Best Ski Towns in North America to Visit if You’re Not Skiing or Snowboarding Ski towns across North America offer a large variety of activities off the slopes. From fine dining and night life, to spas, festivals and art galleys and everything in between, both the U.S. and Canada’s ski towns offer a little something for everyone. Some towns, however, pull well above their weight in off the slope activities year round. From coast […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | August 2, 2025 0 Comments
Summit County Launches Affordable Housing Project for Colorado’s Essential Workers The Town of Frisco, Colorado, is partnering with the National Housing Partnership Foundation (NHPF) on two significant affordable housing projects at 602 Galena Street and 101 West Main Street. These developments are designed to address the severe shortage of housing for essential workers and low and middle-income families in the notoriously expensive area. The project is a direct response to […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | July 31, 2025 0 Comments
Town of Nederland, CO, Buys Eldora Ski Area The Town of Nederland, Colorado, has announced plans to purchase the Eldora Mountain Resort from its current owner, POWDR. This acquisition, which officially took place on July 9, 2025, is a rare instance of a municipality buying a ski resort from a corporate owner. It is expected to be finalized by October 2025. Nederland’s motivations for the purchase include creating […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | July 30, 2025 0 Comments
Ski and Snowboard Till 1 A.M. this Friday, July 25, at Big SNOW Indoor Ski Area in New Jersey This Friday, skiers and snowboarders alike will be treated to a “Park After Dark” event at the only real snow indoor ski area in the U.S. Big SNOW at the American dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, offers year round snow sports at its state of the art facility. Big SNOW provides 4 acres of skiable terrain, a 160-foot vertical […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | July 25, 2025 0 Comments
4 American States You Can’t Ski in Anymore The U.S. has at least 480 ski resorts spread across an impressive 37 states. Four states, however, have unfortunately lost their resort(s) at one point or another for various reasons. Some resorts closed due to low visitation rates, while others shut their doors due to the effects of climate change. While it’s always sad to see a ski resort close, […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | July 24, 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
Brain Post: How Big Is Your Blind Spot? We all know cars have a blind spot. Some are larger than others, but that’s not news. The question here is: Do skiers and snowboarders have a blind spot? And if so, where? The answer lies not in the gear, or the thick layers of fleece, down, and Gore-Tex apparel. Nor does it have anything to do with those nice […] Brains Bevan Waite | July 12, 2025 3 Comments
The Best Places in the U.S. to Ski During the Day and Gamble at Night After a long, action-packed day on the slopes, sometimes a little after-hours action at a casino is just what one needs to keep that adrenaline going. While many people might think of casinos and picture the deserts of Las Vegas, or the ocean beaches of Atlantic City, there are plenty of places you can roll the dice or spin a slot machine […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | July 11, 2025 0 Comments
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
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
Top 5 Biggest Mistakes to Make as a Beginner Skier or Snowboarder Learning how to ski and snowboard can be a wonderful but challenging experience. Ski or snowboard boots might feel uncomfortable, and being on skis or snowboard for the first time can be downright scary. You will be introduced to a new world once you get past the fear and insecurity of learning the sport. As a beginner, you can have […] Brains Leander Walchshöfer | June 2, 2025 0 Comments
The Top 5 Resorts for Snowboarders in North America, According to the Pros What’s the most important aspect of a ski resort for snowboarders to consider? The first thing to consider would probably be ‘am I allowed to snowboard here?’, as three resorts in the US still don’t welcome snowboarders. Is it the terrain parks? The amount of flat terrain? Or is it as simple as the amount of snow a resort gets? Related: […] Industry News SnowBrains | June 2, 2025 3 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