Ski Press Releases and News Flashes

August 31, 2000 - Hot on the heels of Tuesday’s season pass price announcement, Vail Resorts has publicized deals aimed squarely at attracting more destination visitors back to its stable of world-class resorts.

While buddy passes and similar ticket deals have helped boost visits from the Front Range in recent seasons, trend trackers and resort officials say the number of out-of-state visitors has not grown correspondingly.

"Our data suggests destination visits are way down," says Joy Spring of Boulder-based Leisure Trends.

Using random digit dialing sampling techniques, Leisure Trends does quarterly surveys of Front Range skiers, asking them where and how often they ski. The company has been using the same methodology since 1992-’93, so the statistics reveal some interesting year-to-year trends.

The arrival of the buddy passes two seasons ago heralded a renaissance in the Front Range market, spurring skiers and boarders from Denver, Boulder and the rest of the metro region to ski more often, according to Spring.

"The passes have really stimulated activity," she says.

Overall, skier-visits by Front Rangers have climbed by about one-third during the past two seasons. Spring says that during the 1997-’98 season, Front Range skiers accounted for 2.2 million visits. In 1998-’99, that number climbed to 2.6 million. Last season, Front Rangers skied and snowboarders combined for 3.2 million visits, according to the tracking data. (This data only show how often Front Rangers skied and boarded –not where they went.)

Before the introduction of the value-priced season ducats, Front Range numbers were stagnant, Spring says.

The buddy passes have also resulted in a shift in Front Range market share, she adds. Historically, Winter Park has grabbed the biggest slice of that pie, followed by Copper, Keystone and Breckenridge a distant fourth.

But the market share has definitely shifted toward Breckenridge and Keystone, with all four areas now within just a few points of each other. The buddy passes have encouraged Front Range skiers and boarders to make repeat visits to Breck and Keystone, Spring concludes.

Meanwhile, Vail and Beaver Creek continue to focus more on destination visitors, and Spring says the statistics don’t show buddy passes siphoning skiers away from Eagle County to Summit. Thus, the slump in skier numbers at Vail and Beaver Creek can likely be attributed more the general decline in destination visits than to a buddy pass-induced shift.

Still, Vail’s Colorado Card – which offers unlimited skiing at Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin, plus value-added days at Vail or Beaver Creek - could help persuade some Front Rangers to drive the extra stretch to sample some of Vail’s luscious Back Bowl powder.

Leisure Trend statistics also show that Front Range skiers are becoming destination visitors, Spring says.

"More and more we’re hearing that Front Range skiers are spending a night when they go up," she says.

According to Spring, 24 percent of those who stay overnight own a second home at a resort. Breaking that statistic down even more, she is able to estimate that up to 12 percent of Front Range skiers own a mountain getaway.

There has been some discussion among merchants in towns like Breckenridge as to the economic impact of the shift toward Front Range visitors. Many small business owners say that skiers from the Front Range don’t spend nearly as much per day as destination visitors. But according to most reports, sales tax revenues in that town haven’t suffered noticeably.

By bundling multi-day tickets into a value-priced package, Vail hopes to stimulate longer and more frequent visits by destination skiers, says communication director Paul Witt. And the overall goal is to keep skiing affordable, he adds.

The resort operator is also attempting to boost business during the off-season tying its discount packages to a requirement for an early-season visit and by offering an early season, buy-one, get-one-free lift and lodging package.

Witt says part of the idea is to help the lodging, dining and retail elements of the communities around the four resorts by boosting business during a time when there’s room at the inn, so to say.

"We don’t want to bring more people at peak times," he says, explaining that the promotion should bring people when capacities at the resorts are under-utilized.

The new "Colorado Deal" enables vacationers to ski 10 days at Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek, along with A-Basin, for less than $30 a day throughout the 2000-2001 season.

"Over the past few years, we’ve developed a number of offers that keep skiing and snowboarding affordable, especially for Coloradans. Now we’re expanding those efforts even more to our national and worldwide base of potential guests," says Adam Aron, chairman and chief executive officer for Vail Resorts.

The new Colorado Deal is designed for guests who visit early and often. Early, because it must be used at least once before Jan. 31, 2001 and often, because it includes up to 10 days of skiing or snowboarding which can be used consecutively or non-consecutively throughout the season. An adult Colorado Deal sells for $299, and a child (ages 5-12) Colorado Deal is just $149.

Upon purchase of the Colorado Deal, skiers and snowboarders will receive a three-day lift ticket and seven one-day lift tickets. At least one of these eight tickets must be used prior to Jan. 31, 2001 or the entire package is void. Similarly, the three-day ticket must be used on or prior to Jan. 31, 2001, or it is void. Blackout dates are Dec. 23, 2000 through Jan. 6, 2001.

The "buy-one, get-one-free" package offers guests one night of lodging and a one-day lift ticket free for every night’s lodging and lift ticket purchased. As an added value, the deal also applies to ski and snowboard class lessons and equipment rentals when purchased as part of the lodging and lift ticket package.

The package is available for lodging Nov. 16-Dec. 21, excluding Nov. 23-25. Lift tickets, lessons and equipment rentals are valid Nov. 17-Dec. 22, excluding Nov. 23-25. All packages must include lodging. A maximum of three free nights lodging, lift tickets, ski or snowboard lessons and equipment rentals are allowed per package and some other restrictions apply.

For more information or to make reservations, call 1-800-404-3535 or visit www.snow.com.

