National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat

December 2024 – January 2025

Forest Service Budget Challenges Threaten Avalanche Center Operations Nationwide. Looming federal budget cuts have forced the Forest Service to institute a hiring freeze this fall for seasonal employees right as many avalanche centers are getting ready to bring on their winter workforce of experts. More. SnowBrains

Park City Mountain Resort Ski Patrol Goes on Strike. Nearly 200 members of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association went on strike over wages and benefits. Vail Resorts says wages have increased for ski patrollers by over 50% over the past four seasons. The Park City resort remains open with patrol leaders from Park City Mountain and other resorts. More. Deseret News

The Remaking of Deer Valley Begins with Lifts, Terrain, Second Village. This winter, the Wasatch Range resort will sneak-peek the new East Village area by opening three new chairlifts and 300 acres of terrain just off U.S. 40 below Park City. The new base will offer a second entrance to Deer Valley’s slopes and trails, hopefully reducing traffic around downtown Park City where the original base area is located. More. SnoCountry

Powder Mountain Begins Transformation into Public-Private Resort. The grand experiment is underway at Powder Mountain in northern Utah, as the 2024-2025 season opens with four new chairlifts, a portion of the mountain roped off for homeowners only, a longtime season pass cap lifted, and February weekends restricted to season pass holders. More. SnoCountry

Alterra Mountain Company Closes on Arapahoe Basin. Alterra Mountain Company closed the purchase of Arapahoe Basin in Colorado in November, expanding Alterra’s portfolio to 18 mountain destinations. A-Basin president and COO Alan Henceroth, who has been with the resort for 36 years, will continue to lead the resort and oversee daily operations with his longtime team. More. SAM

Red River, Ski Santa Fe Debut New Lifts On New Mexico Mountains. Two of northern New Mexico’s winter mountains put in chairlifts this summer to replace a pair of workhorses that had been hauling skiers and riders out of the base areas for decades. More. SnoCountry

9 Ski Areas Seniors Can Ski for Free. If there is one perk to aging, it‘s got to be free skiing. Growing older certainly is proving to have its benefits, with some resorts across North America offering free ski passes to those who meet their definitions of “Senior” or “Super Senior.” Ed. Note: Palisades Tahoe also offers free skiing to 80+ skiers.  More. SnowBrains

The World’s First 100% Aluminum Skis are Here and the Benefits are Substantial. Ski design has undergone a remarkable evolution, from early hickory planks to the advanced composite technologies of today. The latest innovation, however, comes in the form of skis milled entirely from aerospace-grade aluminum. More. SnowBrains

Industry Legend Klaus Obermeyer Just Turned 105 and He Looks Better Than Ever. “The longer you ski, the longer you live” is the motto of Klaus Obermeyer, a legend in the skiing world who embodies both the pioneering spirit and the heartfelt passion that defines the sport. More. SnowBrains

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. More. SnowBrains

National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat

November 2024

Western Resorts Start Spinning Lifts. Several western ski areas have opened for the early season in recent days. More. SAM

Paid Parking Implemented at Powder Mountain.  Powder Mountain’s guests will be required to pay a parking fee on all weekends and holidays this upcoming season. More. Powder

Homewood Suspends Operations for this Winter. Homewood Mountain Resort at Lake Tahoe will not operate for 2024-25 after its financial partner withdrew its support for this upcoming winter season, the Lake Tahoe ski area said in an announcement published on its website. More.  SAM

Sun Peaks Resort Set to Unveil the New West Bowl Express Chairlift. Sun Peaks Resort will soon be launching the much-anticipated West Bowl Express, a high-speed, detachable quad chairlift that will transform the upper reaches of Tod Mountain. More. Sun Peaks

Mountain Collective Adds Sunday River, Megève. The Mountain Collective Pass has expanded its network of resorts with the additions of Sunday River, Maine, and Megève, France, for the 2024-25 season, bringing the total number of resort partners to 27 worldwide. More.

