Understanding The “Jay Cloud Phenomenon” at Jay Peak, VT Located in the far northeastern corner of the United States near the Canadian border, Jay Peak is a prominent summit in northern Vermont. Rising to 3,862 feet, and with a base elevation near 1,750 feet, the mountain boasts a vertical drop of over 2,100 feet. Despite its modest stature, Jay Peak is widely recognized for producing some of the most […] Weather Matthew Oliphant | March 2, 2026 0 Comments
Comparing North America’s Highest Peaks, Denali vs. Mount St. Elias—Goliaths of the North High above Alaska’s sweeping, expansive wilderness, Mount McKinley (also known as Denali) and Mount St. Elias rise with a presence rarely found anywhere else on Earth that commands both attention and a deep respect. Both are awe-inspiring in their own stature—Denali, tucked deep within the continent’s interior, and St. Elias, towering abruptly from sea to summit in just a matter […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | November 17, 2025 1 Comment
Later Each Year: What Logan Pass Tells Us About Climate and the High Country There’s a unique rush that comes with driving through a mountain pass — your ears pop, the peaks shift around you, and suddenly the world opens up. Logan Pass, the high point of Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road in Montana, tops out at 6,550 feet and offers expansive views of the Rockies’ sandstone spires, sculpted by wind, water, and glacial […] Matthew Oliphant | July 20, 2025 0 Comments
Snowfall Extremes: Earth’s Deepest Winter Zones Snowfall enthusiasts often wonder where some of the highest average annual snowfall totals occur. A deep dive into the research reveals several fascinating locations, some of which may come as a surprise. Below is a list of five places that receive staggering amounts of snowfall each year. #5 Snowbird/Alta, Utah: 500+ inches Both Snowbird and Alta ski resorts in Utah […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | March 1, 2025 0 Comments
ShipSkis: Redefining Luggage, Delivering Pure Stoke Does the thought of traveling with your ski or snowboard gear at the airport make you want to run for the hills—literally? Whether you’re stressed about your precious gear getting lost or stolen or simply dreading the logistical challenges of maneuvering your gear through the airport, we’ve got uplifting news. There’s a service designed to make this process as smooth […] Featured Article Matthew Oliphant | January 2, 2025 0 Comments
Skiing the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington When you look at a map of the Pacific Northwest, it’s easy to focus on the iconic Cascade Mountains’ captivating beauty and awe-inspiring volcanoes running north to south. That said, a lesser-known mountain range, the Blue Mountains, aka the “The Blues,” is equally as beautiful, albeit more remote, and positioned in the interior of Washington and Oregon. Let’s first gain […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | November 10, 2024 0 Comments
Glacial Ice Transformation Following the 1980 Mount St. Helens, WA, Eruption No volcano is more iconic in the Pacific Northwest than Mount St Helens or Loowit (Smoking Mountain), as the Cowlitz and Yakima nations know it. This active volcano sits 130 miles from the Pacific Ocean in Washington state, making it one of the closest Cascades volcanoes to the ocean. Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan) is the nearest volcano to the ocean. […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | August 20, 2024 0 Comments
Washington State Historic Snowfall Comparison: Mount Rainier vs Mount Baker When you think of legendary snowfall in the Pacific Northwest, I suspect a few spots that come to mind within the Evergreen State. That said, I want to jump right in and give you context on the precise coordinates of these two locations and their proximity to the Pacific Ocean. I begin with Mount Baker, or Koma Kulshan as it […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | May 12, 2024 1 Comment
Mt. Hood (Wy’East) vs Crater Lake (Giiwas), OR, Historic Snowfall Comparison When it comes to big snowfall totals in the state of Oregon, two sites remain supreme for their heavy annual snowfall and greatest snow depth recorded at one time. These sites are Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon and Timberline on Mt. Hood in northern Oregon. You might be asking why I chose these specific sites in Oregon. I […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | February 26, 2024 0 Comments
2 Of Our Favorite Ski Destinations in the High Terrain of British Columbia It’s easy to make a case for many ski locations in the world for a host of reasons (powder quality, terrain, location, etc). Still, without a doubt, one cannot disagree that British Columbia delivers some of the most spectacular world-class skiing and snowboarding experiences on the planet. Don’t believe me? I will break down two epic spots in British Columbia […] Matthew Oliphant | January 4, 2024 0 Comments
