Eaglecrest Ski Area, AK, Closes Aging Black Bear Lift Permanently Eaglecrest Ski Area, Southeast Alaska’s largest ski area and the only in-bounds resort in the region, has announced the indefinite closure of its aging Black Bear chairlift. Owned and operated by the city of Juneau, Alaska’s capital, Eaglecrest Ski Area was established in 1975, and features four double chairlifts accessing 640 acres, with 36 marked alpine runs, two Nordic skiing […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | July 4, 2025 0 Comments
Top 5 Most Longed-For Extinct Ski Brands According to SnowBrains Readers We all remember our first pair of skis, no matter how many years ago we got them. Whether they were brand new, hand-me-downs, or some classic rentals, these early skis played a role in our love for the sport and community. Many new brands were starting, and a pair of skis was more than just a tool to get turns […] Jack Bynum | July 2, 2025 8 Comments
Scientists Uncover the Ideal Conditions Causing Big Champagne Powder® Days at Steamboat, CO: ‘Speedy Snowflakes’ Scientists at Storm Peak Laboratory in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, analyzed 45 years of snowstorm data to pinpoint what drives Steamboat Resort’s biggest powder days. They conclude that extreme snowfall—those top 5% events—requires a specific atmospheric recipe of cold temperatures, northwest storm tracks, and strong winds. “These are the days everyone remembers,” Gannet Hallar, Ph.D., director of Storm Peak Lab and […] Brains Brent Thomas | July 2, 2025 0 Comments
Oregon’s Legislative Session Ends With No Change to Liability Protections for Ski Areas Oregon’s outdoor recreation industry is facing a growing insurance crisis after major insurer Safehold Special Risk announced last month it will no longer provide coverage in the state. Safehold, which insures ski resorts in 37 states, cited Oregon’s legal environment—particularly its weak enforcement of liability waivers—as the reason for its exit. Related: Oregon’s Ski Resorts at Risk as Key Insurer […] Industry News Brent Thomas | July 2, 2025 0 Comments
A Closer Look Behind the Innovative Backfill Technology That Powered the Teton Pass, WY, Road Repair After a Devastating Landslide When a massive landslide took out a section of Wyoming Highway 22 on June 8, 2024, it didn’t just damage pavement—it cut off a lifeline. Known as the Teton Pass “Big Fill Slide,” the collapse destroyed a key stretch of road that connects eastern Idaho’s Teton Valley with Jackson Hole, Wyoming—a world-class destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The sudden failure, triggered by extreme weather […] Brains Brent Thomas | July 1, 2025 0 Comments
Flying With Skis? Here’s What Major Airlines Allow [Updated June 2025] Are you already planning your next ski trip to Europe, South America, or perhaps dreaming of conquering Corbet’s Couloir? Before you set off, it’s essential to know what you can bring and what it will cost you in checked baggage. United Airlines United allows one ski or snowboard equipment item per passenger as checked baggage, provided it […] Claire Weiss | June 30, 2025 0 Comments
Where Will it Be Deep This Week? These are the Southern Hemisphere’s Top 5 Forecasted Resorts for the Next 10 Days It’s always snowing somewhere, and fresh snow is the essence of skiing and snowboarding. Whether you are chasing the deepest conditions or love seeing where the snow is piling up so you can live vicariously through others, these resorts will receive the most over the next week and beyond, hopefully setting them up for a successful winter. More resorts are opening as the […] Weather WeatherBrains | June 29, 2025 0 Comments
“TikTok Made Me Ski There”—Can Viral Content Influence Where We Ride? TikTok may have started as a hub for lip-syncing and dance trends, but it’s now one of the most influential platforms shaping how people choose where to travel. A new study analyzing data from January 2023 to March 2025 shows just how far that influence has spread and how much it’s changing the way travelers, especially younger ones, explore the […] Brains Brent Thomas | June 25, 2025 0 Comments
7 Essentials to Bring For a Great Ski Day It’s the night before a ski day, and your gear is scattered throughout your house. Why? Because at the end of your last day out, you laid everything out on your floor to “dry out” without actually putting it away. Now, what are the essentials you need to track down and prepare tonight to have a successful day on the […] Gear Zach Suffish | June 24, 2025 0 Comments
Top 5 Best Ski Counties in the United States There are countless great skiing and snowboarding locations across the United States. Some counties, however, pull far above their weight when it comes to quality and quantity of snow, elevation, access to great inbounds and backcountry terrain, vibrant après scene, accessibility from major airports, and of course number of ski resorts. From coast to coast, we’ve compiled a list using […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | June 23, 2025 0 Comments