Copper deals

Copper Mountain also announced season ticket prices, with unrestricted adult passes selling for $239 (ages 19 and over); teen passes (ages 14-18) are $209 and children’s passes (ages 6-13) are $109.

Also back by popular demand, Copper's Hooky Pass allows skiers and riders the opportunity to enjoy the mountain Monday through Friday all season long for $209. All passes are on sale through November 6, 2000, but prices are subject to change at anytime and quantities are limited.

Copper spokesman Ben Friedland said the joint Copper Mountain-Winter Park ticket will also be back on sale for $369, but didn’t have more details at press time.

Check out www.ski-copper.com for more information.

COLORADO BUDDY PASSES ARE BACK

August 29, 2000 - With only two months until opening day at Keystone and Breckenridge (tentatively scheduled for October 27), Colorado skiers and boarders can once again look forward to some great pass deals.

Both the famed buddy pass, valid at Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin, as well as the Colorado Pass - with value-added skiing at Vail and Beaver Creek - will be on sale Sept.1 to Sept. 24 at various Front Range locations, including REI, Colorado Ski & Golf and Gart Sports Castle SNIAGRAB sale, and at high country ticket offices (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only).

A-Basin, while not owned by Vail Resorts, is tied to Breckenridge and Keystone with a joint ticketing, marketing and transportation agreement.

Current buddy pass and Colorado Cardholders can buy 2000-2001 season passes on the Web at www.buddypass.com, but new purchasers must buy them in person.

The Buddy Pass, good for unlimited turns at Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin, is $259 ($109 ages 5-12). The Colorado Pass, with unlimited skiing at the Summit County resorts plus 10 days at Vail or Beaver Creek, is $299 ($129 ages 5-12), while a Colorado Pass plus 10 (20 days at Vail and Beaver Creek) is $499 ($229 ages 5-12).

In a change from previous seasons, the passes can be purchased individually, rather than in lots of four.

There is no word yet on ticket window prices, but Vail’s free Colorado Card will offer discounts of up to 51 percent from walk-up ticket prices, according to Vail Resorts communications director Paul Witt.

The winter of 2000-2201 marks the third year in a row that some of Colorado’s major resorts have deeply discounted season passes, and the trend has started spreading across the country. Some New England areas are also offering value-priced multi-mountain deals.

This year’s version of the passes went on sale last spring, when Vail upped the ante by including limited skiing at Vail and Beaver Creek on its discounted pass. In another twist illustrating the fierce competition for Front Range skiers, Copper and Winter Park teamed up last spring to offer a dual pass. Officials from those two areas couldn’t be reached before press time Tuesday, so it’s not clear if that deal will be repeated this fall.

Loveland Ski Area, just east of the Eisenhower Tunnel, also announced a price cut last spring, selling season passes for the 2000-2001 season for $249.

Overall, skier numbers have stagnated during recent seasons, so the areas along the I-70 corridor have sought favor with the Front Range skiers. Winter Park and Loveland have both lost market share in the Front Range market, according to companies like Boulder-based Leisure Trends, which tracks statistical information for various ski areas.

Winter Park long enjoyed a reputation as the place where Front Range – and particularly Denver – skiers skied, while Breckenridge and Keystone, once perceived mainly as destination resorts, are now both major players in the Front Range market, Winter Park communications director Joan Christensen said recently.

But Christensen downplayed the competition among the resorts and said the big challenge is for all the resorts to get more skiers on the hill – period.

BIG MOUNTAIN'S OWNER RELEASES FISCAL YEAR-END RESULTS

Whitefish, MT (August 28, 2000) - Winter Spots, Inc.(WSKI), owner and operator of Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort, today reported results for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2000. Revenue reported for the year was $15,173,467 compared to $12,588,328 for the prior year, an increase of $2,585,139 or 20.5%. Net income of $1,497,980 or $1.49 per share was reported, versus a net loss of ($437,309) or ( $0.43) per share recorded in the prior year. This represents a new record for the company in terms of both gross revenues and net income. Skier visits for fiscal year 2000 ski season totaled 285,681 compared to 222,355 last season, a 28% increase.

“Two years ago our company made the decision to shift our marketing focus away from Canada to selected US markets. We recognized it would take some time to see the results of this change, but I am pleased to report today that the strategy is working” stated Michael Collins, President of Winter Sports Inc. “Our skier visits are up dramatically and our real estate sales have been strong in all our products. We are seeing skiers and boarders, and real estate purchasers from all over the United States, which means we are growing our customer base. This is very good news for the future” Collins noted.

Statements in this press release, other than statements of historical information, are forward looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, failure to achieve anticipated performance; general business and economic conditions; competitive factors in the ski and resort industry; and the weather. Investors are also directed to other risks discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

BRECKENRIDGE INITIATES WOOD WASTE DIVERSION PROGRAM

Breckenridge, CO (August 26, 2000) - Breckenridge Ski Resort’s environmental department is a month an a half into its new wood waste diversion program aimed at reducing the amount of reusable wood headed for the Summit County Landfill.

“We put a wood waste container at Breckenridge Vehicle Maintenance and within four days filled the container,” stated Kevin Berg, Breckenridge’s Environmental Coordinator. “The container was filled with scrap wood from remodeling and reconstructing mountain facilities and with dead wood from mountain clean-up projects,” noted Berg. Berg said a study by the Eagle County Landfill in June 2000 showed that 15-25% of landfill space is occupied by wood waste, adding that such a diversion creates a cost savings that off-sets the cost of renting a container while reducing the tipping fee for clean wood waste. “The first month of the ski area’s wood diversion effort diverted 60 tons of wood from the landfill and saved approximately $120.”

