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Michael Fulton

Michael Fulton

Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

50+ resorts visited
15 years skiing
Author since 2020

Regional Expertise:

🇦🇺 Australia (6) • 🇺🇸 USA (15) • 🇯🇵 Japan (5) • 🇪🇺 Europe (10)

Articles by Michael Fulton

Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp Cable Car Reopens 11 July 2026 After Major Renovation

Michael Fulton

Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp Cable Car Reopens 11 July 2026 After Major Renovation

The cable car into Mürren just got a serious upgrade. The Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp aerial cableway has been fully renovated and reopens 11 July 2026 - new 135-person cabin (up from 100), new drive systems, new valley station layout with separated passenger flows, and an on-site energy storage system. After 478,500 passengers in 2025 alone, the capacity boost is well overdue.

Resort Spotlight: Arnsberg - Where the Ruhr Valley Goes Skiing

Michael Fulton

Resort Spotlight: Arnsberg - Where the Ruhr Valley Goes Skiing

An hour from Dortmund, Arnsberg offers something increasingly rare in European skiing - genuinely modest ambitions. With 9.5 kilometres of predominantly beginner terrain and €21 day tickets, this is skiing stripped back to essentials.

Timberline Lodge Drops Gondola Plan, Pivots to Two New Chairlifts on Oregon's Mt Hood

Michael Fulton

Timberline Lodge Drops Gondola Plan, Pivots to Two New Chairlifts on Oregon's Mt Hood

Timberline Lodge has scrapped its long-planned gondola project and is replacing it with something more skier-focused: two new chairlifts on the lower mountain, plus a new base lodge. The gondola was meant to physically connect Timberline and Summit Pass - acquired back in 2018 - but the resort has decided a lift-based solution better suits its long-term operations. Still needs Forest Service approval before anything gets built.

Zermatt Replaces Its Oldest Chairlift: New Patrullarve Six-Seater Ready for 2026-27 Season

Michael Fulton

Zermatt Replaces Its Oldest Chairlift: New Patrullarve Six-Seater Ready for 2026-27 Season

Zermatt's Matterhorn Ski Paradise is replacing the Patrullarve chairlift this summer - the oldest lift in the ski area, having operated since 1989. The replacement is a detachable six-seater built on Leitner's Ropera technology, targeting completion before the 2026-27 season. Construction is underway now in the Patrullarve-Sunnegga-Blauherd area.

Schilthornbahn AG Posts Record Visitor Numbers in 2025 Despite Summit Closure

Michael Fulton

Schilthornbahn AG Posts Record Visitor Numbers in 2025 Despite Summit Closure

Schilthornbahn AG has reported its best visitor numbers on record for the 2025 financial year, with a 21.9% increase over the previous year that surpassed the prior peaks of 2018 and 2019. The result is notable given the Schilthorn summit was closed for construction until mid-March 2025, cutting early-season visitors by 22%.

Zell am See Gets a New Kapellenbahn Chairlift on the Schmittenhöhe for Winter 2026-27

Michael Fulton

Zell am See Gets a New Kapellenbahn Chairlift on the Schmittenhöhe for Winter 2026-27

Construction has started on a new Kapellenbahn chairlift on the Schmittenhöhe above Zell am See, with the goal of having it operational for the 2026-27 ski season. The existing 4-seater from 2001 is being replaced by a detachable 8-seater with a capacity of 3,400 people per hour - a 42% increase on the current lift.

Snow Arrives Just in Time: Australian Alps Forecast Ahead of Kings Birthday Opening Weekend 2026

Michael Fulton

Snow Arrives Just in Time: Australian Alps Forecast Ahead of Kings Birthday Opening Weekend 2026

The 2026 Australian ski season opens on Kings Birthday weekend - 6 to 8 June - and the timing couldn't be better. A natural snowfall event is tracking across the Alps right now, with Perisher forecast to pick up 43.3cm and Thredbo 35.6cm over the next 10 days. Cooler temperatures from the start of June will also get the snow guns running. Not a blockbuster opening - but a genuinely solid one. Here's the full breakdown.

