$1.5 Million in Capital Investments Raise Guest Experience at Mountain High
Wrightwood, CA (September 22, 2008) – Rolling off last year’s success, Mountain High has made more than $1.5 million in capital investments for the upcoming winter. With an eye toward improving the guest experience, Mountain High has completely remodeled Big Pines Lodge, increased snowmaking capacity by up to 40%, introduced new tubing lanes, added two park-specific snowcats, and increased Sports School offerings.
Big Pines Base Loge Completely Renovated
Mountain High made its largest one-time investment in a base lodge this summer, completely gutting and renovating Big Pines Lodge at Mountain High West. Increased capacity and family-style seating highlight the Big Pines remodel, along with a new kitchen and a new retail area. The new kitchen will allow fresh, hot food to be delivered quickly to hungry guests. New items include select Italian dishes, Asian cuisine, and an expanded selection of healthy grab-and-go sandwiches and salads. More environmentally friendly packaging made from recycled materials also reinforces the new face of food and beverage at Mountain High.
“Guests won’t believe their eyes when they see the newly renovated Big Pines Lodge,” said Jerid Seeba, Food and Beverage Manager. “The complete remodel improves flow through the lodge, and the new kitchen allows us to provide fresher and healthier options more quickly.”
Snowmaking Capacity Increased
Continuing with Mountain High’s commitment to provide the best riding experience in Southern California, the resort has raised its snowmaking capacity by up to 40%. In the third of a four year program retrofitting its entire fleet of air-water snow guns, Mountain High installed 25 new top-of-the-line Ratnik snowmaking nozzles that utilize a new patent-pending design requiring half the amount of compressed air for snowmaking. This results in increased efficiency, reduced fuel consumption, and energy savings. The bottom line: Mountain High can now make more snow using less energy, which is better for the environment – hands down.
Largest Tubing Park in Southern California
Three new tubing lanes have been added to North Pole Tubing Park at Mountain High North. Now with 12 lanes, two moving carpets, and custom tubes, North Pole Tubing Park is the largest tubing park in Southern California. In addition to the on-snow improvements, a new outdoor BBQ and indoor cafeteria offer hungry adventurers a variety of snacks and hot meals. Perfect for families and friends who may not ski or snowboard, North Pole Tubing Park offers a fun and inexpensive way for everyone to enjoy the snow.
Photo Courtesy of Mountain High
Faultline Terrain Park Debuts New Prinoth Groomers
Widely recognized for innovation and creativity, Faultline Terrain Park is ringing in the season with an $800,000+ investment in two new state-of-the-art Prinoth grooming machines: a BisonX and a Bison Sherpa Winch. The new Prinoth groomers deliver industry leading power-to-weight ratios, economy in operation, and environmental friendliness. Increased productivity and efficiency from the new groomers translate to even more consistently groomed terrain throughout Faultline’s 100 acres on a nightly basis.
“Besides adding new snowcats, we completed an arsenal of rider-friendly features this summer. Mid-level riders can build their skills on the jibs while advanced riders can use them to dial in more technical tricks,” said Justin Montoya, Faultline Terrain Park Manager.
Faultline doubled its production budget this season and is introducing a variety of new boxes and rails to its collection of more than 100 features. New features include a 20’ doublewide flat rail, 20’x1’x4’ box, rainbow box, and jump box. Also keep an eye out for more natural features like log jibs and the completely huge 20’x20’ wallride in the Playground area of Mountain High West. The wallride is made using Skatelite topsheet material that slides better and delivers a more consistent riding surface.
New Children’s Academy Area at Mountain High East
Boasting a collection of Southern California’s best ski and snowboard instructors, Mountain High’s Winter Sports School has introduced a new Learning Center at Mountain High East that now offers lessons for both children and adults on weekends. A new magic carpet has been installed allowing first-timers easy access to the newly expanded beginner area. This is a great way to start before progressing to the lifts or the family terrain park located off Discovery Chair. A new building structure filled with top-of-the-line equipment from Burton and Head complete the Sports School experience.
With instruction on weekends and holidays, East Learning Center is the perfect place for families to avoid the crowds, get quicker access to rental equipment, and enjoy smaller class sizes. Mountain High East is known by insiders for its easy parking and uncrowded slopes, even during peak periods.
Industry Leading Burton and Head Rental Fleets Introduced
To deliver the best experience, Mountain High revamps its rental fleet on an annual basis. This season over $130,000 has been invested in Head skis, Burton snowboards, and Head snowboard boots that utilize the BOA system. BOA is a laceless system that makes getting boots on and off easier than ever. All six rental locations have lockers, complimentary board checks, and staff available to answer questions and assist in the rental process. To keep riding affordable, rental pricing has also remained the same as last season.
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September 22 2008 |
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The new 20′ x20′ wall ride at Mt. High. Image Courtesy of Mt. High
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