Tag Archives: featured

Utah Ski Area Opening Dates

park city with snow

Park City and the upper Wasatch range finally have snow! Utah ski area opening dates feel late even though it’s pretty much happening right on time. We’ve rarely had enough snow for decent skiing before Thanksgiving. Early is Halloween. Normal is now. Yet, for the first time- ever- Deer Valley moved their opening day up a week. Does that mean we’ve got a lot of snow? No, not at all; this one’s a headscratcher. Feel free to offer your explanation for this in the comment section.

I took a spin today at Canyons Resort and have to report that the experience was quite typical. High Meadow (the beginner area) and two intermediate runs, Kokopelli and Snowdancer. After five runs, the manmade was getting scraped off and we called it. The good news is that the weather forecasters are calling for 10-25 inches by Wednesday which would set up Utah resorts for a white Thanksgiving weekend and the ability to open up additional terrain.

Utah's ski area opening dates
Mayflower side of Park City- photo courtesy Bonnie Maclaurin

Sadly, a high pressure moves in for next weekend and possibly through the first week of December.

The moral? Don’t blow the confetti and horns just yet. Two seasons ago, those two or three early season, manmade, groomed trails, catering to thousands of hungry passholders became brown ribbons of death from exposed dirt and rocks that pretty much lasted through the Christmas holiday. Still, the ski stoke is running high in these parts now that the annual ski porn films have premiered, Park City has a white cap and most resorts have announced their “official” opening dates.

Utah’s Ski Area Opening Dates

Alta Ski Area

OPEN (Estimated close April 20, 2025)

Beaver Mountain

TBD

Brian Head Resort

OPEN (estimated close May 11, 2025)

Brighton Resort

OPEN (Estimated close May 18, 2025)

Cherry Peak Resort

TBD

Deer Valley Resort

November 30, 2024 (Estimated close April 28, 2025)

Eagle Point Resort

December 20, 2024 (estimated close April 3, 2025)

Nordic Valley

December 7, 2024

Park City Mountain

OPEN (estimated opening April 10, 2025)

Powder Mountain

December 6, 2024

Snowbasin Resort

November 29, 2024

Snowbird

November 28, 2024

Solitude Mountain Resort

OPEN

Sundance Mountain Resort

December 4, 2024

Woodward Park City

November 28, 2024

SKI UTAH PASSPORT – Prices Rise Nov. 30, 2024 so Buy Now!

The Ski Utah Passport program for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders is on sale now for $69. The pass is in its 26th year of offering three days at each of the 15 resorts in the state but there are some big changes this season.  Every kiddo, no matter if they live in Utah or Australia will get THREE days of skiing- even the 6th graders- at each resort but nine resorts will black out: Dec. 26, 2024 – Dec. 31, 2024 | Jan. 18-19, 2025 | Feb. 15-16, 2025. Six have no restrictions! Brian Head, Cherry Peak, Eagle Point, Nordic Valley, Snowbasin and Solitude Mountain Resort. For more information, check out 4th, 5th and 6th Grade Ski Utah Passport – Ski Utah.

Ikon Pass Class Action Lawsuit Settlement

Jackson Hole Ikon Resort

Alterra Mountain Company finally agreed this week to reimburse 2019/20 Ikon Pass holders, well kind of. If you think a $10 credit towards a 23/24 Ikon Pass is good enough restitution, then you can feel like a winner. According to Alterra/ Ikon Pass class action lawsuit settlement offer, if you used your pass more than seven days, that’s what you’ve “won.”

Under the terms of the settlement, class members can choose a pass credit or a discount lift ticket voucher where the values depend on the number of days you used your 2019/2020 pass. The Pass credits can be used towards the purchase of a 2023/2024 or 2024/2025 Ikon Pass season pass. Lift product vouchers can be used towards the purchase of a single-day lift ticket at any Alterra resort on or before July 31, 2025.