The container, provided by Waste Management, holds thirty square yards of wood (one square yard of wood weighs nearly 400 lbs.). Once the container was filled Waste Management took it to the Silverthorne Joint Sewer Authority where the wood was chipped and hauled to Climax mine at the top of Freemont Pass. At the mine the chips were mixed with sewage sludge and composted. Once the compost has met the Environmental Protection Agency regulations by being turned into reusable soil it will be spread over the barren soil of the mine for revegetation. “With the help of the Breckenridge’s wood diversion project the Climax mine is able to revegetate 30 acres a year,” noted Berg.

The resort's second filled container of wood waste was taken to the Silverthorne Joint Sewer Authority at the end of July bringing the wood diversion total to 11.7 tons for the month of July. “The composting of the wood for revegetation is a great example of reusing and recycling,” Berg said.

Berg noted that the wood diversion program has had early success and participation from the resort’s maintenance operations involved and said that he expects the resort will reach its goal of a 20% diversion rate set for this year. “Breckenridge will routinely divert over 200 tons of plastics, metals, papers and wood over the course of a year,” stated Berg.

VAIL TO OPEN NEXT PHASE OF BLUE SKY BASIN

Vail, CO (August 26, 2000) - Vail's Blue Sky Basin expansion project will grow this season this season when the ski area moves forward with the next phase of the experience by adding 125 acres of trail skiing accessed by a new high-speed quad chairlift in Pete’s Bowl. The addition of new terrain in Pete’s Bowl will provide access to approximately 80 percent of the total 885 acres of ski terrain available in Blue Sky Basin.

“We always anticipated that Blue Sky Basin would be a great addition to the Vail ski experience,” said Bill Jensen, chief operating officer for Vail Mountain. “Based on guest comments and the overwhelming number of visitors throughout the season, we realized that the area was more popular than we ever imagined. And, this year the experience gets even better as we add additional terrain in the Pete’s Bowl area. This new area will balance out the ski experience with additional intermediate terrain, broadening the appeal to our guests.”

With the additional terrain, Blue Sky Basin will offer 645 acres of adventure skiing to skiers and snowboarders. The new 125 acres of terrain in Pete’s Bowl consists of four designated intermediate trails, although skiers and snowboarders will be able to find an abundance of snow and challenges in the gladed terrain that may be accessed throughout the area. Approximately 47 percent of the total terrain in Blue Sky Basin will be intermediate with the remaining 53 percent rated as advanced or expert.

Guests will access the new terrain via the new Pete’s Express high-speed quad, with a ride time of approximately six minutes from the bottom to the summit of the bowl. The chairlift, manufactured by Poma, has a maximum uphill capacity of 1,400 people per hour to balance lift and trail capacities.

Blue Sky Basin opened to skiers and snowboarders on Jan. 6, 2000. Pete’s Bowl is named after Vail founder Pete’s Seibert. Both Pete and Earl Eaton, Vail founder for whom Earl’s Bowl in Blue Sky Basin was named, were on hand in January to see their vision of skiing in Blue Sky Basin become a reality.

The new terrain in Pete’s Bowl brings Vail’s overall, total skiable acres to 5,289. The resort plans to open the new terrain to skiers and snowboarders before Christmas. Vail’s ski season begins Nov. 17, 2000 and the ski area closes April 22, 2001.

KILLINGTON SNOWMAKING PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION

Killington, VT (August 26, 2000) - Killington Resort’s project to increase its snowmaking capabilities by 30% and assure reliable snow conditions all season long, is on schedule to be completed for the upcoming season. The construction process has also earned environmental accolades for erosion control and re-seeding.

“The project is three-quarters of the way completed,” said Jeff Temple, Killington Vice President of Mountain Operations. “At this point the completion of the project is in sight with few hurdles remaining."

Killington plans to have the project completed by the time the weather turns favorable for snowmaking. When the project is finished, the resort will have the capability to make 30% more snow than in prior winter seasons.

The District Environmental Commission #1 has been keeping a close eye on the pipeline construction process and is pleased with the work that they have observed to date. Warren E. Foster, the Acting District Coordinator for the District Environmental Commission #1 wrote a letter to Killington dated August 11, 2000, detailing his satisfaction with the project’s environmental compliance.

The next step in this project will be to install conservation dams on two streams. The dams will monitor stream flow in order to ensure that the February Mean Flow is maintained during snowmaking season.

KEYSTONE NORDIC CENTER MAKES THE MOVE

Summit County, CO (August 26, 2000) - Jana Hlavaty has been running the Keystone Nordic Center for 20 years and, at last, she believes it has found a permanent home on the terrain of the resort’s new golf course along the Snake River.

Instead of the "temporary" yurt that housed the center’s operations near the Ski Tip Ranch, the River Course clubhouse will now serve as the base facility for rentals and ticket sales. The River Grill will be open all year, providing tasty meals for hungry skinny skiers.

"I’m really excited – after 20 years of using Porta-Potties, we’re actually going to have a real bathroom," Hlavaty said.

