Tamarack Resort, Idaho, Named Top Resort in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 “World’s Best Awards” Tamarack Resort, Idaho, has been officially named a Top Resort in Travel + Leisure’s renowned 2025 World’s Best Awards. This prestigious accolade, determined through votes from Travel + Leisure’s global readership, recognizes exceptional resort experiences worldwide. “We are incredibly proud to be recognized by Travel + Leisure and its readers. This honor is a direct reflection of the passion and […] Industry News Press Release | July 23, 2025 2 Comments
[PHOTOS] Dramatic 12-Hour Rescue Ensues for 3 Mountaineers Stuck on Vertical Wall Near Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy After a grueling 12-hour overnight rescue at 2,800 meters (9,186 feet), three lucky climbers who were stranded on Italy’s Tofana di Rozes near Cortina d’Ampezzo were safely brought to shelter early Monday morning, July 21, in a complex multi-agency operation at high altitude. The trio—Milan residents aged 29, 40, and 56—had been attempting the famous Costantini–Apollonio route, which features a […] Climbing Julia Schneemann | July 22, 2025 1 Comment
High Noon Express Opens This Weekend, Enabling Top-to-Bottom Skiing at Tūroa Ski Area, New Zealand After a slow start to the season, things at Tūroa Ski Area, New Zealand, are finally looking up. The resort was slated to open for skiing on June 28 this season in time for the school holidays, but was only able to open the beginner area at Alpine Meadow. After some decent snowfalls in mid-July, the resort was able to […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | July 22, 2025 0 Comments
From Coast to Slope: The Indy License Plate Club Gains National Momentum as People Cash in on Their Free Indy Passes On June 17, Indy Pass introduced the “Indy License Plate Club,” which gives skiers and snowboarders a chance to score a free Indy+ Pass. The promotion is built on the premise that a person personalizes their license plate with an “Indy Pass” message, and they would receive a free Indy+ Pass for each season the plate is active. “All devotees […] Industry News Gregg Frantz | July 22, 2025 0 Comments
Cranmore Mountain Resort in New Hampshire to Offer Limited Number of $59 Lift Tickets Next Season Update 07/24/25 11:30 a.m. PST – Cranmore Mountain Resort has reached out to SnowBrains to let us know these tickets have all sold out. Cranmore Mountain Resort is nestled in the vibrant village of North Conway, in the heart of New Hampshire’s scenic Mt. Washington Valley and only 2 and a half hours from the Boston area. Cranmore offers a […] Industry News Gregg Frantz | July 22, 2025 0 Comments
$4,600 Gold Pass is the Ultimate Ski Pass for Colorado Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) announced details for the 2025-26 Gold Pass membership last week. This season’s Gold Pass membership grants unmatched access to 19 premier Colorado mountains, more than any other multi-resort pass. With no blackout dates and no limits, this fully transferable pass sets the standard for entertaining clients, rewarding employees, and sharing unforgettable winter experiences. CSCUSA does […] Industry News Press Release | July 22, 2025 1 Comment
Mountain Lion Attacks 4-Year-Old Child in Olympic National Park, WA On Sunday, July 20, a four-year-old child was injured by a mountain lion near the Victoria Overlook area on Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, Washington. Park staff located and dispatched the animal on July 21. There are no current threats to the public. Related: 5-Year-Old Boy Mauled by Mountain Lion in California Rangers were notified of the attack at […] National Parks Press Release | July 22, 2025 0 Comments
Whiteface Mountain, NY, Joins Mountain Collective Pass The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) today announced that Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, New York has officially joined the Mountain Collective Pass lineup, becoming the newest addition to an alliance of 27 premier destinations across five continents. Related: Whiteface, NY, Conditions Report: A Mountain from the Rockies in New York The Mountain Collective Pass provides skiers […] Press Release | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
Austria Surges in Popularity with U.S. Visitors During 2024-25 Winter Season Austrian winter tourism has once again grown, with Austrian hotels recording 72.38 million overnight stays during the 2024-25 winter, up 1.8% from 71 million in 2023-24. According to government organization Statistics Austria, this is still below the 2018-19 pre-pandemic season, which was the best winter season on record with 73 million overnight stays. Summer overnight stays in 2023 and 2024 […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
