RCR Sells Part Ownership In Lake Louise

RCR Sells Part Ownership In Lake Louise; Locke Buys Back In
By Becky Lomax
Source: Mountain News Corporation - Industry Report

Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) has sold part of the Lake Louise Ski Resort in Alberta back to former owner Charlie Locke, The Industry Report has learned.

Papers were signed in late October, Matt Mosteller, Vice President of Business Development for RCR, told the IR today. The agreement transferred 50 percent of the ownership from RCR to Locke, who will assume the role of managing partner for Lake Louise.

“For me, this is not so much a business decision as a return to a fundamental passion,” said Locke in a written statement. “My family and I are very excited about getting back to the mountains and reinvesting our energies to ensure Lake Louise continues to be Canada’s favorite ski resort.”

Locke originally invested in Lake Louise Resort in 1974 and helped finance many of its first lifts. He bought into full ownership in 1981, running the resort as its sole owner for 20 years. Locke, who gained a legendary reputation for pioneering climbing routes in the Canadian Rockies, built his fortune through gas and oil leases and added Fernie, Kimberley, Mont Saint Anne, and Stoneham to his portfolio under the RCR umbrella.

RCR shifted ownership in 2001. Murray Edwards, RCR chairman, purchased a 50 percent interest in the company and paid off the balance in 2003, which transferred sole ownership of Lake Louise to RCR. Locke retired from the ski business, but continued ranching, real estate, resources, and recreation investments in The Locke Stock & Barrel Company, his holding company.

The new partnership between Locke and RCR will operate Lake Louise under a new company—The Lake Louise Ski Area Ltd. The resort will operate independently of, but associated with, RCR.

"Charlie will handle the day-to-day operations of the resort," Mosteller told the IR. "The partnership was the right thing for us to do and the right thing for Charlie."

Locke intends to invest additional resources in the resort. Initiatives high on Locke's to-do list include a focus on customer service, full dedication to snowmaking and high-quality grooming, and enhanced après ski options.

“We understand that it’s about the whole experience, and we’re committed to making sure skiers and snowboarders, kids, families, and young adults have the best time possible on the snow and after,” said Locke. “In addition to reintroducing a quality terrain park with all varieties of features, we’re also looking at more dining options, events, and entertainment.”

The shift in ownership will have no impact on 2008-09 ski products or rates. All multi-resort passes will have the same skiing and boarding privileges as before.

Whistler Blackcomb OPEN 2008

WHISTLER MOUNTAIN OPENED TODAY: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26 2008!
Blackcomb Mountain will follow tomorrow, Thursday, November 27

Whistler Blackcomb officials have announced that Whistler Mountain will open early on Wednesday, November 26. Whistler Mountain will open for daily operations with access to Emerald Express, Big Red Express and Franz’s Chair via the Whistler Village Gondola. On Thursday, the Creekside Gondola will open for the American Thanksgiving weekend, providing access to Whistler Mountain from the Creekside Base.

Blackcomb Mountain will join Whistler Mountain on the official opening day Thursday, November 27, with access to Solar Coaster Express, Jersey Cream Express and Catskinner Express. The Wizard Chair, Excalibur Gondola and Excelerator Chair will operate through the weekend for uploading.

“We’ve been blasting every snow gun on the two mountains to add to what Mother Nature has deposited in the past few weeks,” says Jodie McCutcheon, Whistler Blackcomb snowmaking manager. “Grooming staff have been working to manicure the snow to make for some great corduroy skiing and riding on opening weekend.”

Guest Relations in Whistler Village is currently open from 10am to 6pm. On Wednesday the village ticket windows and Village Guest Relations will be open from 8am to 7pm to assist guests. On Thursday, November 27, Creekside Guest Relations and Blackcomb Daylodge Guest Relations will open from 8am. Lift ticket pricing will be $55 on opening day.

“The 2008/2009 season is finally upon is, and we’re gearing up for Whistler Blackcomb’s most exciting season yet,” says Stuart Rempel, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Whistler Blackcomb. “With the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola grand opening set for December 12, and the one year countdown to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games taking place in February, we’re thrilled to kick this season off and start skiing!”

Guests should be aware that early season conditions apply and caution should be exercised. Terrain is recommended for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders and guests should stay within the ski area boundary, ski and ride with care and obey all mountain signage.

The Snowphone will be updated five times daily. Reach the Snowphone by calling 604.932.4211 in Whistler, 604.687.7507 in Vancouver or toll-free at 1.800.766.0449. Reporting information such as new snow, mountain temperatures, wind speed and snow conditions; these are the most up to day sources of current conditions on the mountains.

Be sure to book your accommodation, lift tickets, rentals, transfers, tours and more through rocky-peak Ski Holidays!

Jasper Marmot Basin - OPEN NOVEMBER 15 2008!

Jasper Marmot Basin ski area is open today, Saturday, November 15th!

This is the earliest opening date ever for Jasper Marmot Basin.

The "Eagle Express" high speed quad chairlift is operating and one intermediate run, "Tranquilizer", will open today with more runs in the lower area expected to open the following weekend. "Tranquilizer" is the most popular intermediate run in the lower portion of the mountain and has a vertical drop of almost 1,000 feet.

Marmot has received 60 cm of natural snowfall on the mountain so far this season. Lift ticket rates for opening weekend are reduced by 50% to $33.31 plus GST for adults, $26.67 plus GST for youth, students and seniors and $11.91 + GST for children 12 and under.

