Blizzard, Red Bull, Valentines Day Draws Thousands To Mount Snow
By Joel Leyden
United States News Agency
United States News Agency
New York City --- February 10, 2013 …Mount Snow, in West Dover, Vermont will be attracting thousands of skiers in the coming days. After Blizzard Nemo blanketed the mountain with over a foot of fresh snow, all trails are expected to be open this week.
Ski towns in Vermont were hit with wind gusts of up to 45 mph on Saturday, which forced Mount Snow to close certain lifts until the winds died down. Mount Snow, for example, was only about half open, though the new blizzard snowfall has now opened up 100 percent of its slopes for Sunday. Mount Snow's lifts are designed to handle high winds, says spokesman Dave Meeker.
The new “bubble” lift, for one, weighs a heavy 1,300 pounds before skiers climb aboard, and was designed aerodynamically to withstand strong winds; a shield completely encases riders so they stay comfortable on the way up.
If skiers and boarders decide they can’t handle it, resorts including Mount Snow, Hunter, Ski Sundown and Smuggler's Notch have snow guarantee policies that allow people to return their lift tickets within an hour in exchange for a voucher to return later.
But for those heading to Mount Snow on Sunday and the week ahead, can expect perfect ski conditions, sun, little wind and temperatures in the high 20's.
Mount Snow, with its 80 trails and 20 lifts, is hosting special Cloud Nine Nuptials on Valentines Day, February 14th. The southern Vermont ski and golf resort is also offering a deal for Valentine’s Day consisting of two lift tickets for $49 when purchased in advance online. Your wedding procession will be hosted by Mount Snow with a ride up a chairlift, the altar is a podium positioned at the pinnacle of a heart painted on the snow, and formal footwear is replaced with ski or snowboard boots. That will be the scene for "ski couples" wanting to renew their vows or tie the knot for the first time at a very romantic summit.
The fun continues the next day with the Red Bull Frozen Rush. For the first time ever, a short course off-road Pro4 racing truck will take to the snow in Vermont’s Green Mountains to battle gravity and the elements. The four-wheel drive vehicle, designed to handle just about anything a summertime off-road speedway can throw at it, will face an onslaught of new challenges when it enters Mount Snow's winter’s frozen playground. Soft snow, steep terrain, ice and freezing temperatures is a recipe for disaster in any vehicle, but that won’t slow down champion off-road racer, Ricky Johnson. Armed with a set of custom spiked and specially designed tires from BFGoodrich’s Research and Development team, Ricky will wager his skills, experience, and even his truck’s capabilities as he attempts to conquer the slopes.
Mount Snow, the largest and closet ski mountain to both Boston and New York, has been well known since 1954 for its warm environment and emphasis of placing safety first on the mountain. Recently, Mount Snow spent over $8.5 million on new ski lifts. The Bluebird Express just went into operation as a technologically advanced chairlift and it is nothing short of incredible. The bubbles on each chair can be lowered by the passengers to provide similar protection as a gondola cabin, but with the convenience of keeping skis and boards on their feet. The seven minute ride from base to summit is so smooth the only reason you would want it to end is so you can enjoy another amazing run down one of Mount Snow’s 80 trails.
Mount Snow has earned several awards for customer service. When Mother Nature is not making snow, Mount Snow is. Before the recent blizzard, Mount Snow was functioning beautifully with over 50 trails on a combination of natural and man made white gold. And during these difficult times, the skiing was excellent. One can only imagine what kind of winter paradise awaits both new and expert skiers with a fresh, natural coating of over 15 inches from the sky.
Hey, we forgot something. In addition to the new powder at Mount Snow the Bud Light Mardi Gras awaits you after finishing a long, challenging run tomorrow. Is it Mount Snow or Mount Fun?
Drive safe, ski safe and don't forget to take the sunglasses!
