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SLOPESIDE

BY RICH SILVER

THE CANYONS RESORT

THE CANYONS RESORT

Utah

T

he Canyons Resort, nestled in the beautiful Wasatch mountains at the edge of Park City, Utah is the perfect spot for your next family ski vacation. With an average snowfall of nearly 30 feet per year, the Canyons virtually guarantees endless terrain for every style and ability. Boasting $10 million of resort upgrades, it's a 3700-acre playground of incredibly varied terrain with eight mountain peaks. Whether you choose to tame the moguls on 9990, rip up the black diamonds on Apex Ridge, or enjoy the peaceful backcountry experience of Dreamscape, the slopes are rarely crowded, ideal for families, group skiers or snowboarders.

The Canyons Resort is a self-contained village of slopeside shops and lodging. It offers three hotels: The Sundial Lodge, the Silverado Lodge and its signature Grand Summit Hotel, a AAA Four Diamond THE CANYONS RESORT

resort with an outdoor heated pool, gourmet dining, ski storage and an easy ski in, ski out location.

All three offer hotel room and condo style lodging designed for family travel.

After a long day on the slopes, the Grand Summit Health Club and Spa offers a variety of massages, facials and body therapies to rejuvenate and revitalize. For families, the hotels provide licensed daycare offering a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including gondola rides, sledding and access to the Canyon's ski and snowboard school.

Only three miles away is Park City, one of Americas great ski towns. Its historic Main Street, with over 100 bars and restaurants, is a great place to enjoy nightlife, dining, and shopping. In addition, the kids might want to try

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the Tubing park or the ultimate adrenaline rush of the Olympic bobsled run.

The Canyons Resort is easily accessible from the east coast with non-stop service from New York to Salt Lake City, and it's only a short, 35 minute ride from the airport to the resort.

You can actually leave on the early morning flight and be on the slopes before noon. And with the Park City Quick Start Program, you can show your boarding pass at the lift ticket sales window and get a free same-day lift pass. Also check into the Ski Free Packages featured on www.canyons.com. If you book one of the three lodging properties, you'll get two ski-free passes along with breakfast with every night of your stay. Now those are great deals!

Hard-core skiers should check out The First Tracks program. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, you can be the first on the lifts and the first to make tracks hours before the general public. You'll be floating through untouched powder and groomers with just a handful of lucky skiers and boarders. It's a skiers dream come true and includes breakfast (but not your lift ticket) for only $59.

For a great slopeside experience, make the Canyons your next ski destination. 866/604-4171; www.thecanyons.com.

VAIL PLAZA HOTEL & CLUB Colorado The Vail Plaza Hotel & Club is one of the newest additions to Vail Village, part of the extensive redevelopment project happening in Vail, Colorado. Vail Plaza Hotel & Club has fast become the new place to stay in Vail Village, with its state of the art meeting facilities, lounge, restaurants and spa.

The sophisticated, Alpine-inspired lobby welcomes you in any season —

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on the coldest winter day or after a summer bike ride. The hotel and its private ski and boot storage is conveniently located just a few minutes walk from the Vista Bahn lift, which accesses all of Vail's massive 5200 acres of world class skiing. Not up for skiing today? Try dog sledding, snow-tubing, VAIL PLAZA HOTEL & CLUB

snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Those who prefer the warm summer months can enjoy golf, mountain biking, hiking, even hot air ballooning. The hotel, situated in the center of the pedestrian Vail Village, is surrounded by a seemingly endless array of shops, art galleries, restaurants, and nightlife.

After a long day of alpine play, relax in your sumptuous guest room featuring warm, custom furnishings, Egyptian cotton sheets, and feather down comforters. For those seeking further relaxation, a visit to the Sorrento Spa for a massage or skin treatment does the trick. The hotel also has a top-of-the-line fitness center, heated outdoor pool and hot tub, along with two restaurants. Da Vinci offers Mediterranean-influenced cuisine; Galileo serves Italian-style bistro foods and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Those wishing to enjoy all that Vail has to offer, relax and rejuvenate, or meet for a business conference, will find all they need at the new Vail Plaza Hotel & Club. Fractional ownership opportunities are available. 877/888-1540; www.vailplazahotel.com.

lenge of the famous Valluga. Otherwise, you can easily hire a guide in town to accompany you as you ski from village to village, taking in the beauty of the Austrian Tyrol. Be sure to visit the village of Lech, with its gentle skiing and breathtaking views. St Anton is suited to the hard charging skier and late night partier, whereas Lech caters to a refined clientele with its fine European shopping and café lifestyle.

Along with skiing, the region offers skating, sleigh riding, hiking and lots of après ski enjoyment long into the night. The most famous watering spot is the Mooserwirt, located on the way down the mountain. Skiing after a stop at the Moosewirt is an adventure in itself.

There are countless lodging options, from two to five-star, to fit everyone's taste and budget. Breakfast and dinner are typically included. The Karl Schranz Hotel St. Anton am Arlberg offers a homey Austrian experience, while the Post Hotel (www.hotel-post.co.at) is located right in town. The region has a wide array of restaurants, from traditional to more contemporary European fare. Lunch at the Balmalp Ski Hutte atop the Kriegerhorn lift in Lech is not to be missed. What a spectacular setting!