17 Not So Obvious Bucket List Experiences for Skiers and Snowboarders in the U.S. Most skiers and riders have a mental list of the usual bucket list items, such as visiting specific resorts or finally going heli-skiing. However, the mountains are full of lesser-known gems that only locals may know about, which can be just as memorable. From riding special lifts, conquering challenging runs, or basking in unique moments, the not-so-obvious experiences often turn […] Brains Brent Thomas | June 20, 2025 0 Comments
Indy Pass Offering Free Season Pass to Anyone With a ‘Ski Indy’ License Plate For fans of the Indy Pass and the growing movement toward independent ski resorts, there’s now a new way to show your support and get rewarded for it. Say hello to the Indy License Plate Club, an offbeat, fun initiative that gives you a chance to earn a free Indy+ Pass just by sporting the right vanity plate on your […] Industry News Brent Thomas | June 17, 2025 0 Comments
The Income Needed to Own a Home in Top U.S. Cities Close to Skiing Skiing and affordable are two words that aren’t generally used in the same sentence. While ski towns across the U.S. are famously expensive, such as Aspen, Colorado, and Park City, Utah, these types of towns generally don’t offer the same career opportunities that larger metro areas do. As a result, many professionals prefer to move to larger cities that offer […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | June 9, 2025 1 Comment
Hometown Mountain Shoutout: Catamount Mountain Resort, NY—Carving Memories I have such fond memories of winter mornings waking up before dawn and getting on the road to Catamount Mountain Resort in Upstate New York. The night before each trip, it was hard for me to sleep. I imagined the runs that awaited me, twisting and turning along the ridge lines. It wasn’t just spending time with my dad. It […] Luke W. Smith | June 4, 2025 0 Comments
Eastern Sierra, CA, Report: Steep, Well-Walled, & Short | The Lower Lamarck Lake Chutes Report from May 27, 2025 My last day of backcountry skiing for the season was in the Lower Lamarck Lake Chutes. Lee and I set off at a casual 7:00 a.m. from Mammoth, and we were hiking by around 8:30 a.m. We walked the trail to the lake, then had to route-find around the lake, where we finally encountered snow […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | June 1, 2025 0 Comments
Mammoth Mountain, CA, Report: Memorial Day Weekend Radness! Report from May 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 2025 The past week at Mammoth has been fire. Groomers are good. Wiggles are good, and new ones are forming all the time. Bumps are good. Off-piste skiing is exceptional—especially on Cornice & Chair 23. I’ve been riding my new e-dirt bike to the mountain each day, and it makes every […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 29, 2025 0 Comments
Palisades Tahoe, CA, Report: Going for the D-Spin 720º at 47-Years-Old View this post on Instagram A post shared by SnowBrains (@snowbrains) Report from May 25, 2025 I woke up at 1 am last night and everything was so clear. I’d wake up at 5:45 am, drive to Palisades Tahoe, land the D-Spin 720, and roll back down to Mammoth for Tall Carl’s party. Tahoe had been off the table because […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 26, 2025 0 Comments
Trip Report: 13,994′ Mt. Humphreys, CA | “Northeast Couloir” With A Crew of 9 Report from May 23, 2025 Mt. Humphreys is one of 4 Eastern Sierra peaks on my wedding ring. I’d skied one of the east chutes last year. It was time to go back for the classic Northeast Chute. But I wasn’t alone. We were a huge crew of 9 marauding uphill. 13,996′ Mt. Humphreys “Northeast Couloir” Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 26, 2025 0 Comments
9 Resorts to Visit Before You Die, According to SnowBrains Readers Last January, we asked our readers what resorts they thought everyone should visit before they die. The following list is based entirely on readers’ responses to what resort they think skiers and riders need to visit before their final day comes. It’s sure to be an expensive trip all over the world, but according to SnowBrains readers, these resorts are […] Brains Tyler Hatch | May 23, 2025 3 Comments
Trip Report: “South Fork Bowl” – Skiing 3,400-Vertical-Feet on Peak 13,103 in Big Pine, California Report from May 19, 2025 Garrett told us we had to go down to Big Pine and ski Peak 13,103 next to Kid Mountain. He said it was only a 2-mile dirt walk, then snow all the way. What I didn’t realize is that it would be a 3,300-vertical-foot bootpack… Peak 13,103, CA – South Fork Bowl Details Summit (actually […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 20, 2025 0 Comments