Mount Russell North Chute, CO, Conditions: Amazing Spring Fun in the Backcountry Report from Saturday, May 25 Mount Russell (12,240 feet) towers above the former Berthoud Pass Ski Area in Colorado which was home to one of the first ski lifts in the state. Unfortunately, the ski area closed in 2003, but today, the pass remains a popular spot for backcountry skiing. Related: Berthoud Pass on U.S. Highway 40, CO, Reopens – […] Conditions Report Luke Guilford | May 26, 2024 0 Comments
Missing Skier’s Body Found at Snowbird Ski Resort, UT On Sunday night, May 19, a concerned relative contacted the Unified Police Department that 60-year-old Charles Esposito had not returned from skiing at Snowbird, Utah. Police responded to the call and located Esposito’s vehicle in the Snowbird parking lot. Tracking his phone, officers narrowed down his location to an area near the Gadzoom Lift which is closed for the season. […] Industry News Luke Guilford | May 21, 2024 0 Comments
Ketchum, ID, Property Owner is Suing Sun Valley Resort, ID, Over New Base Terminal Lift drama is unfolding at Sun Valley Resort in Idaho. The owner of a property adjacent to the new Flying Squirrel base terminal is asking Sun Valley Resort to remove and rebuild the new base terminal further away from her lodge. Marda Phelps’ property is located at 121 Picabo Street in Ketchum, Idaho, and offers a premier ski-in/ski-out experience. Along with […] Industry News Luke Guilford | May 12, 2024 0 Comments
Homewood Mountain Resort, CA, Shares 8-Year Master Plan The Master Plan by Homewood Mountain Resort, California, has been a long time in the making. In 2011, the original Master Plan was fully approved, and 11 years later in 2022, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) approved another revision of Homewood’s Master Plan. In 2024, Homewood has finally revealed its eight-year Master Plan that will result in a major […] Industry News Luke Guilford | May 1, 2024 0 Comments
Top 9 Tributary Whitewater Trips That Absolutely Rip the Sierra Nevada’s Snowmelt Spring is officially in full swing, the change in season is dynamic, and its effects ripple through the environment. The days become longer, and the sun’s rays become more concentrated in the northern hemisphere. Temperatures increase and precipitation turns from snow to rain. The snowpack in the mountains begins to decrease rapidly and the last several months of snowfall melt […] Raft Luke Guilford | April 25, 2024 0 Comments
Backcountry Skiers Unapologetically Trigger Avalanche on Quandary Peak, CO, Partially Burying Skier in Another Group Spring skiing is on in Colorado, and as the snowpack consolidates, more skiers are in “peak-bagging” mode. The past Sunday, April 21, a group of backcountry skiers were meticulously descending the north couloir (Quandary Couloir) on Quandary Peak one by one when the group above them descended past them, triggering a wind slab that partially buried one of their skiers. […] Avalanche Luke Guilford | April 25, 2024 0 Comments
71-Year-Old Ski Instructor Succumbs to Injuries After Ski Collison at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR), Wyoming, reported to the Buckrail that a collision occurred the morning of April 14 between two skiers that resulted in both men being transported to the hospital. According to Buckrail, Peter Wuerslin, the 71-year-old part-time JHMR ski instructor, was skiing with a group of peers when a 34-year-old skier collided with Wuerslin from uphill. JHMR […] Industry News Luke Guilford | April 22, 2024 9 Comments
Powder Nomad Creates Digital Tool to Track Your Carbon Footprint from This Ski Season With the ski season in the northern hemisphere winding down, it’s important to reflect on the wonderful memories and great times had crushing powder, landing new tricks, or just getting turns in. Technology has provided the ski industry with countless tools to track some of these metrics. An often-forgotten metric is our carbon footprint. Powder Nomad has created a carbon […] Industry News Luke Guilford | April 22, 2024 0 Comments
Austrian Glaciers Expected to Melt Within 50 Years In a recent report by the Austrian Alpine Club, it was determined that glaciers across the Alps are melting at twice the global average. The report also noted that of the 93 glaciers measured and observed in Austria, all but one shrank in 2022-2023. Not only did nearly all the glaciers shrink, but it was the third-highest figure of shrinkage in […] Industry News Luke Guilford | April 11, 2024 0 Comments
First Snowfall of the Year Hits New Zealand It’s early autumn in the southern hemisphere and roughly three months until the first ski areas are set to open for the 2024 season. Early snowfall first fell on March 4, delivering five inches at the Cardrona Ski Area. After a few weeks dry spell, three more inches of snow has dropped on the ski area. Related: New Zealand Report: […] Industry News Luke Guilford | March 29, 2024 0 Comments