Park City Mountain Resort Gets Approval for Eagle and Silverlode Chairlift Replacements

Michael Fulton

Park City Mountain Resort Gets Approval for Eagle and Silverlode Chairlift Replacements

Park City Mountain Resort has received planning approval to replace two major chairlifts - Eagle and Silverlode - with higher-capacity alternatives likely to debut in the 2027-28 season. The approvals end a years-long process that saw an earlier approval appealed, the original lifts redirected to Whistler Blackcomb, and a fresh application filed.

U.S. Forest Service Approves 694-Acre Expansion at Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming

Michael Fulton

U.S. Forest Service Approves 694-Acre Expansion at Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming

The U.S. Forest Service has approved a 694-acre boundary expansion at Grand Targhee Resort in Wyoming, clearing the way for new terrain in Teton Canyon and a summit restaurant on Fred's Mountain. The decision follows a five-year review process and comes with wildlife protections, architectural restrictions, and a pair of objection windows before construction can begin.

Coronet Peak Opens for the 2026 Season on 29 May, Leading New Zealand's Winter Kickoff

Michael Fulton

Coronet Peak Opens for the 2026 Season on 29 May, Leading New Zealand's Winter Kickoff

Coronet Peak has opened for the 2026 ski season on 29 May, making it the first major ski resort to come online in the Southern Hemisphere this year. The early start is powered by the resort's Snow Factory snowmaking system, with limited terrain and beginner-focused operations running through to 12 June before full mountain hours begin.

Sinner's Manager Becomes Largest Shareholder in Kronplatz Ski Resort

Michael Fulton

Sinner's Manager Becomes Largest Shareholder in Kronplatz Ski Resort

Alex Vittur, the manager behind Jannik Sinner's rise to world No. 1, has acquired a controlling stake in Kronplatz Holding AG - the company behind one of the Italian Dolomites' most significant ski destinations. The deal reportedly cost around €10 million and makes Vittur the largest individual shareholder among 589 stakeholders. It's a notable crossover between elite sport management and alpine tourism, and one that could shape the future direction of a resort with a lot at stake.

Mt. Bachelor Begins Major Modernisation Project on Northwest Express Chairlift

Michael Fulton

Mt. Bachelor Begins Major Modernisation Project on Northwest Express Chairlift

Mt. Bachelor in Oregon has launched a major modernisation project on its Northwest Express chairlift ahead of the 2026-27 season. Upgrades include a new electric motor, auxiliary power unit, control system overhaul, buried fibre lines, expanded operator shacks, and a night-drive system to combat ice buildup. The lift serves some of the mountain's most popular advanced terrain - and carries the seventh-largest vertical drop of any lift in North America at 2,336 feet.

Asia's First Private Ski Resort is Opening in Japan - THE CLUB TOGARI

Michael Fulton

Asia's First Private Ski Resort is Opening in Japan - THE CLUB TOGARI

Japan is about to get its first private ski resort. THE CLUB TOGARI opens at Togari Onsen near Nozawa Onsen in December 2026, offering members-only access to a dedicated ski zone, a private clubhouse, and ski-in ski-out real estate. Initial memberships are priced at JPY 20,400,000 (around $128,000 USD), capped at 400 members. It's a significant departure from the affordable, accessible skiing Japan has long been known for.

United Airlines Adds Nonstop Flights from Chicago and San Francisco to Japan's Key Ski Gateways

Michael Fulton

United Airlines Adds Nonstop Flights from Chicago and San Francisco to Japan's Key Ski Gateways

United Airlines has announced two new nonstop routes to Japan launching this northern autumn. A year-round Chicago to Tokyo Narita service starts October 24, with a seasonal San Francisco to Sapporo's New Chitose Airport route running December to March three times a week. Both airports serve as primary gateways to Japan's most popular ski regions - Nagano and Hokkaido respectively.