The 9 Most Expensive Ski Towns in the United States It’s no secret that a large number of ski towns across the United States are exorbitantly expensive. Many of these towns have become increasingly costly as time has gone on and cost more than a pretty penny to travel to in 2023. For better or worse, it does not appear that this trend isn’t going to go away anytime soon. We […] Matt Scribner | August 30, 2023 16 Comments
Shaun White Teams Up With Utah Whiskey Distillery to Save the American West From Climate Change Three-time Olympic gold medalist and professional snowboarder Shaun White has experienced some of the most exceptional trails, slopes, waves, and views the West has to offer. Over the years, he’s also witnessed firsthand the impact climate change has had on these places, with rising temperatures and melting snowpacks increasingly posing a threat. Today, High West, the Park City-based whiskey distillery, […] Industry News SnowBrains | August 30, 2023 0 Comments
Top 5 Zones in Otago Region’s Exquisite Backcountry in New Zealand There are so many spots to wander in the wilderness and snowy deserts of New Zealand (NZ) during winter. To help our readers choose the best place to strap skins on and earn those turns, I’ve narrowed it down to five incredible areas in the Otago region. These areas offer a range of fantastic backcountry terrain, from beginner touring to […] Backcountry Nathaniel Lewis | August 30, 2023 1 Comment
Lance Armstrong Sells Aspen, CO, Home for $17.5 Million Infamous former professional road racing cyclist Lance Armstrong is no longer a resident of Aspen. On August 25, 2023, he sold his home for $17,500,000, ending his 15-year span of being a local property owner. He has been living in Aspen full-time since 2018. The home located in a private cul-de-sac in Aspen’s coveted West End is architecturally significant and […] Industry News Brent Thomas | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
Patagonia Backcountry Report: Getting Beat Down By “The Crack” Report from August 27, 2023 On Sunday, we got beat down by “The Crack” here in Patagonia… This is a line we’d never skied before mostly because it’s in a dangerous zone – as we explain in the 3rd slide. The first 15 turns were splendiferous! Turns 16-61 we’re absolutely abysmal… Punchy, unpredictable, icy, and just downright scary snow. We […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
Taos Ski Valley, NM, Completes 1 of 2 New Chair Installations For Next Winter Taos is known for its steeps but that doesn’t keep the ski area from improving its infrastructure for skiers and riders of all experience levels. On August 25, Taos Ski Valley announced the completion of its new Pioneer Chair, which accesses predominately beginner terrain. The new chair is a fixed triple, like the old one, except with a new and improved design […] Industry News SnowBrains | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
Patagonia Backcountry Report: The Patagonian Spine-Fingers Report from August 26, 2023 On Saturday, we showed up early with a line that only had a small chance in hell of being any good. My favorite line here. It’s an Alaska-esque spine line that is shaped long a long, twisted finger. In the right conditions, it can be a scary, fun dream line. In the wrong conditions it’s […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
Brighton Resort, UT, To Add New 6-Seater Chair and On-Mountain Restaurant Among Improvements For Upcoming Winter This upcoming ski season is rapidly approaching and many skiers are looking forward to hitting the slopes again. There have been many improvements and expansions at different mountains throughout the ski industry this off-season. Most investments have focused on improving lift capacity and mitigating long lift lines. Brighton Resort, located in Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utah, is one of those […] Industry News Gregg Frantz | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
Loon Mountain Resort, NH, Expanding Terrain and Adding a new Quad Lift There have been so many ski resorts that have been upgrading facilities, lifts, and expanding terrain this off-season. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to enhance ski resort’s abilities to provide guests with the best experience possible. Last week, Deer Valley Resort in Utah, announced its plans to double its size and add 16 new lifts to its […] Industry News Gregg Frantz | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
Old Farmer’s Almanac Canada Winter Forecast for 2023-2024: Bone Chilling Cold and a Winter Whiteout As well as its USA forecast, the Old Farmer’s Almanac has today dropped its Canada winter forecast too. And it’s a doozy… snow, snow, and more snow! Related: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Winter Forecast 2023–2024: Get Ready for a Winter Wonderland The Old Farmer’s Almanac has been helping readers to prepare for the season ahead with its 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts since […] Weather WeatherBrains | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