Our Favorite Ski Destinations of the Canadian Rockies – Alberta There is something to be said about shredding powder in Canada. Whether it’s the Chinook winds, the bountiful snowfall in the winter months, or the commanding and towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies, there is a certain aura in this part of the world. And what better way than to highlight two top-notch ski locations in different parts of the […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | November 14, 2023 0 Comments
Why Does Lassen Peak Typically Get More Snow Than Mt. Shasta in California? You’re probably wondering how can a peak that is further south and is around ~3,723 ft shorter in elevation typically receives more snow overall compared to a much taller edifice. Before I explain and break down this intriguing case, let’s first get our bearings set in terms of the location and overall coordinates of these two iconic peaks in the […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | September 25, 2023 0 Comments
The Glaciers of the North Cascades, WA, in an Ever-Changing Climate Did you know that the most glacier-concentrated terrain in the lower 48 is in the North Cascades National Park, located in the northern section of Washington state? In fact, this remote and wild National park embodies more glaciers than Glacier National Park (Montana) or any other National Park in the contiguous United States. There are over ~250 active glaciers contained […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | August 27, 2023 0 Comments
Analyzing 2022/2023 Winter Season at Crater Lake National Park, OR It’s safe to say that winters at Crater Lake, OR, tend to be legendary for many reasons. And I’m sure anyone reading this knows what I’m referring to. But if you are new to this, you are in for a treat. Let’s start by gaining some context on the history of the park and snippets into its geologic past and […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | July 24, 2023 0 Comments
Analyzing the 2022/2023 Winter Snowfall at Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA Looking back at the 2022/2023 winter season for parts of the West, it’s safe to say that this was one for the ages, especially for the high terrain in California. While it’s easy to gravitate and talk about the legendary snowpack records that were broken in the Sierra Nevada, I’m going to move a little further north of the Sierra […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | June 26, 2023 0 Comments
Exploring the Lesser Known Ski Areas in Eastern Oregon When you think of Eastern Oregon, you probably don’t associate it with seeking out a ski area for a number of reasons (remoteness, accessibility, lack of snow, etc.) Well, I’m here to hopefully expand your mind and highlight two underrated ski areas in this spectacular and often overlooked part of Oregon. Before I begin, I wanted to quickly touch on […] Matthew Oliphant | June 1, 2023 0 Comments
Why Did California Break So Many Records This Winter Even Though It Was La Niña? I am sure by now you are well aware of the record-breaking winter that California just experienced! To put this into perspective, the high terrain of California’s current snowpack is in the range of 195% to 300% of the normal average for this time of the season. Even more interesting is the snow water equivalent (amount of water locked up […] Weather Matthew Oliphant | April 25, 2023 0 Comments
Mt. Waterman Ski Area, CA, Can’t Open Because This Year’s Epic Snowfall Has Destroyed the Only Road to Get There You could single handily say that California just had the most historic winter season ever on record for much of the high terrain, and this even includes parts of southern California, which is saying a lot! This historic snowfall has caused increased pressure and demands on Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) to do their job and meet all areas needing […] Industry News Matthew Oliphant | April 6, 2023 0 Comments
Why Didn’t a Ski Lift/Tram Ever Get Built on Mt. Rainier, WA? Imagine taking a ski lift from Mt. Rainier’s Paradise station at 5,400 ft to the 10,000 ft Camp Muir level where you would have endless terrain to snowboard or ski. One could certainly see why this precise location would be so enticing and attractive to set up a permanent ski lift. You could easily argue that the south part of […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | March 21, 2023 0 Comments
The 2 Places Where The Most-Ever Snow Fell in 1 Season We know the Pacific Northwest is world-renowned for its exceptional snowfall amounts during the winter months. But, what If I told you there are two spectacular spots that reside in the same state and are within a five-hour drive of each other that have claimed this coveted title before or currently hold it to this day? These sites are Mt. […] Brains Matthew Oliphant | February 24, 2023 2 Comments
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