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 Cascade Mountain, WI

Cascade Mountain has begun the first phase of a three-phase expansion. The resort plans to invest $9 million before the 2016-17 season on two new Leitner-Poma lifts, snowmaking, main lodge expansion, and more. A high-speed quad will replace an existing fixed-grip quad and extend 270 yards longer than the previous lift. It will transport up to 2,400 skiers per hour and serve two new trails. A new fixed-grip quad will access five new intermediate and novice trails, bringing the trail count to 43 and helping to balance a trail system that is heavy in expert terrain. This will ease slope crowding on peak days and accommodate any increase in overall visits. The combo of the new lifts and trails (see blue shaded areas in illustration, right) and future plans required redoing the primary electric and secondary metering, going from one metering station to 21 stations, decreasing demand charges and increasing flexibility and stability at the resort. Every new trail will have snowmaking, covered by 80 new snow guns consisting of a mix of sticks, tower fans, and ground guns. Five miles of pipe and electric conduit is being installed to supply and power the new guns, along with three new 400 hp pumps and upgraded electrical service and drives in its existing pump house. This will increase pumping capacity 50 percent, from 5,600 gpm to 8,400 gpm.

Wilmot, WI

New owner Vail Resorts is investing $13 million in this 75-year-old ski area, with improvements running the gamut of on-hill infrastructure, new facilities, and base lodge renovation. New lifts include three Doppelmayr fixed grip quads, two Magic Carpet conveyors, and one rope tow, which will be custom built at sister resort Afton Alps, Minn. Combined, these will increase uphill capacity by 45 percent. The chairlifts are replacing older lifts, but only one will follow the existing line. Another is replacing two old double chairs, and will adopt a new alignment and grading to improve skier flow and terrain access. Also with access and flow in mind, a third new chair will be built along a slightly different alignment than the chair it’s replacing. The Magic Carpets will serve the beginner area, and the high-speed rope tow will provide access to the terrain park. Older lifts are being retrofitted to improve operational efficiency, and one is getting new chairs. The new lifts require significant electrical infrastructure upgrades; as part of that work, Wilmot is replacing existing overhead power lines with underground lines. This allows the resort to expand the size of its learning terrain and make it more accessible. The learning area itself is a major focus for the capital investment, both on-hill and off. Previously, the resort lacked a dedicated facility for ski school participants, namely kids. No longer: a state-of-the-art building adjacent to the learning hill will house a lunch room, break room, and a large open area for play. The learning terrain itself is being regraded to eliminate an existing double fall line and create a more consistent slope.

Copper Mountain, CO

In an effort to mitigate the local affordable housing crisis, Copper Mountain is developing Copper Point Townhomes, a deed-restricted workforce housing project in the resort’s East Village. The Summit County Planning Department and Ten Mile Planning Commission unanimously approved the project in March. After breaking ground in May, rain, snow, and cold hobbled progress, requiring every party involved—civil engineers, Summit County government, local utility services, and construction crews—to adapt and be flexible. Still, developers plan to have the first homes ready for occupancy in December 2016. The goal of the project is to provide affordable, permanent residences for members of the Summit County workforce, with units in the development selling for, on average, no more than 110 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Building design was done by Arapahoe Architects, P.C., of Breckenridge, Colo. The project encompasses 15 two-bedroom, two-bath townhomes with an oversized one-car garage per unit. The development site consists of three triplex and three duplex townhome buildings, plus a community shed and shared lawn area for outdoor gatherings.

Mad River Mountain, OH

After losing its base lodge to a fire last September and operating out of temporary Sprung Structures this past winter, Mad River Mountain broke ground on a new $6.5 million, 46,000-square-foot base lodge in May. A local company, Thomas and Marker Construction, is handling design and construction. The new facility will be nearly double the size of the old lodge and enable the ski area to consolidate from four base area buildings down to two, the rental shop being the other. Administrative offices, ski and snowboard school, patrol, lockers, and all other skier services aside from rentals will now be under one roof. The new lodge will house an 800-seat dining area and a second floor bar with seating for more than 300. Locating skier services in more convenient locations is expected to improve guest flow and operational efficiency. The F&B operation will offer greater variety and also become more efficient; the expanded kitchen includes a separate area dedicated to serving the second floor bar, to keep up with demand there. Another efficiency: Low-flow restroom fixtures will consume far less water than the old fixtures, which means the current water and septic infrastructure is sufficient to handle any increase in guest numbers. Guests will recognize some familiar characteristics from the old facility, including a cathedral-style ceiling with open beams on the second floor, along with stained glass windows akin to those of the former Loft Bar. Construction is scheduled to be complete by Nov. 1, 2016.

Whitetail, PA

After three years of gathering guest feedback on its base lodge, Whitetail broke ground on an $8.5 million, 31,000-square-foot expansion designed to deliver what guests want: increased seating capacity for sit-down meals and more diverse food options, with a greater level of service. To those ends, the revamped lodge will include a new 180-seat brick oven pizzeria, a 150-seat expanded café, and a 300-seat full service restaurant on the second floor. The expansion also creates a multi-use facility that will better serve the resort’s growing wedding and banquet business. The second floor restaurant can convert into a formal dining room, doubling the current event space. Landscaping around the expansion will create a venue where outdoor wedding ceremonies can be held. Mother Nature slowed the initial phase of construction, as an especially wet spring put the project about a week behind schedule. With a Nov. 15 deadline for substantial completion, the resort had some of the building’s walls constructed off-site in advance. This will allow a crane to set the walls very quickly once the structural steel is in place. To keep costs in check, the resort is handling the interior construction of the basement areas, which will include changing areas, locker rooms, childcare, restrooms, and food and beverage dry and cold storage. Whitetail is also managing the overall construction in lieu of hiring an outside company to do so.