Crosscountry skiing has a long tradition in the Snake River Valley. The Keystone Caper, a popular citizen’s race during the 1970s, drew hundreds of competitors, and locals have long used snow-covered Forest Service roads to access the backcountry through various side canyons.

Hlavaty says Keystone has been very supportive of the Nordic scene all along, singling out resort chief John Rutter.

"He’s an avid crosscountry skier," she says. "He wanted to have a trail groomed right to his house."

The new trail system at the River Course won’t extend quite to the front door of Rutter’s home, but he will be able to get in a few laps during lunch, with easy access from the resort’s administrative offices.

Hlavaty says the center will have 16 kilometers of groomed classic and skating trails in the golf course area. If you count the track up Keystone Gulch, that number goes up to 28 kilometers.

While many locals lamented the loss of hundreds – if not thousands – of trees when the golf course was put in, Hlavaty said the views from the new Nordic center are phenomenal, ranging across Dillon Reservoir to the looming hulk of Buffalo Mountain.

One of the drawbacks of the new location could be a sketchy early season snow cover.

"I’m a little worried about the snow situation," she said. "It might be a little thin between Thanksgiving and Christmas."

Along with resort officials, Hlavaty has been planning the new trail layout and monitoring snow conditions for the past couple of winters. Once the snow does come, the coverage tends to remain good, Hlavaty said. The ultimate solution might be to add some snowmaking for the early season, she added.

"Each of the staff submitted 10 to 15 names," she said. "The idea was that the names should depict the difficulty."

Some of the suggestions - like "No Wimps" for one of the advanced trails - were shot down after being reviewed by corporate higher-ups, Hlavaty said with a laugh.

The center sees between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors per season, according to Hlavaty, with snowshoe enthusiasts making up about half that total. The new layout will enable the center to keep the snowshoe and X-C trails separate,

Plans for the upcoming season include plenty of special events for locals and visitors alike, along with some good season pass deals. The popular full moon and ecology tours will also be back, Hlavaty said. In fact, there will be two full moon tours this season – an easier version along the Nordic Center trails and the traditional mountaintop "hut-to-hut" trek from the Outpost back to the Summit House at the peak of Keystone Mountain.

And in case anyone was wondering, Hlavaty says the coming season should be a good one. She predicted the first snow could fall during the next 10 days.

"I hear the beavers have been really active. Some people think that means it will be an early winter," she said.

SUMMIT COUNTY SKI EXECS GIVE PEP TALK

Summit County, CO (August 21, 2000) - Some ski resort officials around Colorado may be singing the blues after a couple of years of falling skier numbers, but top execs from Summit County’s four areas were upbeat and cheerful Thursday, August 17 during a chamber of commerce lunch at Keystone.

Skier visits across the state have taken a hit recently, especially at some of the more remote destination resorts. But the four areas in Summit County – Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge and Keystone – cumulatively saw their numbers go up last winter, thanks largely to Breckenridge’s best-ever year.

In any case, it’s not just about skiing anymore, according to John Rutter, senior VP and chief operating officer at Vail-owned Keystone Resort.

"In 1995, real estate was about 2 percent of our revenue," Rutter said "Last year, it was 45 percent."

Rutter also said his resort focused on expanding its year-round business. A new golf course and an expanded conference center should help, he said, explaining that, while the skiing in the U.S. is a $2 billion industry, the conference business is $12 billion dollar industry.

In a partnership with Arapahoe Basin, Keystone is also bringing another 240 employee beds online this winter, Rutter concluded.

Copper Mountain, owned by Canadian resort giant Intrawest, is focusing on completing an extensive renovation of its main base village, said chief operating officer David Barry.

That includes 76,000-square-feet of commercial space and 228 new residential units.

Barry said Copper is also beginning to plan seriously for employee housing at the resort. He hopes to begin construction of some employee units by next summer.

Meanwhile, A-Basin is still working with federal and state regulators to bring a Forest Service-approved snowmaking system online, said Dundee Realty USA VP Greg Finch. Water quality is at issue, and despite some progress on the cleanup front, the ski area must await the outcome of a lawsuit filed in federal court seeking to overturn the Forest Service decision.

Dundee, a subsidiary of a huge Canadian real estate fir, has owned A-Basin for three years, and Finch said this past season was tough. Lack of early season snow kept the region’s oldest area from opening on time for the second year in a row.

Finally, new Breckenridge Resort Chief Roger McCarthy (interestingly, three of the four Summit County ski area execs are Canadian) told the group that the resort is working on the behind-the-scenes issues that keep the resort ticking.

"We’ve spent $8 million to buy land for parking, in town and farther north along Airport Road," he said.

The other big project is completion of the $21 million Breckenridge Terrace employee housing complex, with 350 employee beds.

And while skiers are flocking to the mountain and historic Victorian town in record numbers, guest surveys indicate some problems with service.

The resort also hopes to begin working on a terrain expansion at Peak 7 next summer.

KEYSTONE'S NEWEST NEIGHBORHOOD SELLS $25 MILLION IN JUST 45 MINUTES

Keystone, CO (August 16, 2000) - Keystone Real Estate Developments (KRED) sold $25 million of real estate in 45 minutes at the Settlers Creek sales event located at the Ski Tip Lodge in Keystone Resort. There was a strong turnout for the newest project slated for development in Keystone Resort’s newest neighborhood, Settlers Creek.