SnowBrains 2021/22 British Columbia, Canada Highlight Video SnowBrains British Columbia, Canada Highlight Video 2021/22. We had a wild ride in BC last season with big airs, amazing hut trips, and getting caught in a size 1 avalanche in the Revelstoke backcountry. Fortunately, we were able to ski out of it. We learned a valuable lesson that day. Thanks, BC! Note: We shot this footage last season and […] Featured Video Miles Clark | August 29, 2023 1 Comment
Cardrona Alpine Resort, New Zealand, Report: Hits, Hijinks, and All Ages Fun Rolled Into One Report from August 23, 2023 A mainstay of New Zealand mountain culture, Cardrona Alpine Resort, outside sun-kissed Wanaka blends seamlessly the full spectrum of an experience on snow. From beginner lessons to family picnics, hiking lines, or hot laps before work, Cardrona (Cardy’s to its friends) offers razzle-dazzle to suit any interest. From its starburst start in 1980, the dynamic […] Trip Report Paulie | August 29, 2023 1 Comment
Treble Cone Ski Area, NZ, Threatens to Revoke Skier’s Season Pass After He Shared Tips With His Beginner Buddies Treble Cone Ski Resort, New Zealand, has warned a skier that they could revoke his season pass after he shared skiing tips with his friends on the beginner slopes. Related: Hometown Mountain Shoutout: Treble Cone, Home of New Zealand’s Freeride Community Last weekend, James Sorrenson, a Hawea resident, shared skiing tips with friends on Treble Cone’s learner slope. To his […] Industry News Kiwi Brains | August 29, 2023 7 Comments
Ski Butlers Adds Premium Brands to its Rental Offerings, Including Shaun White’s Whitespace Boards Ski Butlers has announced the release of its Premium Package, a new set of skis and snowboards that tiers above their high-performance package. This new package includes snowboards built by Shaun White’s Whitespace and skis custom built by Parlor Skis out of Boston, MA, and Wagner Skis out of Telluride, CO. Related: Alterra Mountain Company Announces Acquisition of Ski Butlers These […] SnowBrains | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
Winter Games New Zealand 2023: Day 1 – US Women Dominate Exceptionally Strong Field in Giant Slalom The Winter Games have begun once again ‘down under’ in New Zealand (NZ). The sports taking place are racing, freestyle and freeride. These are held across three different locations, Coronet Peak (racing), Cardrona Alpine Resort (freestyle), and the Remarkables Ski Resort (freeride). For information regarding live-streaming and schedule of events, visit the Winter Games NZ website. Due to unfortunate weather […] Industry News Nathaniel Lewis | August 29, 2023 0 Comments
The Eagle(s) Have Landed: Tram Cabins Arrive to Big Sky Resort, MT BIG SKY, MT – (August 28, 2023) — The eagle(s) have landed. Following a 37-day journey from Olten, Switzerland, both of the Lone Peak Tram cabins have arrived safely in Big Sky. The cabins were greeted in traditional Big Sky fashion with a local bull moose temporarily stopping traffic as they made their way to their final destination. Related: The […] Industry News SnowBrains | August 28, 2023 0 Comments
Mt Hood Meadows, OR, is the Latest Ski Area Going Cashless The trend of businesses going cashless has increased steadily over the years. Just looking at the ski industry, names like Vail Resorts, Snowbird, Killington, Big Sky, and many more have all gone cashless. Vail Resorts, one of the biggest conglomerates in the industry, was an early adopter of this policy when it arose as part of their safety precautions for […] Industry News Brent Thomas | August 28, 2023 0 Comments
[VIDEO] Drivers Barely Escape Massive Landslide Over Highway in Maurienne Valley, France Landslides: like avalanches but bigger, heavier, and deadlier. At approximately 5:15 p.m. local time on Sunday, a large landslide occurred in the Maurienne valley of the French Alps, blocking railways and roads and causing disruption throughout the region. According to MSN, large rocks totaling 700 cubic meters in volume struck a protective barrier along the road leading to Italy’s Susa Valley […] SnowBrains | August 28, 2023 0 Comments
The 11 Most Anticipated Upgrades and Expansions Coming to North American Ski Resorts This Season and Beyond Two consecutive seasons of record skier visits signal that the U.S. ski industry is healthy and that the demand for outdoor recreation is strong. To keep up with the demand, many ski areas are improving, upgrading, and expanding their operations. The thought of faster and bigger lifts, new terrain to explore, and an overall enhanced experience only makes snow enthusiasts […] Industry News Brent Thomas | August 28, 2023 0 Comments
Patagonia Backcountry Report: Wild, Sharky, Powder Gambling Down Chutes & Spires Report from August 25, 2023 After two terrific and terrifically weird powder days this week, we decided to take a gamble on Friday. We gambled on timing, location, snow, and sharkiness… We decided to go for “High Tower Chute Alternate.” This is a south-facing zone that doesn’t get sun until about 3 p.m. So we slept in and lazed up […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | August 28, 2023 0 Comments