Jay, VT – Following their purchase of nearby Burke Mountain ski area in May, officials at Jay Peak today announced they will be offering combination season passes valid at both northern Vermont ski resorts. The joint offerings will be available across many of the resorts’ season pass and ticket categories, and will grant holders both access to the two mountains, as well as a number of shared special benefits. The new passes go on sale July 9.
“Offering a variety of combination passes to both Jay Peak and Burke Mountain is the natural first-step in aligning the two areas’ ticket programs,” said Steve Wright, Jay Peak’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Such products are a great way to get skiers and riders who may have never visited one of the resorts, to experience a different mountain.”
The combination passes will come with a special value book that includes $200 worth of discounts valid at both mountains. Both resorts will be reaching out to customers who may have already purchased a season pass to offer the combo option. In addition to offering guests new season pass options and benefits, visitors to both resorts will be greeted next winter with a host of upgrades.
Jay Peak has already begun work on its $30 million summer improvements project. Renovations to transform the Sky Haus summit tram station into a 120-seat restaurant, and the Austria Haus into a Vermont-styled country store are well underway. Plus, construction of the new Mountain Learning Center at the Stateside area of the resort will begin at the end of the month. Two new chairlifts will also be online by the time the snow starts to fall.
Jay Peak president Bill Stenger, who purchased Burke Mountain along with business partner Ari Quiros, said the focus of the Burke improvements will be concentrated on the resort’s snowmaking system.
“Right now the plan is to increase the output of the (Burke) snowmaking system by 50%,” remarked Stenger. “We want to have 75 to 100 new snow guns and two new air compressors online for this coming winter season,” adding that he hopes to have the purchase agreement for the new snowmaking equipment finalized by the end of the month.
With the increase in snowmaking coverage and capacity, Burke guests should get a full season of riding the new Mid Burke Express chair. Though installed and operational for the 2011-12 winter, the quad ran on a limited basis because of last winter’s challenging weather. The new lift makes all 250-plus acres of the resort’s winter terrain accessible by high-speed quad.
Tim McGuire, Burke Mountain’s General Manager, said the resorts’ partnership continues to generate excitement surrounding the change. “We’re already seeing meaningful and immediate impact from this new ownership group and these sorts of signs indicate more positive steps to come.”