Time for a Treat: Resorts Opening Nov. 1

News Search

Push to The Latest: No

SAM Magazine—Copper Mountain, Colo., Oct. 31, 2013—Several resorts are opening for the season on Friday, Nov. 1, as the season begins to pick up steam. The resorts include Copper Mountain and Keystone in Colorado, Boreal, California, and Mt. Norquay, Alberta.

Copper will open terrain off the American Eagle chairlift and in the Easy Rider learning area. Woodward at Copper will feature over ten terrain park features in Woodward's Eagle Terrain Park. Throughout opening weekend, guests can get lucky via "Loot Lift," a contest based on the NYC hit "Cash Cab." Guests riding the American Eagle will be randomly selected and quizzed on their ride to the top of the mountain, earning prizes as they go. Guests should be sure to brush up on Copper Mountain trivia. Prizes include complimentary Copper lift tickets, village gift cards, GoPro cameras and more.

Copper's U.S. Ski Team Speed Center also opens for training on opening day. The U.S. Alpine Ski Team will be there, and Olympic Team members will be announced Nov. 8 during the Nature Valley First Tracks Alpine Team Naming. Ted Ligety, Bode Miller, Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin are expected to be on hand. Spyder, Nature Valley and other team sponsors will be on hand to pass out free giveaways to Copper guests.

Keystone will make its season debut with 65 skiable acres on Dercum Mountain with a weekend of events and activities. The terrain includes top-to-bottom skiing and riding on the intermediate Spring Dipper and River Run trails. The River Run gondola, Summit Express, Montezuma and Ranger lifts will be turning. For beginners, the resort is offering a learning area at the top of the mountain, complete with a carpet lift. Ski and snowboard lessons will be available. Additionally, the resort's A51 Terrain Park is debuting the largest early season park in the country, with more than 20 features on the Scout trail. Beginner, intermediate and more advanced lines will be set up.

To mark the resort's 43rd season, the first 43 guests in line at the River Run Gondola will receive a Starbucks mug and gift card, while the first 200 skiers and riders in line for first chair will receive a raffle ticket for prizes including a GoPro Hero 3, Never Summer snowboard and Keystone logo wear. The first 150 Epic Passholders to “flash” their pass at the Epic tent in Gondola Plaza will receive an Epic knit hat.

Boreal Mountain Resort is offering a small taste of winter on Friday, November 1 with skiing and riding beginning at noon off the Nugget chairlift. Boreal will offer one run with a four terrain park features. Crews will re-evaluate the conditions Friday afternoon and determine the operating schedule for the following days. Over the past few days, Boreal received more than 16 inches of natural snow. Dedicated resort snowmakers fired up the snow guns on Sunday, October 27. Conditions permitting, Boreal will continue to make snow and expand terrain coverage. Skiing and riding will be on advanced terrain only.

The Boreal Lodge will be open for ticket sales, lunch, après, rentals, guest service, retail and restrooms. Adult tickets are just $20.

In Canada, Banff's Mt. Norquay is officially opening at 10am Friday November 1, 2013. Norquay will kick the season off with operations limited to the Cascade Chair, Rental Shop and Cafeteria on weekends only until Nov. 29, 2013. Lift tickets will be priced at $25 for adults, $15 for youth and $10 for kids.

In Quebec, Saint-Sauveur, opened Oct. 30 after just 22 hours of snowmaking on â¨the 70 West trail, served by the Étoile lift. The number of trails will grow as weather allows. The schedule beyond today has not been determined. To celebrate Halloween in style, all guests who arrive in costume benefit from a $5 special on Oct. 31, with a parade at 6 p.m.