SnowBrains Forecast: Massive Week Stacking Up For Australia With 30+ Inches Expected A pair of cold fronts will roll across the Australian Alps this week, delivering two distinct rounds of snow—one mid‑week and a second, stronger burst over the weekend—with the best totals lining up for the Victorian resorts and the higher peaks of New South Wales. Expect generally heavy, wetter snow at the onset of each storm, followed by colder, drier flakes as […] Weather WeatherBrains | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah, Ski Patrollers Have Ratified Their First-Ever Union Contract The Solitude Ski Patrol Union (SSPU) ratified its union contract after the whole process began in February of 2024. The collective bargaining agreement brings wage increases, benefits, and improved working conditions to the members of the SSPU. The contract includes a base wage increase of 10%, with a starting wage of $24 per hour. Additionally, a $100 monthly stipend is […] Industry News Gregg Frantz | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
Massive Volcano Near Anchorage, AK, Showing Signs of Seismic Activity Despite Being Dormant For Over 100 Years A massive volcano near Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage, that has been inactive for more than 100 years is showing signs of seismic activity according to scientists. Mt. Iliamna, a 10,016-foot volcano, sits approximately 130 miles away from Anchorage, posing a significant threat for eruption. On June 15, seismic activity ramped up from the normally dormant to a “nearly continuous” […] Weather Joseph Kaufmann | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
Shredder Ski School Opens First Dallas Location, Bringing Indoor Winter Sports to North Texas Shredder Ski School, a franchise corporation based in Boulder, Colorado, has just opened its first Dallas area location. While Dallas might not be the first place one associates with winter sports, the community boasts a strong affinity for skiing and snowboarding. Robert Lacey, a Vermont native and a ski enthusiast since the age of 6 is the driving force behind […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
With a 10% Increase to $329, Deer Valley, Utah, Tests the Limits of Single-Day Pass Pricing For the 2025-26 ski season, Deer Valley, Utah, has announced that its peak-day walk-up lift ticket will cost $329, a 10% increase over last season and officially pushing the price past the $300 threshold, reports The Storm Skiing Journal & Podcast. This makes Deer Valley one of the most expensive single-day lift tickets in North America. The move forces a […] Industry News Brent Thomas | July 21, 2025 3 Comments
Everest Permit in Nepal Will be $4,000 More Expensive Starting in September Nepal’s Department of Tourism recently put forth a new plan to identify the annual “carrying capacity” of Everest, following instructions from the Nepal Supreme Court. This plan includes allowing the Department of Tourism to cap the number of permits it grants annually. Starting in September, the Nepali government also stated it will be raising the spring season permit fee for […] Climbing Joseph Kaufmann | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
4 Backcountry Skiers Buried Following Avalanche Near Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand As the Northern Hemisphere basks in summer warmth, winter currently blankets the Southern Hemisphere, luring skiers and snowboarders to the slopes of Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Much like the Rocky Mountains of North America—where shifting snowpack and rugged terrain pose avalanche risks—the Southern Hemisphere’s mountain ranges harbor similar dangers. A recent avalanche incident in New Zealand’s Tongariro region […] Avalanche Gregg Frantz | July 21, 2025 0 Comments
Rift in French Alps Olympic Bid: Méribel Ski Resort Threatens to Withdraw Over Venue Dispute Tensions are mounting in the French Alps after the ski resort of Méribel announced plans to withdraw from the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, citing a dispute with the Games’ organizing committee over the relocation of key alpine skiing events. The alpine village, part of the municipality of Les Allues in Savoie, had initially been slated to host women’s alpine […] Olympics Julia Schneemann | July 20, 2025 0 Comments
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
First-Ever African Female Ski Racer Retires Ahead of 2026 Winter Olympics Due to Financial Difficulties Last week, Kenyan ski racer Sabrina Simader announced her retirement via social media. Born in Kenya and raised in Austria, the 27-year-old made history as the first African female alpine skier at the age of 16 at the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer in 2016, and just a year later became the first African woman to compete on the Alpine […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | July 20, 2025 0 Comments
Thredbo, Australia, Conditions Report: Blue Bird Perfection Report from Friday July 18 It’s no secret: the Australian ski season is off to a fantastic start. With the entire mountain open at Thredbo, the choice is yours: carve down the long main runs for some vertical, or stick to the upper bowls serviced by t-bars. While Thredbo boasts the biggest vertical drop in the country, I tend to […] Conditions Report Julia Schneemann | July 20, 2025 0 Comments