Martin Kuprianowicz

Skier, storyteller, and Editor-in-Chief at SnowBrains.

National Park Service No Longer Pursuing Legal Action Against Trail Runner Over Grand Teton Shortcut While U.S. Attorney’s Office Continues Prosecution

The National Park Service has rescinded its support for the federal prosecution of ultrarunner Michelino Sunseri, who is facing charges after cutting a switchback during a speed record attempt on the Grand Teton last year. Sunseri, 32, of Idaho, had completed the demanding 13.2-mile round-trip route from Lupine Meadows to the 13,775-foot summit of the Grand Teton in 2 hours, […]
Post Tag for National ParksNational Parks
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

France’s Outdoormix Festival Returns in June With Extreme Sports, Live Music, and a Fresh 2025 Lineup

outdoormixfestival

One of Europe’s most unique outdoor events, the Outdoormix Festival, is set to return this June with a weeklong celebration of high-adrenaline sports and live music in the heart of the French Alps. Held each spring in the mountain town of Embrun, the Outdoormix Festival combines elite outdoor sports competitions with nightly concerts, drawing athletes, artists, and fans from across […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

New Speed Records Set on Mont Blanc by French Athletes Benjamin Vedrines and Elise Poncet

Mtl Blanc sunrise alps chamonix

In a historic week for high-speed alpine ascents, two French athletes have claimed new Fastest Known Times (FKTs) for skiing ascents and descents of Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s highest peak. On May 24, 32-year-old French mountaineer Benjamin Vedrines completed a blistering round-trip from Chamonix to the 4,809-meter (15,777-foot) summit of Mont Blanc and back in 4 hours, 54 minutes, and […]
Post Tag for ClimbingClimbing
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

Former Vail Resorts CEO Kirsten Lynch to Receive More Than $2.2 Million in Severance Pay

vail resorts CEO

Former Vail Resorts Chief Executive Officer Kirsten Lynch will receive over $2.2 million in severance and other benefits as part of her departure agreement with the company, according to recently filed documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Lynch officially stepped down from her role as CEO on May 22 after more than three years in the position. She […]
Post Tag for Industry NewsIndustry News
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

Professional Freeskier and Filmmaker Chris Benchetler Honors Hall of Fame Basketball Player Bill Walton with New Episode of Ship of Fools Series

Bill Walton Chris benchetler Grateful Dead

Professional freeskier and filmmaker Chris Benchetler has released a new episode of his behind-the-scenes docuseries Ship of Fools, paying tribute to the late Bill Walton on the one-year anniversary of the NBA Hall of Famer’s death. Episode 16, titled “Making of ‘Fire on the Mountain’ w/ Bill Walton – The Wheel Keeps Turning,” revisits the acclaimed 2020 ESPN special Fire […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

Female Backcountry Skier Dies in Nearly 2,000-Foot Fall in Banff National Park, Alberta

Banff national park

A 34-year-old Lake Louise woman died Tuesday morning after falling roughly 600 meters (1,968 feet) while skiing in a remote area of Banff National Park near Moraine Lake, according to Parks Canada, a federal agency responsible for protecting and managing national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas across Canada. The skier was part of a group of […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

Park City, UT, Sets Tourism Record Last Season Despite Historic Ski Patrol Strike

Park City, Utah, wrapped up its 2024-25 ski season with the highest tourism revenue in town history, despite a winter marked by modest snowfall and a high-profile ski patrol strike. Preliminary numbers from the Park City Chamber of Commerce show a new record for transient room tax collections—a key metric that tracks both nightly rates and lodging occupancy. Related: Why […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

Saudi Arabia Completes Key Tunnel as Desert Ski Resort Trojena Moves Toward 2029 Asian Winter Games

Saudi Arabia’s first-ever ski resort project is advancing in the desert mountains of Neom, where developers have now completed excavation of a key tunnel linking future guests to the resort’s centerpiece lake. The milestone was announced this week as part of ongoing construction updates from Trojena, a high-altitude region within the larger Neom megaproject, a $500 billion-plus futuristic urban development […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

U.S. Forest Service Seeks Public Input on Vail Mountain, CO, Lift and Terrain Upgrades

vail mountain back bowls

Federal land managers are reviewing a proposal from Vail Resorts to upgrade chairlifts, improve terrain flow, and expand snowmaking infrastructure at Vail Mountain—and they’re asking for public feedback before moving forward. The White River National Forest, which oversees the land on which the ski area operates under a special use permit, opened a public comment period this week as part […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

IFMGA-Certified Mountain Guide Dies in Fall on Mount Ushba, Notorious Peak in Georgia

Nick Phaliani

  An internationally certified mountain guide tragically died this week after falling during a climbing expedition on Mount Ushba, a highly technical peak in the Caucasus Mountains of the Republic of Georgia, near the Russia border, news platform Front News Georgia confirmed. Nick Phaliani, a 29-year-old Georgian national and IFMGA-certified guide, was leading a four-person team on foot when he […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

Cuchara, CO, Ski Lift Revival on Track for 2025-26 Season after 20 Years Without Chair Access

Cuchara Mountain Park

After more than two decades without lift access, skiing at Cuchara Mountain Park is poised to return in the 2025–26 season, following a new long-term operating agreement and state funding that clears the way for long-overdue repairs. The nonprofit Panadero Ski Corporation, which has overseen the park’s winter operations since 2017, signed a 40-year operating agreement with Huerfano County earlier […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

Beartooth Highway, MT, to Open for 2025 Season Today With Beartooth Basin Ski Area Opening Next Week, Pending Weather

The Beartooth Highway, one of the highest and most scenic roads in the United States and home to summer-only ski area Beartooth Basin, is expected to open for the season on Friday, May 23, as crews wrap up final snow removal and road repairs ahead of Memorial Day weekend. “The work involves more than just snow removal,” transportation officials wrote […]
Post Tag for Industry NewsIndustry News
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments

The One and Only Time a French Test Pilot Landed a Helicopter on the Top of Mt. Everest

French helicopter mt Everest

Nearly two decades later, the feat remains one-of-a-kind: a helicopter landing on the summit of Mount Everest. In May 2005, French test pilot Didier Delsalle touched down at the highest point on Earth, a moment still regarded as one of the most daring and technically challenging aviation accomplishments ever recorded. Related: American Climber Sets New Mt. Everest Speed Record Flying […]
Post Tag for BrainsBrains
Martin Kuprianowicz |
0 Comments