Colorado Ski Area Slashes Lift Ticket Prices to $45. In the age of mega-passes, online reservations, and paid parking, Ski Cooper, Colorado is zigging while everybody else zags. More. Powder

Amtrak Winter Park Express Ski Train Increases Service. Because of increased demand last season, Amtrak is increasing service this season on its popular Winter Park Express Ski Train, with fares starting at just $19 each way. More. Seniors Skiing

Independent Areas Top SKI Resort Rankings. Snowbasin, Utah, earned the top spot in the West and Mad River Glen, Vt., repeated as the best in the East in the 2025 SKI Reader Survey Awards. There were a few big movers in the rankings, both up and down, as well as a continued affinity for independent resorts. Rankings are based on responses from SKI’s annual reader survey. More. SAM

Blue Mountain Resort Assists Crews Fighting Nearby Wildfire.  A brush fire has burned several hundred acres near Blue Mountain Resort, Pa., this week. The resort has supported fire crews in efforts to suppress the Gap Fire, also called the Blue Mountain fire. The fire, which was reported contained as of Nov. 7, burned roughly 4 miles to the west of Blue Mountain Resort. More.

Get Free Ski Tickets with Winter Gear Purchase. Iconic brand Helly Hansen’s latest Ski Free collection is offering a deal where, if you purchase ski pants or a jacket now through spring 2025, you’ll score a free or discounted day of skiing at one of Helly Hansen’s 50 partner resorts across North America and Europe. More. Helly Hansen via Julie Brace

How To Adjust Your Ski Bindings. Here’s how to properly and safely adjust ski bindings at home for your next powder day. More.  Powder

National  Ski  Council  Federation Newsbeat

October 2024

Multi-Mountain Passes Flourish Across the West in 2024-2025. The first brush of snow has dappled the peaks of the West and, now that the ski and snowboard season is officially in sight, it’s time to check in on what multi-mountain passes have to offer for 2024-2025. More. SnoCountry

Nation’s Largest Ski Resort Unveils New Trail Map. New trail maps aren’t usually too exciting, but Powder Mountain is debuting four new chairlifts and a semi-private model this season. More. Powder

Construction of Jackson Hole’s New Sublette Lift Is Ahead of Schedule.  Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR), Wyoming is upgrading its iconic ‘Sublette Lift’ this summer. POWDER has learned via press release that construction is ahead of schedule. The new high speed lift will cut its predecessor’s ride time in half. More. Powder

North Carolina’s Ski Resorts Are Reeling After Hurricane Helene. The state’s popular ski resorts are picking up the pieces after Hurricane Helene. More. Powder

Indy Pass Acquires Black Mountain in New Hampshire, Plans for a Co-op Model. Indy Pass and Entabeni Systems have purchased Black Mountain from the Fichera family, who have owned and operated the ski area for the past 30 years. Indy Pass managing director and Entabeni Systems founder Erik Mogensen will serve as general manager of Black Mountain for the 2024-25 season and will transfer the ownership to a community co-op by the 2025-26 season. More. SAM

Mike Reitzell to Succeed Kelly Pawlak at Helm of NSAA.  The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has appointed Ski California president Mike Reitzell as its new president and CEO. Reitzell will replace Kelly Pawlak, who gave her notice in May that she would be stepping down as the leader of NSAA. More. SAM

Vail Resorts Epic Pass Sales Were Flat Through Summer.  Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass product sales through Sept. 20, 2024, for the upcoming 2024-25 North American ski season decreased approximately 3 percent in units and increased approximately 3 percent in revenue in sales compared to the prior year through Sept. 22, 2023. Epic Pass sales dollars are benefiting from an 8 percent price increase relative to the 2023-24 season, partially offset by a growing percentage of Epic Day Pass sales. More. SAM

