Mountain High Touts Successful Season Despite Weak Economy

Wrightwood, CA – Mountain High is celebrating its most successful season in years with highlights that span from start to finish. The Southern California resort was the first to open in its region for the 11th straight time and maintained good coverage all winter long thanks to snowmaking improvements. 2008 marked the grand opening of the North Resort, another 70 acres of terrific family terrain formerly known as Ski Sunrise, and the East Resort operated more days than ever as a percentage of West, the resort’s main area. The Winter Sports School was up 31% with Private Lessons reaching an all time high, and the North Pole Tubing Park generated more visits than ever before.
 
Said Karl Kapuscinski, President and CEO, “With ramped foreclosures, a slowing economy, and record-high gas prices, we were still able to have a successful season. My staff and I are extremely proud and we already have more than $1 Million in improvements on the table for next winter.”
 
Mountain High opened top-to-bottom on November 24th and expanded quickly from there. Recent improvements increased their snowmaking capacity by 30% and new trails appeared faster then ever. The new system also ran more efficiently so seasonal operations required less energy and fell in line with the resort’s goal of going green. December and January were some of the coldest months in years so extensive snowmaking was matched by winter storms which dropped up to six feet. Attendance soared thanks to pristine conditions and December, January and February all became record months for revenue.
 
The East Resort opened prior to the holidays on December 14th and was followed shortly thereafter by the North Resort on January 11th. It marked the inaugural opening of the area (formerly Ski Sunrise) under Mountain High’s management and operated more than it has in the past 15 years. The East Resort ran through March 22nd placing its days-open at 72% of the main resort, the most ever. Prior to this season the 11 year average was just 45%.
 
With a taste of snow early season, beginners came out in droves and Mountain High’s Winter Sports School saw a jump in lessons which continued to the very end. Most notable was the increase in Private Lessons which rose by 38%. Mountain High was also proud of it new Virtual Snow program which combines outdoor training with indoor moving carpets to create a seamless and less intimidating transition to the snow.
 
Freestyle skiers and snowboarders were impressed with the growth of the Faultline Terrain Park. Crew members received accolades from riders across the West and were constantly recognized for their consistency and creativity. New jibs such as the Cronk Rail, an urban combo feature inspired by pro rider Cory Cronk, were the subject of numerous photo shoots and Mountain High will be seen in many films airing nationwide this fall.
 
Across the way, the North Pole Tubing Park complimented Mountain High’s menu of winter activities with record visits and the greatest number of days open. At some point up to ten lanes were in operations and daily attendance levels tripled past seasons. The North Pole Tubing Park is one of the more recent additions to the Mountain High family and has seen substantial growth each year. Now the largest tubing park in Southern California, future plans include expanded food services, longer moving carpets, and even more tubing lanes.

 

About Mountain High
 
Mountain High is Southern California’s closest winter resort with three separate mountains, 16 lifts and 59 trails. It has been touted as one of the most innovative winter resorts in the nation and sees an average of 500,000 visits per year. As summer makes its way into North America, resort operators are looking to enhance the facilities even further and more than $1 Million has been set aside for capital improvements.

Wednesday, April 16th 2008 @ 04:19 PM.
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