Stowe, VT, Report: Steep and Deep—Day 1 Report from Opening Day, Friday, November 21, 2025 It’s not every day that you get to repeat Day 1, but this year I made the trip to Stowe for its start. There is something special about getting out on Day 1; like the last day of the season, this is a day usually reserved for the die-hards, the skier or […] Conditions Report David Michael | November 26, 2025 0 Comments
Killington, VT, Conditions Report: The Beast Reawakens—Opening Day Report from Opening Day on Wednesday, November 12 Driving up from Rutland, Vermont, the sky was overcast, and there were flurries in the air; coming down from upper elevations, cars had 2 inches or more of snow on their roofs. Related: Killington, VT, Holds Off on Opening Day as Temperatures Stay Just Too Warm Turning onto Killington’s access road, there […] Conditions Report David Michael | November 12, 2025 0 Comments
How Much Does it Cost to Outfit a World Cup Skier? World Cup ski racing equipment is highly specialized and expensive. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) sets limits and specifications for the types of equipment racers can use. Outfitting a ski racer is more complex than it appears. When a racer kicks out of the start house, the retail cost of their gear for that one race can easily […] Gear David Michael | November 3, 2025 0 Comments
The 25-Year, $3 Billion Killington Expansion Will Run Head On Into Vermont’s Housing Crisis Chris Karr arrived at Killington in 1981 to spend a season as a ski bum; 44 years later, he is still here as the owner of a number of restaurants and a convenience store. Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, Karr faced serious problems finding staff. This wasn’t a new issue as housing in Vermont had been getting harder to […] Industry News David Michael | October 13, 2025 1 Comment
Hintertux Glacier, Austria, Conditions Report: Skiing During Europe’s Heatwave June 30-July 4, 2025 After years of hearing about year-round glacier skiing in Europe, I joined a friend to train in early July on the famous Hintertux Glacier in Austria with Austrian Race Camps. With the shortened season at Killington this year (closing date was May 10), I still felt the need to get some more turns before the inevitable […] Conditions Report David Michael | July 24, 2025 3 Comments
Inside the U.S. Ski Team’s Ambitious Plan to Win the FIS Alpine Nations Cup The U.S. Ski Team has set its sights on winning the Overall Nations Cup by 2035. Chip Knight, U.S. Ski and Snowboard’s (USSS) Alpine Development Director, tells SnowBrains, “We’d like to stand toe to toe with the best Nations in the world, and the Nations Cup is the best metric in terms of depth of excellence.” The Performance Task Force […] Competition David Michael | June 12, 2025 0 Comments
Killington’s CEO Mike Solimano Hits the Jackpot Thanks to New Owners Just before Killington’s annual Stifel Audi FIS World Cup weekend, Mike Solimano, President and Chief Executive Officer of Killington and Pico Resorts, won the fourth annual U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy Trailblazer Legacy Award from the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA). The award honors an individual’s lifetime of service in Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy with special recognition for advancing sustainability and equity, investing […] David Michael | January 27, 2025 1 Comment
Meet Zrinka Ljutić, the Rising Star in Slalom Skiing from Croatia—An Exclusive Interview with the Semmering World Cup Winner Last weekend, Zrinka Ljutić won her first World Cup race, the Slalom in Semmering, Austria. Ljutić won in dominant fashion, besting Lena Dürr of Germany by 1.75 seconds. Ljutić posted the fastest times for both runs of the race and her victory was the first by a Croatian woman since the legendary Janica Kostelic last won 18 years ago in […] Industry News David Michael | December 30, 2024 0 Comments
Inside the World Cup: The White Circus Visits Killington, VT Close to 2 p.m. on a dark, cold, late November afternoon, Mikaela Shiffrin waited in the Start House to take her second run in Killington’s annual International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) World Cup Giant Slalom race. Close to 21,000 people stood, peering up at the hill, stomping the bleachers, clapping, ringing cowbells, and cheering. They had been making noise […] David Michael | December 9, 2024 0 Comments