7 of the 9 Most Expensive Small Towns in the U.S. are Ski Towns. LendingTree identified the 50 U.S. micropolitan areas (towns with populations between 10,000 and 50,000) with the highest median home values. Surprisingly, many of these towns feature real estate prices that rival and sometimes surpass those in the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas. Maybe not surprising is many of them are located within 50 miles, or less than an hour’s drive, of a ski resort. More. SnowBrains

Small Vertical-Drops Don’t Mean You Can’t Have Big Fun: 8 U.S. Ski Areas with the Least Vertical. Smaller mountains with less than 200 feet of vertical drop offer plenty of fun and excitement. More. Snowbrains

National Ski Council Federation
Silent Auction Oct 1-31, 2024

This auction will help the NSCF to get funds to further pursue their goals. Which is to work with the Councils and Industry to better serve member clubs and to influence issues relevant to snow sports.

National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
August – September 2024

Powdr to Sell Killington Resort / Pico Mountain, Put Mt. Bachelor, Eldora, and SilverStar Out to Bid. POWDR has agreed to sell Killington Resort and Pico Mountain to a group of local investors. The sale is expected to close this fall. Following news of the sale, sources report that POWDR also plans to put several of its other ski resort properties—Eldora, Colo., Mt. Bachelor, Ore., and SilverStar, B.C.—out to bid. More. SAM

Alaska Airlines to Add New Nonstop Flights to World Class Ski Destinations for Winter 2025. Alaska Airlines announced over a dozen new nonstop flights from the snowy slopes to the warm waters of Mexico and Central America. More. Snowbrains

NASTAR Sold to Global Reach Sports. The transition marks a new chapter for NASTAR, where it will benefit from the dedicated focus and resources of Global Reach Sports — a collaboration between Split Second Timing (owner of Live-Timing.com) and Silicon Peak. More. NASTAR Ed. Note: The purchase brings a number of changes to the program.

Jay Peak Plans Price Freeze and Reductions. Jay Peak Resort unveiled plans to freeze or reduce pricing on a variety of its products for both this summer and the upcoming 2024-25 winter season The initiative, dubbed Mission Affordability, will freeze rates on day tickets and reduce pricing on the Mission Affordable 4-pack, as well as certain menu items…. More. SAM

Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania’s Largest Ski Resort, Announces Millions in Snowmaking Upgrades. Blue has added 132 stick guns and six fan guns to increase their snowmaking capabilities by 17.5%. The new equipment will keep Blue’s trails fresh throughout the season, and will aide in opening more terrain at the beginning of the season. More. Powder

Monarch’s No Name Expansion Gets USFS Approval. Monarch Mountain has received United States Forest Service (USFS) approval for its No Name Basin terrain expansion project. The project will add 377 acres, bringing Monarch’s special use permit to 1,146 acres in all. Completion is expected in time for the 2025-26 season. More. SAM

#Mt. Baldy, California to Reopen After Dodging Wildfire. Mt. Baldy Resort, located near Los Angeles, California will reopen for summer operations on Saturday, July 20th, just weeks after the Vista Fire began to rage. More. Powder

Schweitzer Buys Selkirk Powder’s Sidecountry Operation. Schweitzer has acquired Selkirk Powder’s resort-based backcountry operation, which offers guided snowmobiling and cat skiing in the terrain off the backside of the resort. The outfit has operated from the summit of Schweitzer for 21 years through a long-term concession agreement with the resort and a lease from the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL). More. SAM

Mammoth Mountain to Use Old Chairlift Towers as Terrain Park Features. Mammoth’s Unbound team is using the old towers of Chair #1 (Broadway Express) to create new terrain park features. More. Powder Magazine

The 9 Coldest Ski Lifts in North America. All the chairlifts that made the cut provide access to excellent terrain and quality snow coverage. However, they come with the price of enduring negative temperatures on the ride up. More.  SAM

