Hintertux Glacier in Austria's Zillertal Valley climbs to 3,250 metres with 60 kilometres of pistes and 21 lifts. The terrain covers everything from wide glacier cruisers to steep freeride gullies dropping into alpine valleys. Here are the five runs that stood out most during a day on the mountain.
The 2025-26 ski season across the western United States wasn't just a bad year - it was the worst on record. A massive marine heat wave, a stubborn high-pressure ridge, and relentless warmth combined to destroy snowpack across eight states, force at least 69 ski resorts to close early, and wipe roughly $100 million from Vail Resorts' bottom line. Here's what happened, why it happened, and what it means for skiing's future.
The fifth edition of the Austrian and German Masters wrapped up at the Kitzsteinhorn on April 8, doubling as a European Cup Big Air event with 70 riders from 19 nations competing. Japan's Hiromu Watanabe took the men's win while Sofia Afanaseva claimed the women's title. National championship honours went to Niklas Huber and Heli Bockhorn for Germany, and Lennox König and Ilvy Paul for Austria.
Obertauern wasn't on the itinerary at all, but it turned out to be one of the highlights of a three-week Europe ski trip. Known as the "snow bowl of Austria," this circular resort surrounds the village with skiing on all sides and offers terrain that punches well above what you'd expect from a resort most Australians have never heard of. Here's an honest look at what we found on a full day exploring.
Vail Resorts has shut down Crans-Montana's 2024-25 ski season on Easter Monday despite strong snow conditions, sparking a backlash from local businesses, ski schools, and residents. A Change.org petition gathered over 1,200 signatures calling for an extension, but the American operator stuck to its scheduled closing date. Other resorts in the same Swiss canton are staying open - some for weeks longer - adding fuel to growing frustration with Vail's management since acquiring the resort in 2024.
A 40-year-old Slovakian freerider has been found dead after being buried in an avalanche near Plattenspitze, above the Austrian ski resort of Obertauern. Around 60 mountain rescuers were involved in the two-day search before the skier was located roughly 2.5 metres deep using RECCO detection. He had deployed his avalanche airbag but was not carrying a transceiver. Austria's avalanche death toll this season now sits at 31 - more than double the 10-year average.
Mammoth Mountain has scrapped its annual Pond Skim event at Canyon Lodge, but the resort isn't winding down just yet. With more than 100 trails still open and a spring events calendar running through late April, Mammoth is leaning into its "Second Season" campaign and plans to stay open through at least Memorial Day. Canyon Lodge wraps up on April 19, shifting operations to Main Lodge for the final stretch.
Sometimes the best ski days are the ones you didn't plan. A two-hour drive through heavy traffic led to an impromptu afternoon at Planai Schladming, one of four connected peaks in the Schladming-Dachstein region. Here's what a half-day of exploring turned up - from World Cup race pistes and eight-seater chairs everywhere to a 1,200-metre top-to-bottom run that justified the whole detour.
Vail Mountain has announced a leadership change at the top, with Beth Howard retiring after 41 years and Shaydar Edelmann stepping in as the new Chief Operating Officer. Howard's career shaped much of what Vail Resorts looks like today - from signature dining to major lift upgrades. Edelmann arrives with 25 years in the snow sports industry, most recently running Heavenly Mountain Resort, and a CV that stretches across California and back to New Zealand.
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