5.2 Mountains and Ski Slopes

CHAPTER 5

5.2 Mountains and Ski Slopes

Mountain ranges and ski areas have long been in the VRP industry. Early on, these tended to be more remote with diffi cult terrain, making them ideal for single homes with very high Average Daily Rates. Today, this beautiful territory has a wide range of VRP off erings including some of the fi rst fully integrated developed and managed vacation rental communities in the United States. Let’s take a look at some of the most visited ski resorts in the country:

1. Vail Mountain, Colorado (1,634,250 annual visitors): Vail is the nation’s most-visited ski resort and also its largest, at 5,289 acres. Half of Vail’s 193 trails are for beginners and intermediates. However, the mountain is more famous for its Back Bowls: seven open expanses of mostly black diamond-rated slopes. Vail will celebrate its 60th anniversary during the 2022–23 season.37

37. Source: Vail Resorts via https://www.travelandleisure.com/hotels-resorts/ mountain-ski-resorts/americas-most-visited-ski-resorts#135474 Accessed May 23, 2019.

WEALTH AS A VACATION

2. Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado (1,600,750 annual visitors): Less than 20 miles from its sister resort of Vail, Breckenridge vies closely for the No. 1 most-visited spot and sometimes takes the lead. It features a cute and historic downtown, North America’s highest-elevation chairlift, and 2,358 acres spanning fi ve mountains.

3. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, California (1,128,500 annual visitors): Mammoth features the highest peak elevation of any California ski area (11,053 feet) and an average of more than 400 inches of snowfall each year. The resort also consistently earns top honors for its terrain park, where there is an Olympic-size, 22-foot-tall half-pipe. It is one of only a handful in the country.38

4. Keystone Resort, Colorado (1,036,000 annual visitors): Keystone is large at 3,148 acres, and its lifts keep turning after sundown. Nine night-skiing trails are open beneath lights on selected evenings throughout the season.

5. Steamboat Ski & Resort, Colorado (923,576 annual visitors): Steamboat averages nearly 7,000 skiers per day and is a favorite tree skiers.39

The list of popular ski destinations in the U.S. certainly continues and includes:

• Winter Park Resort, CO • Beaver Creek, CO • Heavenly Mountain Resort, CA/NV

38. Source: Mammoth Mountain Ski Area via https://www.travelandleisure.com/hotelsresorts/mountain-ski-resorts/americas-most-visited-ski-resorts#135474 Accessed May 23 2019. 39. Source: Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp. 2011 Master Development Plan Amendment steamboat.com

CHAPTER 5

• Copper Mountain Resort, CO • Park City Mountain Resort, UT • Northstar California Resort, CA • Snowmass, CO • Squaw Valley, CA • Killington Resort, VT • Okemo Mountain Resort, VT • Snow Summit, CA • The Summit at Snoqualmie, WA • Holiday Valley Resort, NY • Canyons Resort, UT • Deer Valley Resort, UT

If any of these resorts or mountains tops your personal list of favorites, start researching. Find out annual visitor numbers to start, then talk to other VRP investors in the area to learn more about what you can expect in the area. You cannot over-research a location.

5.3 Beaches

Dominating the natural wonders sector are the beaches of the United States. Up and down the West and East coasts, there is a huge number of beach communities in our country. As in the mountain and ski sector, beaches were the one of the fi rst VRP growth sectors with small