Oregon’s outdoor recreation industry is in the midst of a liability insurance crisis. Earlier this year, Safehold Special Risk, a major insurer for ski resorts, announced it would no longer provide coverage in the state. The decision stems from Oregon’s legal climate, where liability waivers are largely unenforceable following a series of lawsuits, leaving businesses…
Well, the Ullr schedule of hikes is ending along with the warm days of the Fall season. We’ve had more than a dozen hikes on the schedule since November 1st. Fall meetings are now being held at Joseph’s Grill in St. Paul. Our most recent speaker was Tom Warth, the founder of “Books for Africa”.…
The Ski Younger Now Classes have grown. The Ski Younger Class by Roger Wangen is now defined by: “Soft Skiing”- the effortless, low impact on the body, safe skiing for mature (Seniors) adults. It is the only class offered for Seniors in the metro area. it is the only program with 3 consecutive days of…
Will the Drought in the Northeast Curtail Snowmaking This Fall/Winter? Current drought conditions may affect the early season (November/early December). In a “normal” year, resorts might push snow guns aggressively or respond to brief cold snaps. In a drought year, they may have to ration water usage, being more selective about when and where to…
Best Ski Resorts For Early Season Snow. It’s never too early to start planning for the upcoming winter season, and that includes the popular time around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. ZRankings has put together an excellent guide to help you find the best snow during the holidays. More. OpenSnow Alterra Commits $400M to…
The Ullr summer picnics have come to an end. Weather was perfect for a rafting trip on the Mississippi River with Three Rivers Park District staff. A bike ride in Stillwater was cut down to only about 7 miles due to all the storm damaged trees preventing passage on the trail. We did return to…
Indy Reopens Sales, Launches Learn-to-Turn Pass. With the addition of dozens of new resorts, Indy Pass went back on sale to the public on Aug. 28, 2025. Indy halted sales of its 2025-26 pass in March after reaching its cap following a 10-day sales period. The company will also launch a new Learn-to-Turn pass that…
Whiteface Joins Mountain Collective for 2025-26 Season. Whiteface Mountain will join the Mountain Collective pass for the 2025-26 season, expanding the multi-resort pass’s Northeast footprint. The announcement marks the latest addition to the Mountain Collective’s lineup, which now includes 27 ski areas across five continents. More. SAM Winter Park, CO, $2 Billion Development Plan Clears…
Deer Valley’s $500M Expansion Adds 3,700 Acres, 17 Lifts, and One of the Largest Gondolas in U.S. Ski History. During the past two off-seasons, Deer Valley has been building 10 new lifts, adding 100 new runs and over 2,000 additional acres, effectively more than doubling the size of the historic resort. More. SnowBrains Winter Park,…
Ullrs’ popular monthly luncheons at Pittsburgh Blue, featuring prominent speakers, came to a close at the end of April. The summer picnics at Brookview Park in Golden Valley begin June 11th and continue monthly through August. The weather on March 21st was ideal for a drive down along the Mississippi River to Wabasha to visit…
U.S. Ski Areas Report 61.5M Skier Visits for 2024-25, Second Best Season on Record. U.S. ski areas reported a total of 61.5 million skier visits for 2024-25, a 1.7 percent year-over-year increase,according to preliminary data from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). It was the second highest total since NSAA began tallying skier visits in…
Aspen Snowmass to Begin $80 Million Infrastructure Investments this Summer. Aspen Skiing Company has announced that it will be implementing several serious upgrades at Snowmass Mountain this summer. From dining area renovations to lift replacements and more, the total cost of these improvements is around $80 million. More. Freeskier Three Chairlifts to Be Installed This…
Ikon Pass Adds Ischgl and Others, Discontinues Base Plus Pass for 2025-26 Season. The 2025-26 Ikon Pass will introduce new resort access, expanded benefits, and a notable change to the pass lineup. More. SAM Arapahoe Basin Goes Full Ikon, As Season Pass Sales Begin. For the 2025-2026 season, the top headline is that Arapahoe Basin…
The Midwest Sport & Ski Council is returning “Summer Carnival” for 2025. This year the MSC is going to the “Heart” of the Brainerd Lakes area, Brezzy Point Resort on Pelican Lake. Summer Carnival 2025 has 3-days of activities planned, including pontoon excursions (additional cost), golf (additional cost), pickleball, hiking, and biking. Pontoon excursions are…
Women Ski Jumpers Win Equal Pay for First time at First Women’s World Cup in USA. For the first time in history, a Women’s World Cup ski jumping event was held on U.S. soil, marking a major milestone for the sport. The competition also made history by awarding equal prize money to female athletes for…
Colorado Lawmakers Revive SHRED Act in Congress in an Effort to Keep Ski Area Fees Flowing Locally. Colorado congressmen are taking another shot at keeping revenue from ski area fees in the local communities where resorts operate. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, reintroduced the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development, or SHRED Act,…
It has been 3 years since MSC Winter Carnival took place. Winter Carnival returned for 2025, January 9-12 at Snowriver Resort, Wakefield Michigan (ski areas include Jackson Creek and Black River Basin). The trip had over 50 participants that were from the affiliate MSC clubs of the MN Sitzmark, MN Ski Hawks Sports & Social…
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.…