by Greg Colquitt | Jan 18, 2019 | Ski Industry News
Take a deep breath. You’re not in heaven–it’s just New Hampshire. “But where are all the people? People are great! They created JIF! Fast cars!” Yes, but they also created lift lines. Fortunately there’s a nook in the White Mountains of New Hampshire that big crowds tend to avoid, where the snow stays good, the accommodations cozy, and the views breathtaking. That spot is Bretton Woods, New Hampshire’s largest ski area, and it should be on your list of resorts to ski before you die. A Quick Overview Bretton Woods sits in the little town of Carroll, whose population hovers around a cool 763. It is a focal point for summer recreation with easy access to the surrounding White Mountains, the Appalachian Trail that runs right through town, views of/a trip to the top of Mt. Washington, and a chance to check out a historical landmark at the Mount Washington Hotel. In the winter, though, thoughts start to shift to skiing (and staying at the Mount Washington Hotel). A decent drive from anything resembling a city–three hours from Boston and two hours, give or take, from both Portland, ME and Burlington, VT–New Hampshire’s largest ski resort is a hideaway, like a bear deep in hibernation, from the craziness of our lives. Here, there’s just a low-brow ski culture, good snow, and memorable lodging that make this place one of our favorite resorts to hit in New England. 5 Time Winner of Ski Magazine’s Best Grooming in the East So What About the Skiing? If you’re looking for steeps and chutes to fuel your adrenaline needs, you won’t find it...
by Dan Giesin | Jan 15, 2019 | Ski Industry News
Riding a chairlift, the engine that helps drive our passion for skiing and snowboarding, can be fraught with danger. Particularly for little kids. I remember a blustery day at a Tahoe-area resort some 25 years or so ago when I was skiing with my daughter Grete, my buddy Curtis and his son Matthew. The kids, who were no more than 6 or 7, would ride the lifts together — not many quads in those days for the four of us to share — while the dads would take the following chair. On one ride, along an exposed ridge, the wind really started to howl, causing the chairs to yaw dramatically. The effect on Grete and Matthew was immediate, and the two kids had to maintain a death grip on the sides of the chair — there was no restraint bar for them to pull down — to keep from being flung to the ground. Curtis and I could only watch helplessly from behind. After a harrowing few minutes, the kids reached the unloading platform, got off the chair and immediately started sobbing, knowing they had narrowly avoided a possibly even more traumatic experience. A quick exit from the ski hill and stop at the local burger joint helped bring the kids to rights. The aforementioned is an extreme example of how a chairlift ride can be potentially perilous for young children. But there are many other situations that can pose danger to kids, and to that end it behooves parents and guardians — even non-skiing or non-snowboarding parents and guardians — to teach them how to ride the lifts...
by Greg Colquitt | Jan 10, 2019 | Ski Industry News
December got real. After a disappointing November that usually supplies endless refills, Whistler Blackcomb came roaring back for a legendary December. During the month of December, 151″ of blower pow fell on the resort, surpassing the previous record set in 1994. It was a month to remember for locals and tourists alike, at least those who could hang on to their stamina and/or free schedules. Skier numbers on the mountain waned throughout the month as tired legs caught up and the Sea to Sky Highway, which connects Whistler to it’s huge fan base in Vancouver, continued to get pounded throughout the month. Luckily for those in Whistler and those willing to fight the treacherous road conditions, new snow storms are still rolling in and they have yet to let off. So far this month 59″ of snow has fallen, including a 29″ deluge that completely shut down the highway. The result of all the new snow is a 112″ base and a resort that is 100% open. The resort is completely yours to explore and the time is now to do it–powder conditions exist all over the place. Split across two ski areas, Whistler and Blackcomb, who officially became one in 2003 after intense rivalry, the mountain boasts over 8,000 acres of terrain. After this storm cycle, finding a powder stash or two (or ten) shouldn’t be too hard. Go and get the goods! Check here for Whistler Blackcomb Deals ...
