Plans for the 2024-25 season include new terrain for skiers and snowboarders, as well as upgraded lighting
By Lee Juillerat for Ashland.news
It may still be summer but the Mt. Ashland Ski Area is moving forward with an ambitious fundraising campaign to provide new and improved conditions for skiers and snowboarders this winter.
In gearing up for the 2024-25 season, ski area managers have launched efforts to raise $500,000 to provide new and expanded terrain and upgrade the mountain’s night lighting.
“It lines up with the good support we’ve received over the years,” said Andrew Gast, Mt. Ashland’s general manager, who added that Sid and Karen DeBoer have promised to match every donation, up to $500,000. “They’ve always been extremely supportive of our programs, especially when it comes to programs that benefit kids.”
New terrain from Lithia Chair
Among the planned upgrades is adding new terrain from the Lithia Chair, which Gast said will provide additional terrain for youth, upper-beginning and intermediate skiers and riders that is currently lacking. He said youth programs have shown annual increases of 5% in recent years.
“Elevating the mountain’s intermediate terrain is how skill development and lifelong progression of the sports can continue to grow through each generation,” says a Mt. Ashland statement about the planned upgrades. “New terrain will be open under high winds that typically close Sonnet,” one of the trails accessed by the Lithia Chair. “In addition, it opens more terrain for racing events.”
According to the statement, upgrading and increasing the current night lighting program will “enhance the overall experience during twilight skiing/riding, providing more opportunities for people enjoy the mountain, especially for families, beginners and school groups that cannot attend during the day. New lighting will not only provide a consistent environment for night skiing, but integrating lights into Bottom and the Windsor chairlift will also significantly boost our night skiing capacity and add the first advanced terrain for night skiing.”
“Essentially, it will add five new trails with lights,” Gast said, noting that night skiing “is the fastest growing segment of our skiing” at Mt. Ashland and nationally.
Doubling width of a run
In another change, he said a project on the intermediate Aisle 2 run will double its width, which should improve the runs for skiers and riders.
Gast said ski hill managers are working with the Forest Service to gain approvals for various upgrades, although they all ready have received approval for the lighting upgrades and replacements.
“There’s been a lot of planning over the past 10 years,” Gast said.
Adding new lighting and replacing existing lighting and widening of the Aisle 2 run is expected to be completed before the upcoming ski season. It’s hoped the Lithia Chair upgrades can be completed sometime during the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Busy summer on the mountain
Gast said ongoing summer programs, including the Alpine Adventure Camps for youths, have been successful. The weeklong camps, which will continue into August, include hiking, games, nature outings, arts and crafts, exploration and observation. Likewise, single-day camps for youths ages 8 to 13 have also been well attended. Day camp activities include games, hiking, natural exploration, science related activities.
“Everything has been really successful this season,” Gast said of the summer programs, which include Siskiyou Crest disc golf, mountain biking, family-oriented Adventure Base Camps, gravel biking, hiking, running and geocaching.
Under the current operating schedule, which runs through Sept. 1, the ski area’s lodge, Siskiyou Mountain Shop and Gemutlichkeit Grill are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information go to mtashland.com.
Email freelance writer Lee Juillerat at 337lee337@charter.net.