Inside the Ski Industry’s Post-Pandemic Boom. With a few years of perspective, questions can now be answered about how much of the bounce back was only due to steady growth in the ski industry. How much of it came from pandemic innovations implemented by resorts to keep people skiing? More. Snowbrains via Google Alerts

The 9 Best Resorts That Also Have the Least Crowds in North America. For skiers who value a more peaceful and relaxed experience, some resorts can offer all you desire with the bonus of low crowds. These gems provide all the thrills of skiing without the stress, allowing you to carve out your own space on the mountain and truly savor the beauty of winter. More. SnowBrains

How Tracking Apps Have Changed the Way People Ski. In the age of digital innovation, tracking apps have reshaped the skiing experience by transforming the way skiers and snowboarders engage with the sport. More. SnowBrains

5 Potential Ski Resort Mergers That Would Seriously Level Up the U.S. Ski Experience. Here are some of the prime candidates for U.S. ski resort mergers. These potential unions, though many of them highly unlikely, could level up the industry, offering skiers and snowboarders the ultimate in convenience, variety, and sheer mountain majesty. More. SnowBrains

https://skifederation.org/the-ski-feed/

National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat

July 2024

Indy Adds 10 Ski Areas, Will Reopen Limited Pass Sales. After adding 10 new ski areas to its roster for the 2024-25 season, Indy Pass released a limited number of passes starting July 1. More. SAM

Windham Mountain Club, NY, Defines What Public Access Will Look Like in New Membership Model. This last season Windham Mountain Club proudly debuted its new name as it moved to a membership model.Now the resort has offered clarification on how much the public will have access to its amenities, and it looks to be substantial.More. SnowBrains

Jay Peak Plans Price Freeze and Reductions. Jay Peak Resort unveiled plans to freeze or reduce pricing on a variety of its products for both this summer and the upcoming 2024-25 winter season The initiative, dubbed Mission Affordability, will freeze rates on day tickets and reduce pricing on the Mission Affordable 4-pack, as well as certain menu items…. More. SAM

Ikon Pass Access Will Be "Unchanged" at Arapahoe Basin Next Season. For the 2024-25 season, Ikon pass access will remain unchanged to Arapahoe Basin with 5 days on the base pass or 7 days on the Full Ikon Pass.More. Powder

DOJ Scrutinizing Alterra’s Planned Arapahoe Basin Acquisition. Alterra Mountain Company’s planned acquisition of Arapahoe Basin, Colo., is reportedly being reviewed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which has issued a civil investigative demand to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) and RRC Associates seeking data from the association’s annual surveys on ski area economics and visitor demographics, which RRC conducts on behalf of NSAA. More. SAM

Alterra Expands Split Payment Plan to Lodging and Lessons. Alterra Mountain Company has expanded its partnership with payment network Affirm, allowing customers the option to pay over time when purchasing local mountain passes, lodging, and lessons for any of Alterra’s North American destinations.More. SAM

NOAA Winter 2024/25 Early Forecast: La Niña Returns and What That Means For Next Winter’s Ski Season. Powder hounds, rejoice! NOAA's early outlook for Winter 2024/25 is here, and it's looking promising for some regions.More. SnowBrains

When Boyne Resorts partnered with the owners of the Yellowstone Club in 2013 to purchase the existing Moonlight Basin and Spanish Peaks developments, the “Biggest Skiing in America” was officially born at Big Sky Resort.But, after 10 years and almost 6,000 acres of skiable terrain, the economic and social implications of an ever-growing corporate presence in town and on the mountain have begun to worry its residents and the snowsports community.More. SnowBrains

The 7 Most Iconic Ski Runs on the East Coast. The East Coast, or, the ‘Ice Coast’, as some may say it, is widely regarded as having some of the most icy and variable conditions in North America. Due to this, challenging runs on the East Coast are often overlooked. This article should change that, however, as it is a list of all of the most challenging and iconic ski runs on the East Coast.More. SnowBrains

