Chairlift Chat

This week’s a big week in the world of ski news as Alterra has finally released their official operating procedures for the upcoming winter! If you’re a fan of the “limited ticket sales” approach rather than the reservation systems being implemented by Vail at their Epic Pass resorts, then you’ll likely love what you hear from Alterra. Plus, we have an update from Bluebird Backcountry, where their unique human-powered ski resort model is set to take a significant step forward this season. Beyond these two highlights, we’ll also share a report from Colorado Public Radio about how ski town populations are likely to change this season, as well as the latest news from the world of ski racing. Find out what you need to know from this week in skiing in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

This week in ski news, we’re reminded once again that the world’s a crazy place. Starting out with a pairing of highlights that focus on the weather, we’ll discuss everything from 100+ degree days in Denver, to significant snowfall and uncontrolled wildfires. Once we’re done discussing Mother Nature, we’ll move on to updates from the Covid-19 front as multiple resorts shared policies this week that they hope will eliminate the need for a reservation system. Finally, because we desperately need some reprieve, we round out this week with a cool story from legendary trail map painter James Niehues and Mad River Glen. To find out all you need to know from this week in skiing, be sure to read this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

This week in ski news, we bring you a mixed bag of new news, as well as updates on previous stories. For starters, we’ll follow up last week’s news regarding the official announcement of Vail’s reservation policy with an article highlighting one of the many expected effects from that news: an extreme increase in backcountry skiers in the season ahead. From there we’ll also bring you up to speed on the latest from Jay Peak and Burke Mountain’s efforts to reduce their property values, share a story from Colorado’s Granby Ranch, and tell you about an incredibly generous refund policy being offered by Australia’s Mt. Buller resort. Click through to read this edition of Top 5 friday and to find out all you need to know from this week in skiing!

This week, the stars aligned and we have quite a bit of ski news to share with you. For starters, Vail released their official 2020-2021 Covid-19 operating policies which will be in effect at all Epic Pass resorts this season. No matter who you are or what you’ve been considering for the season ahead, this announcement is sure to make you feel some type of way, so we encourage you to read it. Even if you don’t plan on skiing at an Epic resort this winter, the policies outlined serve as an outline of what to expect from other resorts. Plus, we’ll bring you up to speed on Squaw’s decision to change their name, an update from the ongoing dilemma presented by the suspension of international work visa programs, and share with you a creative solution being planned by restaurants in Breckenridge to keep their businesses alive throughout the Winter. Find out what you need to know in this week’s Top 5 Fridays!

This week in ski news, we find ourselves bringing you up to speed on the latest from multiple stories that we’ve been covering over the last few weeks, months, and even years. Topping that list is an update from the FIS World Cup Tour, who just released their decision regarding North American events in the upcoming season. From there we’ll share the latest in the dispute between the Aspen Skiing Co. (amongst others) and Liftopia, as well as updates from Jay Peak and Burke Mountain, where “difficult” seems like a succinct way of generally summarizing their recent histories. Finally, we’ll also share some new information from Aspen Skiing Co., where officials are working on a system to alert skiers of congestion in real time throughout the season ahead. Find out all the details you need to know from this week’s ski news in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

This week we’re excited to bring you a very special edition of Top 5 Fridays! “Why,” might you ask? Well, because we get to start off by talking about everyone’s favorite subject: ourselves! That’s right, this week we officially launched our fourth annual, 2021 SkiEssentials.com Ski Test! We’ll share some of the highlights of this year’s edition before getting back to the rest of the ski industry, where we have updates regarding a community ski area in Silverton, CO, and a story focusing on the questions being asked regarding ski bus operations in the winter ahead. Then, to round things out we have an exceptional article from the U.S. Ski Team that shares the story and perspective of Lauren Samuels, a black ski racer navigating an overwhelmingly white sport. Find out more and check out our favorite edits from this week in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

This week in the world of skiing, we once again find ourselves inundated with conversations surrounding Covid-19’s influence on the ski industry. To kick things off, we’ll start with a lighthearted update from the FIS World Cup, where it’s just been announced that the first stop of the tour has been moved forward by a week. From there we’ll bring you the latest from Australia’s Hotham and Falls Creek ski areas where updates have been made in regards to their lift operations. Bringing things back stateside, we’ll also discuss the latest crowd mitigation ideas being floated by Aspen Skico, and why locals are up in arms about them, before finally checking in on two economic figures impacting mountain towns in Vermont. Find out all you need to know from this week in skiing in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

This week in ski news, we find ourselves once again discussing expectations for the upcoming season, although this time from some new perspectives. On that subject, we’ll share open letters from Aspen Snowmass CEO Mike Kaplan, as well as Vail CEO Rob Katz before bringing you up to speed on Wolf Creek Ski Area’s approach to proactively plan for a notably uncertain season ahead. Plus, we’ll give you the latest cancellation news from SIA’s Snowbound Festivals, previously planned for Boston and Denver, as well as a feel good piece from Saddleback Ski Resort in Maine where reopening plans remain on schedule. Find out all about this and more in this week’s Top 5 Fridays!

This week in ski news, we start things off by discussing the season ahead from two perspectives. First, we’ll get Mikaela Shiffrin’s take on the upcoming FIS Ski season as she considers what the season ahead ultimately means for her before checking iin with the Director of Harvard Global Health Institute to hear an outside opinion of what the 2020-2021 ski season might look like for us recreational skiers. Once we’re done forecasting the future, we’ll shift gears and share some incredible media coverage from Red Bull athlete Andrzej Bargiel who successfully summited and skied the world’s second tallest peak back in 2018. Finally, we’ll round the week out by sharing news of an exciting new eco-friendly product line from Swix ski waxes. Find out all you need to know from this week in skiing in this installment of Top 5 Fridays!

This week in ski news we’ve been blessed with mostly fun topics. To get the ball rolling, we’ll start by discussing the latest updates from the FIS World Cup planning department, where details and timelines are starting to leak out that reveal what next year’s circuit may look like. Plus, we’ll tell you about updates being made to the U.S. Ski Team’s Project 26 talent pipeline initiative. From there we’ll share with you a new affordable injury insurance product targeted towards action sports enthusiasts as well as an update from Loveland, CO where the USFS has just approved an expansion of their guided cat skiing operation. Finally, we’ll round out the week with a shout out to a couple of commenters from last week, a farewell to OnTheSnow.com, and a few highly entertaining edits. Find out what you need to know in this week’s Top Five Fridays!