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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mt. Ashland Ski Area visits surge ... Feds seek forfeiture of guns and money tied to pot operation ... Two weekend tool thefts rack up $35,000 price tag ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area visits surge ... Feds seek forfeiture of guns and money tied to pot operation ... Two weekend tool thefts rack up $35,000 price tag ... SKIING Mt. Ashland Ski Area visits surge Ski area has almost hit last year's total By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jan. 4, 2016 @ 1:57 pm By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jan. 4, 2016 @ 1:57 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> At three weeks into the season, the Mt. Ashland Ski Area has already had almost as many skiers and snowboarders visit the mountain as it had all of last winter. High visitation during the Christmas and New Year's holiday period pushed visits to 17,325 by the end of the day Sunday, said Hiram Towle, general manager for the ski area. That compares to 18,138 for all of last winter, when the ski area was able to operate only 38 days because of low snow. The ski area had zero visitors two years ago because it remained closed due to a lack of snow, he said. The ski area opened Dec. 14 this winter and had operated 17 days as of Sunday, Towle said. "We've had incredible conditions and pent-up demand," he said. The ski area had 57 inches of snow on the lower mountain and 91 inches on the upper mountain as of Monday morning. On Monday of this week, the ski area launched its Carload Mondays program, in which up to seven legally seatbelted occupants of a vehicle can get lift tickets for $99 total. Divided among seven passengers, that works out to $14.14 per lift ticket. Adult all-day lift tickets are regularly $39 on weekdays and $46 on weekends and holidays. Youth all-day lift tickets are $29 on weekdays and $36 on weekends and holidays. People who want to take advantage of the Carload Mondays deal should meet with a ski area parking lot employee upon arrival for verification of the number of people in the vehicle, Towle said. Meanwhile, 2015 closed with the nonprofit ski area receiving $408,000 in donations toward a fundraising campaign goal of $650,000 for the year. The ski area is continuing to accept donations, Towle said. He said the fundraising goal was ambitious, and he is pleased with the results for 2015. "It was quite a reach. But the reality is that the money that was raised has been put to great use," Towle said. Ski area officials had hoped to raise $350,000 to fund repairs, maintenance and other work, plus $300,000 for operating expenses. With the money it received from the fundraiser, the ski area has tackled maintenance, repair and improvement projects. A plan to expand the ski area is on indefinite hold. The Mt. Ashland Association, which runs the ski area, is instead focused on spending the next five years investing in lodge improvements, grooming machines, lift improvements and other maintenance and improvements for the existing ski area. During January, the ski area is celebrating national Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month with a promotion. Anyone who buys a lesson package and brings a friend will receive 50 percent off the friend's package cost. The promotion does not apply to the My Turn Program — which includes three days of lift tickets, rentals, lessons and other benefits for $124 — because that program is already heavily discounted, Towle said. On Friday, the ski area invites beginner skiers and snowboarders to try and break a Guinness Book of World Records mark by taking part in a free group lesson at 10 a.m. The Mt. Ashland Ski Area is teaming up with more than 160 ski areas to try and set a record for the largest multi-venue ski and snowboard lesson ever taught. Lift tickets and rentals are not included in the free lesson. For more information about the ski area, see www.mtashland.com . Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jan. 4, 2016 @ 1:57 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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