With it's easy access — non-stop service from New York on Swiss International Airlines — and just 2 and 1/2 hours from Zurich airport via shuttle service, (www.arlbergexpress.com) the Arlberg is a wonderful choice for a great European ski vacation. For further information, visit: www.stantonamarlberg.com.

SKI AUSTRIA ST. ANTON AM ARLBERG “The Arlberg” is the name given to the five stunning, picturesque towns in western Austria, and the 85 lifts and scores of ski runs that connect them.

St. Anton is the largest and the most famous, a true international skiing destination. The scenic and exciting Tyrolean Pedestrian Village is the model for many of the Austrian-style villages built at ski areas around the world, except this is the real deal.

St. Anton boasts activities for all ages to enjoy year round, but of course the most famous is skiing the Alps. There are countless options for abilities from beginner to expert. For the really adventurous skier, there is the chal-

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SLOPESIDE IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

WHAT’S NEW AT ASPEN/SNOWMASS

by Paula Koffsky Aspen, Colorado, a skier's Mecca and a vacationer's paradise. Made up of four ski mountains: Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, Aspen/Snowmass is one of Colorado's premier ski destinations.

For the 2008-2009 season, skiers will be further wowed with Aspen Skiing Company's infusion of $35 million worth of improvements. Snowmass will sport a new detachable quad chairlift to keep you comfortable on your way to the summit. The new Sheer Bliss chair lift will service 700 acres of some

Lifts begin running on November 27, 2008 when Snowmass and Aspen Mountain open, with all four open for the season on December 13, 2008. Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk will close on April 5, 2009, while Snowmass and Aspen Mountain will close on April 12, 2009. The Aspen Winternational FIS Alpine World Cup takes place on Aspen Mountain, November 28-29. 2008. The ESPN Winter X Games 13 will bring the most extreme snowsports athletes to Buttermilk, January 22-25, 2009.

ASPEN SPORTS ASPEN·SNOWMASS

TREEHOUSE, SNOWMASS

of the best terrain in the Big Burn area. The new lift can carry up to 2,000 people per hour and takes riders 2,212 vertical feet, both further and faster than the old Sheer Bliss chair. Aspen Highlands, known as the “local's mountain” and home to the challenging Highland Bowl, has added additional acres of skiing and riding in the Deep Temerity area of the mountain. At Buttermilk, home to the ESPN Winter X Games, a new Olympic-size, 22-foot halfpipe will be up and running. The new halfpipe, four feet higher than before, will send skiers and riders further skyward. Gnarley! At Aspen Mountain, a new and improved Gondola Plaza will make it easier to load the gondola.

Snowmass, the mountain for a perfect family vacation, has undergone a renaissance in the last two years with the development of the base village. This grand revitalization includes 64,000 square feet of new shops and restaurants, a community aquatic center, a 246-unit hotel, and two new luxury residences, the Little Nell Residences at Snowmass and the Viceroy Resort Residences at Snowmass. The epicenter of the new village is the Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center, a 25,000-square-foot center with ski and snowboard check-in, rental and retail shops and a family après entertainment all under one roof. Snowmass has it all, including the Village Express six-pack lift, the new Elk Camp Meadows learning area and Meadows lift, Elk Camp Gondola and the Sky Cab Gondola.

Aspen, home to the famous Aspen Music Festival, the Aspen Institute, the picturesque Maroon Bells, and unbeatable nightlife, just keeps getting better and better. Aspen Skiing Company: 800/525-6200; www.aspensnowmass.com.

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No need to fly with all your gear; Aspen Sports will take care of your rental equipment needs. Skiers and boarders can make advanced equipment reservations online at Rentskis.com/aspensports and equipment will be waiting at one of their seven convenient locations throughout Aspen and Snowmass. Benefits of reserving equipment on line include: up to 20% off rental packages and kids 12 and under rent free with every renting adult (except on black out dates). Customers may also use the computer sign-in process at one of the shops to rent equipment. Repeat customers are able to retrieve their equipment details from previous trips, so that a certain boot, ski, or snowboard can be easily duplicated. Along with professional and friendly service, all of the shops use the Snowell ski tuning system, the same system that the U.S. and Austrian ski teams use in the World Cup. Aspen Sports offers a Gold Club option, the ultimate in convenience and deluxe rental service. Skiers can reserve their equipment in advance through the RentSkis Gold Club option on the website. Gold Club guests are guaranteed a specific brand and model of ski or snowboard. Equipment will be preset and waiting for your arrival in the special Gold holding area of the designated Aspen Sports rental location. If you are bringing your own boots, you will be directed to a dedicated station, where your equipment will be adjusted.

Complimentary overnight equipment storage is also included with the Gold Club service. Rentskis.com. W

Snowmass Resources Snowmass Mall (slopeside) 970/923-6111 Outlet at Snowmass Center 970/923-3566

Aspen Resources Gondola Plaza 970/925-1360 Cooper Avenue Mall 970/925-6331 St. Regis Hotel 970/925-6332 Sky Hotel 970/925-6333 Hyatt Hotel 970/429-9100

the travel book 2008