When the doors opened at 10:00 am, priority reservation holders had the opportunity to purchase one of two exclusive properties at Settlers Creek. Purchasers were able to choose from 50 mountain townhomes or 26 mountain home sites located on the eastern edge of Keystone Resort. Purchasers eagerly snatched all 26 home sites up with prices ranging from $279,900 to $624,900. Of the 50 townhomes, 23 were sold with prices ranging from $379,900 to $899,900. The average selling price was just over $635,000.

“We have had an unbelievably successful track record in selling high-end mountain resort property at Keystone,” said Peter Benson, vice president, Keystone Real Estate Developments. “With the sale of 92% of Lone Eagle in just over an hour last December, I’m not surprised by the success of Settlers Creek.”

At the heart of this new community is Minnie’s Cabin, named after C. Minot “Minnie” Dole, founder of the U.S. Ski Patrol and the Tenth Mountain Division. An intimate gathering place, the cabin includes a vintage pool table, rustic fireplace, and a game room. This rustic cabin also hosts an outdoor pool, two hot tubs, BBQ and picnic area.

Construction for the project is slated to begin in August 2000. The Settlers Creek townhomes are scheduled to open summer 2001.

Keystone Real Estate Developments is a partnership between Vail Resorts and Intrawest Corporation. Vail Resorts owns and operates Keystone, Beaver Creek, Vail and Breckenridge. Intrawest Corporation owns and operates eleven resorts across North America, including Whistler/Blackcomb, Tremblant and Stratton.

BURKE MOUNTAIN ON THE AUCTION BLOCK

East Burke, VT (August 16, 2000) - It appears that the number of Vermont ski resorts may be one fewer when the snow starts to fly this year. Burke Mountain's lender has hired The Thomas Hirchak Company to auction off the struggling ski mountain in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.

Plagued by a remote location and sparse snowmaking, the resort has changed hands several times within the past decade. Following very public financial difficulties last season, including back taxes and rental payments to condominum owners in arrears, Burke's owners, NS Vermont Inc. asked B&I Lending LLC of Atlanta to stretch their $4 million line of credit by an additional $1 million. B&I refused, then initiated foreclosure proceedings.

NS Vermont purchased Burke Mountain in 1995. The ownership group, headed by President Andy Holmes, operated the resort until this year when B&I moved to foreclose. Now that a potential purchase fell through following the July 15 expiration on a letter of intent, the 2000 vertical foot property will be sold at auction. The auction is scheduled to include the 300 owned acres of the complete 1,300-acre ski resort, including 12 resort condo buildings, building lots, base facilities, lift and snowmaking operations, and a stone house on one acre. The mountain operates the ski area via a state lease of the 1,000 acres of remaining land.

The future for ski operations at "Vermont's Northern Star" appears bleak. When contacted by First Tracks!! Online, one planned auction bidder, who prefers to remain unnamed, will move the lifts and equipment should they find themselves successful at auction. This potential buyer stated that other known bidders are thought to have the same plans for Burke's infrastructure. Such plans for Burke could leave the venerable Burke Mountain Academy without a local hill on which to train, and could leave Northeastern skiers with one fewer choice for their lift ticket dollar.

BIG MOUNTAIN ESCAPES MONTANA'S FIRES, BUT DANGER PLACES EXPANSION ON HOLD

Whitefish, MT (August 16, 2000) - Removed by about 150 miles from the forest fires raging across Montana's Bitteroot Range, Big Mountain Resort has thus far escaped the devastation facing other parts of the state. The extreme fire danger, however, has placed construction of the ski area's new lift on hold.

"We're open for business as usual," said Michael Collins, President and CEO of the ski and summer resort. "Many of the news stories have oversimplified the closures of state and federal land in certain Western Montana counties. While we are taking every precaution for safe operations, we want people to know that Big Mountain is open for all of our summer activities."

Level IV fire restrictions are in place in Flathead County, which places certain limitations on campfires, smoking, off road vehicle use and woods operations. All heavy equipment work on the new t-bar near the summit of the mountain has been halted until fire restrictions are lowered. Big Mountain is planning for the new lift (designated T-Bar-2) to be ready for the 2000-2001 winter season. It will be the mountain's 11th lift with five new intermediate level trails encompassing approximately 20 acres of terrain, as well as approximately 80 acres of gladed, north-facing terrain.

NSAA NATIONAL KIDS' SAFETY POSTER CONTEST WINNERS SHOWCASED

Lakewood, CO (August 12, 2000) - Emily Rose, a 5-year-old, who lives in Atkinson, New Hampshire, and Gregory Flynn, an 11-year-old, who lives in Edwards, Colorado, have won last winter's National Ski Areas Association's National Kids' Safety Poster Contest and will be featured in SKI magazine's September issue, page 52, which hits the newsstands on August 15. The contest, sponsored by Boeri Ski and Snowboard Helmets, called for children to create a poster related to any one of the seven points in "Your Responsibility Code." In addition to their spotlights in fame, Emily and Gregory also received Boeri helmets.

Emily was at Sunday River, Maine, in January, staying at her grandmother's quartershare hotel/condominium at the Jordan Grand Resort Hotel. The resort was promoting the contest for its guests; kids' ski safety posters were displayed all over on their windows and in the hallways. Emily's grandmother went to the front desk of the hotel to get paper and crayons, and Emily spent the evening in the condo creating her poster, which consists of daisies and the saying, "See Spring Ski Safely."