The settlement announcement has to be finalized by the District Court of Colorado but, if it is, it will resolve all claims that Alterra unjustly kept customers’ money after ski resorts closed due to Covid-19 in 2020.

The Ikon Pass Class Action Argument

According to the class action lawsuit against Ikon Pass, the plaintiffs in the case paid hundreds of dollars for unlimited access that promised “no blackout dates.” Although no one could predict the COVID-19 outbreak, the class action lawsuit argued that Ikon Pass still had a responsibility to refund customers who did not get the full benefit of their season pass purchases. Among other points, Robert Kramer et al argued that because Alterra laid off most of their resort employees, they could easily afford to refund customers due to decreased operating costs.

The expensive season ski pass included a pitch for “unlimited” ski days but the Covid-19 caused a spring lockdown that shuttered every ski area on the planet. However, while theme parks, hotels and airlines refunded consumers for tickets cancellations, Alterra with their Ikon pass product did not.

Alterra tried to assuage the angry mob back in the spring of 2020 by offering to double its “renewal discount” for 2020-21 passes which was laughable since the company had raised their prices nearly as much as the “discount”. Consumers would basically save $50 on an Ikon Base Pass or $100 for the Ikon Pass if they purchased it by May of that year.

The current settlement offer would provide a refund of up to $150 to American skiers who bought or received as a gift an Ikon Pass resort pass for the 2019/2020 season and who used their pass on one or more days before March 15, 2020. (See the details at the end of the post.) FYI- This is not for those who never used their pass.

The settlement offer keeps Ikon and Alterra from admitting any wrongdoing and anyone who doesn’t opt out of the class is bound to the terms of the settlement. You won’t be able to sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against Alterra for the same complaints. There is one option though, that seems buried in the Settlement language…

You can OBJECT

Instead of excluding yourself from the Settlement, you may object to it; give reasons why you think the Court should not approve the Settlement. The Court will consider all objections before ruling and they could conceivably throw it back to Alterra and tell them to “do better.” You have until Nov. 18, 2022, to object and it has to be done by snailmail. Your objection must contain: (1) the name of the Lawsuit (Kramer v. Alterra Mountain Co. and Ikon Pass Inc., Case No. 1:20-cv-01057-RM-SKC (D. Colo.)); (2) your full name and current address and telephone number; (3) the specific reasons for your objection; (4) any evidence and supporting papers (including, but not limited to, all briefs, written evidence, and declarations) that you want the Court to consider in support of your objection; and (5) your signature.

You must mail your written objection to the Settlement Administrator at:

Goodrich v. Alterra Mountain Company Settlement Administrator
Attn: Objection
P.O. Box 58220
Philadelphia, PA 19102

More Deadlines

The final approval hearing for the Ikon Pass refunds settlement is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2023.

In order to receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by Jan. 2, 2023.

——————————————————————————-

The Settlement Offer

Pass Credits

  1. Pass Credit Amounts. For any Settlement Class Member who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort a total of one or more days on or before March 15, 2020, the following Pass Credits are available:
    1. A single $150 Pass Credit for Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 1 day; 
    2. A single $125 Pass Credit for Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 2 days;
    3. A single $100 Pass Credit for Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 3 days; 
    4. A single $50 Pass Credit for Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 4 days; 
    5. A single $20 Pass Credit for Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 5 or 6 days; and
    6. A single $10 Pass Credit for Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort 7 or more days. 
  2. Pass Credit Delivery. Unless a Settlement Class Member submits a Valid Election for a Lift Product Voucher in lieu of a Pass Credit, the appropriate Pass Credit amount will automatically be applied to each Settlement Class Member’s Ikon pass holder profile without any requirement to fill out a claim form or take any other affirmative action. The appropriate Pass Credit amount will be loaded into the online Ikon pass holder account of the primary pass holder associated with the Settlement Class Member’s profile as of the date of disbursement of the Pass Credit. 
  3. Pass Credit Scope of Use. Each Pass Credit must be used in full in a single transaction, and may be used at any time during the standard applicable sales period toward the purchase of any Ikon pass product available for use during the 2023/24 or 2024/25 Ski Seasons that the Pass Credit recipient is eligible for. A Pass Credit may be applied toward the purchase of an Ikon pass product at an already discounted price or be applied with other available discounts (e.g., renewal credit, nurses discount, college discount, and so on).
  4. Pass Credit Transferability. The Pass Credit amount is not transferrable except to another Ikon pass holder associated with the same primary pass holder account (an “Affiliate Ikon Pass Holder”). To request a qualifying transfer to an Affiliate Ikon Pass Holder (that is, someone within the same primary pass holder account), the primary pass holder must contact Alterra’s standard call center. 
  5. Stack-ability. Upon transfer, Affiliate Ikon Pass Holder Pass Credits may be used in combination, to purchase one or more Ikon pass product(s) as described above for anyone who is an Affiliate Ikon Pass Holder. Each Pass Credit, however, may only be used toward the purchase of a single qualifying Ikon pass product, and any unused remaining portion of said Credit will be forfeited.  

