Spring News
April 14, 2026
It hurts to write that first word in the title – “Spring.” But it is time for me to admit that spring has sprung. Yeah I know that those of you in the northeast are still occasionally in the grip of winter, but in the west spring came about three weeks ago. In Utah we have been skiing corn snow for most of the month of March. Indeed, by the time you read this, most Utah resorts will have closed. Here at Alta/Snowbird we still have good base but we are generally confined to groomed slopes given the off-piste crud that the warmth and sun have created. Alta is at 260 inches for the year – roughly 45% of norm.
Despite the lack of snow in much of North America, news in the industry is vibrant. Here are some quick hits.
Class Action suit Against Vail/Aspen. In the why didn’t we think of this category we have… Several skiers have filed a class action lawsuit against the 800 lb. gorillas claiming Vail/Aspen have run afoul of antitrust laws. The essence of the claims center around Vail/Aspen jacking up the prices of day tickets to force skiers to buy multi-day and multi-resort passes. The plaintiffs also claim that the Ikon and Epic passes have forced skiers into a bundling product because the passes tie together destination resorts with regional resorts.
I love the spirit and love the cause. But I sense, despite the lawsuit accurately channeling our collective anger against Vail and Aspen, that this lawsuit will be dead on arrival. With the disclaimer that we are not antitrust experts, absent evidence that Vail and Aspen colluded together to drive up prices this lawsuit most likely doesn’t have legs. While we don’t love the way they dominate the industry, skiers have generally benefitted from the ability to ski many areas in one season with one or two passes. Stay tuned.
Private Skiing Gains Another Foothold. We hate the trend towards private ski areas. See Privatization of the Ski Industry Unfortunately, it appears that a California businessman who owns a 3,000 acre ranch in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada has been granted approval to build a private resort for family and friends. Ironically, his earlier proposal to build a public ski area was rejected. The approved plan includes a base lodge with limited overnight accommodations and five chairlifts. Saddle up to Peter Christodoulo for an invite.
Surprise – Lodging and Skier Numbers Down for the West. When it snows, we go skiing. When it doesn’t, we don’t. It’s pretty simple. Unsurprisingly, statistics coming out of the industry are showing that. Colorado and Utah bookings during February were down almost 20%. The rest of the US West was up year over year but occupancy for the whole west was down 4%. Since Vail is a public company it is forced to report its numbers quarterly. For their second quarter ended January 31 revenue was down almost 5% and earnings were down over 8%. In addition skier visits through March 1 were down 12%. Its stock price has gone from $340 to $130 over the last five years. Ouch!
Powder Mt. Developments. You may have noticed that I am fascinated by the events at Powder Mountain in Utah over the last 5 years or so. This is for several reasons – two days after a storm untracked can be found; given its uniqueness it has had a cult following over the years; and it has been through several ownership models in recent years reflective of what is transpiring across the industry in general. The most recent ownership iteration led by Netflix founder Reed Hastings is a public/private hybrid model. As we have stated before, we have images of brawls between private and public skiers.
Powder Mountain has announced a $40 M multi-year expansion over 2026 -28. Causing much angst among the backcountry crowd, the development will include a lift that accesses the “Don’t Mention It” terrain. You can tell by its nickname that many have attempted to keep this area secret. Powder has long had a reputation as an anti-mega resort but this development may forever change that! Fortunately the new terrain will be public.
Telluride Rips Itself Apart. Charlotte and I skied Telluride several years ago on a Colorado road trip. It was everything we had heard – precious and a tad quaint – but well worth exploring. It has one of the only authentic western towns right at the base of the mountain. The hill itself isn’t huge but it has some impressive steep terrain. And while we don’t really travel for views, the vistas are stunning. Definitely worth a the trip in a good winter.
This winter has been particularly harsh for Telluride. A patrol strike shuttered the mountain during the December holiday season. In addition, Telluride has been the poster boy for the disastrous snow season in the west and is currently reporting a 28 inch base. But the real news out of Telluride involves political intrigue which has pitted local groups against one another.
There has been a long running feud between the owner of the ski resort and the town. While complicated, suffice it to say that the two parties have been unable to agree on the direction development on and off the hill should take. Recently things have gotten particularly ugly. Several senior town officers met secretly with the resort owner to attempt to broker a deal for the sale of the resort. The result has been the resignation of the officers and lawsuits among the parties. It’s ugly! For the latest check out Telluride Implodes.
Be Well; Ski Well.
Kevin Dennis is a life long ski bum with a 34 year legal career on the side. Now retired, he skis 80+ days a year. While he lives in Alta UT in the winters, he has traveled extensively through skiing and has skied almost every major resort in North America (and many you have never heard of). He continues to hit the road often throughout the western United States and Canada and trips over the last several years have included ventures in British Columbia, Montana and Colorado. Whether you want to know about the behemoths like Aspen or Squaw or are interested in the road less travelled (Lost Trail Powder Mountain in Montana or Whitewater in BC anyone?), Kevin has been there, has an opinion and you will most likely have to tell him to shut up after a half hour!
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