Killington, VT, Report: Opening Day—Blue Skies and Good Times Report from Thursday, November 14, 2024 Newly independent Killington Resort, Vermont, opened today for the 2024-25 season. The skis were blue, the temperatures were mid-20s, and the crowd was excited. The K-1 Gondola took skiers to the summit, where they would ski off the Northridge Chair. This early season sequence is a rite of passage for many Eastern skiers, and […] Conditions Report David Michael | November 14, 2024 0 Comments
Unveiling the New Owners’ Plans for Killington & Pico, VT: Here To Stay, Primed To Grow Facing a standing-room-only crowd of over 700 on October 9, Mike Solimano, President and CEO of Killington and Pico Ski Resorts presented the annual season update to an attentive crowd of locals and second homeowners. A month earlier, the stunning news that Killington and Pico had been sold to a group of local private investors had broken and anticipation for […] Industry News David Michael | November 10, 2024 0 Comments
New Season, New Costs: Ski Resorts Nationwide Implement Paid Parking Policies As the air cools and the first snow arrives, signaling the impending start of the 2024-25 season, skiers and riders dream of the great days ahead. Before getting those first tracks, everyone will find more paid parking options. Despite the regional location, more mountains charge for parking, and some require reservations. This is happening as ski resorts look to control […] Industry News David Michael | October 8, 2024 1 Comment
Pico Mountain, VT, Rental: Own the Hill for A Day Pico Mountain, located in Mendon, Vermont, is a family-friendly resort with varied terrain including classic eastern-style trails and glades. It is proud of its reputation as a big mountain with small mountain charm. Pico’s central base area features a lodge with stone fireplaces. With all trails converging into one area, it’s easy to stay connected with friends and family throughout […] Industry News David Michael | August 29, 2024 1 Comment
Kästle Celebrates 100 Years of Ski Manufacturing in Austria The ski industry can be fickle, but a few companies have been able to persist and prosper, one of which is Kästle, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. This makes Kästle one of the oldest ski manufacturers still in existence—only two are older: Rossignol (117 years) and Völkl (110 years). Fischer shares a birth year with Kästle. Other […] Industry News David Michael | August 8, 2024 0 Comments
Ski Industry Responds to Climate Change Skiers and riders know rising temperatures are leading to warmer and shorter winters. This past season was characterized by uneven seasonal snowfall, decreased snowpack, and loss of ice cover on the Great Lakes. Ski industry associations and resorts are working to combat global warming, advocating for renewable energy and aiming to be better stewards of the environment. Industry-wide initiatives are effectively changing […] Industry News David Michael | July 21, 2024 0 Comments
Warmer Winters Threaten U.S. Snowpack and Water Supply, Say 2 Dartmouth Professors Warmer winters threaten the snowpack in the western U.S. and ice cover in the East which is due to rising temperatures according to scientists. Projections show rising temperatures throughout this century will result in decreased snowfall threatening the water supply and the $67 billion snow sports industry. Snow hovered near record-low depths this season and the Great Lakes had their […] Industry News David Michael | July 2, 2024 0 Comments
23/24 Skier Visits in Vermont and New Hampshire Show Successful Season Any discussion of the ski season has to start with the weather and the 800-pound gorilla outside the room. Eastern skiers and riders want it cold for snowmaking while they wait for snow; Western residents need big storms to cover their great expanses of terrain. Early season conditions for the 23-24 season posed challenges for both eastern and western ski […] Industry News David Michael | June 26, 2024 0 Comments
Hometown Mountain Shout Out: Stowe, VT—Learning to Ski and Conquering The Nose Dive I grew up in Albany, New York, and skied locally at Royal Mountain which is located in the Adirondack Foothills. I also skied areas in southern Vermont like Bromley Mountain Ski Resort & Stratton Mountain Resort. For many years, my family went to Stowe, Vermont, in early March to celebrate my Dad’s birthday. I started skiing during the winter of 1965-66 when a […] Industry News David Michael | June 17, 2024 0 Comments
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