Melting Alaska Glacier Slowly Reveals Remains of Long-Lost U.S. Servicemen Alaska, the most glacier-covered state in the country, has been experiencing warming temperatures not unlike the rest of the world. What that means for the last frontier state, however, is very different from the rest of the country. When glaciers melt, what is buried under thousands of years of thick ice begins to expose itself one day at a time. […] Crash Joseph Kaufmann | March 8, 2026 0 Comments
Is Mt. Baldy, CA, as Deadly as Mt. Everest? While comparing the death rates of the world’s tallest peak and a mountain located right next to the second largest city in the U.S. may seem like a stretch, the comparison might not be as ridiculous as one might think. Mt. Baldy, at an elevation of 10,064 feet, is about 20,000 feet smaller than Mt. Everest. While that elevation difference […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | February 27, 2026 2 Comments
Alaska, A Place Known for Massive Snow Totals, Records Snowiest January in Recorded History Alaska, America’s most northern state, is no stranger to snow. In fact, the state records more snow totals than any other state by a large margin. By those standards, it would take a massive amount of snow to cause any disruption in a place known for the fluffy white stuff. Unfortunately (or fortunately for ski and snowboard enthusiast) for residents […] Weather Joseph Kaufmann | February 11, 2026 0 Comments
Utah’s Only Free Ski Area Is Officially Open Again After 45 Years Snowland is located about 100 miles south of Salt Lake City and has officially reopened for its first official season since 1980. Snowland has long been a destination for road served backcountry skiing for Utah locals, but a non-profit known as Snowland Recreation and Education, has installed a rope tow for the first time. Located up at the top of […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | January 29, 2026 0 Comments
UK to Build the Nation’s Largest Indoor Ski Slope in Wales The Welsh town of Merthyr Tydfil has recently approved an ambitious mixed winter sports project. After a decision by the Welsh Government not to block the ambitious proposition, plans have moved forward to construct the UK’s longest indoor ski slope. The massive project, known as the Rhydycar West development, will also include both indoor and outdoor activity centers, up to […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | January 23, 2026 0 Comments
General Manager of Mt. Ashland, OR, Andrew Gast Resigns Amid Resort Closure [UPDATE: Mt. Ashland opened for the season on Wednesday, January 7) Mt. Ashland has had a challenging season so far, with less-than-ideal conditions forcing an indefinite midseason closure. Following the early closure, additional news has emerged for the South Central Oregon resort. Andrew Gast, General Manager of the resort since 2021, announced his resignation in the pursuit of another unknown job opportunity. Related: SnowBrains Podcast […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | January 9, 2026 2 Comments
Mt. Ashland, OR, Pauses Ski Operations Indefinitely Due to Not Having Enough Snow Mount Ashland, Oregon, has recently announced via Facebook they are pausing ski operations indefinitely as of December 31, 2025. Mt Ashland, located in South Central Oregon, is a owned and operated by the non-profit Mt. Ashland Association and was founded in 1964. Located in a subalpine climate, yearly rainfall averages over 60 inches, while snowfall averages 223 inches. The high […] Weather Joseph Kaufmann | January 6, 2026 1 Comment
Pro Tip: Don’t Bring Your Avalanche Airbag on United Airlines The list of prohibited items goes on and on when one plans to board an airline. From firearms to lighters, the range of prohibited items is extensive to say the least. But one item that can surely save your life in the backcountry is strangely enough prohibited on United Airlines. The avalanche airbag, originally conceived in the 1970s by German […] Gear Joseph Kaufmann | January 3, 2026 1 Comment
The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva, WI, Set to Host a One Of a Kind “Hot Dog Open” Freestyle Competition The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva, a Wisconsin locals’ favorite and popular ski resort, is set to host what they are calling a ” Hot Dog Open” from January 16–18, 2026. The quirky name for the competition comes from the original identity of the resort, spanning all the way back to the early 1970s. The name originates from the competitions […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | December 26, 2025 0 Comments
Mount Bohemia, MI, Announces New Employee Housing Plans For 2026 Mount Bohemia, the renowned experts-only ski resort overlooking Lake Superior, has announced plans to build new employee housing in 2026. Mount Bohemia is located in far Northern Michigan, nearly 10 hours away from Michigan’s largest city, Detroit, and its surrounding suburbs. Mount Bohemia is no average ski resort by midwestern standards, however. The resort features over 900 feet of vertical, 585-620 […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | December 22, 2025 0 Comments