Coming 2009 – 2010 Season:

Longest High-speed Quad detachable chairlift in the Alberta Rockies!

The new chairlift being installed at Marmot Basin will be the largest and most significant ski area development in Alberta for 2009-2010 and will be the longest, high speed quad detachable chairlift in the Alberta Canadian Rockies. The chairlift will completely change the face of Marmot Basin providing a breathtaking improvement to the overall skier experience. The new lift is 2.3 km long and whisks skiers and riders up to 2,000 vertical feet in only 7.5 minutes. Lift lines will virtually be eliminated, meaning less waiting and more slope time.

Ski Holidays Canada has information on Jasper Marmot Basin.  Book your ski holiday in Canada now!

Sunshine Village Open 2008

Sunshine Village is open, with a rockin’ 60-cm base of pure, natural snow!

Date: November 13 2008

It’s early-season conditions. The Strawberry lift will open at 9 a.m., and two quads – WaWa and Standish – will be in operation by noon. Guests are advised to ski and ride with care, because terrain will be somewhat limited and there may be some natural unmarked hazards.

More runs are expected open Saturday, as crews finish preparing runs. Early season discounts apply, with Friday’s rate at $55.95, plus GST.

It’s also a great time to stay on the mountain, at Banff’s only ski-in, ski-out hotel. The Sunshine Mountain Lodge, formally know as the Sunshine Inn is offering discounted rates, with packages starting at $139 per person including next day skiing. Some restrictions apply. Please contact rocky-peak Ski Holidays for details.

You can call Sunshine Village's 24-hour snow phone at 403-760-SNOW (403-760-7669).

Information provided by Sunshine Village.

Banff Lake Louise OPEN

Banff-Lake Louise Resorts will be First to Open in Canada - NOVEMBER 8 2008!

BANFF, Alberta, Canada

Mt. Norquay and Lake Louise Ski Area will be the first two ski resorts to open in Canada! Both openings on Saturday 8th November will see lifts start at 9am, benefitting from the recent snowfall on Canada’s Protected Playground, Banff National Park.

The high speed Glacier Express Quad Chair and the Wiwaxy run at Lake Louise, and the Cascade Lift and Speculation run at Mt. Norquay will be open for skiers and riders to hit the earliest snow in Canada. The three resorts of Banff-Lake Louise; Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Area and Sunshine Village, enjoyed another 11cms of snow in the last 48 hours. With more winter weather in the forecast, there will be extra terrain opening soon, and Sunshine Village is scheduled to open on 14th November.

“We’re very excited to have our world’s finest resorts opening! In Banff National Park we’re lucky to have such great snow and the teams at Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village have been working hard to ensure the mountains are ready”, said Dan Markham of Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine. “Being the first resorts to open in Canada, we hope the world will join us in shaking off the summer rust and kicking off a great season.”

Mt. Norquay’s opening, earlier than predicted, will enable skiers and riders to hit the snow for weekends only while staff prepare the resort for full opening on 5th December. Both resorts are offering discounted lift tickets to help skiers and riders get the first runs for less. Please see the rates below.

The dependable snow conditions from mid November to May are why Lake Louise hosts the first Men’s and Women’s World Cup races of the year – the only Canadian stop on the World Cup circuit. This years Men’s races will be held on 29th to 30th November, and the Women’s on 5th to 7th December. The International Ski Federation (FIS) last month recommended Lake Louise to host the races until at least 2011, showing confidence in the resort’s performance on the world stage.

Lake Louise is Canada’s largest single ski area with 4,200 acres of skiable terrain and over 3,000 feet of vertical. With unparalleled skiing and riding in an unsurpassed setting, Lake Louise’s beautiful terrain is both vast and varied. Its unique layout of beginner, intermediate and advanced runs down from every chair means groups of all abilities can ski or ride together and, combined with challenging and remote bowls, chutes and glades, Lake Louise is a favourite for snow-lovers across the world.

Family-friendly Mt. Norquay offers outstanding conditions to beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. Since its opening in 1926, Norquay is the local’s gem. Offering the only night skiing in Banff-Lake Louise, including a fully lit terrain park (starting January 2009), Mt. Norquay is just minutes from the Town of Banff.

More information on Sunshine Village’s opening will come soon. Subscribe to this Canada Ski blog to see the update!


Early Season Lift Ticket Prices:
Mt Norquay
$20 for adults, $10 for 6-12 year olds, free for 5 year olds and under.

Lake Louise Ski Area
Full day - $38.00 for adults, $26.40 for seniors and youth, $12.50 for children.
Half day - $30.75 for adults, $21.00 for seniors and youth, $10.00 for children.

About Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine

Ski Banff–Lake Louise–Sunshine is Canada’s largest ski destination, a joint venture of three of the world’s finest ski resorts; Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Mountain Resort and Sunshine Village. Available on one tri-area lift ticket, these three resorts offer almost 8,000 acres of skiable terrain and one of the longest ski seasons in North America, from mid November to late May, all in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Canada’s Protected Playground, Banff National Park.

Source: SkiBig3

For ski holidays in Canada, be sure to contact rocky-peak Ski Holidays for the best deals and personalised service! Their ski specials include kid's ski free at select ski resorts and get from the airport sooner with their efficient scheduled airport transfer services from Calgary International YYC and Vancouver YVR.