9 Things That Europeans Find Shocking About Skiing in America There have been many videos on social media about things Americans find surprising or shocking about skiing in Europe. Weirdly enough, the same cannot be said about Europeans skiing in America. Thankfully, SnowBrains has their own European to ask, so here are the top nine things that Europeans find shocking or surprising (or maybe just plain weird) about skiing in […] Laughs Julia Schneemann | October 26, 2025 5 Comments
The 11 Countries That Love Ski Racing the Most Which countries are the biggest fanatics for ski racing? The United States has superstar ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin, Norway is the birthplace of alpine racing, and Austria is known for its passionate fans and love for the sport. But to move beyond reputation and measure fanaticism quantitatively, I’m using data from Greatest Sporting Nation and its “per capita cup” for […] Competition Zach Suffish | July 30, 2025 0 Comments
The 11 Best American-Made Ski Companies New tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have sent shockwaves through the ski industry, driving up the cost of imported gear and disrupting long-established supply chains. As European and Asian-made skis become more expensive, buying from American ski companies is no longer just about patriotism—it’s a smart response to a shifting trade landscape. For skiers and retailers alike, supporting U.S. […] Gear SnowBrains | June 5, 2025 21 Comments
Capturing the Thrill: The Evolution of Ski and Snowboard Videography In a world where adventure sports and social media merge seamlessly, snowboard videography has become an art form, blending athletic skill, visually appealing aesthetics, and boundary-pushing action. But how did it get here, to a place where a few minutes of filmed adrenaline can captivate millions and create the sport’s next superstar? The First Snowboard Films: Capturing a New Culture […] Brains Jack Bynum | December 16, 2024 0 Comments
Alta, UT, Report: Day #1 of the Season After 7″ of New Snow Falls Report from November 3, 2024 Yesterday was ski day #1 of the North American ski season for me. Alta got about seven inches of new snow overnight so I decided to go see how skiable it was. Alta felt like an operating ski resort yesterday. The parking lot was half full, people were tailgating hard, and hundreds of folks were […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | November 4, 2024 1 Comment
NASA: Smoky Skies Across North America This post first appeared on NASA Earth Observatory. In July 2024, wildland fires in Canada billowed smoke that drifted across North America. A stretch of extreme heat, coupled with windy conditions and thunderstorms, helped spur the ignition and expansion of fires in several Canadian provinces. As of July 24, 989 fires actively burned in Canada, with over half of those […] Fire Guest Author | August 1, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: Black Mountain – “North Face Chutes” | Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from June 1, 2024 I was exhausted the past week after skiing 461 of the past 541 days. Yesterday was no exception. I searched for an easy one. One that wouldn’t end me… Black Mountain in Virginia Lakes appeared just right. 11,770′ Black Mountain “North Face Chutes” Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Summit (actually a ridgeline): 11,700 feet Car: 9,800 feet […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | June 3, 2024 0 Comments
Mammoth Mountain, CA, Closing Day 2024 Report: Raucous Summit Party & Finally Got the Damn D-Spin 720º Report from May 27, 2024 Closing day at Mammoth Mountain was all-time on Monday… It was especially poignant for me. One of my big goals each year is to land a D-Spin 720º. My initial goal was to land this trick until I was 40-years-old. I’d copied that goal from the legendary Mike Douglas who vowed to stomp that trick […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 31, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: Peak 12,691′ Paiute Pass Ridge Chutes – “Ice Fall Chute” | Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from May 30, 2024 After skiing 457 of the past 537 days, I was exhausted and needed an easy tour yesterday. I’d skied 2 chutes off Paiute Pass Ridge last year and knew it was an easy hike for good steep skiing. Time to go back… Peak 12,691′, CA – “Paiute Pass Ridge Chutes” Icefall Couloir Details Summit (actually, this […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 31, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: “Kindergarten Chute” on Peak 13,121′ | Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from May 28, 2024 Yesterday, we went for a classic. Kindergarten Chute on Peak 13,121′ in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. We’d tried to ski this chute in early May 2024 but it looked firm and unwelcoming so we skied a chute we dubbed “Preschool Chute” along with the “Wahoo Gullies.” Fortunately, Kindergarten Chute welcomed us with […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 29, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 1 Annoyingly Long 2,700-Vertical-Foot Chute | 11,575′ Gilcrest Peak “Northeast Chutes” East Variant | Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from