Author Archives: Jill Adler

CALIFORNIANS SKI FREE AT EAGLE POINT

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Story By Jill Adler

Photos by Ryan Freitas

Next time you plan a ski roadtrip from Cali to Salt Lake, factor in a day at Eagle Point. The Southern Utah ski resort 3.5 hours from SLC is offering free skiing and boarding to any California resident for the entire 2012/2013 season. In addition, any guest can ski free every Thursday in January. “What we have learned overwhelmingly from our guests during the first two seasons since reopening is that we have a truly exceptional mountain that people love to visit,” explained Shane Gadbaw, CEO and Co‐Owner of the resort. “We have spent millions to make the property and the service first class from the newly renovated Canyonside Lodge down to the friendly greeters in the parking lots. Our last remaining challenge is to massively increase awareness in the core markets of Las Vegas, southern California and Utah so people know that we have this new boutique resort with thrilling terrain, super friendly staff, gorgeous views and long‐lasting powder stashes.” Plus, it’s a phenomenal place to learn to ski. There are miles of easy, rolling beginner terrain.

There are no strings attached to nab the deal other than providing a name and email address.

The idea for the campaign was modeled on the Las Vegas “Free Days” campaign. “We can give lift access away for free yet still achieve a sufficient yield from our guests on food and beverage sales, rentals, instruction, retail or condo stays,” said Gadbaw.

“More importantly, the free admission spurs the first‐time visit. That is all we need because the vast majority of new guests fall in love with the place and go home to tell their friends and family.”

Eagle Point’s tentative opening day is Dec. 23, 2012 but will go to weekends only from January 10 till close in April 2013. They will also operate on Martin Luther King Day (Monday, January 21) and Presidents’ Day (Monday, February 18). That leaves Monday through Wednesday to covet the ski area for your private party. “We had our first group rent the resort for two days last year and they loved it. This year we expect more private group rentals especially from the casino industry in Las Vegas,” said Gadbaw. The resort can host turnkey private events for large groups of up to 500 people including snow sports, lodging, fine dining, conference space and transportation.

Eagle Point Resort is located 18 miles east of Beaver, Utah and a scenic 3.5 hour drive from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City. The resort features 600 skiable acres, over 40 named runs, 1500 vertical feet, 5 lifts, 2 transport snow cats, lodging, dining and endless backcountry terrain. For more information or group reservations, contact Shane Gadbaw at 855‐EAGLEPT or visit www.eaglepointresort.com or Facebook/EaglePointResort.

Time. To Walk, To Think, To Explore.

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To savor a scoop of locally made huckleberry cheesecake ice cream, to scramble down a rocky path for a closer look at an island of sea lions or inspect a starfish, to try pancakes at the Pancake Mill, to detour through “Old Town” Bandon, to inspect the handiwork of a chainsaw carver. Ryan would say “no” on any other roadtrip but this week we’re taking it all in. Wow what a unique experience. To take the time to see and do everything we want. And when the week is over, where ever we wind up, we’ll exit east for Salt Lake City, home.

Bandon

This guy made the coolest saw stools and benches outside Bandon.

No question. We were heading for a view in Port Orford.

Voila!

Heading to Gold Beach. The coastline has been cloudy and overcast all morning. Typical Oregon, they say.

The Bugs Are Biting

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I was molested last night. We crossed from Nevada into Oregon as night draped the horizon. Like on some stage cue, the mosquitos decorated our windshield with a sound similar to raindrops. And Takoda shifted in his crate. He wanted out. I begged Ryan to take him. My allergies had flared and if anyone is going to be like honey to bees it’s me to skeeters. Those damn f*&kers love munching on me. But Ryan refused. He’s your dog, was the attitude.

By the time I desperately scrambled back into the car I had three bites on my back, two on each arm, one on my forehead and (somehow) one on my knee. Notice I’m wearing pants. Our quickie dinner at the Pizza Villa in Lakeview put us back on the road at 11 p.m. The patty melt was just ok but the owner was a hoot. He stood at our table reveling in stories about Kentucky, Jackson Hole (his grandfather owned that barn you see in all the photos of the Tetons), riding motorcycles, retiring from the logging industry in Lakeview to open this restaurant.

We checked into America’s Best Inns and Suites in Klamath Falls at 1 a.m.

The small bathroom was clean, the king bed incredibly inviting at this point and a pleasant surprise for Ryan for $54. I showered off all the allergens (I was sneezing my head off from the minute we hit Oregon and here I thought my allergies would dissipate after leaving Utah!) and crawled into bed. Sage and Ryan were already sound asleep.

After a huge breakfast at Starvn Marvn’s, some mappin’ and shoppin’ for Cutter Bugspray, we headed for Crater Lake National Park and Takoda’s first taste of snow. I bet folks in Utah would appreciate the chilly 52 degrees about now. We walked around but chose not to hike after missing the trailhead. Onward, always onward.

The Destination’s the Journey

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I keep reminding Ryan that this trip is about the journey not the destination. We have to go with the flow. It makes for good reasoning when it takes us three hours to pack up and get on the road. I set the alarm for 6:30 a.m. so I could sneak out and hit a few yard sales before taking off but all of a sudden it was 9 a.m. And then we had to have a little romp session seeing as how we’d have a 5 year old tied to our hip for the next 10 days so hanky-panky was out of the question.

At about 10 we were up. Ryan was stressing big time and trying to move me along. I had packed last night but I still needed to grab a bag from the attic to stuff. Dog stuff, kid stuff, my stuff, electronics, water, camping gear, money, maps, pillows; ok all set. It was noon. I had to mail out some packages and Ryan wanted food…but we can’t eat in his car. We were finally driving west by 1.

I laughed at his ire and told him that we really had no place to be at any particular time, so chill. He actually did. He’s so used to wanting to be somewhere before whenever. Like by dinnertime or something. This trip is all about the journey. Whatever we see we will stop and take in. We’re hungry, we’ll stop. The pup needs to poop, stop. A chance to decorate a desolate stretch of I-80 with rocks or take a scenic photo, stop.

Ryan pointed out an old pair of shoes and joked, “There’s your yard sale.”

Sage explored the Bonneville Salt Flats for the first time in her short life. We even tasted it.

The area was a bit dirtier than I recall. Perhaps the drought kept the rain from rinsing it a pearly white.

We should arrive in Klamath Falls, Ore., by 11 p.m. PST. We’re not sure when we’ll mosey to Coos Bay but that’s the plan – no plan; only a direction, west, then south.

 

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