Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Ski Patrol Avalanche Dogs Interview with Grand Targhee ski patroller and dog handler Casey O’Connor After a long day of ski patrolling, Casey O’Connor was kind enough to hop on the phone with me to take a deep dive into his experience and knowledge regarding ski patrol avalanche dogs. Casey currently works at Grand Targhee, WY, with his patrol dog, Mikko. Mikko is a […] Miles Wong | June 24, 2022 0 Comments
Everything You Need to Know About FIS’s Recent Ban on Fluorinated Waxes This article will take a deep dive into FIS’s ban on fluorinated ski waxes. This ban was announced in November 2019 but won’t be enforced until July 1st, 2021. From amateurs to professionals, these waxes have been the holy grail for ski racers everywhere. Information for this article was gathered from an interview with Chris Read, the head ski tech […] Industry News Miles Wong | May 18, 2021 0 Comments
Ski Jumping Outside of the Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1938 In 1938, Cincinnati held a 10-day Sportsmen’s Show in its music hall, with events located in the north wing, south wing, and outside. These Sportsmen’s Shows were popular in many other cities at the time, and after financing had been secured, Cincinnati began planning and advertising one of the most extravagant Sportsmen’s Shows to date. One of the most spectacular […] Miles Wong | May 12, 2021 0 Comments
Vermont to Be the First State to Ban PFAS Used in Ski Wax Vermont unanimously approved a bill on May 4th that bans perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) in fire extinguishing foam, food packaging, rugs and carpets, and ski wax. Vermont is not the first state to ban PFAS, but they are the first state to ban PFAS in ski wax. Related: Listen To This: Ski Wax Is Silently Polluting The Mountain PFAS are […] Industry News Miles Wong | May 6, 2021 1 Comment
Top 5 Most Visited National Parks Of 2020 As the days lengthen and temperatures begin to rise, summer is just around the corner. It’s time to begin stowing away your ski gear and dusting off the old hiking boots. Whether you’re reading this list to see which national parks to avoid due to crowds, or you’re looking for a beautiful mountain getaway, here’s a list of the most visited […] Miles Wong | April 30, 2021 0 Comments
84-Mile Bugaboos to Rogers Pass Traverse, BC Crushed in 53.2 Hours, Setting New Fastest Known Time Greg Hill, Adam Campbell, and Andrew McNab just set a new fastest known time on the Bugaboos to Rogers pass ski traverse, completing the entire trip in 53.2 hours. The previous record was set by Troy Jungen, Douglas Sproul, and Jon Walsh in 2005 with a time of eighty hours. Hill’s party crushed the previous record by almost thirty hours. […] Industry News Miles Wong | April 29, 2021 0 Comments
Arctic Sea Ice Decline Impacts California Based on satellite imagery, the Arctic sea ice reached its maximum extent for the year in March. According to the National Snow & Ice Data Center, this year’s maximum of 5.65 million square miles was the 9th lowest since reporting began 43 years ago. This number is 305,000 square miles below the 1981-2010 average. While the Arctic sea ice has […] Weather Miles Wong | April 22, 2021 1 Comment
Mountain Dew Will Refund Your Outdoor Recreation Pass with Their New “Outdoor Stimulus” Program Mountain Dew is making it easier to get outdoors by giving away $1 million in prizes to celebrate the great outdoors. This $1 million will be given out as $25 gift cards in exchange for scanning your outdoor license or pass for the 2020/2021 season. Mountain Dew accepts almost every type of license/pass, including fishing licenses, hunting licenses, off-road vehicle […] Miles Wong | April 7, 2021 0 Comments
Hunting Efforts Have Reduced Invasive Teton Goat Population To 29 Why are they being hunted? Mountain goats are an invasive species in the Teton Range. An invasive species is an organism that causes ecological harm to an environment in which it is not native. These mountain goats are harming native Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep by increasing competition for extremely limited resources and contributing to disease transmission. Currently, the population of […] Miles Wong | March 17, 2021 1 Comment
Denver, CO Could See Biggest Snow Storm Since 1885 Friday night through Monday morning, Denver is forecasted to receive one of its biggest snowstorms since 1885. According to AccuWeather, the snow totals are predicted to be upwards of two feet in Denver and up to three feet west of Denver in areas such as Boulder and Fort Collins. Snowfall will be heaviest Saturday night into Sunday and is expected […] Weather Miles Wong | March 12, 2021 0 Comments
