New Colorado ski and snowboard Gold Pass launched

The Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) group has announced the launch of its Gold Pass for the upcoming ski season.

With thousands of Britons set to take of relatively cheap flights to the US, as well as almost-guaranteed snowfall, 22 resorts across the state have signed up to the initiative for the 2009-10 ski and snowboarding season.

This means that winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy unlimited access to the slopes of any of the member resorts, without any blackout dates, for $2,750.

Furthermore, the Gold Pass is fully transferable, with this likely to make it an attractive option for UK-based companies keen to reward their employees with winter breaks or for families heading taking flights to the US at different times over the season.

Holders of the pass, which costs $2,750 for the whole season, will also be able to benefit from a round-the-clock concierge service to help them deal with unexpected circumstances.

This comes as ski resorts in Aspen, Colorado, have started to make use of smart meters as the winter sports industry moves to improve its energy efficiency and reduce wastage.