Category: Mountain
Why No New U.S. Ski Resorts Have Been Built in the Past 40 Years
The United States is home to over 480 ski resorts, offering mountains of various locations, shapes, and sizes. What you may not realize, though, is that essentially all of these resorts were built over five decades ago. But wait a minute—skiing and snowboarding have exploded in growth in the 21st century, so why haven’t there…
Are Ski Lift Accidents on the Rise? A Look at This Year’s Catastrophic Failures
The cabin detachment at Western Canada’s Kicking Horse was the ninth serious North American ski lift malfunction this winter. Photo credit: Brandon Shaw When you get on a ski lift, the prospect of your chair falling off the line is a thing of nightmare fuel. But for those who’ve decided to ski or…
Ikon Pass Debuts for 2025-26 with A-Basin Unlimited on Full Pass; Base Plus Pass Discontinued
Earlier today, Alterra released the Ikon Pass product suite for the 2025-26 season. Adults can purchase a full Ikon Pass, which comes with unlimited access to 18 resorts and no holiday blackout dates, for $1,329—an increase of 6% from last year. An Ikon Base Pass, which offers unlimited access to 14 resorts with holiday blackouts,…
Epic Passes Debut for 2025-26 With Higher Prices; Verbier 4 Vallées Joins Local Pass
On Tuesday, Vail Resorts announced its suite of Epic Pass products for the 2025-26 winter season. Access will remain similar to last year, meaning Epic’s terms will likely continue to undercut its main competitor, the Ikon Pass, although prices have increased across all levels of passes. The top-of-the-line Epic Pass, which offers unlimited access with…
2025-26 Indy Pass Debuts With Wild 250-Resort Guarantee
The Indy Pass is guaranteeing at least 250 alpine and cross-country partners for the upcoming 2025-26 season—and will offer purchasers their money back if it cannot achieve this guarantee by this December. The Indy Pass just dropped some major updates for the 2025-26 season, including a streamlined renewal process, a promise of even…
Mountain Review: Le Massif de Charlevoix
MOUNTAIN SCORE #1 East Coast 66 #50 Overall WRITTEN REVIEW MOUNTAIN STATS CATEGORY BREAKDOWN See our criteria 6 Snow: 5 Resiliency: 4 Size: 6 Terrain Diversity: 7 Challenge: 8 Lifts: 7 Crowd Flow: 6 Facilities: 7 Navigation: 10 Mountain Aesthetic: GOOD TO KNOW 1-Day Ticket: $121-$166 CAD ($84-$116 USD) Pass Affiliation: Mountain Collective…
How to Ski: 7 Must-Know Tips for Beginners
If you’ve never put on a pair of skis before, entering the winter sports world can be daunting. Skiing and snowboarding bring a feeling of exhilaration unlike any other winter activity, but unfortunately, the barrier to entry can feel quite high for those just starting—especially adults. But luckily, it doesn’t have to be that…
Mountain Review: Bridger Bowl
MOUNTAIN SCORE #7 in the Northern Rockies 66 #46 Overall WRITTEN REVIEW MOUNTAIN STATS VIDEO REVIEW CATEGORY BREAKDOWN See our criteria 8 Snow: 6 Resiliency: 6 Size: 6 Terrain Diversity: 10 Challenge: 3 Lifts: 7 Crowd Flow: 7 Facilities: 6 Navigation: 7 Mountain Aesthetic: GOOD TO KNOW 1-Day Ticket: $82-$97 Pass Affiliation: None…
How the American Opioid Epidemic Shaped Vail Resorts’ Rise
The American opioid epidemic is among the most devastating public health issues in recent history. But what you might not know is that it also had a huge impact on the state of the North American ski industry. Between 1999 and 2020, over half a million people died from drug overdoses from prescribed and illicitly…
Most Beautiful Ski Areas in North America
When it comes to a typical ski vacation, you’re mainly booking for the slopes, not the views. But not at North America’s most beautiful ski resorts. The most picturesque mountains in the US and Canada aren’t just about the sports of skiing and snowboarding, but about the entire experience of the location itself, with…