Tamarack Ski Resort, ID, Announces Free Season Passes for Local Kids Tamarack Resort, located in Idaho, announced on March 3rd that they would provide free year-round passes to students K-12 who are enrolled in the surrounding Valley County and New Meadows schools. Hosting skiing during the winter and mountain biking during the summer, these free passes to Tamarack Resort will enhance accessibility while fostering inclusivity in the outdoor sports world. Getting […] Industry News Miles Wong | March 5, 2021 0 Comments
Truckee-North Lake Tahoe Housing Crisis Escalates Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic This article is based on research and conversations with the Town of Truckee Housing Program Manager, Seana Doherty, and local realtor, Mark DiGiacomo. Seana works for the town of Truckee, facilitating housing for the local workforce. Mark DiGiacomo has worked as a realtor for the Truckee-based real estate company Carr Long Real Estate for the past nine years. I had […] Miles Wong | February 25, 2021 5 Comments
Colorado’s Marijuana Sales Surpass $10-Billion In 2012, Colorado passed Amendment 64, making recreational marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age or older. Amendment 64 allowed adults to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, and also required the state to set up a regulatory structure for the retail marijuana industry. Since marijuana first started being sold recreationally in 2014, according to the Colorado Department […] Miles Wong | February 12, 2021 0 Comments
Skier Survived Utah Avalanche That Killed 4 By Clinging To A Tree A skier caught in an avalanche in Millcreek Canyon located near Salt Lake City, Utah, survived by clinging to a tree. Once the slide had subsided, the skier managed to locate another member of his group, and the two of them began using their avalanche beacons to rescue others buried beneath the snow. Two separate groups were caught in the […] Avalanche Miles Wong | February 11, 2021 5 Comments
Police Take to the Ski Slopes to Ensure COVID-19 Regulation Adherence Police have taken to the slopes in Europe in order to ensure COVID regulation adherence. We’ve all seen bike cops and mall cops, but the COVID-19 pandemic has bred a new type of cop: ski cops! And no, they’re not there to give out speeding tickets, regardless of how fast you think you are. We’ll leave that job to the […] Industry News Miles Wong | February 11, 2021 6 Comments
Barking Dogs Save Their Owners’ Lives after Avalanche Burial in Switzerland Winter Hiking In Switzerland. | Photo Via Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG On Saturday, January 30th at 3:00 PM, two people were buried in an avalanche while hiking in Avers Valley. Located in southwestern Switzerland, Avers valley offers many winter sports activities, including hiking, ski touring, and resort skiing. The pair were out hiking on the well-prepared winter hiking trails when […] Avalanche Miles Wong | February 10, 2021 0 Comments
Combative Ski Resort Guests Jeopardize Ski Season Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah has been experiencing combative guests who refuse to adhere to new COVID-19 protocols. Guests have been so hostile to employees that Solitude issued a tweet on Sunday, January 12th that reads as follows: Wear a mask, keep the ski season alive. Regardless of who you are or your political views, we are all bonded by […] Industry News Miles Wong | January 15, 2021 8 Comments
Powderhorn Ski Resort in Colorado Offers Tiny Homes For Rent Tiny home, huge opportunity. While some desire lavish hotels or ski-in, ski-out condos for their ski trips, others have shifted to a more minimalistic style. However, this does not necessarily mean resorting to the cheapest motel around. Powderhorn Mountain in Colorado has just introduced upscaled tiny homes that are available for rent or purchase. The introduction of these tiny homes […] Industry News Miles Wong | January 12, 2021 0 Comments
Avalanche Beacon Practice Park Opens To Public In Jackson Hole, WY, Encouraging Safe Backcountry Practices A new avalanche beacon search practice park has just opened to the public in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The park is located within the Rendevous Park, which spans 40 acres of breathtaking mountain views. With such an impressive backdrop, it’s safe to say that this training facility is the most beautiful classroom you will ever see. Equipped with BCA’s “Wireless Beacon […] Avalanche Miles Wong | January 11, 2021 0 Comments
The US is Building a 6,000km Coast-to-Coast Bike Trail There is something so American about packing up your bags and going on a coast-to-coast drive across the entire United States of America. However, as our generation becomes more outdoorsy and environmentally conscious, perhaps this iconic road trip will be done on bicycles as opposed to automobiles. Related: The American Perimeter Trail- 12,000 Miles of What Could Be The Longest […] Biking Miles Wong | January 7, 2021 2 Comments