Mammoth Mountain, CA, Announces November 13 Opening Day for 2026-27 Winter It’s summer but Mammoth Mountain is already scheming about next winter. Today on July 23, 2026 — in the peak of North American summer where it’s 90ºF in the shade where I live in New Mexico — Mammoth Mountain in California’s Eastern Sierra Mountains announced its opening day for the 2026-27 winter season. In an email sent to SnowBrains, resort […] Industry News Martin Kuprianowicz | July 23, 2026 0 Comments
The Tram to The Summit of Mount Whitney, CA, That Nearly Happened In the early 1900s, a wild idea to build a tram to the summit of Mt. Whitney was proposed. Located in California, Mt. Whitney is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, outside of Alaska and Hawaii. Mt. Whitney sits at an impressive elevation of 14,504 feet above sea level, and is immediately recognizable by its sheer granite cliff […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | July 15, 2026 0 Comments
Trip Report: 12,054′ White Mountain, CA – FNF Chute, Cornice Chute, Normal Chute Report from May 15, 2026 The day before my 5th annual bachelor party, we got a massive crew together and went to the Promised Land – 12,054′ White Mountain, CA. White always delivers, has a massive corn window, has tons of different chutes for all abilities, has fresh water to drink, and we’ve never ever had a bad time here. […] Trip Report Miles Clark | July 15, 2026 0 Comments
Palisades Tahoe, CA, Brings Back Midweek Season Pass for the First Time in a Decade Olympic Valley, Calif. [July 1, 2026] — New this season, Palisades Tahoe is bringing back its Midweek Season Pass for the first time in more than 10 years, giving skiers and riders a new way to enjoy unlimited weekday access to one of North America’s most iconic mountain resorts. Starting at just $699, the Midweek Pass offers unlimited skiing and […] Industry News Press Release | July 3, 2026 0 Comments
Sweetwater Heli Adventures, CA, Expanding Terrain on U.S. Military Land Less Than a Year After Launching Sweetwater Heli Adventures (SHA) is set to significantly expand its heli-skiing terrain after signing a long-term, multi-year agreement to operate on Mount Grant, an 11,285-foot peak located within Nevada’s Hawthorne Army Depot. The agreement represents the first time the U.S. Department of Defense has authorized heli-skiing operations on an active military installation, creating a unique partnership and opening a vast […] Industry News Brent Glogau | June 25, 2026 0 Comments
The Best Ski Resorts to Visit to Avoid Crowds According to SnowBrains Readers With the rise of multi-resort passes in recent years, crowds at the most popular resorts have become unavoidable. This is why we turned to Facebook to see which resorts SnowBrains readers recommend visiting to avoid these crowds. While many readers were reluctant to give out their secret spots, we were able to squeeze out some answers. Grand Targhee, Wyoming Located […] Brains Brett Currie | June 22, 2026 1 Comment
9 Facts About the Summer Solstice This Sunday, June 21 marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and the official start of summer. This means the beginning of winter, December 21 , is a mere six months away. But look on the bright side: peak daylight in Montreal is exactly seven hours and 14 minutes longer than it will be in December. In […] Brains Jacqui Davis | June 20, 2026 2 Comments
Trip Report: Lower Lamarck Lake Basin, CA — “Dr. Feelgood Chute” Report from May 22, 2026 We saw that the weather wasn’t favorable this day, but JZ was free and it was the only day he could ski, so we went because JZ is rad to be around. And we love this zone and want to learn more. We’d only ever skied 2 little chutes on the edge of the zone […] Trip Report Miles Clark | June 20, 2026 0 Comments
Lake Tahoe Traffic Was a Nightmare. Palisades Tahoe’s Parking Reservation Program Is Changing That Palisades Tahoe, California, has wrapped up the third season of its weekend and holiday parking reservation program, announcing results that point to measurable gains in congestion relief, environmental impact, and regional transportation habits. Related: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Unveils 25-Year Plan to Reduce Tahoe Traffic and Protect the Environment Over three seasons, the program has removed 107,372 vehicles from area […] Industry News SnowBrains | June 16, 2026 0 Comments
Homewood Mountain Resort, CA, Unveils New Logo Homewood Mountain Resort, California, will move forward with a new look. On June 13, 2026, Homewood Mountain revealed its new logo. What used to be two sweeping peaks is now two bears perched atop a single ski, designed to be a symbol of place, tradition, and belonging. “It represents a mountain steeped in tradition and a lake deeper than time itself. […] Industry News Quinn Brophy | June 15, 2026 0 Comments