Lift Product Voucher 

  1. Lift Product Voucher Amounts. For any Settlement Class Member who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort a total of one or more days prior to March 15, 2020, the following Lift Product Vouchers are available to elect instead of a Pass Credit:
    1. Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 1 day, may elect to receive one 50% Lift Product Voucher;
    2. Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 2 days, may elect to receive one 40% Lift Product Voucher;
    3. Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 3 days, may elect to receive one 30% Lift Product Voucher:
    4. Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 4 days, may elect to receive one 25% Lift Product Voucher; and 
    5. Settlement Class Members who used their 2019/20 Ikon Pass to access an Ikon Resort exactly 5 or more days, may elect to receive one 20% Lift Product Voucher.    
  2. Lift Product Voucher Election and Delivery. If a Settlement Class Member submits a Claim Form and makes a Valid Election (in lieu of a Pass Credit), the Lift Product Voucher will be applied to the individual Ikon pass holder profile and placed in the account of the primary pass holder associated with the Settlement Class Member’s profile as of the date of disbursement of the Lift Product Voucher. To make a Valid Election, a Settlement Class Member must submit a properly completed claim form by the Court-approved deadline that includes, among other information, the name, address, email address, and unique Customer ID or Pass ID associated with their Ikon pass holder account.
  3. Lift Product Voucher Scope of Use. The Lift Product Voucher may be applied toward the purchase and use on or before July 31, 2025 of one single-day lift ticket at any single Alterra Mountain Company-owned or operated resort. The Lift Product Voucher may be redeemed and applied toward the purchase of a single day lift ticket online through the applicable Alterra Mountain Company-owned or operated resort’s website or at the walk-up window. A Lift Product Voucher may be applied toward the purchase of a single day lift ticket at the posted full or Advance Purchase rate, but may not be applied to an already discounted rate or combined with other available discounts.
  4. Lift Product Voucher Transferability. The Lift Product Voucher is fully transferrable and may be resold once by each Settlement Class Member recipient. To complete a transfer, a Settlement Class Member will, using their online Ikon pass holder account, enter the email address of the transferee. The transferee will then receive an email prompting them to accept or decline the transfer. To accept the transfer, the transferee must have or create an online Ikon account, though they need not make any purchase. A Lift Product Voucher may not be transferred or resold a second time.
     

How To Clean Your Dog’s Gear

how to clean dog gear

We all know how important it is to pick up after your dog. Exposed poop is gross. I don’t know about you, but I don’t even like looking at it in a toilet. A pile is filled with bacteria, dirt and crawlies. Do you know what else is pretty gross? Pet toys and bedding that have been hanging out around you for years. Cleaning up after your dog also means you’ve got to know how to clean your dog’s gear.

We wash and brush Fido, maybe even get him to a groomers a couple of times a year, but it doesn’t necessarily protect your home. From toys and bedding to feeding bowls and walking gear like leashes and harnesses, your dog’s stuff can contaminate without you ever noticing.

