Alterra Mountain Company announced plans yesterday to invest $223 million in capital improvements across its 15 North American mountain destinations for the upcoming year, continuing the company’s commitment to enhancing the guest experience.
This year’s $223 million plan includes $50 million for base area facility development, $48 million towards new lifts and upgrades, expanded terrain, and state-of-the-art snowmaking, $30 million in technology including Ikon Pass and destination app development and data utilization, $27 million toward enhancing base area and on-mountain dining experiences, and $7 million towards various summer and winter activity investments.
“Three years ago, when we formed Alterra Mountain Company, an initial priority was to commit to investing a half a billion dollars by 2023 across our family of North American destinations,” said Rusty Gregory, CEO, Alterra Mountain Company.
“To date, we have invested more than $350 million and are committed to exceeding our original plan, spending $575 million by 2020 on lifts and gondolas, snowmaking, summer activities, real estate development, hospitality and technology, all in the name of creating memories for our guests through an elevated mountain experience.”
Some of the biggest investments are at the following resorts.
Steamboat, Colorado
For the first time in more than 20 years, Steamboat will make an additional 355 acres of terrain accessible when the resort boundary extends into the Pioneer Ridge area, north of its current boundary, providing skiers and riders more terrain to explore.
Pioneer Ridge will feature advanced/expert gladed terrain with 1,800 vertical feet, accessible via the Pony Express lift.
Twenty-five new chairs will be added to the line of Pony Express lift, increasing lift capacity from 1,200 people per hour to 1,800. The expansion increases Steamboat’s acreage to 3,320 acres, a 12 percent increase in total skiable acres, making Steamboat the third largest resort in Colorado.
Mammoth Mountain, California
Broadway Express (Chair 1) out of Main Lodge, one of the most utilized lifts in the Alterra Mountain Company family, will be replaced with a new high-speed six-pack detachable chairlift, increasing uphill capacity by 42%, to 3,200 skiers and riders per hour.
Canyon Express (Chair 16) out of Canyon Lodge, will also be replaced with a new high-speed six-pack detachable chairlift, increasing uphill capacity by 66%, to 3,000 people per hour, providing skiers and riders quicker access to the slopes. The $1.5 million Phase Two snowmaking expansion and upgrade will also take place this summer.
The Mill, the destination’s popular slopeside BBQ and bar, will undergo a $500,000 expansion, adding 60 seats and 600 square feet of new interior dining and bar space for more guests to relax and enjoy this favorite spot.
The Westin Monache hotel in the Village at Mammoth will redesign and renovate 208 guestrooms with a modern style, plus a complete lobby renovation, creating an atmospheric social gathering space for guests to enjoy together, complete with vapor fireplace, living walls, and a completely renovated bar and restaurant concept.
Winter Park, Colorado
Winter Park begins year three of a five-year project to enhance snowmaking in an effort to maximize early season terrain opening and boost snow quality to elevate the guest experience. New infrastructure and snowmaking guns will improve water capacity and efficiency to set the destination up for even more snowmaking capabilities in Winter Park and into Mary Jane.
Winter Park’s marquee day lodge, the Sunspot Mountaintop Lodge, accessed by last year’s new gondola, will undergo a complete renovation, modernizing servery, adding two new bars, an expanded deck with outdoor BBQ site, and increased seating capacity for more guests to enjoy the view.
Deer Valley Resort, Utah
Deer Valley Resort is embarking on a modernization master plan of the destination’s dining experience. Phase 1 begins with a complete renovation of the 100,000+ sq. ft Snow Park base lodge, including new retail offerings and extensive updates to food and beverage experiences with a new indoor/outdoor après bar, slope-side coffee shop, and bistro.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California
The Gold Coast Lodge at the top of the Gold Coast Funitel lift at Squaw Valley will see a major renovation, overhauling dining areas and dramatically reshaping guest flow through the three-level skier services facility. The deck of the Chalet at Alpine Meadows will be expanded for more outdoor seating at the charming mid-mountain restaurant.
Both mountains will begin an extensive upgrade of snowmaking capabilities, boosting early season terrain openings and snow quality in crucial high traffic zones.
Tremblant, Quebec
This summer, Tremblant will begin a two-year terrain expansion project. With increasing demand for more beginner areas, Tremblant will open a new beginner zone with a magic carpet on Versant Soleil for 20/21 to enhance the learning experience for new skiers and riders. For 21/22, the Timber summit will open with a new high-speed quad and eight planned trails leading to Versant Soleil and the North Side.
Crystal Mountain, Washington
The mountain’s base area will be the focus with a new multi-story skier services lodge, which will include a sales center for ticketing, lessons and equipment, lessons and equipment in addition to a cafe, retail, group meeting and event space. Crystal Mountain will also expand parking with a new lot to welcome up to 300 more cars full of skiers and riders.
Big Bear Mountain Resort, California
Bear Mountain will begin the final phase of its base area improvements with a new pedestrian boardwalk connecting two skier service areas, complete with new food and beverage pop-up stations, creating an integrated base area for guests to enjoy. Snow Summit’s mountain top dining venue, Skyline Taphouse, will undergo a full renovation to provide better service, customer flow, and menu options.
