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First Non-Glacial Ski Resorts in the Northern Hemisphere Open Today

Ski season is underway at Levi Ski Area, Finland

Fall is here. The days are getting shorter, temperatures are starting to drop, ski mountains are seeing their first snow, and thoughts of face shots and powder days are on the horizon. Winter is coming. Related: Farmers’ Almanac Winter 2026-27 Forecast: Prepare for a Winter of Snow In Finland, winter has arrived. Levi, the nation’s largest ski resort, opened today, […]
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[PHOTOS] Trollhaugen, WI, Uncovers Snow Saved from Last Season for This Weekend’s Open Haugen

Trollhaugen snow

Trollhaugen Ski Area in Wisconsin has uncovered its stash of six-month-old snow this week, just in time for the resort’s annual Open Haugen weekend on October 3-4. Each year, the small midwest ski area saved last season’s snow for its annual Open Huagen and this year is no different. More than 300 skiers and snowboarders are expected to descend on […]
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Epic Ascent: Vail and Beaver Creek Private Lessons Add Concierge, Skip-the-Line Access

Skiers at Vail Mountain

Vail Resorts launched Epic Ascent on Tuesday, a program that turns private ski and snowboard lessons into guided experiences with concierge support. The company said the service is open for reservations at Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek for the 2026-27 season. Related: Vail Resorts Launches New Marketing Strategy Featuring Flagship Destination Rebrand Every private lesson at the two Colorado resorts […]
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Arizona Snowbowl Sees 2 Inches of Snowfall Overnight at the End of September

Arizona Snowbowl

Arizona Snowbowl received an early taste of winter this week, picking up 2 inches of snow overnight on September 29. The Flagstaff ski area shared video and photos of the fresh snow Tuesday morning, showing a wintry scene at Snowbowl despite the calendar still reading September. “We received 2 inches of snowfall overnight & it’s only September!” Snowbowl posted on […]
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Mammoth Mountain, CA, Sees First Snow of 2026-27 Ahead of November 13 Opening

September snow at Mammoth Mountain

Mammoth Mountain, California, received its first snow of the 2026-27 season on Monday, September 28, when a dusting fell at McCoy Station. Mammoth Mountain opening day is still planned for Friday, November 13. Related: Despite the Rough Season for the West, Mammoth Mountain, CA, Records More Snow in 2025-26 than in 2024-25 The snow was light, falling only at high […]
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Loveland Snowmaking Set to Start as Ski Area Targets a Mid-October to Early-November Opening

Loveland Ski Area begins snowmaking test

Loveland snowmaking crews tested snowguns on September 29, a sign that winter is getting closer in Colorado. The Trail Maintenance and Snowmaking teams, led by manager Bobby Babeon, ran water through the snowmaking system, serviced the guns, and checked equipment so everything is ready when conditions allow. The ski area did not make snow because temperatures remain too warm. Related: […]
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French Pro Freeride Skier Dies in Avalanche Near El Chaltén, Argentina

Juliette Willmann, a 29-year-old French freeride and ski mountaineering athlete, died on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, after being caught in an avalanche on Cerro Crestón near El Chaltén, Argentina. Willmann was ski touring with her husband, Pierre-Idris Mehdi, 30, near the southern end of Lago del Desierto when the avalanche struck at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time. Mehdi was also […]
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Vail Resorts Profit Nearly Halves as Pass Sales Fall 12%

Man skiing in his finest business attire at one of Vail's Resorts. Photo: Andrew Taylor. Skier: Christopher J Lee

Vail Resorts’ pass sales and overall results, reported yesterday, reflected a difficult fiscal 2026, with annual profit nearly cut in half and skier visits down 13.4%. But the company finished the year with a modest improvement in its fourth quarter, suggesting the worst of the weather-driven financial damage may have passed. Related: How The Epic Pass Changed Skiing: A Data […]
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[UPDATE] British Millionaire Dies Alongside Best Friends in Plane Crash in the Swiss Alps

