Utah Man on Pace to Ski 10 Million Vertical Feet this Year to Break His Own World Record Last year, SnowBrains reported on the incredible story of Tom Hart, also known as “Racer Tom,” who set the world record for most vertical feet skied in a year when he logged 8,513,340 vertical feet. The record was certified by the Guinness World Records after Hart meticulously met all the requirements to prove his accomplishment. Now, during the 2024-25 season, […] Industry News Brent Thomas | April 21, 2025 0 Comments
End of Season Checklist: Care for Your Gear Sadly, the ski season is coming to an end, or for some it already has. Soon your focus may turn toward warmer weather activities, but before you do, it is wise to give your gear some TLC before storing it away for the season. Doing so will ensure you are ready to hit the slopes again when the snow returns, […] Brains Brent Thomas | April 20, 2025 0 Comments
Every State’s Record Snow Year According to Their Ski Areas 2023 will go down as one of the overall snowiest ski seasons ever. An incredible 18 resorts set snowfall records. But what year and at what resort holds the record for each state? See below for the answer. The list is sorted in ascending order by total snowfall. States not included are lacking records. West Virginia – 1981 Snowshoe Ski […] Brains Brent Thomas | April 19, 2025 5 Comments
2026 is Your Last Chance to Ski or Snowboard in Japan Before Big Changes Come for Tourists For years, Japan has been a bucket-list destination for skiers and snowboarders around the world, offering legendary powder, stunning alpine vistas, and a unique blend of culture and hospitality. But if Japan’s slopes have been on your radar, 2026 may be your best chance to enjoy them under the current conditions. Starting in mid-2025, a series of sweeping tourism reforms […] Industry News Brent Thomas | April 14, 2025 0 Comments
What Are Your Chances of Dying While Skiing or Snowboarding? Everything we do in life involves a risk. Some risks are greater than others. Even simple daily activities, like getting out of bed, walking down a set of stairs, or driving, expose us to personal harm. Related: Risk Taking in Extreme Sports | Why Do We Do Things That Could Kill or Injure Us? There are many ways we could die […] Brains Brent Thomas | April 12, 2025 1 Comment
Steamboat, CO, Father and His 4 Kids Ski Over 10 Million Combined Vertical Feet this Season Earlier this year, SnowBrains covered the remarkable story of four young siblings who set a goal to all ski over a million vertical feet this season. Jeff Gebauer is the father of Liam, 13, Roman, 12, Fiona, 10, and Eric, 8, who all passed the million-foot milestone for the season on February 15. Reaching the million-foot milestone was something the […] Industry News Brent Thomas | April 11, 2025 0 Comments
5 Multi-Resort Passes That Offer Access to Ride the Southern Hemisphere [UPDATED: 4/10/25 at 9:00 a.m. PST] As the winter ski season winds down in North America, many people will turn to more seasonal activities like biking, hiking, golf, or spending time at the lake. It makes sense as the weather turns warmer and ski resorts close. It can be a sad time of year for many as most ski resorts […] Brains Brent Thomas | April 10, 2025 0 Comments
North America’s 11 Most Influential Ski Resorts That Have Shaped the Industry Today Although North America was not the birthplace of skiing, many of its resorts have had significant influence on the sport. From the rugged peaks of the Rockies to the powder-filled bowls of British Columbia and the icy slopes of the East Coast, North America’s ski resorts have done far more than offer a place to carve turns—they’ve helped shape the entire […] Brains Brent Thomas | April 9, 2025 0 Comments
POWDR Corp. Announces It Will Not Sell Mt. Bachelor, OR, After All After nearly eight months of speculation and anticipation, POWDR Corp. announced on Friday, April 4, that it will no longer pursue the sale of Mt. Bachelor. The company, which has owned the Central Oregon resort since 2001, stated that it had evaluated all factors involved and ultimately decided to retain ownership “indefinitely.” “There are numerous factors involved in evaluating a […] Industry News Brent Thomas | April 5, 2025 0 Comments
Why the ‘ONE Wasatch’ Concept of Interconnected Resorts in Utah Hasn’t Come to Fruition For years, the concept of ‘ONE Wasatch’ has fascinated skiers and snowboarders who dream of an interconnected ski experience in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. The proposal aims to link six major ski resorts—Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Park City Mountain, and Deer Valley—via a series of lifts and runs, creating one of the largest ski networks in North America. It would include […] Industry News Brent Thomas | April 3, 2025 1 Comment
