SnoNews

Bring on a snowy 2019! If your resolution is to ski/ride more, you’re in the right place - read on for the snow jackpots in our forecast. 

A detachable quad for quick access to Tremblant North Side skiing and riding. (Mont Tremblant)

Replacement of the Lowell Thomas chairlift, renovating and expanding summit chalet Le Grand Manitou, creating new glades and renovating La Fourchette du Diable on the North Side base are all part of Alterra Mountain Company’s latest plans for Mont Tremblant.

The Twilight Portal at Mont Tremblant's Tonga Lumina. (Tonga Lumina/Facebook)

For a unique take on discovering Quebec’s Mont Tremblant, mountain explorers can now visit Tonga Lumina, an immersive, interactive and illuminated night walk that begins with a ride on the Flying Mile lift and plunges spectators into a universe that showcases the mountain’s natural elements.

Tremblant has new owner. (Tremblant/Facebook)

Consolidation in the winter resort industry continues as a partnership between a newly formed entity in Aspen and a private equity firm announced the pending purchase of Intrawest and its six ski and snowboard resorts.

Included in the deal, which is expected to be closed by next fall, are Steamboat, Winter Park, Snowshoe, Stratton, Mont Tremblant and Blue Mountain. They will join with Squaw Valley-Alpine Meadows, a property of partner KSL Capital Partnership, under the new corporate entity. Aspen SkiCo's Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands are not in the deal and will continue to operate independently.

Season tickets purchased for 2017-2018 at each resort will be honored, and the benefits of multi-resort passes Rocky Mountain Super Pass, the M.A.X. Pass and Mountain Collective will also continue through next season, according to a press release. No information has been given yet about consolidation of ticketing.

Skiers and snowboarders shouldn’t expect to see any major changes at any of the resorts this next season, as the deal won’t be signed and sealed until the third quarter of 2017. However, statements from Aspen Skiing Corp. and KSL Capital Partners indicate that the new corporation is ready to “help realize the collective potential of Intrawest’s portfolio of resorts.”

The deal comes as the latest in a trend toward consolidation in the ski and snowboard business. Vail Resorts expanded into the Eastern market with the recent purchase of Stowe, giving it a across-the-nation portfolio of resorts. Others owning multiple resorts include Boyne USA, Peak Resorts and Powdr Corp.

Whiteface offers the biggest vert in the East. (Whiteface)

Whether you’re a ripper or parent wanting to introduce kids to snowsports, now’s the time to plan a special vacation, and there’s nothing like trying something new or different to make it memorable.

Quebec’s Tremblant kicks off its summer season May 15 with a number of activities and events for guests. 

The 2014 Wanderlust Festivals will run from Vermont to Colorado to California in the U.S., and Canada’s Whistler and Tremblant. 

While some resorts north of the border rest during the week and resume on the weekends, others are serving their patrons seven days a week. So it’s always good policy to research specific facilities in SnoCountry.com condition reports to see exactly where they stand.

Just what makes a classic ski town? National Geographic has chosen what it considers the 25 best in the world. Agree? Disagree? We at SnoCountry.com did a little bit of both. Here’s the NatGeo list in no particular order. 

Ski resorts across Canada are planning a number of fun-filled events for every member of the family. Here is just a sampling. 

Avis Budget Group rental cars and Intrawest’s resorts and other properties have joined forces in a multi-year partnership for co-marketing each other’s brands.