[UPDATE: September 28, 2026] Swiss cantonal police have identified the three victims as two British citizens, aged 55 and 42, while the third victim was identified as a 58-year-old Danish citizen. The Valais/Wallis police shared the update in a press release on September 28, 2026, but provided no further details. In line with Swiss privacy laws, the victims were not […]
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1 Week Until Non-Glacier Ski Season Starts in the Northern Hemisphere

Ruka is consolidating all the snow they can get. Photo Credit: Ruka Ski Resort Facebook

One week today, the first non-glacial ski resorts in the Northern Hemisphere will kick off their 2026–27 seasons. Levi and Ruka in Finnish Lapland have confirmed an October 2, 2026, opening, both launching their ski seasons on stored snow from the previous winter — a system that places them among the earliest non-glacier ski resorts to reliably open each year. […]
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What’s New This Ikon Pass 2026-27 Season: New Gondolas, Terrain, and a Deadline

ikon pass

Ikon Pass resorts are debuting some of their biggest investments in years for the 2026-27 winter season, from Deer Valley’s record-breaking terrain expansion to new gondolas in Niseko and a $42 million restaurant overhaul at Snowmass. The pass now spans more than 70 destinations across 10 countries, with forecasters also watching the potential for a Super El Niño winter, according […]
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Save Up to 65% Off Window Prices — the Epic Day Pass Deadline Is October 7

Skier at Vail Mountain

You don’t have to buy an unlimited season pass to save big. Skiers and riders can lock in four days at iconic destinations, including Vail Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Park City Mountain, and Breckenridge, for just $118/day or $471. For regional gems like Keystone, Crested Butte, Heavenly, Northstar, and Stowe, a 4-Day Epic Day Pass is just $367 ($92/day). Or ski […]
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What’s New at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, NV, for the 2026-27 Season

Mt rose

  From trip planning to the arrival and on-mountain experience, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Nevada, is making it easier than ever for skiers, snowboarders and snow play enthusiasts to make core memories in the mountains. The resort has invested nearly $2 million in advance of the winter season in infrastructure and facilities improvements designed to build on the high-quality experience […]
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Chilean Ski Resort Nevados de Chillán to Close Winter Season This Sunday After Challenging Final Weeks

nevados de chillan chile

Nevados de Chillán in Chile will close its 2026 winter ski season as scheduled Sunday, September 20, bringing a difficult season to an end just two weeks after a major fire destroyed the resort’s Hotel Alto Nevados and affected the Plaza Otto area. The resort announced the closing date while thanking guests for their support throughout the season and inviting […]
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2026-27 Season at Sun Valley, ID, Brings New Terrain, Family Perks, and a World Cup Finals Rematch

Sun Valley Resort, Idaho, is gearing up for its 91st winter season, and while the resort’s headline infrastructure news — two new Doppelmayr high-speed lifts and its first-in-the-nation DarkSky Resort certification — has already been announced earlier this year, the resort’s official 2026-27 season preview reveals plenty that’s new for skiers heading to Idaho this winter. Keeping with traditions, the […]
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Big White Ski Resort, BC, and Ogopogo Zone Recognized with Top Canadian Ski Patrol Division Awards

Big White Ski Resort and Ogopogo Zone Recognized With Top Canadian Ski Patrol Division Awards. | Photo: Big White

Big White Ski Resort, British Columbia, and the Canadian Ski Patrol Ogopogo Zone (CSPOZ) have received two of the highest honors presented by the Canadian Ski Patrol’s Pacific South Division, recognizing their shared commitment to mountain safety and the ski patrol community. Related: The Insider’s Guide to Saving Money on a Ski Trip to Big White Ski Resort, BC Big […]
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Ushuaia, Argentina, Just Recorded Its Least Snowy Winter in 40 Years

Ushuaia, the Argentine city famously billed as “the end of the world” and gateway to the Southern Andes’ ski terrain, just recorded its lowest winter snowfall since systematic measurements began in 1985 — a genuine 40-year low, according to newly released data from the region’s own weather monitoring network. According to data from the Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC) […]
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