Alex Mangels, Author at SnowBrains

Northstar California: Where I Learned to Ski with Papou

I began learning how to ski at the ripe young age of four. Every generation in my family skis, and it was so fun growing up and getting out on the mountain with them all. Some of my fondest memories are of the trips I used to take with my grandfather, or Papou, as he was known in Greek. Papou […]

Alex Mangels | June 7, 2021

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Calls to Boycott China Winter Olympics Grow

The 2022 Winter Olympics in China are just under a year away but already a hotly contested subject. Several groups and individuals have called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics, citing human-rights abuses against minorities by the Chinese government. As the list of objectors continues to grow, the appeals for a boycott have become tough to ignore. The leading […]

Olympics

Alex Mangels | May 28, 2021

8 Comments

Argentina Enters Another COVID-19 Lockdown, Threatening the 2021 Ski Season

While COVID-19 vaccinations are on the rise around the world, the pandemic is still not under control. Several nations are still experiencing high rates of positive cases and death. Argentina has seen a rise in cases recently. Last Thursday, President Alberto Fernández announced Argentina’s first lockdown of 2021, potentially impacting this ski season. Since May 10, Argentina has seen its […]

Industry News

Alex Mangels | May 25, 2021

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Low Water Levels Prompt Closures of Lake Tahoe Boat Launches

Days spent out on the water are a summer staple at Lake Tahoe. When the weather warms up, people flock to the lake with their boats in tow, sights set on a day of cruising, water-skiing, or fishing. However, things will look different this summer as low water levels prompt officials to close certain boat launches at Lake Tahoe. Related: […]

Brains

Alex Mangels | May 24, 2021

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Ski-Through Vaccine Clinic Hosted at Arapahoe Basin, CO

COVID-19 vaccination numbers continue to go up, but healthcare providers are hoping that statistics will not plateau. To vaccinate more of the population, officials have had to get creative. At Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, the Summit County Public Health Department hosted a ski-through vaccine clinic on Sunday, May 16. The ski resort and the Summit County Public Health Department partnered to […]

Brains

Alex Mangels | May 18, 2021

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Town of Julian Becomes the Second Dark Sky Community in California

The town of Julian was officially named as California’s second certified dark-sky community. The accreditation, made official by the International Dark-Sky Association, rewards a multi-year project of the town’s residents. Neighboring town Borrego Springs, only a 45-minute drive from Julian, was California’s first dark-sky community. Julian resident Doug Sollosy founded the Julian Dark Sky Network intending to meet the light […]

Brains

Alex Mangels | May 17, 2021

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Real Estate: Chalet on Powder Mountain, UT

Schemata Architects + Jo Nagasaka teamed up with Lloyd Architects recently on a project in Utah. The partnership took on a minimalist design approach in what they have recently unveiled as the “Chalet on Powder Mountain.” The chalet sits to the north of another group of mountain homes on Powder Mountain and gives its residents easy access to both the ski […]

Alex Mangels | May 10, 2021

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Lake Tahoe Feeling the Effects of Over-tourism

Starting last March, cities across the world became far less busy than before the COVID-19 pandemic began. With various shelter-in-place and lockdown orders in effect, traffic greatly decreased. Lake Tahoe, however, has seen a level of over-tourism unmatched by many other destinations. The crowds of people coming in and out of Tahoe have affected the lake and its recreational resources […]

Alex Mangels | May 7, 2021

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