"I'm a Brownie and the first level of being a Brownie is called a Daisy. I like to draw daisies and wanted to draw something around daisies and something about spring in my poster." Emily said. She has been skiing since she was 3 years old.

Gregory participated in the poster contest through his fifth grade art class at Vail Mountain School. In October, Vail and Beaver Creek Mountain notified the school to see if they would be interested in participating; the school opened the contest for 3rd, 4th, 5th graders - 51 children participated.

NSAA Education Director Tim White is enthusiastic about the kids' safety poster contest and says the association plans to hold a similar one next season. "The poster contest is a great way to get kids thinking about slope safety. To learn how to participate next year, contact NSAA," said White.

The NSAA National Kids' Safety Poster Contest was held as part of the national "Heads Up" safety campaign. Overall, 148 posters were submitted by 26 ski areas in 15 states and one state association. The most common safety theme was "skiing in control."

MOUNTAIN HIGH ANNOUNCES NEW STAFF MEMBERS

Wrightwood, CA (August 8, 2000) - Mountain High Resort has announced appointments in resort services, the ski and snowboard school, and rental and retail operations.

Steve Beck has joined Mountain High as the area’s first Resort Services Manager. The new position was created to ensure the quality of the mountain’s guest services. Beck brings over 25 years of experience to the resort as well as a passion for mountain sports. Originally trained by Mercedes Benz, a name synonymous with quality, his education has been heightened by graduate work in communications, psychology and interpersonal relationships.

“Great service begins with attitude, attitude, attitude,” believes Steve. “Combine this with the philosophy that both guests and staff should enjoy a great experience and you have the prescription for a fantastic time.”

From training to quality control, the Resort Services Manager position will have a dramatic impact on the area’s performance and Mountain High is glad to have Steve Beck as part of the team.

On Tuesday, August 1st, Robin May accepted the position of Ski and Snowboard School Manager at Mountain High Resort. Most recently at Angel Fire, New Mexico, his 26 year teaching career includes the likes of Purgatory, Colorado, Whistler/Blackomb, British Columbia and El Colorado, Chile.

May also possesses an extensive racing and freestyle background. In the early to mid 1970’s, he raced in both pro & FIS competitions and was a member of the Professional Freestyle Association (PFA). As Ski School Director at Angel Fire, Robin focused on guest-friendly programs and streamlined teaching systems. During his 12 years as director, 11 were record seasons for the department. Now at Mountain High, Robin sees huge potential.

“I want guest service to be our first and foremost objective,” stated May. “The level of instruction is exceptional here but with several small variations, I believe we can increase both the quality of service and the retention of our students.”

Robin is also an expert in children’s programs and will be remodeling the resort’s Children’s Academy with hopes of doubling the attendance and generating more excitement for the students.

Dave Murphy, one of the region’s foremost experts in rental and retail management, has been appointed Mountain High’s new Rental & Retail Operations Manager. With over 15 years of experience at Snow Summit, California, Dave is a master at creating safe, friendly and easy-to-navigate rental shops.

This season he has redesigned both Mountain High’s East and West Rental Departments, creating a better flow that will significantly reduce transaction times. He has also filled the shops with user-friendly equipment such as the new Rossignol Accelerator snowboard, the easiest, most beginner friendly board on the market.

“Remove the hassles of renting equipment and you’ve immediately improved the guest’s experience,” states Murphy.

Looking towards the future, Dave will be directly involved with the layout and development of the rental facilities as part of the new base lodge.

DEER VALLEY'S WHEATON RECEIVES INTERMOUNTAIN SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD

Park City, UT (August 7, 2000) -- With over 30 years of ski industry expertise, Bob Wheaton currently serves as president and general manager of Deer Valley Resort. Over the years, he has made a significant impact to the ski industry and was recently given the Outstanding Contribution Award from the Intermountain Ski Areas Association (ISAA) on June 13, 2000, in West Yellowstone, Montana.

The Outstanding Contribution Award is given each year at the Spring Convention of the Intermountain Ski Areas Association. The nominees are chosen and voted upon from previous recipients of the award and it is awarded to those that have shown outstanding effort to further the sport of skiing. Since the inception of the award in 1975, there have been such recipients as Alf Engen, Nick Badami, Chick Morton, Dick Bass and Jim Sullivan, to name a few. As a special treat, the award was presented to Wheaton by Deer Valley's founder and owner, Edgar Stern.

Wheaton has been with the Resort since its inception in 1980. "I feel both privileged and honored to have been a recipient of this prestigious award," says Wheaton. "Receiving the award was especially meaningful coming from such a long list of pioneers in the ski industry."

Members of ISAA meet annually and conclude the conference with a reception to present the Outstanding Contribution, Golden Wrench and the Pioneer Awards.

In addition to his responsibilities at the Resort, Wheaton is very active in community organizations, including serving on the board of directors of The Summit Institute and serving as co-chair of the Round Table and board of directors for the Swaner Nature Preserve. He is also a member of the Executive Committee and, two-time past president of the Utah Ski Association. Wheaton is a graduate of Macomb College and has been a certified ski instructor since 1976. He currently resides just outside of Park City with his wife Marion, his son Cody and his daughter Emily.

NATIONAL MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE COMING TO COLORADO

Golden, CO (August 3, 2000) - For three days at the end of the summer, mountain enthusiasts, land planners and other interested parties will take a long, hard look at the interplay of human-powered recreation and the mountain environment.

