Newly-expanded RED bracing for a huge season
By Arlen MacLaine
RED Mountain Resort is gearing up for what looks to be an unprecedented year. The resort has been undergoing a huge expansion, hoping to draw destination visitors to the area and so far, the strategy seems to be working. The installation of the Grey Lift has turned the ski and snowboard world’s gaze towards Red and Rossland–and the proof is in the–not pudding–but bookings.
“Right now, our bookings at the Resort are up over 50% compared to this time last year,” said Nicole Briggs, head of Marketing and Events at RED. “It is shaping up to be a really good year.
What is sure to add to all the buzz surrounding Red is the upcoming ski movie Way of Life, by Teton Gravity Research (TGR). The film features RED and Rossland and is garnering a lot of attention. Red Mountain Resort has partnered up with TGR, to be onsite where the film is being premiered. In case you’re curious, the film will be premiering in Rossland November 7th, at Red Mountain, with an after party following at Rafters.
“TGR is one of the best film companies in the world,” said Briggs. “We’ve had our people at the premiers in other locations, and the response has been amazing. Everyone has been talking about RED and Rossland.”
As if a lift up Grey wasn’t enough new in-bounds terrain to attract more visitors, the cat that serviced Grey last year has been given a new lease on life and will running along White Wolf Ridge. It will be structured similarly to how it was last season, with the pickup area in the same place, and first come-first serve rides at 10 dollars a pop.
“We are also introducing the ‘3 pack’ this season, which will replace the old Vertical Value Card. It is a fabulous local product that is the best deal out there,” said Briggs.
Buying a ‘3 pack’ grants the purchaser 3 non-consecutive days of shredding, usable any day the hill is open, for the bargain price of $149. Once purchased, there is no activation required, and you can head right to the lift. The passes will only be sold at community events around the area, and the offer runs until December 20th. When and where they will be available is TBD at this point.
RED will also be playing host to a couple of large race events, including a Van Houtte FIS series race in February, featuring slalom and giant slalom events. When it comes to entertainment, the hill has once again partnered with SkullCandy to put on a concert series, which brought a number of DJs and other acts to Rafters last year.
All signs point to a big 2013/2014 season up at RED. The Grey Lift is scheduled to open on December 14th, but if we’re fortunate enough to get some early season snow, the rest of the mountain could open earlier.
So make sure you pray and give your offerings to Ullr! And make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action this winter.
CORRECTION: This article originally stated that booking were up by 200%. The actual figure is 50% and the story has been amended to reflect this fact.
