Blue Mountain Resort 1660 Blue Mountain Drive P.O. Box 216 Palmerton, PA 18071 (610) 826-7700 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Melissa Yingling 610-826-7700 Ext: 1234 Cell: 484-523-3864 [email protected] Blue Mountain Resort Celebrates 40 Years of Skiing & Potential Early Opening Locally-Owned and Operated Resort Started with Skiing and Now Offers Much More Palmerton, Pennsylvania (20 November 2017) – A milestone is quickly approaching for Blue Mountain Resort, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary on December 22, 2017. In an era where the number of ski resorts has dwindled, the locally-owned and operated business has thrived, consistently expanding its offerings to further its mission statement, “give our guests and employees a wonderful experience that lasts a lifetime and keeps them coming back”. In 1962, Ray Tuthill, the company’s founder and former President, bought 322.5 acres with dreams of one day opening a ski area to solve a family problem – having to travel long distances to do something they loved. Blue Mountain Resort began its operations in 1977 when Ray’s dream became a reality, opening the doors to then-named Little Gap Ski Area. The ski area offered 4 trails and 2 lifts in its first year of operation and lift tickets were $12. Over the course of 15 years, the ski area consistently expanded, holding true to its values of connecting people with nature and supporting the surrounding communities with jobs. In the 90’s, the ski area finally reached the bottom of the Mountain, what is currently known as “The Valley”. This expansion was instrumental in establishing the ski area as a leader in the industry, providing a 1,082- foot vertical for skiing, the highest in the state, and the most varied terrain for guests of all ability levels. After the passing of Ray Tuthill, his daughter, Barbara Green, stepped in as President and CEO of what is now known as Blue Mountain Resort. Her desire to continue her father’s legacy was her motivation and she is proud of the progress the Resort has made. “It’s exciting to be part of a company that’s been here this long,” Green says. Under Barb’s leadership, she has seen 3 generations of many families work at the Resort. She prides herself on being able to provide job stability for these families by expanding the Resort’s operations from skiing and snowboarding in the winter to outdoor adventures and activities in the summer. “[The green season activities] fit so well into what we do year-round, offering outdoor adventures in a natural setting. I’m looking forward to doing more of that,” Green says. In the 1970’s, there was an average of 40 ski areas in Pennsylvania and 735 nationwide. Today, there are only 20 in Pennsylvania and 481 nationwide. Green says that “the resorts that have survived are those that have concentrated on their snowmaking efficiency, are customer-focused, and provide all-season activities.” Blue Mountain Resort has grown all three of these areas of focus consistently over time. What started with a 269-foot vertical, 4 trails, 2 lifts, and 1 lodge has since expanded to a 1,082-foot vertical, 39 trails, 16 lifts, 39 tubing lanes, 5 lodges, and a variety of outdoor activities in the green seasons. CONT’D Blue Mountain Resort 1660 Blue Mountain Drive P.O. Box 216 Palmerton, PA 18071 (610) 826-7700 Barb Green is not the only member of the team at the Resort that is excited for the anniversary. “For me, it’s impressive that, for 40 years and without a change of ownership and without lodging, we became a leader in this adventure sport,” says Jim Dailey, General Manager and COO of the Resort. Dailey has been with the Resort for 29 years and has worked in several departments, including snowmaking, risk management, ski patrol, and marketing. Dailey assumed the role of General Manager in September of 2009 and has been an instrumental part in helping the Resort evolve to what it is today. When considering expansions to the Resort, both Green and Dailey believe in the importance of establishing partnerships with people and groups in the local community. “We’ve had a great working relationship with the local government and regulating authorities. Our communication has been excellent and they support our mission,” Jim Dailey said. The Resort’s main goal, outside of providing a great experience for guests and employees, is to preserve as much nature as possible and become as energy-efficient as possible. “Being a family business, we’re lucky to have two families, the Tuthills and the Eberts, that reinvest their money back into the business, providing for the expansions that we’ve made over the last 40 years,” Barb says. Some of the recent expansions at the Resort include: • Slopeside Pub & Grill at the Summit Lodge – now offering indoor and outdoor dining with a stunning view of the Pocono Mountains. The premier restaurant is open year-round and hosts live entertainment, has daily food specials, events, and more. • Automated Snowmaking – Because over 80% of a resort’s energy costs are due to snowmaking, Blue Mountain has focused on making their system more energy efficient. Their most recent advancement now makes them 70% more efficient than traditional systems. The initiative has been multi-faceted, focusing primarily on the most energy-efficient snow gun type as well as on set up time and ability to adapt to changing weather conditions. Addressing these facets not only has reduced energy consumption by 4.3 million kilowatt-hours per season, but has improved the Resort’s ability to provide simultaneous snow coverage across multiple ski trails. Snowmaking startup is within 7 minutes of compatible weather conditions, providing guests the most optimal experience. • Expanded Terrain-Based Learning Hill - providing the most efficient and safest form of learning how to ski or snowboard. Now, anyone can learn regardless of their age and previous ability level. “If you look at the timeline over the last 40 years, there’s been a lot of ups and downs, but there’s been a lot of growth. I’m looking forward to keeping that growth going,” Green says. In anticipation of celebrating the 40th anniversary all year long, the Resort is exceptionally excited to announce its potential opening for the 2017-2018 season. If the forecasted weather remains the same, the Resort plans on opening on Friday, November 24th from 8:30am to 10pm and will remain open on Saturday and Sunday, November 25th and 26th from 8:00am to 10pm. The Resort will then close to continue working on conditions and reopen for the season on Saturday, December 2nd. Ticket prices will be: • Friday, November 24th: o $29 – 8 hour ticket o $25 – night ticket (4pm – close) • Saturday and Sunday, November 25th and 26th: o $39 – 8-hour ticket o $25 – night ticket (4pm - close) Blue Mountain Resort 1660 Blue Mountain Drive P.O. Box 216 Palmerton, PA 18071 (610) 826-7700 In addition to a potential early opening and to celebrate the exciting 40th anniversary, the Resort will be hosting several events and specials throughout the winter season, including: • 40th Anniversary Birthday Bash at Winter Fest on Saturday, January 27th • Throwback Thursday Parties – featuring music from each decade, these parties will take place at Last Run Lounge in the Alpine Ballroom. There will be live music, giveaways, costume contests, and more. o 1970’s Theme – Thursday, January 4th ▪ 4-hour Lift Tickets will be available for $12 – the price they were in 1977! o 1980’s Theme – Thursday, February 1st ▪ 4-hour Lift Tickets will be available for $19 – the price they were in 1987! o 1990’s Theme – Thursday, March 1st ▪ 4-hour Lift Tickets will be available for $33 – the price they were in 1997! • Trivia nights every Tuesday in Last Run Lounge featuring some questions about Blue Mountain’s history. Details on these events and exclusive ticket pricing opportunities will be released on the Resort’s website at skibluemt.com as well as on social media and through email. Guests are encouraged to check back regularly, follow the Resort on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and to sign up for exclusive emails highlighting deals, events, and more. Any media interested in covering this exciting milestone can contact Melissa Yingling, Marketing Specialist, via email at [email protected] or by phone at 484-523-3864. ##### .