by Dan Giesin | Jan 8, 2019 | Ski Industry News
Life in the fast lane is not for everybody. Take Tahoe Donner, for instance. The small ski resort in Truckee is as bland and vanilla as the 400 inches of Sierra Nevada snow that annually cover its 120 acres of skiable terrain. But that’s just fine for the folks at Tahoe Donner, who proudly boast that the ski hill has been voted “the best place for families” and “the best place to begin” by readers of a local newspaper. A Gentle Place The mountain is as non-threatening as a ski hill can get, with 600 vertical feet of relatively gentle, open-bowl terrain and 17 named runs accessed by the top-to-bottom Eagle Rock fixed-grip quad. Another, much shorter lift, the Snowbird triple chair, provides access to Tahoe Donner’s expansive Learning Center and beginner terrain. And three magic carpets allow never-ever skiers and boarders to gain some uphill transport with the minimum of fuss and bother. In addition, the base area is small and simple to use and navigate, so friends and family can collect themselves before and after a day on the hill quickly and easily. And because Tahoe Donner is a short drive north of I-80, it seems far away from the often hectic and crowded North Lake Tahoe-Truckee-Donner Summit resorts to the south and west. In other words, Tahoe Donner, whose ski and snowboard school specializes in teaching first-timers and novices, is the perfect place to take young kids who are just getting their ski and/or snowboard legs under them. An Olympic Legacy Indeed, many of the world-class ski and snowboard athletes who grew up in the Truckee...
by Greg Colquitt | Jan 4, 2019 | Ski Industry News
Ever wondered what it would be like to eat a taco in the middle of your ski run? No? Well, you can. Steamboat just rolled out the Taco Beast — a snow cat dedicated to bringing hot tacos directly to your face right on the mountain. Finally you can cozy up to a nice pile of barbacoa after slashing pow for hours and ingrain memories of famous Champagne Powder and Mexican cuisine. A match made in heaven. This winter, after parking the cat at the base during the summer, the resort decided to take things mobile. Taco Beast roams the mountain, tacos in tow, selecting a few locations shared over Twitter for guest to ski to, pull up a seat, and grab a delicious hot taco under some Colorado rays. View this post on Instagram Catch the Taco Taco Beast at the bottom of the Sunshine lift this week. Follow along at Steamboat.com/TacoBeast or on Twitter st @TacoBeastSBT for hours and location details. #SteamboatResort #TacoBeastSBT A post shared by Steamboat Dining (@steamboatdining) on Dec 22, 2018 at 8:11pm PST Menu The available tacos include beef barbacoa, elk chorizo, pollo asado, and a unique “tres hermanas”, which is a blend of roasted butternut squash, black beans, and corn. There are of course salsa options galore and they’re selling some roasted corn mixed with sour cream and cheese called esquites, as well. All of these are available Thursday-Monday 11am-2pm. If you can’t get there soon, let that video above whet your whistle. Time to get to Steamboat! Find Steamboat Lift Tickets Here...
by Dan Giesin | Jan 1, 2019 | Ski Industry News
Capturing the antics of skiers and snowboarders on film is as natural as falling down the mountain. From the black-and-white travelogues of Otto Lang, to the droll, humorous vignettes of Warren Miller, to the outrageous stunts (and puns) of Greg Stump, to the high-res thrillers of Matchstick Productions and Teton Gravity Research, ski film makers have had an integral part in making the sport both enticing and exciting for generations of skiers and snowboarders. And now with the proliferation of smart phones and GoPros and other digital means of capturing live action, any skier or snowboarder can be a film maker. But not all wannabe auteurs have what it takes to translate what transpires on the hill into the imagination of strangers. And those that do have the chops often largely go unnoticed by a wider audience. However, there is a great way to identify the next gen of quality ski film makers and it takes place in Lake Tahoe, where every winter for the last half-dozen years the Shreddit Showdown contest is held. The Beta Developed and organized by Granite Chief, a high-end skiing and mountaineering shop in Truckee, the Shreddit Showdown is open to amateur film makers anywhere who think they can capture THAT moment, whether it’s on the slopes, in the park or in the backcountry. The rules are fairly simple: Entries must have a skiing or snowboarding theme and/or storyline, must be three minutes (more or less) in length, must be in the highest resolution possible and must be shot in 24 frames per second (fps). There are three prize categories — Adult (18 and over),...
