The Blog

March 28, 2024 Everything is wrong with the Wilbere chairlift at Snowbird ski area in Utah. It is one of the three original lifts at Snowbird that opened in 1971. Mmm…our math ain’t great but we think this makes Wilbere 43 years old. They didn’t make high speed chairs back then so…it is slow. They […]

March 23, 2024 Last week we had two very dear friends visiting us for two days.  As Snowbird/Alta season pass holders we are able to get them day tickets for half price. When the total came to $220 per day for the two of them I started to protest that the person had forgotten the […]

March 19, 2024 The Utah ski scene has loooong been dominated by a relatively small group of resorts, particularly when compared to states like Colorado. First there was Alta. And for some die-hards that’s all there still is today. But other resorts – Snowbird, Park City and Deer Valet – have developed into masters of […]

March 15, 2024 We have been struck (shocked really) by several articles recently stressing that skiing is a dangerous sport. We would expect such sensationalism and slander from the New York Post or the National Enquirer. But these headlines have come from what we consider respectable publications – think Outside Magazine and The Atlantic. Yes, […]

March 8, 2024 Phoenix – “an immortal bird that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise born again.” We have written about Jay Peak before. (See our article from November 2022 on the sale of Jay Peak – Jay Peak Finally Sold). It remains one of our favorite ski resorts in North America. Tucked away in the […]

March 6, 2024 Charlotte and I probably shouldn’t admit to this, but we love waking up to the sound of the Alta/Snowbird howitzers. While these big guns are being phased out (watch The Last Gunners for more on this), they are still relied on in an attempt to control avalanches in Little Cottonwood Canyon in […]

February 26, 2024 If you are reading this and failed (amazingly!) to read our first JaPow article then go into reverse and read it. It has the very original name of “JaPow.”  We left you hanging as we ventured north on the bullet train (why can’t we build bullet trains in the US?!?) to the […]

We are lucky enough to ski Alta/Snowbird for much of the winter. Occasionally we look at conditions elsewhere in North America and wish we were there. But the consistency of the conditions, the terrain, the predictability of snowfall (average over 500 inches year) and the lightness of the snow in our part of Utah rarely […]

As you might suspect and as we imagine many of you do as well, we follow one zillion websites, media sources, etc. that cover and discuss the ski industry. Throughout the year we file away articles and releases that interest us, contain juicy information, or, in many cases, simply make us laugh. As I was […]

We are long past the days when each ski area was its own independent entity. Some of us remember the days when each area had its own vibe and identity – some had their own color schemes, unique tickets and quirky features. But given the increased operating costs in running a ski area, particularly with […]

So imagine your favorite fiercely independent little coffee shop talking to Starbucks about selling out. Imagine your favorite fiercely independent little bookstore talking to Barnes and Noble about selling out. Shift to the ski industry…imagine Smuggler’s Notch Resort in Vermont talking to Stowe Mountain Resort (aka Vail!) about connecting the two resorts with a lift?! […]

Image: Rendering of the new base area. Credit: Deer Valley Ok, we can’t resist making fun of Deer Valley Resort (aka Dear Valet) in Utah.  Before we get to the latest news about this mega resort, we also can’t resist defending ourselves for making fun of the place. I will start with this…the first time […]