The Legend of ‘The Powder Buoy’: Can it Really Predict Big Winter Storms? The Powder Buoy is a story of how a financial planner created a cult following over a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather buoy floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The story begins in 2004 when Michael Ruzek, a skier and financial planner living in Park City, Utah, was chatting with one of his clients, Hank Manninen. […] Industry News Luke Guilford | March 18, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: East Ridge Summit of Quandary Peak, CO Report from Saturday, March 10, 2024 58 peaks exceed 14,000 feet in Colorado; those peaks are referred to as 14ers. Quandary Peak sits at 14,265 feet and is a popular 14er to ski due to its easy access and two incredible open bowls for skiing. On Saturday, March 10, the conditions were perfect for a summit. Fresh snowfall during the […] Trip Report Luke Guilford | March 11, 2024 0 Comments
1 Buried in Snowmobile-Triggered Avalanche in Ruby Mountains Wilderness, NV The Ruby Mountains Wilderness in northeastern Nevada is a popular destination for backcountry skiing and snowmobiling. On Friday, March 1, a snowmobile triggered an avalanche on a northeast facing aspect that buried one individual. The individual was safely extricated after reportedly being buried upside with just his boots visible above the slide. Related: 2 Snowmobilers Killed in Separate Avalanches in […] Avalanche Luke Guilford | March 6, 2024 0 Comments
Chicago Cubs Owner to Purchase White Pine Ski Area, WY Less than a two-hour drive from the well-known Jackson Hole Mountain Resort sits the quiet White Pine Ski Area in Pinedale, Wyoming. The Sublette County Chamber of Commerce announced on Facebook that current White Pine Ski Area owner Alan Blackburn has found a buyer to keep the skiers on the slopes for seasons to come. The buyer is Joe Ricketts, a […] Industry News Luke Guilford | March 5, 2024 0 Comments
Ski Lift on Fonna Glacier Ski Resort, Norway, Buried by Over 30 Feet of Snow Fonna Glacier Ski Resort is located on the Folgefonna Glacier in Norway, and it is one of three summer-only ski areas in the country. The ski area plans to open for the season on May 17 this year. When the crew began work for the upcoming season, Mother Nature decided to play ‘hide the ski lift’. Buried by over 10 […] Industry News Luke Guilford | March 5, 2024 0 Comments
Updated Master Development Plan for Vail, CO, Includes Potential Lift Upgrades Vail Ski Resort is located in Summit County, Colorado, along with many other major ski destinations. Vail is loaded with 34 lifts, which include two gondolas that provide access to 5,317 acres and 3,500 vertical feet of skiing. Its immense size makes Vail the fourth-largest ski area in the United States. Vail has been developing its 2024 Master Development Plan […] Industry News Luke Guilford | February 29, 2024 0 Comments
A.I. is Hitting the Slopes. How Does That Look? For some, the words “artificial intelligence” get you absolutely amped, while for others, those two words provoke an uneasy feeling. Some companies are looking to capitalize on the A.I. technology in a new market: the ski industry. This technology could change the way skiers and riders use the ski lifts, buy gear, and master their skills. Related: Gear Review: […] Industry News Luke Guilford | February 23, 2024 0 Comments
French Start Up Aims to Help Skiers and Riders Avoid Long Lift Lines at Resorts with New ‘Waze’ Style App The Waze app is a popular app to shave minutes off your commute, but what about a Waze for skiing? A French startup is aiming to do just that. The Skiif navigation application relies on GPS and user data to tell skiers which chairlifts are crowded, where accidents have backed up traffic on the slopes, and other features. Related: 5 […] Luke Guilford | February 21, 2024 0 Comments
SkiCo Proposes to Expand Snowmass Ski Area, CO Big changes are coming to Aspen’s Snowmass Ski Area. From increasing the snowmaking production to potentially expanding terrain, SkiCo representatives updated the board on proposed amendments to the Snowmass Mountain Master Plan that was approved by the U.S. Forest Service in January 2023. Related: Arapahoe Basin, CO, Chief Teases Unreleased Master Plan – New Gondola, New Lifts, and Expansions – SnowBrains […] Industry News Luke Guilford | February 16, 2024 0 Comments
Imperfect Advocacy: Addressing The Climate Change Hypocrisy An upcoming film created by professional skier and Protect Our Winters (POW) Athlete Alliance member Amie Engerbretson, The Hypocrite, challenges the notion that winter sports athletes are hypocrites because they leave a large carbon footprint while chasing snow around the world, all while advocating for the climate. Although this film has yet to premiere, the message reflects a fundamental responsibility winter […] Industry News Luke Guilford | February 11, 2024 0 Comments