Meet Colorado’s 6 City Run Ski Areas Colorado may be known for its mega ski resorts, but there are several small-town communities keeping the ski dream alive. Most of the ski areas operate at a loss just to serve their local community and give people the opportunity to enjoy the snow. Many only operate on the weekends, or when natural snowfall allows, but that doesn’t stop them […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 24, 2020 0 Comments
Glacier National Park, MT Losing Ice Fast Glacier National Park, located in Northern Montana along the Canadian border, is losing its namesake feature fast. That’s right, the park’s glaciers have lost nearly 80% of their size in the last 50 years, and the outlook is not promising. Glacier National Park is the 12th largest national park in the United States and is just over 1 million acres. […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 22, 2020 0 Comments
First 8-Person Chairlift Coming to New Zealand The first 8-person chairlift in New Zealand is officially set for construction. NZSki announced Mt. Hutt will be replacing their current “Quad Chair” with a brand new, high speed detachable 8-person chairlift. Mt. Hutt is located on the South Island of New Zealand, roughly 50 miles from Christchurch. The ski area has three chairlifts and a magic carpet and is […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 22, 2020 0 Comments
Austrian Glaciers Set to Kick Off European Winter Ski Season With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, ski resorts across the world closed abruptly in March 2020. Many of the first ski resorts to close were in Europe, and some still haven’t reopened since. By the end of the month, several Austrian ski resorts are set to kick off the winter 20/21 season full steam ahead. The Austrian ski resorts […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 18, 2020 0 Comments
Plastic Bag Ban Coming to Breckenridge, CO? The end is near for plastic bag use in Breckenridge, CO. The Breckenridge Town Council are aiming for a ban on all plastic bags by the end of Summer 2021. Currently, Breckenridge allows plastic bags, but most stores are required to charge for them. Instituted in 2013, the disposal bag ordinance places a $0.10 fee on disposable plastic and paper […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 18, 2020 0 Comments
Lift One Project at Aspen Mountain, CO Moving Forward The long-awaited, and delayed, Lift One project at Aspen Mountain, CO cleared a major hurdle this week. The Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board gave its blessing to the Lift One project to allow planning and development to move forward. One of the final pieces to the puzzle was gaining approval from the Board to allow a smaller normal variance between […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 17, 2020 0 Comments
Mad River Glen, VT: Paint It If You Can? Mad River Glen is known for its slogan “ski it if you can.” However, one man known for his iconic trail maps within the ski industry is finally going to “paint it if he can.” James Niehues, legendary trail map artist and creator of “The Man Behind the Maps,” is taking his talents to Eastern Vermont. He’s painted over 250 […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 17, 2020 1 Comment
Burke Mountain Resort, VT Valued at $18.7 Million Burke Mountain Resort, located just outside Lyndon, VT in the northeastern part of the state, is for sale. What’s included in the sale? Burke Mountain (Ski) Resort 116-room Burke Mountain Hotel and Conference Center 2 ski lodges 1,608 acres of land The $18.7 million sale price was upheld by the Burke Board of Civil Authority. The appraised valuation was in […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 16, 2020 1 Comment
Colorado Sets Record with Wild Temperature Swings It’s been a wild week in Colorado weather-wise. From scorching heat and forest fires to winter storm warnings and snow, the state has experienced quite the fluctuation in temperature. The state kicked off Labor Day weekend with extreme heat. On Saturday, September 6, 2020, both Fort Collins, CO, and Denver, CO broke into the triple digits with a reported high […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 11, 2020 0 Comments
Courchevel, France Set to Unveil New Downhill Course A new downhill ski run for the 2023 Alpine Ski World Championships is set to be unveiled. The 2023 Alpine Ski World Championships are scheduled to take place in Courchevel and Meribel, France. The two ski resorts teamed up in a joint bid to host the first Alpine Ski World Championship in France since 2009. Both resorts are apart of […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 10, 2020 0 Comments
