The Best Big Mountain Ski Resorts in the U.S., Ranked by a Freestyle Skier Ranking the best big mountain ski resorts in the United States is a fool’s errand — and I’m absolutely doing it anyway. Lists are inherently wrong, no matter how you look at them. There will almost always be something to argue about. So why make them at all? Well… I love a good debate. There are no set factors that […] Brains Ryan Flynn | May 13, 2026 31 Comments
Spring Skiing Road Trip Around the Epic Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts: Day 3–Kirkwood Mountain Resort There’s no question that Lake Tahoe is home to some of the most beautiful ski resorts in the country. But what’s truly special is access to three unique resorts offering world-class terrain and amenities, all on the Epic Pass. Within the Tahoe region, Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood Ski Resorts provide everything that you could want, need, and possibly be looking […] Trip Report John Cunningham | March 25, 2026 0 Comments
March Madness Ski Resort Edition, 2026: A Nail-Biting Round 1 to Start Round 1 of SnowBrains’ 2026 March Madness Ski Resort Edition saw 32 matchups featuring some of the best ski resorts from across North America. In Round 1 alone, over 65,000 votes were cast by SnowBrains followers across social media platforms to help decide what the best ski resort in North America is. Related: March Madness Ski Resort Edition 2026: Vote […] Featured Article SnowBrains | March 23, 2026 0 Comments
March Madness Ski Resort Edition 2026: Vote on the Best Ski Resort in North America Just when you thought the ski season was about to wind down, the biggest ski resort showdown begins. In honor of one of the best tournaments ever created, SnowBrains’ March Madness Ski Resort Edition sets out to crown the overall best ski resort in North America, voted by the people. Last year marked the first edition of the tournament, featuring […] Featured Article SnowBrains | March 15, 2026 2 Comments
From Barren to Blanketed: The Sierra Nevada’s Dramatic Transformation In about seven days, and with an incredible weather system, the California Sierra Nevada mountain range shifted from parched, brown slopes to a brilliant horizon-to-horizon white. The satellite imagery from NASA and the European Space Agency has captured this staggering change, offering a view of the dramatic shift from space. As the 2025 winter began, and due to a less-than-stellar […] Climate Greg Wedow | February 24, 2026 0 Comments
[FOR SALE] Who Wants To Buy a Ski Resort in California for Just $5.8 Million? Want to own a ski area near Lake Tahoe? In May 2025, Iron Mountain, California went up for sale for the price of $5.8 million. The lot includes 65 acres of land, a few old lift towers and terminals, and building permits for 22-46 condos. Iron Mountain first opened in 1970, and operated on and off for almost thirty years, […] Industry News Zach Armstrong | September 26, 2025 1 Comment
Brandon Davis Battles Sevi Van Der Meer in Natural Selection Tour Debut DUELS Match at Kirkwood, CA The Natural Selection Tour makes its debut at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, bringing the world’s elite freestyle snowboarders to battle on untamed terrain in California’s Sierra Nevada range. Among the most compelling matchups, 29-year-old Swiss rider Sevi Van Der Meer faces 28-year-old California native Brandon Davis. Both riders are making their Natural Selection Tour debuts, bringing fresh energy to the event […] Industry News Jack Bynum | March 1, 2025 0 Comments
206-MPH Winds Hit Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Approaching California Record Kirkwood Mountain Resort, near Lake Tahoe, experienced an extraordinary weather event on Tuesday night when winds at the summit reached a staggering 206 miles per hour. The gusts were measured at the resort’s summit weather station, situated at an elevation of approximately 9,186 feet. This extreme wind speed is among the highest ever recorded in California. In February 2020, a […] Industry News Martin Kuprianowicz | January 9, 2025 0 Comments
Kirkwood Mountain Resort, CA, to Kick Off 2024-25 Winter Season Early on November 30 Kirkwood will welcome guests back six days earlier than planned for another unforgettable ski and ride season. Epic Passes go on sale December 2, so purchase now to lock in access. Kirkwood, CA – November 26, 2024 – With 29 inches of new snow and an incredible effort by its Mountain Operations and Snowmaking teams, Kirkwood Mountain Resort is thrilled […] Industry News Press Release | November 28, 2024 0 Comments
Top 9 Ski Resorts in North America as a Professional Freeskier View this post on Instagram A post shared by SnowBrains (@snowbrains) Here are my top nine personal favorite ski resorts as a professional freeskier: Related: The Top 10 Male Freeskiers of All-Time: 9. Mount Bachelor, Oregon This is where I learned to ski. It was a very special place in my heart. I did a full ski season […] Featured Video Miles Clark | November 26, 2024 0 Comments