Liftblog’s Peter Landsman Has Now Visited Every Ski Area in North America. Liftblog.com creator Peter Landsman completed his mission to visit every ski area in North America last night when he stopped in at Moose Mountain in Canada’s Yukon territory to grab a picture of the municipal hill’s T-bar. Landsman has been documenting lifts in North America for more than two decades, snapping photos and recording stats for his database on liftblog.com.More. SAM

Is Bigger Better? Pros Weigh In on Skiing's Hottest Debate. Tom Wallisch, Veronica Paulsen, Daron Rahlves, and Ross Tester share their perspectives on ski length and width.More. Powder

National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat

May-June 2024

Jackson Hole Announces New Sublette Lift For Next Season. The resort is retiring the classic quad chair after 37 years of operation with a faster and more powerful detachable quad this summer. More. Powder Newsletter

Major $3 Billion Expansion Project Proposed for Killington, VT. A Canadian company is looking to add more allure to the resort with $3 billion in capital investment to the area over the next 25 years. The proposal will focus on a reimagination of Killington Village. More. Snowbrains

Mountain Capital Partners to Buy Chile’s La Parva Ski Resort. Durango, Colo.-based Mountain Capital Partners (MCP), which already owns Valle Nevado ski resort in Chile’s Tres Valles, has entered an agreement to acquire the adjacent La Parva Ski Resort. More. SAM

Indy Pass to Debut Digital Pass in 2024-25. The rollout resorts for the digital Indy Pass will be Magic Mountain in Vermont, Beaver Mountain in Utah, and Bluewood in Washington. The cell phone-enabled pass will initially be offered to a select group of Indy Pass holders. More. SAM

This Group of Skiers is the Most Likely to Have a Fatal Accident, According to Experts. The data doesn’t lie: Middle-aged men are most likely to misjudge their abilities and get in over their heads. More.  Ski Magazine

Your Ski Helmet Could Be Pointless If You’re Doing These 7 Things. Helmets don’t need to be replaced too often, but there are instances when a new lid is warranted. Evie Carrick digs into those guidelines, as well as six other things skiers might be doing that can compromise the efficacy of their helmets. More. Ski Magazine

Ski Area Cannot Waive Liability in Unseated Passenger Case, Colorado Supreme Court Rules. In a 5-2 ruling, the Colorado Supreme Court found that liability waivers cannot be used to protect ski areas from negligence claims related to chairlift accidents. The decision will allow a negligence per se claim brought against Vail Resorts to proceed in the district courts. More. SAM

Jackson Hole Collision Death Adds to Growing Slope Safety Conversation. Peter Wuerslin, a 71-year-old ski instructor, was killed after being struck from behind by another skier who was also travelling downhill on an intermediate trail at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, April 14. The Teton County coroner has ruled the death a homicide. More. SAM

“Roller Coaster” 2023-24 Season Sees 60.4 Million Skier Visits. The U.S. ski industry overcame significant weather challenges in 2023-24 to post the fifth best season on record, according to preliminary data from the National Ski Area Association (NSAA). More. SAM

US 23-24 Season Snowfall Total 10% Below 10 Year Average. In 23-24 season data, America’s National Ski Areas Association reports average snowfall totaled 158” (401cm), 10% below the 10-year average and well below 22-23’s 225” (571cm) average. But business totals were still the 5th best ever. More. Snowforecast.com via Google Alerts

Eight Signs It Might Be Time For New Skis. You probably don’t need new skis. Unless you really do. Here’s how you’ll know. More.  Ski Magazine

Preparing for Skiing as Winters Become Warmer. Winters are getting warmer, and skiing is changing. This is what Snowbird and Alta are doing to help future generations of skiers. More. Ski Magazine

Nine Things About Skiing in the U.S. That Shock Europeans. From “eye-watering” prices to “crappy lodge food,” Alps skiers share some blistering opinions about North American ski resorts. More.  Ski Magazine