Continued Border Closures Restrict Travel to South America South America instituted some of the world’s strictest lockdowns due to Covid-19. International travel was completely shut off when several countries instituted border closures. Popular ski resorts such as Portillo, Chile, Valle Nevado, Chile, and Las Lenas, Argentina never opened due to restrictions or announced before the season started they wouldn’t open for the South American winter season. While most […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 9, 2020 0 Comments
Experience Yosemite National Park, CA Like Never Before Yosemite National Park, CA and the encompassing valley is a national treasure. No matter the season, there always seems to be a sense of magic surrounding the area. From the towering granite monolith of El Capitan to the ever-iconic Half Dome, Yosemite is a must-see experience. This fall, you can experience Yosemite with something you rarely see: no crowds. That’s […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 5, 2020 0 Comments
Needing a Change of Scenery? Next Stop Paonia, CO Feeling cooped up and needing a change of scenery due to Coivid-19? We’ve got just the place for you… Two renovated school buses are available on Airbnb for nightly rentals. The buses are located on Sage View Ranch in the central-western Colorado town of Paonia. Paonia is roughly an hour to hour and a half drive from Grand Junction and […] Taylor Stephan | September 5, 2020 2 Comments
Famous Glacier in the Italian Dolomites Melting Fast Marmolada glacier may not last long enough to see 2030. The highest peak in the Italian Dolomites, Marmolada, stands at 10,968 feet and contains one of Italy’s most famous glaciers. The area played a pivotal role in World War I, as it became the line of control between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces. However, due to the ongoing effects of climate […] Taylor Stephan | September 5, 2020 0 Comments
Park City Mountain Resort, UT Announces Winter 20/21 COVID-19 Guidelines As the days grow shorter and fall approaches, ski resorts around the country are preparing for the upcoming winter 20/21 season. With the winter 19/20 season cut short due to COVID-19, ski resorts are tweaking their operational plans and instilling various preventative measures to ensure a successful season ahead. Just last week, Vail Resorts announced its COVID-19 operational guidelines for […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | September 1, 2020 1 Comment
2019/20 North American Ski Season Officially Ends Yesterday, the 2019/20 North American ski season officially came to a close. Timberline, Oregon is known for having the longest ski season in North America. Their traditional winter season typically starts early November and finishes Memorial Day weekend. Their summer season then starts back up early June and continues through Labor Day, and sometimes even longer. This season, Timberline opened […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | August 31, 2020 1 Comment
Utah Olympic Park Expansion Enters Phase 2 The Utah Olympic Park is almost impossible to miss as you drive toward Park City, UT on your way from Salt Lake City. It sits perched on the hillside above Kimball Junction just off I-80, with its three ski jumps standing out as its most striking and noticeable feature. Related: Work Has Already Begun on New Billion-Dollar Ski Resort in Utah […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | August 28, 2020 0 Comments
Nordic Valley, UT Set to Debut New Lift, Terrain Expansion Nordic Valley, Utah is growing. While most ski resorts have put capital expenditures such as terrain expansion and new lifts on hold, Nordic Valley is forging ahead with big plans for the upcoming winter season. Nordic Valley is located just outside Eden, Utah, right between Snowbasin to the south and Powder Mountain to the north. The resort encompasses 140 acres, […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | August 28, 2020 1 Comment
“Freeride Forest” Debuting at Norwegian Ski Area Norwegian ski area Kvitfjell will be debuting a brand new, dedicated, freeride area this winter known as Pudderskogen. What does Pudderskogen mean you ask? Aptly, Pudderskogen translates to “powder forest,” with the ski area hoping riders of all abilities take on the new section of terrain. Kvitfjell is located about 3 hours due north of Oslo, the capital city of […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | August 27, 2020 0 Comments
Trip Report: Relaxing Weekend in Lake Arrowhead, CA Report from the weekend of 22-23 August 2020 This past weekend I had the opportunity to enjoy some much-needed lake time at Lake Arrowhead, CA. Lake Arrowhead is located in the San Bernardino Mountains at an elevation of 5,108 ft. It may be smaller and not as well-known as its neighbor, Big Bear Lake, but it’s smaller town vibe is […] Trip Report Taylor Stephan | August 26, 2020 0 Comments