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, CO, Moves Forward With Town Gondola and $2 Billion Master Plan. Winter Park Town Council has unanimously approved to rezone 165 acres of Winter Park Resort for mixed-use resort development and to construct a long-anticipated gondola connecting downtown Winter Park to the resort’s base area, reports the Sky-Hi News. More. SnowBrains
Approximately 258 New Ski Lifts Planned to Debut Worldwide for 2025-26 Season. According to the skiresort.info website, at least 258 new ski lifts are planned worldwide to be constructed during 2025, with plenty hopefully ready to start spinning in the 2025-26 season. More. SnowBrains
Local Groups Agree to End Longtime Opposition of Palisades Tahoe Development Plan. The massive planned base area development at Palisades Tahoe appears to be moving forward after the resort and two Tahoe-area environmental conservation groups agreed to various reductions in scope, ending a 14-year legal battle that has delayed the project from breaking ground. More. SAM
J-1 Seasonal Worker Program Proceeding Smoothly—For Now. The J-1 cultural exchange program, which many resorts tap for seasonal workers, could fall victim to this effort in a year or two, even though it appears to be operating normally at the moment. The current administration’s budget proposal for fiscal 2026 imposes deep cuts to the State Department budget that would limit the bureau’s ability to process visas in a timely manner. More. SAM
Safehold Pulls Out of Oregon as Waiver Bill Progresses. Safehold Special Risk will no longer insure ski area clients in Oregon due to the state’s legal climate that has resulted in outsized losses over the past decade. “If we don’t have that, we won’t be able to operate,” said Mt. Hood Meadows CEO Matthew Drake. More. SAM
Oregon Liability Waiver Reform Dies in Legislature. Bipartisan efforts to restore the enforceability of recreational liability waivers in Oregon failed to advance before the close of the state legislative session June 29, leaving the state’s ski areas and other recreation providers facing an escalating insurance and liability crisis. More. SAM
Idaho Supreme Court Reverses Course in Sun Valley Liability Case. The Idaho Supreme Court has reversed its precedent-breaking December 2023 ruling in Milus v. Sun Valley Co., reinstating a lower court’s summary judgment in favor of Sun Valley Resort in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the widow of a skier who died after colliding with snowmaking equipment. More. SAM
Skiers Take on Copper Mountain, CO, Over 9% ‘Resort Surcharge’ in Class Action Lawsuit. A class action lawsuit has been filed against Copper Mountain, Colorado, and the resort operator, POWDR, by Gary Chaney and other Copper Mountain visitors for allegedly engaging in deceptive pricing practices. More. SnowBrains
NOAA Winter 2025-26 Outlook: Long-Lead Seasonal Outlook Gives Sneak Peek of Next Winter. NOAA has updated its long-lead seasonal outlooks, which include the winter 2025-26 season. Last season, the SnowBrains team of meteorologists graded NOAA a B+ for its long-lead outlook, accurately predicting almost everywhere except California. Will this season be as accurate? More. SnowBrains
Vermont’s Northern Ski Resorts Feel the Chill of Declining Canadian Tourism Under Current Administration Actions. The decrease started towards the end of the 2024-25 season but is now being felt at those resorts that are offering summer activities as well as 2025-26 season pass sales. More. SnowBrains
The 7 Biggest Threats to the Future of Skiing and Snowboarding. Behind the lifts and powder days, the industry faces serious challenges. Based on community discussions and expert concerns, the future of snow sports depends on how the industry responds to a range of emerging threats, including climate change and cultural shifts. More. SnowBrains
From Trend to Necessity: How Helmets Became Essential Gear on the Slopes. According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the overall percentage of skiers and riders wearing helmets was 25 percent during the 2002-03 season. That percentage rose dramatically over the last twenty years to 90 percent during the 2023-24 season. More. SnowBrains
The 11 Best Fixed-Grip Double Chairlifts Still Spinning. They might be less efficient and feel sketchier than a high-speed quad, and those bone-chillingly long ride times might have you wishing for a bubble chair, but the nostalgia and romance of an old fixed-grip double chairlift is truly undeniable. More. Powder
Top 7 Steepest Chairlifts in the United States . Ed. Note: Spoiler, all are in the West. More. Snowbrains
Top 5 Hardest Ski Lifts to Get On or Off. Navigating ski lifts is an essential part of any day on the mountain, yet some lifts are notorious for presenting unique challenges to skiers and snowboarders. More. SnowBrains
11 Top Ski Brands and Their Equivalent Automobile Brand. While skis and cars serve different purposes, the parallels in how brands position themselves through craftsmanship, innovation, and audience appeal are hard to miss. More. SnowBrains
What’s Happened to Peak Skis? Peak Skis was founded in 2021 by former pro skier Bode Miller and former Squaw Valley, California, CEO and big mountain skier Andy Wirth. The brand quickly made waves: early reviews hailed Peak’s skis as among the best on the market, thanks to the ingenuity and expertise of a product design team led by Miller himself. Yet, in just four years, Peak Skis went from an exciting newcomer to the brink of collapse. More. SnowBrains
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