Starbucks opens first ski-through coffee shop in California

GlobalPost

Leave it to Starbucks to go where no java joint has gone before -- the first ski-through coffee shop.

The new mountaintop location at California's Squaw Valley Ski Resort allows skiers to grab their favorite latte, without removing their equipment, at an altitude of 8,000 feet, USA Today reported.

"Nowhere else in the world can skiers enjoy a delicious Starbucks coffee without missing a beat on the slopes," Squaw Valley president and CEO Andy Wirth told the Huffington Post.

"We look forward to serving our signature espresso and coffee beverages to the thousands of skiers and riders at Squaw Valley through our first-ever ski-in/ski-out Starbucks location," Doug Satzman, vice president of channel development-branded solutions for Starbucks, told OnTheSnow.com.

The idea of a ski-through Starbucks was the brainchild of BASE jumper JT Holmes, who skiied in Squaw Valley with a cup of coffee in his hand, the Huffington Post reported.

But don't worry if you aren't a skier. The location can also be accessed without ski or snowboard equipment via the resort's Funitel gondola, according to the Huffington Post.

The high-altitude Starbucks store will be open daily from 9 a.m to 4 p.m throughout the winter season, weather permitting.

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