Ski Industry News

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Late October Snow Primes the Pump for More Ski Area Openings. More North American ski areas are opening for the season after late-October snowstorms pummeled various regions recently, and cooler temps have allowed other areas to fire up their snowmaking systems. Here is a rundown of some recent and soon-to-come opening dates. Details here.

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Windham (NY) Unveils Rebranding, New Master Plan. The Windham Mountain Club, formerly known as Windham Mountain, unveiled its rebranding and capital upgrades for the 2023-24 winter season and beyond. Details here.

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Mountain Capital Partners Inks Joint Venture with Sandia Peak, NM. Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) and Sandia Peak Ski Company have entered a joint venture agreement for the operation of Sandia Peak Ski Area, located 35 miles northeast of Albuquerque, NM. This is MCP’s third New Mexico ski area.  Details here.

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California Mountain Resorts Company Buys Bear Mountain. California Mountain Resorts Company (CMRC) has acquired Bear Valley. It’s the third acquisition in three years for the growing Golden State conglomerate, which is headed by CEO Karl Kapuscinski. CMRC, which has owned Mountain High since 1997, purchased California’s Dodge Ridge in 2021 and China Peak in 2022. Details here.

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Smugglers' Notch and Stowe Connector Lift Plans Withdrawn. Plans for a proposed gondola connecting Smugglers’ Notch Resort and Stowe Mountain Resort have been withdrawn, following initial disapproval from the Agency of Natural Resources, according to reporting by the News & Citizen. Stowe, owned by Vail Resorts, and privately held Smugglers’ Notch have reportedly been in discussions with Vermont state officials about building the 2,600-foot lift since 2017. Details here.

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Alterra Purchases Mike Wiegele Heli Ski Operation. Alterra Mountain Company has initiated the purchase of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (MWHS) in Blue River, BC, Canada. Officials at Alterra said the addition will complement the company’s BC-based CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures operation, and is expected to be completed late this year, pending closing conditions that include regulatory approvals. Details here.

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Black Mountain (NH) to Open, Assisted by Indy Pass. A week after announcing that it would not open for the 2023-24 season, owners of New Hampshire’s Black Mountain have reconsidered after reaching an operating agreement with Indy Pass and its parent company Entabeni. Black Mountain officials announced on Oct. 11th that the ski area would remain closed due to “circumstances beyond our control,” citing soaring energy costs, staffing shortages, and unpredictable weather among other factors. Details here.

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New Owners for Alberta, Canada’s Rabbit Hill. Rabbit Hill Snow Resort, founded in 1955, has transitioned to new ownership – business partners Chuck and Lara Amerongen and Derek and Anna Look. The independently owned ski area is located about 20 miles southwest of Edmonton. Details here.

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Ski Towns Dominate the Most Expensive Housing in the U.S. with Jackson, WY, #2 and Breckenridge, CO, #3. Lending Tree recently published a report analyzing micropolitan areas with populations of 10,000 – 50,000 to find the 50 with the most expensive median home values. It may come as no surprise that the list is dominated by ski towns known as popular vacation spots. Details here.

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The Steepest Ski Run in the U.S. Rambo, located at Crested Butte Ski Resort in Colorado, holds the prestigious title of being the steepest ski run in the United States. The pitch is set at an astounding 55 degrees, meaning you’ll be holding on for dear life almost every turn. Details here.

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Aspen’s Terrain Expansion Shows Us What Climate-Resistant Slopes Will Look Like. Wind turbines and energy-efficient snow guns help but planning for real climate-impacted skiing requires next-level tactics. Details here.

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Are Fortunes Changing for the American Ski Industry? An Analysis of 2022-23 Trends as 10 Resorts Re-Open & 3 Close. A slight increase in resorts open for skiing and riding last season brought the total up to 480. That number is up from 473 the year before, and 462 in the 2020-2021 season following COVID shutdowns. What does this development mean for the future? Details here.

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Top 30 Resorts in the West (2024). The results of the 2024 SKI Reader Resort Survey are tallied, and these are the best in the West, according to respondents. Details here.

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Analyzing Growth in the Number of Skier Visits in the U.S. over the Last 44 Years. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) keeps data on the number of skier visits each year in the United States. Those numbers have been recorded since the 1978-79 season and are broken down into six categories representing sub-regions throughout the United States. Details here.