The Average Winter Temperature in the U.S. Has Risen Drastically Over the Last Century The United States has experienced a concerning rise in average temperatures over the past century, with winter emerging as the most affected season. While all seasons have warmed by several degrees, rising winter temperatures are especially damaging for skiers and snowboarders, leading to poorer snow quality, reduced snowfall, shorter seasons, and more frequent hazardous conditions. Related: Killington, VT, Holds Off […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | December 15, 2025 1 Comment
Train Derails into Gunnison River Near Grand Junction, CO Late Tuesday evening, December 2, a Union Pacific train derailed into the Gunnison River in far Western Colorado. The train was traveling in a remote part of the state, between the towns of Whitewater and Bridgeport, when the incident occurred. Speeding along in the darkness, the train came up on a rockslide. A particularly large boulder forced the train off […] Joseph Kaufmann | December 8, 2025 0 Comments
The Olympic Torch Has Officially Been Lit, Kicking Off Ceremonies for the 2026 Olympics In Italy The Olympic torch has officially been ignited, building a feeling of excitement and anticipation around the world. On November 26, at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Greece, the inaugural Lighting Ceremony of the Olympic Flame took place. This historic ceremony kicks off the famed Olympic Torch Relay, starting the torch’s journey from Athens, Greece, to Milan, Italy. Related: Americans are […] Olympics Joseph Kaufmann | December 1, 2025 0 Comments
It Still Has Not Snowed in Denver, CO, Moving 2025 Into the 6th Longest Snow Drought Year in the City’s History Denver, Colorado, is famous for its snowy mountain backdrop, world-class skiing, and as a starting point for any type of winter fun you can ask for. However, the Mile High City has yet to experience any winter weather as of November 18. The last recorded snowfall of the season was April 18, meaning that the city has gone over 210 […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | November 18, 2025 0 Comments
Top 5 Best Ski Counties in the United States There are countless great skiing and snowboarding locations across the United States. Some counties, however, pull far above their weight when it comes to quality and quantity of snow, elevation, access to great inbounds and backcountry terrain, vibrant après scene, accessibility from major airports, and of course number of ski resorts. From coast to coast, we’ve compiled a list using […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | November 14, 2025 1 Comment
22,247-Foot Himalayan Peak Kimshung Sees First-Ever Successful Ascent Kimshung (or Tsangbu Ri as it’s also locally known) has long stood as one of the last unclimbed Himalayan peaks since modern climbing first arrived in the region. Standing at a massive elevation of 22,247 feet in Nepal near the border with Tibet, Kimshung has seen numerous failed attempts over the years. Due to its remote location and difficulty of […] Climbing Joseph Kaufmann | November 7, 2025 0 Comments
Last Surviving Member of First Mt. Everest Summit Passes Away Peacefully at Age 92 Kanchha Sherpa, a high-altitude porter on the famed first successful ascent of the world’s highest peak, has passed away. Phur Gelje Sherpa, president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said in a statement that Kanchaa passed away in his home of Kapan, Nepal, on Thursday, October 16. Kanchha was a member of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent of Everest. […] Climbing Joseph Kaufmann | October 22, 2025 0 Comments
Snoqualmie Pass, WA, Sees Earliest Snowfall In Years Washington’s Snoqualmie Pass, sitting at a peak elevation of 3,022 feet, saw its first measurable snowfall of the season on Sunday, October 12. While it wasn’t an overwhelming amount of snow, nearly half an inch of fresh powder covered the dense pine trees of the evergreen state’s most traversed mountain pass. Any amount of snow this early in the season […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | October 16, 2025 0 Comments
Ski for Free When Flying Alaska Airlines at These Destination Resorts Alaska Airlines, the premier Seattle-based carrier serving the Pacific Northwest and beyond, has partnered with a list of well-known ski resorts to offer free lift passes when flying into select airports. The airline will provide free or discounted tickets at a variety of ski areas, from local ski areas to mega resorts and everything in between. States and provinces with […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | October 14, 2025 0 Comments
The Top 5 Most Difficult Jobs at a Ski Resort It takes an astounding amount of people to run a ski resort. People come from all walks of life to fill in the hundreds of positions it takes to operate a ski resort, year after year. From ski patrol, lift operations, food and beverage, to everything in between, each job has its advantages and disadvantages. However, some specific jobs stand […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | October 7, 2025 0 Comments
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