Seeking higher ground: Western resorts take skiers to where the snow is

In spite of the La Nina With the weather pattern that dumped snowfall on many mountain resorts in the western United States last winter, global warming poses a fundamental threat to the survival of the ski industry. In response, ski areas are increasingly investing in efficient snow production and reducing CO2 emissions. Some areas, especially in the West, also follow another method: developing terrain higher up in the mountains, where colder climates or steeper, tree-filled terrain are more likely to hold snow.

This winter there are three ski areas in Colorado: Aspen Mountain, Keystone Resort And Steamboat Ski Resort – reveal significant high-altitude expansions or terrain additions designed for experts, potentially surprising one of the largest audiences of skiers and snowboarders in recent years.

Go higher

While opening higher elevations is intended to take advantage of colder conditions to produce and retain snow, travelers may need more time to adapt to descents above 3,000 meters.

In Aspen, the new 153-acre expansion will be known as Heroes adds 20 percent more terrain to Aspen Mountain, one of four ski areas in the Aspen Snowmass portfolio.

“We face an uncertain future because of climate change,” said Geoff Buchheister, CEO of Aspen Snowmass. He emphasized that the expansion – two decades in the making – did not start as a response to global warming, but should help retain snow.

“It’s above 3,000 meters and happens to face northeast, so the sun is perfect for holding the snow when it’s there in winter, giving us longer skiing in the spring,” Mr Buchheister said. “In years with little snow, it can be a nice asset for us.”

Skiers and riders take the main Silver Queen gondola from the village base to the top of Aspen Mountain to access Hero’s – which relies entirely on natural snow – at 11,000 feet.

Trees were thinned in the new open area of ​​the White River National Forest, with natural obstacles to cut around at a height difference of 350 meters. While there are a few access points for intermediate skiers, the heart of the terrain – including slides or steep, narrow sections usually bordered by rock walls – is rated double black for expert skiers.

“It will make you feel like a hero,” Mr. Buchheister said.

Keystone Resorta destination owned by Vail Resorts about 75 miles west of Denver is opening a new lift that ends at 10,000 feet and provides access to the Bergman Bowl, previously available to skiers and riders who hiked more than a mile in or took a snowcat ride up.

The high-speed Bergman Express lift will provide access to approximately 550 acres – much of it above tree line – in two adjacent bowls, Bergman and Erickson, which have been mapped with 16 new routes, most of them intermediate. While the resort is open, the Bergman area, which relies on natural snow, is not expected to open until late December or early January.

Chris Sorensen, Keystone’s vice president and general manager, said the Bergman Bowl project has been in development plans since 2009 and is largely dependent on natural snow.

The relatively low angle of the mountain in the area allowed Keystone to offer less experienced skiers access to high alpine runs.

“We wanted to make sure it was accessible,” Mr. Sorensen said, adding that the new terrain includes three beginner runs that appeal to Keystone’s core demographic, which is families. “Everyone in the family can go outside and have fun.”

Extension of the season

Another debut includes steeper conditions known to hold snow. In Steamboat Springs in Northern Colorado, Steamboat Ski Resort has introduced 655 hectares of expert terrain known as Mahogany edge, an area previously accessible to backcountry skiers from the resort, but not officially inland, meaning it was not patrolled or treated to reduce the risk of avalanches. The expert-only area is served by the new Mahogany Ridge Express lift and adds more challenging terrain to the resort’s map, where the trees have not been cut down except below the lift.

“We have historically been, and remain, a middleman’s paradise,” Loryn Duke, director of communications at Steamboat, wrote in an email.

The addition will rely on natural snow without snowmaking or grooming. “But due to its extreme nature, the area tends to hold our light, fluffy snow for long periods of time,” Ms. Duke added, attributing its duration in part to low traffic and tree shade.

Skiing or snowboarding on steeper, harder-to-reach or wooded terrain often requires expert skills aimed at core enthusiasts.

“Higher terrain keeps resorts open longer,” said Nick Sargent, president of Snowsports Industries America, a trade group. He noted that the short ski season traditionally runs from Thanksgiving to Easter, adding, “The resort’s goal is to extend that as much as possible.”

‘New and different terrain’

Going higher into the mountains is not an option for most ski areas, even in the West.

“When it comes to high-altitude skiing, there aren’t that many resorts in the U.S. that can build higher,” said Adrienne Saia Isaac, director of marketing and communications for the National Ski Areas Association. “For most experiences you are already skiing from the top.”

Trails that travel in thinner air present their own management challenges. High winds could push them away from snow or force the lifts to close. Taos Ski Valley in northern New Mexico, which in 2015 began operating a chairlift that reaches the 10,000-foot Kachina Peak, says the lift rarely opens before the end of January each season. Once open, the site is available on average about 76 percent of the time, with the lift running about 68 percent of the time and the remainder open to those hiking up.

Most expansions or developments, Ms. Isaac added, are done to stay competitive. “People want to ski new and different terrain,” she said.

Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist focusing on budget-friendly tips and travel.

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