Vail Resorts to Introduce Paid & Free Parking Reservations at Kirkwood, CA, After Success at Heavenly & Northstar Based on the successes of Heavenly and Northstar’s reservations-based parking programs, Kirkwood will offer reservations on weekends and peak periods next year with a combination of free, paid, and carpool options. As the winter season of 2023/24 concludes, Heavenly Mountain Resort and Northstar California Resort are pleased to report positive outcomes from the new reservations-based parking programs effective during weekends […] Industry News SnowBrains | April 3, 2024 0 Comments
Skier Spent Night in Backcountry Before Helicopter Rescue After Skiing Out of Bounds From Kirkwood Resort, CA On the evening of Saturday, February 10, H-20 (CHP helicopter) was requested by Amador County Sheriff’s Department to assist in locating a missing skier who had skied out of bounds from Kirkwood Ski Resort, California. Related: Could You Survive An Unplanned Night Out in the Mountains? H-20 responded to the area and located the missing skier, but was unable to […] SnowBrains | February 12, 2024 0 Comments
Ski or Ride for Free with the ‘Plates for Powder’ Program at Tahoe Resorts, CA & NV ‘Plates for Powder,’ the annual program that offers free skiing and riding opportunities to those who purchase a Lake Tahoe license plate is back again for the 2023/24 winter season. Proceeds from plate sales and renewals support environmental improvement projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin. “Funds raised through the sales and renewal of Lake Tahoe license plates have helped […] Industry News SnowBrains | November 1, 2023 0 Comments
Hometown Mountain Shoutout: Kirkwood, CA – The Wood Growing up just south of San Fransisco, Tahoe and the Sierra was my playground in the winter. When I was learning to ski my family would make the drive to Northstar and Squaw Valley, but as I got older, Kirkwood began to draw my attention. Out of all the mountains I grew up skiing, my eyes drew to Kirkwood more […] Industry News Ryan Flynn | October 2, 2023 4 Comments
Kirkwood to Sierra at Tahoe, CA, Ski Race/Tour Transports Seedlings Through Caldor Fire Burn Area In 2021, the devastating Caldor Fire in Northern California wiped out over 220,000 acres of national forest, mostly within El Dorado County. It was one of only two fires in the state’s history to crest the Sierra Nevada as it raced up and over Echo Summit and into the Lake Tahoe Basin. Along the way, locally prized ski resort Sierra […] Industry News John Cunningham | July 26, 2023 0 Comments
Hometown Mountain Shoutout: Kirkwood, CA – The K-Factor I knew Kirkwood was special since my first run. The “K-Factor” was running on full steam that day, with an overnight storm blessing the valley with an unexpected 7 inches overnight. The lift lines were full of stoke and excitement, with the thunder of avalanche control adding to the mix of an already epic April pow day. After waiting […] Anton Lengyel | May 26, 2023 0 Comments
It’s Officially Tahoe’s Snowiest October Through February Period Since 1970 The Lake Tahoe region is in the midst of a season that has been nothing short of historic. The area has seen more snow from October-February then any season since 1970, and there are no signs of mother nature slowing down. With massive storms rolling through during December and January combined with a blizzard that rivals some of the largest in […] Industry News Matt Scribner | March 3, 2023 0 Comments
Hometown Mountain Shoutout: Kirkwood, CA – Admiration of the Sierra Crest I will never forget my first day at Kirkwood. There was a storm blowing in the night before continuing into the morning bringing feet of fresh snow. I pulled up to chain control in Hope Valley just 20 road miles south of Lake Tahoe. I stopped, rolled my window down, and asked how the road conditions were. The attendant stated […] Trip Report Brady James Kraabel | November 4, 2022 1 Comment
Kirkwood Mountain Resort, CA, Ask For Your Patience as They Prepare Mountain to Open Safely After Huge Storm Is there such a thing as ‘too much snow?’ Well, yes there is if resort operators want to open safely. As much as we all want to get out there and shred the multiple feet of snow being dumped on California, we can only do so once patrollers say it is safe to do so. From avalanche mitigation to clearing snow […] SnowBrains | December 14, 2021 0 Comments
Top 10 Chairlifts on the West Coast The West Coast ski scene is the land of extremes, with Mt. Baker holding the record as snowiest and Whistler Blackcomb the largest in North America. Access to the best of that snow and the rowdy terrain it blankets is provided by the workhorse of the mountain – the chairlift. There are many worthy contenders for the top spots, but […] Robin Azer | November 15, 2021 17 Comments
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