrol turning 90 this season. Newly at the helm, Shannon Buhler joins Stowe as Vice President and General Manager. Most recently, she led the expansive mountain operations for Northstar in Lake Tahoe. In addition to her work within operations, Buhler is Co-Lead of Vail Resorts’ Women & Allies employee resource group and is a champion and advocate for bringing more women into leadership roles within the company and the industry overall.
Entering its second year of operations, the Sunrise lift at Stowe Mountain Resort is a high-speed, six-person lift providing greater reliability on windy days. It offers beginner and intermediate guests better access to lower-level terrain choices on Mount Mansfield.
Okemo is a home-away-from-home for Northeast skiing and snowboarding families. Its excellent snow coverage and consistent quality of conditions, combined with a variety of terrain for all abilities, make it the ideal choice for a winter getaway, and this season guests will enjoy a smoother on-mountain experience through wayfinding improvements. A new access trail was constructed to access Sweet Solitude from Sapphire/Upper Tomahawk which allows easier access for newer skiers and riders to Sweet Solitude. The new connector trail at the base of the new Evergreen Summit Express is making the summit and its variety of terrain much more accessible. Skiers and riders approaching the Jackson Gore base area have faster and easier summit access, relieving congestion at the resort’s primary summit lift, the Sunburst Six, and improving the overall mountain experience.
Additionally, exciting enhancements to The Crazy Train Terrain Park, allowing for better flow and feature building, have been made. Skiers and riders will feel the difference this season in The Zone and Crazy Train, Okemo’s medium to large park, as a result of site work, re-grading, and snowmaking pipe re-installation between Black Out and The Zone. Access to the Zone will continue to be at the bottom of The Pull Lift.
Vermont’s closest destination ski resort to Boston and New York City, Mount Snow, has fired up the east’s most powerful snowmaking system and is looking forward to another season full of events. Mount Snow truly offers something for everyone. After last year’s Epic Lift Upgrades – two detachables: a six-pack and quad – and added snowmaking, guests will enjoy easier access to more terrain. The ultimate destination for park lovers, Carinthia boasts around 200 features laid out across nine parks (100 acres), served by two lifts. At the base of Carinthia sits a 42,000-square-foot base lodge with two bars and a view of the action. There’s no place like Carinthia for pure variety of freestyle terrain and features. It is the perfect place for all abilities, from the little groms to the top pros.
New York: Hunter Mountain
Located just over two hours north of New York City in the northern Catskill Mountains of New York State, Hunter welcomes a new Vice President and General Manager, Trent Poole, following the retirement announcement of longtime VP/GM Russ Coloton. Bringing an impressive background in mountain operations, finance, and project management, Poole has had an 18-year career with Vail Resorts.
Hunter recently announced a new Epic Lift Upgrade for winter 2024/25, with a six-person high-speed lift being added next year to replace the four-person fixed-grip Broadway. The existing Broadway lift will be relocated to replace the two-person fixed-grip E lift, which will be on a new alignment improving beginner terrain. These investments will provide a meaningful increase in uphill capacity and improved access to terrain that is key to the progressive learning experience for our guests. The People’s Mountain will also offer a robust slate of lessons and ski-and-ride school opportunities for those looking to freshen up their skills or who are looking to learn.
New Hampshire: Attitash Mountain, Wildcat Mountain, Mount Sunapee, and Crotched Mountain
At Attitash, located in the heart of the White Mountains of New Hampshire just outside the historic village of North Conway, the much-anticipated Mountaineer Lift makes its debut this season as a replacement of the Summit Triple on the heels of last year’s upgrade to the East and West Double-Double chairs with a fixed-grip, four-person chair. The Mountaineer is a high-speed, four-passenger chairlift that will reduce ride time by more than half, increase uphill capacity, and improve the flow all across Attitash.
Wildcat is known for its rugged, steep terrain with breathtaking views of Mount Washington. This season, Wildcat looks forward to the return of its popular Mug Club and the introduction of its new after-school ski school program. Designed to welcome new kids into the sport by giving students the experience of a lifetime in a three or five-week program, Slope Days is new at Wildcat and across Vail Resorts in New Hampshire. This is an all-inclusive program that includes a day-specific lift ticket, rental package, and an hour-long lesson, all at a value rate.
One of Boston’s closest and most accessible mountains, Mount Sunapee rings in 75 years of tradition this year – and completes its South Peak revitalization project. On December 26, 1948, Mount Sunapee opened with the 3,300-foot North Peak single chair, three trails, two rope tows, and the North Peak Lodge. Guests are invited to celebrate with season-long activities, music, and giveaways – all starting with Sunapee’s Birthday Bash on December 26, 2023.
Crotched Mountain, celebrating 60 Years this year, is committed to growing snow sports while removing barriers to entry and creating a more inclusive. This season, at Crotched Mountain and across the Northeast, through the Epic for Everyone Youth Access Program, thousands of youth who otherwise might not have access to skiing and snowboarding will be hosted with free on-snow sessions including meals, rentals, mentorship, an introduction to career paths in snowsports provided. Here at Crotched and at other resorts, we work closely with the local community and schools to make youth access a reality.
