Document text
Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 17, 2006 Noah Thompson, 7, hit the slopes Sunday, adding to the multitude of Mount Ashland skiers and snowboarders who found the resort to their liking this season. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Closing day a big one for Mt. Ashland Six inches of fresh snow made for a busy day at the ski and snowboarding resort and drew an estimated 1,300 winter sport enthusiasts By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune MOUNT ASHLAND — The last day of ski season felt more like opening day. Six inches of fresh, cold, dry snow greeted skiers and snowboarders who flocked Sunday to Mount Ashland for one last day of winter fun. The new snow drew a crowd estimated at 1,300 people — enough to fill both parking lots and make a line of cars and trucks down the road for several hundred feet. "I’ve been skiing here since I was a kid and I don’t ever remember a closing day being this nice," said Todd Evans of Medford, a skier for 30-some winters. "Everybody’s in such a great mood." Skiers and snowboarders said the mountain’s 42nd season will be remembered for abundant snow that just kept on coming. "This was the year of endless winter as far as I can see," said Judy Allen of Ashland. "We skied a lot and every time we came it was a winter day." Advertisement The mountain had more than 10 feet of snow at the lodge and 15 feet at its 7,500-foot summit as it closed the books on its 42nd season. In many winters the snow is fading fast by mid-April, and ski area managers traditionally close after the second weekend of April because many skiers’ interests turn to other activities as winter turns to spring. This winter’s surfeit of snow prompted mountain managers to extend the season for an additional weekend, but blizzard-like conditions made Saturday a good day to stay home. Sunday’s fresh powder made it easy to think winter might go on forever. "How can you end the season on a day like this?" said Ray Redpath, Allen’s husband. Skiers and boarders had a 116-day season for the winter of 2005-06, just one day less than the 117-day average for the past six years. Stormy weather forced mountain managers to close the Ariel chairlift on a number of days. "It was a good year for people who have been skiing for a few years and have the winter-weather gear to endure high winds and cool temperatures," said Rick Saul, marketing director. Saul estimated attendance for the season at about 88,500 skier visits, a tally based on counting cars in the parking lot. In years past mountain managers used a formula based on estimated number of visits by each season pass holder as part of the process for calculating total visits. Saul said this season’s attendance would be about 100,600 under the old counting method. That tally should allow the ski area to earn "a small profit" for the season, Saul said, but final financial figures for the season won’t be calculated until after advance sales for next year’s season passes finish (on April 30) and end-of-season closing costs are tallied. He said the ski area’s July 1-to-June 30 budget year makes advance season-pass sales for next winter part of this year’s income. Sale-price passes will cost adult skiers and snowboarders 50 percent more next season. Saul said ski area managers decided to raise the early season sale price of an adult pass for the 2006-07 season to $299, the first increase since the early-season discount was offered in the spring of 2001. "The revenue we had coming in was not keeping up with the expenses," Saul said. Season pass prices for adults will rise to $399 in the fall and $499 on Oct. 23. Saul said the ski area will likely spend some of this season’s profits on new grooming equipment to provide smoother skiing and snowboarding on some of the steeper slopes. The mountain’s present fleet of groomers can’t climb the steep pitches of slopes such as Pistol and upper Juliet and upper Tempest. "We realize we need to make some investment in our grooming," he said. "The new cats are superior climbers," he said. They can make a huge difference." The diehards who closed out the season on Sunday hope next winter will be a repeat performance. "It was an incredible year," said Alex Georgevitch of Ashland. "Here we are getting fresh powder on April 16." Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or by e-mail: Closing day a big one for Mt. Ashland ">[email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Hammocks Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Email Security Advertisement s Advertisement