NSAA honors best in ski industry at Annual Awards Ceremony. Association recognizes innovative strategies in sustainability, safety, marketing and growth. More. NSAA

Kelly Pawlak to Depart NSAA. Kelly Pawlak is stepping down as president and CEO of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). Pawlak will remain in the role through the transition to a new president and CEO. More. SAM

The First Ski Lift in the World. The first ski lift in the world was created more than 100 years ago by a German hotel owner in the village of Schollach in the Black Forest region in Germany. More. Snowbrains

National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
April 2024

Epic Pass Raises Prices, Adds Crans-Montana for 2024-25.  Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass suite for 2024-25 has the unrestricted Epic Pass launching at $982 and the Epic Local pass retailing for $731, new highs for the products and about an 8 percent increase from last year, when they were $909 and $676, respectively. More. SAM

Ikon Pass Increases Prices, Adds Benefits for 2024-25. The 2024-25 Ikon Pass suite goes on sale March 14, with 58 destinations and a handful of new benefits. The company has bumped up prices, with the unrestricted Ikon Pass retailing for $1,249 (compared to $1,159 last year) and the Ikon Base Pass on sale for $869 (up from $829 last year). More. SAM

Switzerland’s St. Moritz Ski Resort added to Ikon Pass. The Engadin Valley community—a two-time Olympic host, five-time home of the FIS Ski World Championships, and the birthplace of winter tourism in the Swiss Alps—is the sixth European destination on the Ikon Pass. More. SAM

Indy Pass Adds Seven Alpine Partners, Discounts on Cat Skiing. Seven new alpine resorts have been added to the Indy Pass for the 2024-25 season, including four owned by Pacific Group Resorts Inc. Also new, pass holders can get 10 percent off when they book day seats or packaged visits at five cat skiing operations. More. SAM

Antelope Butte (WY) To Offer Free Season Passes to Anyone Under 18. The nonprofit Antelope Butte Ski Area is making 2024-25 season passes free for anyone younger than 18 years old on the date of purchase. Pass sales open on Friday, April 5, for all age groups. The ski area is located roughly an hour outside of Sheridan, Wyo. More. SAM

Warning: Credit Card Fraud Continues to Target Ski Areas. There appears to be an extensive effort to sell fraudulently purchased lift tickets on Craigslist at a discounted price, with dozens of ski areas across North America being targeted. More. SAM

Wave of Western Ski Patrols Move to Unionize. Ski patrollers at Keystone Resort are the latest in a string of western resort patrol departments moving to unionize this winter. At least four other resorts have pending votes to form a patrol union as well. More. SAM

Inconsistencies in Classification of Ski Slope Difficulty Ratings. Individual ski resorts can classify their slopes and runs without permission or oversight by a governing body. This is frustrating and potentially dangerous, especially for beginner skiers relying on those trail markings to be accurate. More.  Snowbrains

This 50-Year Study Reveals Surprising Insights on Ski Helmets and Injury Prevention. Jasper Shealy’s groundbreaking research in ski safety has reshaped our understanding of head injuries on the slopes. More. Ski Magazine

11 Things About Skiing in Europe That Shock Americans. Hint: It’s not the endless vertical or the incredible views they can’t stop talking about. More. Ski Magazine

Abandoned Stagecoach Ski Resort, CO, to be Revived as Private Ski & Golf Club by Company Behind Exclusive Yellowstone Club. A ski area that ceased operations 50 years ago is seemingly being resurrected as a private ski and golf resort by a consortium including the brains behind Yellowstone Club. More. SnowBrains

Retro Ski Suits Are Making a Comeback on the Slopes. Here’s Why. Whether its tight one-piece ski suits or block-print neon numbers, fashion has boosted the cachet of winter sports. More. Salt Lake Tribune via Google Alerts Ed. Note: Barbara Alley Simon who is quoted extensively in the article was honored with a Snowsports Builder Award by the Far West Ski Association in 2019.