Here’s some advice from the team at tails.com to knowing exactly when your pet’s favorite items need to be cleaned and how to get them smelling and looking like new. 

How often should you clean up your dog’s gear?

National Dog Day Deals
Photo by Ryan Freitas

Bed and blankets 

Our dog’s come into contact with lots of different types of bacteria and fungus, which mean their bed can become a sea of mites, fleas and ticks if not cleaned regularly. 

These organisms can survive on fabric for up to 12 months which is why dog beds should be washed regularly.

Cleaning tip: Vacuum any hair, crumbs and muck from the bed. Use a stain remover to treat any stains on the fabric. For a natural alternative use white vinegar and baking soda. 

Using a pet-safe laundry detergent, place all your dog’s bedding and blankets in the washing machine, ensuring they are washed separately from any other items.

Food and drink bowl 

This one’s a biggie and so easy to manage. Dog slobber gets into food and water bowls. If you have the bowls on the ground, critters get in there too. Although most pups lick their bowls clean, the leftover residue harbors bacteria, including salmonella and E. Coli. In fact, the National Sanitation Foundation found that pet bowls are the fourth germiest place in the home, right behind the kitchen sink and toothbrush holder.

When dogs eat and drink directly from the bowl, they can transfer this bacteria to the bowl from their mouths. The bacteria then starts to grow and each time you add more food to the bowl, it contaminates it. If your dog shares his bowl with other pets, it’s even more important to wash your pet’s food bowl after every meal. 

Water bowls should be washed once a day or more, in order to prevent the growth of mould, yeast, algae and fungi. Your guy should always have fresh water. Don’t just add water to what’s already there.

Cleaning tip; Use hot soapy water to clean your pet’s dishes and use separate cleaning brushes/cloths from the ones you use for people dishes. 

Collar, lead and walking gear 

Dog collars and walking gear can get filthy with constant wear. Plus, has your dog ever peed on his own leash? Eww. Over time, your pups outdoor wear will eventually absorb enough skin oils, dirt and grime that they start to stink. Don’t let it get to that point! Collars and leads need to be washed to keep them smelling fresh – and to prevent any bacteria buildup. 

While the washing machine seems like the easiest option, not all materials can withstand it, some can fall apart or become damaged if the setting is too high. The best option is to wash by hand, using a mild detergent, dish soap or even dog shampoo. If that’s too high maintenance, put them in the top rack of your dishwasher.

Cleaning tip: Make sure all cleaning products have been thoroughly rinsed out, if they are left on the collar they can cause irritation to the skin. 

Toys

Hotel Treats For Dogs

Your dog’s favorite toys are a breeding ground for potentially harmful bacteria, germs, mold and mildew. Favorite toys should be washed at least once a week, but if they are covered in dribble, dirt or food, it’s worth washing right away. 

The best method to clean fabric toys is to place them into an old pillowcase and put them on a gentle cycle in the washing machine, using a pet-friendly detergent. For plastic toys, drop them in a bowl of hot soapy water and let them soak for 10 minutes, rinse and dry. 

Cleaning tip: Avoid using any disinfecting products containing bleach, even when diluted it can still pose a threat to your best friend as its highly toxic when consumed. 

Pet clothing 

dog wearing raincoat

Ok, so my dog wears his fur and that’s it. As silly as clothes for dogs are, they’re out there on other people’s pets. Just like humans, dogs’ clothing should be washed regularly to remove any bacteria and keep them looking and smelling clean. The general rule of thumb is to wash your dog’s jackets and sweaters at least once every two weeks, but obviously if it’s caked in mud, clean it immediately.

Washing your pup’s duds is just like washing your own stuff. Check the care label to see how it should be washed, some will be hand-wash only, while others can go into the washing machine.

Cleaning tip; Check for any rips and lose threads before washing your dog’s clothing. One tumble and you might shred the whole outfit.