Strategies for Off-Season Ski Resort Upgrades and Renovations

There’s no surprise that the foundation of any ski town is the skiing. The National Ski Areas Association has reported, however, that skiing has been on the decline over the past decade. Additionally, there are very real fears about where the industry is headed with the stress climate change is already putting on winter sports.

The Four Season Ski Resort

Resorts are quickly picking up on these facts. Keeping themselves afloat amidst melting snow and deflating interest, different ski resorts provide examples of how to appeal to adventure seekers.

Jackson Hole in Wyoming, for example, takes full advantage of its snug location right between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park as a basecamp for both. Jackson Hole elevates their appeal to outdoor enthusiasts as a destination with many adventures to fill the entire summer.

This includes lift-served hiking, road cycling, cross-country mountain biking, stand-up paddle boarding, whitewater rafting, fly fishing holes, golfing, regular rodeos, and a slew of dude ranches that provide horseback trail riding.

Some of these services are provided not by the ski resort, but by local businesses partnered with the ski resort. One provides the entertainment and activities, and the other provides the lodging. Together, they both profit from spring through fall until skiing takes over again.

Jackson Hole is not alone in making itself a year-round attraction. Whistler, B.C., Aspen, Colorado, Banff Lake Louise, Crested Butte, and countless others have been giving people reason to stay year-round with limitless opportunities for adventure sketched over gorgeous scenic backdrops.

From Skis to Mountain Bikes

So long as the trails are carefully planned and water drainage is controlled to prevent run-off damage, mountain biking can be a natural boon for ski towns.

Consider your typical skiing trip. With that in mind, compare it to a day spent mountain biking:

• Starting your day at the base area, the resort staff fits you for equipment and a bike that best accommodates your ability and size.
• You ride up on a chairlift or gondola with your bike.
• At the top of the lift, you step out and head to the trailhead with your bike.
• You ride down your favorite wintertime skiing trail, but instead of a frozen mountainscape, you glide downhill through cascading wildflowers along familiar climbs and lulls.
• You repeat this along different trails, some for the adventure, speed, and challenge, and others to relax and float down the mountainside.
• You end the day at the ski resort’s lodge with a refreshing drink in hand.

It is as picturesque as it sounds. People know this, and that makes it profitable.

Skiing and mountain biking are still different sports, however, and you must consider this when establishing where and how to place the trailheads for your mountain bike trails.

New Facilities for a New Sport

Water drainage will dictate where it is safe to ride. While everything is frozen in the winter, runoff from rain can destroy a trail once temperatures rise, making it unsafe to ride. Clearly, you cannot redesign your skiing routes to accommodate your bike trails. So, the trails will likely need some of their own infrastructure, including temporary rest stops near the trailheads and at the end of 

For ski resorts, this is where WeatherPort shines. Building permanent structures during the spring and fall is not practical, as they would interfere with the ski trails in the winter. Instead, you need temporary, high-quality buildings that offer a reprieve from the sun for staff and riders alike.

WeatherPort structures, already designed for ski resorts, because of their design can easily be outfitted as summer lodges, rental shops, dining facilities, and more.

Because temporary structures can serve similar functions in both warm and cold weather and are also remarkably versatile, structurally changing your resort layout with the seasons can be as simple as relocating your fabric structures according to where your summer and winter trails are.

WeatherPort structures are uniquely suited to this type of use for a few reasons:

• They have a low weight and cube volume, making them easy to move where and when they are needed.
• They are designed to be quick and easy to assemble, no previous experience or skill level required.
• Their interior is a open-span design, eliminating the need for support beams and maximizing the available interior space.
• No matter how hot your summers or how cold your winters are, choose from a wide selection of insulation and HVAC systems designed to keep the interior comfortable for staff and guests.
• Their tensioned fabric membrane is designed for longevity and are engineered to withstand prolonged exposure to high UV exposure, exceeds fire codes outlined by the California Code of Regulations for membrane structures, and resist mold and mildew.

For questions about how a WeatherPort fabric building can help prepare your ski resort for profitable year round operations, call +1-970-399-5909, email info@weatherport.com, or visit our website and send us an inquiry using our Contact Us page.