Brundage Mountain Resort had its earliest opening since 2005 as they welcomed skiers and snowboards to the slopes this weekend.
New for this year is the 18,000-square-foot Mountain Adventure Center, which provides a new hub and a ski shop for guests to enjoy a day at Brundage.
"It’s another step in our evolution to modernize our facilities," said Ken Rider, the general manager at Brundage Mountain Resort.
Inside, this new facility features a tune shop with brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment to get people ready for the slopes. If you don't have gear, the spacious new rental area can get people in and out quickly.
The Mountain Adventure Center features the Mountain Sports School and Daycare, retail, guest services, a place to get your tickets both inside and out, and the Base Camp Coffee Shop which also has a window outside so people can streamline the process.
"It’s right on the snow front," said Rider. "You walk in from the parking lot, walk out the other side, and you are at the bottom of Bluebird Express."
This is the culmination of phase two of a ten-year improvement plan that includes opening an independent fire department as well as expanding its EMS services.
Brundage completed phase one of their plan last year when they added a new building for ski patrol and replaced the slow Centennial Triple with a new high-speed quad. Phase three will feature the Northwoods Residential Area that will help Brundage fund this 15-20 million dollar project.
As for the Mountain Adventure Center, it was designed with a low profile so as to not impede the natural beauty of the surrounding area. It features large windows, new bathrooms, 146 day lockers of different sizes, and 166 season lockers inside a private space complete with boot dryers.
Guests can store their gear overnight with the option of getting a hot, eco-friendly wax so their skis or snowboard are ready when they arrive for a day on the slopes.
Brundage will keep Smoky's, Main Street Marker, and the Upper Lot in the old lodge which will also be a spot for employees because of the extra space created by the Mountain Adventure Center.
"We just added an employee locker room. It is called the hub," said Rider. "We have 200 lockers for our employees and they are super excited about that. It is one of the first times we have been able to provide that kind of space for our employees so that we can focus on their experience as well."
The season couldn't have gotten off to a better start with Brundage opening early on Friday.
The early opening gives families a chance to come up and ski uncrowded slopes while schools are out for Thanksgiving break.
