Should Helmets Be Mandatory at Ski Resorts? It wasn’t very long ago that ski helmets were more of an obscurity then the norm like they are today. Though ski helmets were initially invented in the 1950s with the use of technology from World War II, they didn’t really began to see wide spread use until the early to mid 2000’s. A study from ScholarBlogs found that in the […] Industry News Joseph Kaufmann | July 10, 2025 2 Comments
Top 7 Most Unexpected Animals Seen on the Slopes Like any outdoor activity humans participle in, from time to time we tend to come in contact with the original inhabitants of the area we choose to make our playground. Many ski resorts are on national forests, and in those dense, often remote areas one can run into some pretty striking wildlife. In fact, Colorado’s White River National Forest is […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | July 9, 2025 0 Comments
[FOR SALE] Rare Opportunity to Own a Cat Ski Operation in the Legendary Monashee Mountains of British Columbia If you’ve ever dreamed of owning your own backcountry ski operation in the heart of British Columbia’s snowiest mountains, this might be your shot. Powder Renegade Lodge, a cat skiing operation tucked deep in the Monashee Mountains, is now for sale. With its combination of unmatched terrain, reliable snowfall, and full infrastructure already in place, it’s being billed as a […] Industry News Brent Thomas | July 9, 2025 0 Comments
Park City Mountain Resort, UT, Plans to Replace Cabriolet Lift with New Gondola The Cabriolet lift at Canyons Village, which has been hauling skiers and riders from the lower parking lot to the base area since 2000, may be making its final laps. According to TownLift, Park City Mountain and the Canyons Village Management Association (CVMA) have announced plans to replace the open-air lift with a fully enclosed gondola. The proposed upgrade is […] Industry News Brent Thomas | July 7, 2025 0 Comments
Top 9 Most Rewarding Ski-Related Jobs Working in the ski industry isn’t just a job for many—it’s a lifestyle. It’s early mornings, frozen fingers, big laughs, and the kind of fulfillment that’s hard to find behind a desk. The work can be tough, the pay isn’t always glamorous, and the weather doesn’t care about your comfort. But ask anyone who’s spent a season—or a lifetime—in the […] Brains Brent Thomas | July 7, 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. This week, Australia dominates the list as […] Weather WeatherBrains | July 6, 2025 0 Comments
Is There Such a Thing as ‘Left’ and ‘Right’ Skis? If you’ve ever stood at the base of the mountain, skis in hand, wondering whether one goes on the left and the other on the right, you’re not alone. For most skiers and most skis, the answer is simple: it doesn’t matter. Traditional alpine skis are symmetrical, meaning they’re designed to perform the same no matter which foot they’re on. […] Brains Brent Thomas | July 5, 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
How Much Does It Need to Snow for It to Be Considered a Powder Day? Everybody loves powder days. It’s as simple as that; there is nothing better than floating down wide-open groomers, tree runs, or steep chutes with fresh snow under your feet. The stoke coming from the lift lines, watching others enter the white room from the lift, and wrapping the day reminiscing on the lines you skied. Powder days are skiing at its […] Conditions Report Will Hart | July 4, 2025 0 Comments
South Island, New Zealand Report: Ohau Snowfields, Storm Front Stack-Up Report from 29 June thru 2 July, 2025 It’s a line up of absolutely classic winter snow conditions for skiers and snowboarders of Ohau Snowfields, in the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s South Island. A weekend storm front has been followed by a welcome window of glorious sunshine. And another top-up of surly powder snow is developing even as this […] Conditions Report Paulie | July 2, 2025 0 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
The 7 Friendliest U.S. Airports for Skiers and Snowboarders For skiers and snowboarders traveling for a destination ski trip, the journey to the mountain is a necessary yet potentially dreadful part of the expedition. Navigating through airports with bulky gear can be a hassle, making it crucial to have a seamless travel experience. The friendliest airports for skiers and snowboarders understand this and go above and beyond to ensure […] 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
Deer Valley, Utah, Provides Updates on its Massive New Infrastructure That’s Set to More than Double its Snowmaking Capabilities Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, is undergoing a massive transformation. This includes upgrades to existing facilities, expansion of the skiable terrain, and the new Deer Valley East Village to name just a few of the projects that encompass the “Expanded Excellence” plan. One of the biggest undertakings of the transformation is the major upgrade to the snowmaking infrastructure. […] Industry News Luke Guilford | July 1, 2025 0 Comments
Did You Know There Used to Be an Unconventional Ski Area in the Suburbs of Atlanta, GA? For a few years in the late 1970s, Atlanta, Georgia, offered an unexpected twist for thrill-seekers: the Vinings Ridge Ski Area. Far from the powdery peaks of traditional ski resorts, Vinings Ridge operated on a synthetic surface due to the warm climate, making it a unique, year-round attraction. Related: The 5 Most Unique Ski and Snowboard Towns on The Planet […] Brains Brent Thomas | June 30, 2025 10 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
Idaho Supreme Court Overturns Ruling on Ski Death Case, Introduces “Standard of Care” for Resort Actions Skiing and snowboarding are deeply rooted in Idaho’s culture and economy, with the state’s Ski Area Liability Law historically offering legal clarity on the risks of the sport. The law acknowledges that skiing carries inherent risks, such as collisions with trees or sudden changes in snow conditions, and generally limits a resort’s liability unless clear negligence is proven. Skiers are expected to take […] Industry News Brent Thomas | 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
Top 11 States for Outdoor Lovers If you live for fresh air, scenic trails, and weekends that start with a backpack or a pair of skis, the U.S. has no shortage of states where the outdoors is more than just a backdrop but a way of life. From alpine peaks to desert canyons, rolling forests to rugged coastlines, some states stand out for their access to […] Brains Brent Thomas | June 25, 2025 0 Comments
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