As for the deck at Sky Chair…Heck…I would just be happy for a chair up there to admire the view and rest a little! Guess I’ll have to join Ski Patrol!

Thanks for renewing your passes and welcome back to Heavenly for the fifteenth or sixteenth season! We’re definitely excited about all the new improvements identified in our new approved master plan. All of the improvements … including the Olympic Express lift being built this summer and the Powderbowl Lodge on-mountain restaurant scheduled to begin construction next summer, are designed to create a better ski/ride experience for all Heavenly skiers and snowboarders.

To answer your questions:

1) Sky Deck will come out completely (including the kitchen and barbeques) once the new Powderbowl Lodge is complete and open to the public. We are removing Sky Deck for a variety of reasons … the most critical reason being to improve the environment and control water quality. Sky Deck sits in a stream environment zone. That area needs to be taken back to its near-natural state. The new Powderbowl Lodge will provide a far superior experience on the upper California side of the mountain with spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and state-of-the-art facilities.

2) Powderbowl Lodge will sit just above the top station of the existing Powderbowl Express lift where one of our smaller terrain parks was located this past winter.

3) We have no plans to expand the ski patrol facility at the top of Sky Express or add food service facilities at that location. It’s a nice view for sure, but logistically difficult to service and has limited utilities.

Thanks for fifteen for sixteen years of support! We certainly appreciate it.

~Heavenly Management

1. What are the details of the removal of the Sky Deck? Without a deck, where will you eat the food purchased at the Sky Meadows concession?

2. Where is the Powderbowl Lodge going to be built?

3. Any plans in the future to renovate/reopen the small deck at the top of Sky Chair? Talk about a killer view!

Keep up the great work, and my wife and I have already renewed our passes for the 15th or 16th year! (I lose track…)

Gary

Tree skiing is one of the unique aspects about Heavenly that sets us apart from just about every other destination resort in the country. We share your feelings about Powderbowl, Skiways and Northbowl and have every intention of protecting those unique aspects of the resort so locals and visitors from all over the world can enjoy that special experience. The trails we’re adding in that area are more like gladed runs … not groomed boulevards. I think you’ll find them to be pretty acceptable in terms of preserving the nature of the gladed areas, yet making parts of the mountain more accessible to snowsports enthusiasts, like yourself, who love Heavenly … and love Heavenly’s unique tree skiing … but might need a little more room before they’re ready to move into the tighter trees. The trails we’re talking about cover less than 30 acres of terrain … leaving 96% of “secret stashes” in that area untouched.

~Heavenly Management

By asserting environmentally sound approaches to improving the mountain, it’s good to see a large corporation keeping it real!