The occasion is the first-ever National Mountain Conference, slated for Sept. 14-16 at the American Mountaineering Center and the Golden Hotel in Golden, Colorado. After two days of presentations and round-table discussions, participants will make a day-long field trip to Breckenridge and Vail Pass.

The conference will bring together professionals and experienced volunteers in the areas of mountain resource management, outdoor recreation, ecological research, and environmental protection. Among the topics are the rapid urbanization and suburbanization of mountain communities, fragmentation of wildlife habitat, air and water quality issues and public land management and access issues. The conference is one of the first attempts to address these issues on a national level.

Among the top-notch lineup of speakers are noted author Edwin Bernbaum who will deliver the keynote address to open the proceedings, and Dave Foreman, of the Wildlands Project, who will help wrap up the conference by issuing a call to action for a proactive strategy for mountain stewardship.

The sponsoring organizations include the American Alpine Club, the American Hiking Society, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Colorado Mountain Club and the Mountaineers.

The aim of the conference is to unite the human-powered outdoor recreation community in protecting the mountain environment and ensuring public access and to identify the most critical mountain stewardship issues for the next decade, said Lloyd Athearn, deputy director of the American Alpine Club.

Athearn said the impetus for this national symposium came as discussions among various mountain groups triggered a recognition that the debate on mountain conservation has recently been dominated to some degree by extreme points of view – professional environmental groups on the one side, and motorized recreation groups on the other.

"If you back and look at the origins of the Wilderness Act in the 1960s, it was climbers and hikers who advocated protection," Athearn said. "Now, the debate has become polarized," he added, explaining that it’s time to find some common ground somewhere in the middle.

"There’s a feeling among some of the mountain clubs that maybe we’re being out-yelled," Athearn said. With rapid population growth and increasing demands for mountain recreation, Athearn said it’s time to focus on stewardship. "We need to figure out how we can be better stewards and how to inculcate leave no trace ethics," he said.

At a different level, the conference could also help unify the outdoor clubs throughout the country, leading toward a national political consensus in what Athearn called the "unsexy middle." Such a broad-based coalition could leverage the political clout of local groups into a more influential political voice at the national level.

Learning about the different issues in various regions will help local groups put their issues into context. And the conference will even have an international angle, with a Canadian park superintendent and a representative from the World Commission on Protected areas on hand to offer their perspectives.

And the issues do vary even within the U.S. Athearn said. In the Northeast, for example, large tracts of forest are in the hands of private lumber companies that have permitted recreation on their lands. Now, Athearn said, some of those companies are finding that it’s more profitable to sell the land for development – which raises a new set of issues for recreation and conservation groups.

Sessions during the conference will include topics like "Ski Area and Four Season Development in Mountain Areas," moderated by Breckenridge open space and trails planner Heide Andersen, and the "Suburbanization of Mountain Regions - Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities," moderated by Andy Falender of the Appalachian Mountain Club.

The conference is open to the general public but attendance will be limited to 300, so sign up soon to reserve a spot. The cost for the two-day session in Golden is $90, which includes box lunches and a reception Thursday evening. The field trip costs an extra $25.

For detailed information and to sign up, visit www.nationalmtnconference.org. Or contact conference coordinator Melissa Hovey, c/o AMC Research Dept., PO Box 298, Gorham, NH 03581; phone: (603) 466-2721 x184; fax: (603) 466-2822; e-mail: melhov@landmarknet.net.

BIG MOUNTAIN GETS BIGGER, HOSTS U.S. ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Whitefish, MT (August 3, 2000) - The Big Mountain Ski & Summer Resort has received permission from both the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to move forward with the construction of a new T-bar lift and associated ski trails on the upper east mountain. Big Mountain will begin construction on the new lift (designated T-Bar-2) this week with plans to be ready for the 2000-2001 winter season. Work should be completed by mid-October and T-bar will be the mountain’s 11th lift.

This is a continuation of ski area expansion as approved in The Flathead National Forest 1995 Record of Decision and most recently determined by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as not likely to adversely affect the Canadian Lynx.

“We’re excited to get going on this project,” said Michael Collins, president and CEO of the resort. “With its location near the top of the mountain, the new terrain should offer excellent skiing and snowboarding opportunities both early and late in the season. I think our guests will be very pleased with this new planned offering.”

Five new intermediate level trails encompassing approximately 20 acres will be cut on the southern exposure above Russ's Street and the Evan's Heaven area. The T-bar will also provide access to north facing expert terrain that includes gladed, powder runs through a big timber forest.

The new T-bar lift is approximately 1500 feet long, rising 400 vertical feet and will have a 3- minute ride time. The lower terminal will be located adjacent to the Russ's Street ski trail, and the top terminal will be on the ridge separating the North Bowl ski terrain and Chair 7 terrain.

In other news at Big Mountain, the resort will step into the international spotlight this March, playing host to the Chevy Truck U.S. Alpine Championships -- the final national championship before the 2002 Olympic season. The Mar. 23-28 event will draw all of the top U.S. Ski Team racers along with over 250 athletes from U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) racing clubs from around the USA.

“Whitefish is a great ski community and we’re very excited to bring this marquee event to Big Mountain,” said USSA Vice President of Athletics Alan Ashley. “The U.S. Championships are an important athletic event, but also an opportunity to really showcase our sport. It’s a great chance for the local community to get close to the same ski racing stars who will be in the Olympic starting gate 10 months later.”