May 22, 2024 Yesterday, we returned to Gilcrest Peak to sample the East variant of the Northeast Chutes. Last week we’d skied the Western option and it was delightful. Cool, windy weather has had us seeking east-facing or lower-elevation north-facing terrain. We parked at Lundy Lake at about 10 a.m. and started up. 11,575′ Gilcrest Peak “North Couloirs” […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 24, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 12,100′ East Peak “East Face Chutes” | Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from May 20, 2024 Yesterday, we went for a line that’s been staring me in the face for 20 years. You can see East Peak from Highway 395 and its chutes always beckon. What has always kept us away is the approach… 12,100′ East Peak “East Chutes” Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Summit (actually a ridgeline): 11,600 feet Car: 7,500 […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 21, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 13,417′ Mt. Lamarck “North Couloir” | Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, California Report from May 17, 2024 Garrett and I returned to 13,417-feet-high Mt. Lamarck’s “North Couloir” yesterday. We tried to ski Lamarck back on May 3, 2024, but it was firm that day. Instead, we skied a chute called “Valdezean Amor Couloir” and it was delicious. Yesterday was ski day #144 of my season and ski day #447 in the past […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 19, 2024 0 Comments
Mammoth Mountain, CA, Report: Hangmans Chute, Wipe Out, The Chair 3 Wiggle Report from May 16, 2024 Today we got out at Mammoth Mountain, CA, at about 10am. The mountain experienced a solid freeze last night, making the skiing phenomenal today. We started out skiing Wipe Out laps off Chair 23. Splashy good fun. We then bumped over to the gondola and hit Hangmans Chute a few times. The winning lap was […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 16, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 11,161′ Mt. Scowden’s “Dog Leg Chute” | Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from May 15, 2024 Yesterday we went back to Lundy Lake in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California hoping to find more corn as we did in that zone 2 days prior. We chose one of the north-facing couloirs off Scowden but it looked beat up with old wet slides. We then bumped over to the “Dog Leg […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 16, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 2,300-Vertical-Foot Gilcrest Peak, CA, North Chutes in Corn Snow Report from May 13, 2024 Yesterday we were in search of corn. Recently, our hit rate was 1:4 in finding corn up high so odds have not been in our favor as of late. The Lamarck Basin had corn before the big May-storm, while the Kindergarten Chute zone didn’t have corn, the North Couloir of Mount Gibbs was powder and ice, […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 14, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 13,996′ Mt. Humphreys “East Couloirs” | Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from May 11, 2024 Yesterday we went for a classic. 13,996′ Mt. Humphreys in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. This is one of 4 mountains on my wedding ring and I’d never skied it… 13,996′ Mt. Humphreys “East Couloirs” Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Summit (actually a ridgeline): 13,400 feet Car: 8,900 feet Vertical From Car: 4,500 feet Vertical […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 12, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 12,600′ “Preschool Couloir” + “Wahoo Gullies” | Eastern Sierra Mountains, CA Report from May 9, 2024 Yesterday we went for a classic or classics. Our goal was to ski “Kindergarten Chute” or “Checkered Demon” then bounce down to “Wahoo Gullies” and ski one of those. But things got kinda weird out there, as they always do. 12,600-foot “Preschool Couloir” “Wahoo Gullies” Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Summit (actually a ridgeline): 12,600 feet Car: […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 10, 2024 0 Comments
Trip Report: 12,779′ Mt. Gibbs “North Face” | Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Report from May 7, 2024 Yesterday, we went for a line I’ve been drooling over for years. The North Face of Mt. Gibbs, California. The only problem is that when we went to drive up to the Horse Meadows Trailhead, the road was closed… “North Face” 12,779′ Mt. Gibbs Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA Summit (actually a ridgeline): 12,200 feet Car: 7,300 […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 8, 2024 0 Comments
Mammoth Mountain, CA, Report: 12″ Powder Day on Cinco De Mayo | Superb Fresh Tracks Down Chairs 3, 5, 23 (Philippe’s) Report from May 5, 2024 Last night, a storm hit Mammoth Lakes, CA, which was ridiculous for May… The mountain harvested 12″ of fresh snow overnight, and it was windy as hell (up to 85mph on the summit). Today was freezing cold (5ºF at the summit in the morning) with superb snow plastered on everything. We started the day waiting […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | May 5, 2024 0 Comments