Trip Report: Lower Lamarck Lake Basin, CA — “Half Chub Couloir” Report from May 23, 2026 All-star crew for this mission in Lamarcklandia: Natalie, Fox, Big Sam, doggers Vega and Sarah, and me. It’s just so fun to have this epic crew here in Mammoth every May. I’m forever grateful. Lower Lamarck Lake Basin, CA “Half Chub Couloir” Details Summit (actually a ridgeline): 12,027 feet Car: 9,260 feet Vertical From Car: 2,827 […] Trip Report Miles Clark | June 7, 2026 0 Comments
Palisades Tahoe, CA, to Host Unprecedented 10-Day Trail Running Festival For 10 days this June, Olympic Valley is set to become the undisputed global hub for trail running. Palisades Tahoe recently announced a historic consolidation of three major events — the Broken Arrow Skyrace, the debut of TrailCon, and the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run — into a single 10-day marathon of mountain culture and athletic competition. Related: Follow the […] Martin Kuprianowicz | June 5, 2026 0 Comments
Massive Search Underway for Missing Hiker Near Lake Tahoe, CA A hiker has now been missing for almost a week in Desolation Wilderness, near Lake Tahoe, California, prompting a massive search in the area. 60-year-old Jason Coughran likely started hiking from Fallen Leaf Lake on Monday, May 25, before venturing into Desolation Wilderness, where he hasn’t been seen or heard from since sometime around Monday afternoon. As of Saturday night, […] John Cunningham | June 1, 2026 0 Comments
7-Year-Old Climber Becomes Youngest Person Ever to Summit Yosemite’s El Capitan Most 6-year-olds spend their birthdays having a pizza party or getting together at the playground with friends. Joey Danger Evermore, now 7, is not like most elementary-age children. He chose to celebrate his 7th birthday summiting one of the world’s most iconic peaks, Yosemite’s El Capitan. Shockingly, Joey broke the record set by his older brother Sam in 2022. His […] Climbing Joseph Kaufmann | May 31, 2026 0 Comments
Trip Report: 12,779′ Mt. Gibbs, CA — The North Face — “Roller Coaster Couloir” Report from Memorial Day, May 25, 2026 The last time I skied Mt. Gibbs was in 2024 with Bernie Rosow, who we just lost this year. Related: Mammoth Mountain, CA, Mourns the Passing of Skiing Legend Bernie Rosow I thought about him all day as Fox and I traded stories of climbing and skiing with Bernie. Gibbs is a beast […] Trip Report Miles Clark | May 27, 2026 1 Comment
United Airlines Adds Direct Flights to Japan’s Hottest Ski Destinations United Airlines, one of the busiest carriers in the United States, has recently added new nonstop flights to several of Japan’s major airports. The carrier announced on May 21 new nonstop daily flights from Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo Narita (NRT). Narita is the key gateway to Hakuba and the surrounding ski areas of Nagano Prefecture and provides easy access to […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | May 26, 2026 0 Comments
Palisades Tahoe, CA, Closing Weekend Is Set for May 24 — Here’s Everything Happening Palisades Tahoe, California, closing weekend is set for May 24, wrapping up the 2025-26 ski season on Memorial Day Weekend with spring skiing and the return of the Made in Tahoe Spring Festival. Related: [TRAILER] SnowBrains Film “300” To Screen at Mammoth Lakes Film Festival This Memorial Day Weekend – Join Us Palisades Tahoe Closing Weekend: What to Expect on […] Industry News SnowBrains | May 20, 2026 0 Comments
Annual “Climb Against the Odds” Breast Cancer Fundraiser Returns to Mount Shasta, CA, This June The annual “Climb Against the Odds” fundraiser is officially returning to the slopes of Mount Shasta this June, uniting breast cancer survivors and advocates for a multi-day mountaineering expedition. Organized by Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), the event is a physical challenge as well as a fundraising platform to support cancer prevention research and public awareness initiatives. Related: 14,179′ Mount […] Martin Kuprianowicz | May 18, 2026 0 Comments
Mammoth Mountain, CA, Spring Skiing 2026 Enters Its Final Stretch With Two Lifts Closing Mammoth Mountain spring skiing 2026 is entering its final stretch, with the California resort announcing a series of operational changes Saturday, closing two lifts while keeping more than 70 trails accessible through the end of May. Mammoth Mountain Spring Skiing 2026 Lift Changes Take Effect Sunday Unbound Express (Chair 6) and Gold Rush Express (Chair 10) ceased operations after Saturday, […] Industry News SnowBrains | May 18, 2026 0 Comments
California’s 9,945′ Tioga Pass Opens for 2026 — and It’s the Earliest Opening Since 2015 Tioga Pass opens for 2026 at 8 a.m. Friday, May 15, marking the earliest start to the season at Yosemite National Park’s eastern gateway in 11 years and completing the full slate of High Sierra passes for the summer season. The pass, which carries Highway 120 through the park at 9,945 feet above sea level, is the highest paved route […] National Parks SnowBrains | May 18, 2026 0 Comments
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