“We’re delighted to host this prestigious racing event at Big Mountain,” added Collins. “Just as the founders of Big Mountain and the townspeople of Whitefish opened their doors to the racers and their families when we first hosted this event more than fifty years ago, our staff and the Whitefish community will again do the same. We’re excited for the racers and visitors to enjoy our great mountain, terrific skiing and the best of Montana hospitality.”

In the 68-year history of the event, Big Mountain hosted the national championship twice, once in 1949 and again in 1951. Toni Matt, famous for schussing the Tuckerman’s Ravine Headwall in 1939 in record time and who founded Big Mountain’s ski school in 1948, laid out the original downhill course. In those days, the course was foot-packed by school children and gates were hand-made from saplings. Due to lack of space in the original ski lodge, townspeople volunteered to house visiting racers for free.

The U.S. Championships were held at Jackson Hole, Wyoming last season.

The Championships will open with men’s and women’s downhills on Mar.23, followed by super G, giant slalom and slalom. A combined title is awarded to the top skiers among all four events. In addition to top U.S. racers, the event is sanctioned by the International Ski Federation and open to foreign skiers, as well. The “Return of the Champions” race will be held as past U.S. Ski Team champions compete against each other and present-day Team members.

The Championships will be televised nationally by ESPN.

For more information on the 2000 U.S. Championships, you can visit both www.usskiteam.com and www.skiwhitefish.com.

The preliminary events schedule is as follows. More details will be announced:

Mar. 23         Men’s and Women’s DH
Mar. 24         Women’s SG
Mar. 25         Men’s SG
Mar. 26         Women’s GS
Mar. 27         Men’s GS
Mar. 28         Men’s and Women’s SL

HARALD HARB SIGNS FOUR-BOOK DEAL

New York, NY (June 27,2000) - Regular readers of First Tracks!! Online may know Harald Harb from his guest appearance last season in our Ask the Experts series in our Chat Room, or from the regular contributions he makes to our Ski Instruction section. Hatherleigh Press, a rapidly growing publishing and media company based in Long Island City, New York, has announced that it has signed on Harb, skiing innovator and pioneer of ski instruction, to author a four book series on skiing technique. The ski books are part of a sports-specific instruction series called Anyone Can Be an Expert. Videos are planned as well. Harb has developed a unique method of ski instruction called the Primary Movements Teaching System (PMTS) which promises to accelerate an individual’s ability to ski all types of terrains and conditions. Harb directs his students into linked parallel turns from the very beginning of instruction. New advances in ski technology, specifically shaped skis, enable students to gain confidence and skill at an accelerated pace. Aptly, Harb calls his method "The New Way to Ski". Harb, a former coach of the United States National Ski Team which included Olympic medallist Tommy Moe, has been involved in the ski industry for his entire career. He began at age 17 when he skied with the Alberta Ski Team. From 1969 – 1971 Harb raced with the Canadian National Ski Team. He spent the next 20 years coaching and directing racing programs. Since then he has devoted himself to teaching both novice and expert skiers alike with his PMTS method. Look for the first book in the series, Anyone Can Be an Expert Skier, in bookstores and ski shops in October 2000. Watch also for future collaboration between Harb and First Tracks!! Online!

MIDWAY AIRLINES ANNOUNCES NON-STOP SERVICE TO STEAMBOAT

Raleigh-Durham, NC (August 3, 2000) - This winter season, Midway Airlines will offer non-stop service twice per week from its Raleigh-Durham hub into the Yampa Valley Regional Airport in Hayden, Colorado. Connections will be available from many other cities serviced by Midway.

The new air service will begin on December 19th and operate through March 31, 2001. The Midway flight (JI720) will depart from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) at 10:30am arriving in Hayden (HDN) at 12:30pm. The return departure at 2:00pm of this flight (JI911) arrives in Raleigh-Durham at 7:30pm.

This non-stop flight, utilizing a 737-700 aircraft, opens up convenient one-stop connections from many East Coast cities, including Boston, Washington DC, Charleston, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, New Orleans, Louisville, Indianapolis, Ft. Lauderdale, Columbus and Buffalo to name a few. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is located approximately 17 miles west of downtown Raleigh, 17 miles southeast of downtown Durham, and 23 miles from Chapel Hill.

Midway Airlines prides itself on providing signature amenities such as leather seats, extra legroom, hot towels, mints, and better snacks on flights. With an average aircraft age of 2.4 years, Midway Airlines boasts one of the newest all jet fleets in the industry. The airline is ranked as one of the nation's best airlines in the acclaimed Zagat survey of U. S. airline passengers.

The Midway flight is currently available for sale in computerized reservations systems and should appear in other airline computer reservations shortly - including the First Tracks!! Online Discount Travel Center.

Steamboat’s Direct Flight Program continues to offer the widest variety of carriers and points of origin servicing a Colorado ski resort community. Steamboat features scheduled jet service from Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark, Raleigh-Durham and St. Louis. All flights arrive at Hayden, just 22 miles/35kms from the ski area.

	Fiscal Year Ending
Revenues Net Income(Loss) Income(Loss) Per Common Share Weighted Average Shares Skier Visits	5/31/00 $15,173,467 $1,497,980 $1.49 1,008,368 285,681	5/31/99 $12,588,328 $(437,309) $( 0.43) 1,008,368 222,355

PRESS RELEASES & NEWS FLASHES

August, 2000

INDEX

COLORADO DEALS TARGET DESTINATION VISITORS