This is a roundup of scooters, mountain skate boards and downhill go carts available to summer operations interested in adding profit drivers. They are available as rental toys for guests looking to add a little variety to their summer mountain vacations.
This piece, about Washington's Methow Valley, now a cross-country paradise, explains how a popular summer resort area increased year-round profits by developing its winter possibilities.
Turner's piece says to heck with children-ski-free programs, gain more publicity by offering a parents-ski-free package: no kid, no ride; Roger Lohr wonders about the future of outdoor sports; a report about Erwin Wieland of Kassebohrer retiring; an obit for Doug Waugh, inventor of the Pipe Dragon and a brief on the death of Alex Lowe.
A profile of how and why Mt. Hood Skibowl, Ore., created the popular notion of using its grounds for summer picnincs for individuals and companies. The area has added a number of off-season activities that are lucrative and more than self-sustaining.
Bob's piece speaks to the season pass wars of the summer that saw eastern resorts waging a battle similar to Colorado resorts. Dropping the price for frequent skiing makes sense, he says, stimulating early decisions to ski all season while making up price cuts in volume.
Mountain Bike races are a natural fit for ski areas. Facilities and terrain are similar. Here's a look at how some areas have made the events a great promotion for raising public awareness of summer activities and increasing sunner-season profits.
The gathering of 600 ex and current ski school instructors at Tremblant was a huge success for a few days in July owing to a gigantic pile of snow stashed in late April and insulated from the summer sun.
Vail Trail's inquiring photog asked "What is a Funicular?" and got some funny responses; A summer sign leads chair riders to syat on for the return trip; El Nino strikes again: Weird weather news from Russia and Thailand via The Vail Trail; Mount Snow on The Moove: The resort signed on with Deerfield Transit (using Holstein-style paintjobs) to integrate its shuttles to connect with nearby villages; A Polish Joke: the Polish customs dept. tried to tax a load of snow from Austria bound for a winter festival; Overboard cartoon by Chip Dunham.
