Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Regional Expertise:
🇦🇺 Australia (6) • 🇺🇸 USA (15) • 🇯🇵 Japan (5) • 🇪🇺 Europe (10)
Michael Fulton
New Zealand's 2026 ski season has kicked off weeks ahead of schedule, with Hanmer Springs Ski Area confirming it will open its lifts on Friday 24 April following an unusually heavy autumn snowfall. The announcement came via a characteristically low-key social media post from the volunteer-run club field, which has a quiet habit of beating the rest of the country to opening day.
Michael Fulton
The 2024-25 ski season set a new global record with 399 million skier visits worldwide - more people on snow than ever before. Nine countries account for nearly 80% of that total, with the US, France, and Austria holding the top three spots. Japan posted the biggest jump of any major market, driven largely by Australian and North American visitors chasing powder.
Michael Fulton
Late-season snowfall has delivered 30-40cm of fresh powder to Mammoth Mountain, one of only two California resorts still operating. The storm triggered delayed openings and widespread lift holds as crews tackled avalanche mitigation work.
Michael Fulton
Ski Montcalm in Quebec will launch night skiing operations for the 2026-27 season, covering nine trails and three lifts from Thursday through Sunday. The resort is adding light projections and soundscapes to one run, positioning the offering somewhere between traditional night skiing and a multimedia experience.
Michael Fulton
Park City Mountain Resort is converting the previously free Cabriolet lot at Canyons Village to paid parking from the 2026-27 season. The US$29 daily charge represents another reduction in free parking options across Utah resorts, though several workarounds remain available.
Michael Fulton
Prinoth has released the Leitwolf E-Motion, claiming it's the first fully electric snow groomer in the large-segment category. The machine features a 4.5-metre working width and bidirectional charging that could function as mobile grid storage when not grooming runs.
Michael Fulton
Canterbury ski areas are tracking up to 80 cm through Thursday morning as a multi-day storm system moves through New Zealand's South Island. Mt. Hutt and Porters sit in the bullseye, while the North Island faces stronger wind than snow and Queenstown-area resorts remain on the periphery.
Michael Fulton
St. Anton's annual Der Weisse Rausch race sends 555 skiers and snowboarders down 7.3 kilometres of slushy, mogulled terrain after the lifts close. The course includes uphill boot-packing and a final obstacle section that participants navigate with skis in hand.
Michael Fulton
Mt Rose closed for the 2024-25 season on Sunday with icy conditions marking the final day. The Tahoe area resort wrapped up a winter that locals describe as leaving "much snow to be desired", though some late-season storms briefly improved coverage in April.
Michael Fulton
Grindelwald sits beneath the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland, and the skiing more than matches the scenery. Here are my top five runs from a day exploring the Jungfrau Ski Region - from wide-open groomers with all-day snow quality to the famous Lauberhorn World Cup downhill course.
Michael Fulton
While most Austrian ski resorts have closed for the season, Tyrol's five glacier ski areas are still running well into spring. Hintertux, Pitztal, Stubai, Sölden, and Kaunertal all operate above 3,000 metres, offering reliable snow, warmer temperatures, and quieter slopes for anyone chasing late-season turns.
Michael Fulton
Banff Sunshine in Alberta has taken out OnTheSnow's Best Overall Ski Destination award for North America, voted on by the platform's users. The award was presented at the Mountain Travel Symposium in Whistle, British Columbia.
Michael Fulton
Copper Mountain in Colorado has pushed its closing date back a week to Sunday, May 3, with $49 lift tickets available for the final stretch. Early snowmaking, a high base elevation, and north-facing terrain have kept conditions skiable well into spring.
Michael Fulton
Investigators and manufacturer Doppelmayr Garaventa believe an extreme wind gust caused the fatal Titlis Xpress gondola accident on March 18 in Switzerland. The cabin struck a support tower before detaching from the cable. No mechanical fault has been identified, but questions remain around operational timing.
Michael Fulton
Obertauern sits at 1,740 metres in Austria's Salzburg region, making it one of the most snow-reliable resorts in the country. With 100 kilometres of pistes and a unique ski circuit layout, there's plenty to explore. Here's a rundown of the five best runs from a day on the mountain - from mellow morning groomers to leg-burning steep stuff - plus a couple of honourable mentions that deserved a spot.
Michael Fulton
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.
Michael Fulton
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.
Michael Fulton
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.
Michael Fulton
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.
Michael Fulton
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.
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