Why Do Ski Resorts Close When Their Snowpack Is Still So Deep? At the beginning of the ski season, it is a race to see which resort will open first. Pent-up demand from not skiing during the summer and fall drives skiers to clamor for their first tracks of the season. Sometimes this is only on one lift and a measly 12-inch base, most of which might be man-made snow. Then, at […] Brains Brent Thomas | April 3, 2025 11 Comments
Washington Man Sets World Record by Skiing Over 137,000 Vertical Feet in 12 Hours at Alpental Ski Resort On March 7, 2025, Rob Bernhoff of Woodinville, Washington, clicked into his skis, took a deep breath, and launched into a relentless pursuit of history. Over the next 12 hours, he would carve his way down the slopes with impressive endurance, claiming the unofficial world record for the most vertical feet skied in a single day. From 9 a.m. until […] Industry News Brent Thomas | April 2, 2025 1 Comment
Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Reveals Plans to Build 1,700 Foot-Long Lift-Accessed Skate Park on Upper Whistler Mountain Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, renowned for its world-class ski terrain and breathtaking mountain scenery, is taking a bold step to redefine its summer offerings. In response to the indefinite closure of summer skiing on the Horstman Glacier, the resort has announced the construction of a massive lift-accessed skate park on the upper slopes of Whistler Mountain. This groundbreaking project, set […] Industry News Brent Thomas | April 1, 2025 0 Comments
What Would be the Best Superpowers for Skiers and Snowboarders to Have? These are our Top 7 Picks We’ve all thought about it. The idea that if we just had a superpower, how much our lives could be enhanced. As skiers and snowboarders, harnessing a superpower could make an immense difference in doing something we already love. Imagine carving down a mountain with superhuman precision, effortlessly floating over powder, or never feeling the burn in your legs no […] Brains Brent Thomas | March 25, 2025 1 Comment
Mt. Norquay, AB, Offering $18.67 Lift Tickets to Celebrate Canadian Heritage Skiers and snowboarders looking for a deal and a chance to celebrate Canadian pride are in for a treat this spring. Mt. Norquay, a historic ski resort in Banff, Alberta, is inviting guests to hit the slopes for just $18.67 on April 2. This special promotion commemorates Canada’s rich history and the resort’s nearly century-long legacy as a proudly Canadian-owned […] Industry News Brent Thomas | March 25, 2025 0 Comments
Bogus Basin, ID, Increases Season Pass Prices 20% for the 2025-26 Season Bogus Basin Ski Area, located just outside Boise, Idaho, is a unique ski resort that operates as a non-profit. Its mission is centered on affordable recreation, community engagement, and reinvesting in its facilities to benefit skiers and snowboarders. Since it is managed by the Bogus Basin Recreation Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all revenue generated from lift tickets, season passes, […] Industry News Brent Thomas | March 25, 2025 0 Comments
The 9 Best Resorts for Snowboarders in the U.S. There is no shortage of lists for the best overall ski resorts. These lists tend to be general and are based on a number of common factors. This list is different as it will cover the best resorts specifically for snowboarders. But what makes a resort great for snowboarders? First and foremost, plentiful amounts of powder. Of course, that is […] Brains Brent Thomas | March 22, 2025 1 Comment
Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Suspends Summer Ski Camps Indefinitely Due to Glacial Recession Summer camps on the Horstman Glacier at Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, have long been indispensable for anyone who wants to ski and ride in the summer. Located high on Blackcomb Peak, the glacier typically opens from early June to mid-July for freestyle and race camps. It is one of only a few places in North America where you can ski and ride […] Industry News Brent Thomas | March 18, 2025 0 Comments
Seattle Skier Dies in Tragic Tree Well Accident at Mt. Bachelor, OR A skier tragically lost his life at Mt. Bachelor on March 17, 2025, after falling into a tree well and becoming trapped in deep snow. The victim, identified as 34-year-old Benjamin Shelkey of Seattle, Washington, was found unresponsive by fellow skiers who worked desperately to free him before beginning CPR. The emergency unfolded at 3:04 p.m. when Deschutes County 911 received […] Industry News Brent Thomas | March 18, 2025 0 Comments
Mt. Bachelor, OR, Report: Beware the Ides of March Deep Powder Report from March 15, 2025 I don’t know why it stuck with me in my high school English class when we studied Julius Caesar, and there was the ominous warning to “beware the Ides of March,” but it did. Although March 15 can be associated with bad luck and misfortune, I planned a trip with my two boys to ski […] Conditions Report Brent Thomas | March 17, 2025 0 Comments
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