Winter Storm Blankets Snow Across Vail Resorts' Three Mountain Regions

Mother Nature Scores a Hat Trick in Colorado, Utah and Lake Tahoe

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Nov 11, 2015, 03:26 ET

On Veterans Day, snow blankets the 10th Mountain Division Soldier Statue in Vail, Colorado. It pays tribute to the 18,000 brave soldiers who trained for the U.S. Army in harsh mountain conditions in nearby Camp Hale in preparation for alpine battle during World War II.

An early season storm blankets the Orange Bubble Express at Park City, which will open Saturday, Nov. 21, as the largest ski resort in the U.S.

Early season snow blankets Heavenly, which will open six days ahead of its originally scheduled opening. Heavenly, in addition to Northstar and Kirkwood, have already received about three feet of snow this pre-season.

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BROOMFIELD, Colo., Nov. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Another in a series of intense winter storms will make for this season's first hat trick for skiers across Colorado, Utah and Lake Tahoe, where some of the most popular ski resorts are opening at a record pace.

"This early-November storm is taking a perfect path across the western U.S., dropping snow on most major mountain ranges, including Tahoe, northern Utah, and most of Colorado," notes Joel Gratz, founding meteorologist at OpenSnow.com. "This storm has pushed the snowpack above average for Tahoe and will increase the already above-average snowpack in much of Colorado."

This is great news for the ski industry as resorts open across the country; here's how this storm has impacted resorts in each state:

California

This storm has had its biggest impact in the Lake Tahoe area, where Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood will all open on Saturday, November 14 – six days ahead of originally-scheduled opening days for the Best of Tahoe resorts.

All three resorts each have already received about three feet of snow overall this pre-season, including six additional inches from this past storm and more than two feet at Kirkwood's summit. Mother Nature's work combined with around-the-clock operation from the West Coast's two largest snowmaking systems at Heavenly and Northstar has set up a trifecta of the best snow surface conditions in Lake Tahoe. Kirkwood will be the first resort in the region to open with expert terrain.

Utah

Also celebrating eight inches of fresh snow, Park City will open Saturday, Nov. 21 – debuting this season as the largest ski resort in the U.S. Park City is transforming the mountain experience this season with over $50 million in resort improvements to link Park City and nearby Canyons and form one, 7,300-acre resort. The improvements, including the new Quicksilver Gondola and Miners Camp Restaurant, will be complete in time for the 2015 Christmas Holiday. Track Park City's progress at parkcitymountain.com.

Colorado

Winter weather continued in Colorado, blanketing Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone, with nearly 10 inches of Colorado's famous powder. Skiers and snowboarders are celebrating Keystone, which opened for the season last week; and Breckenridge, which is busily preparing to open Friday, Nov. 13. Vail is scheduled to open Friday, Nov. 20; Beaver Creek opens just before Thanksgiving, on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

BROLL & PHOTO ALERT: Broadcast quality photos and video from this storm can be downloaded at https://vailresorts.box.com/SnowBRoll. Please credit Vail Resorts.

Vail Resorts' Epic Pass grants skiers and snowboarders unlimited, unrestricted access to these snowy western destinations. It's the only pass granting its holder the true flexibility to ski as much as they want, whenever they want, and to chase the powder as it moves across the U.S. At $809, the Epic Pass pays for itself in less than five days of skiing or riding. With more than 32,000 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain, this pass can't be beat. It features unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Perisher in Australia for the 2016 season there; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and up to five free consecutive days when staying at in-resort accommodations at Verbier, Switzerland. No restricted dates. A child pass (ages five to 12) is $419. The last day to purchase an Epic Pass is Nov. 22, 2015.

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)

Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. The Company's subsidiaries operate nine world-class mountain resorts and two urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Perisher in Australia; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. The Company owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.