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Michael Fulton

Michael Fulton

Melbourne-based ski expert with 45+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian skiing and riding and international resort comparisons.

45+ resorts visited
14 years skiing
Author since 2020

Regional Expertise:

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

Articles by Michael Fulton

Val Gardena Day 2: 25cm Overnight and Why the Dolomites Keep Delivering

Michael Fulton

Val Gardena Day 2: 25cm Overnight and Why the Dolomites Keep Delivering

Day two at Val Gardena handed over everything a fresh snow day should — 25cm overnight, a first-ever ski lesson on the Sasslong, and the Dolomites finally clearing long enough to show what all the fuss is about. Here's an honest wrap of how it actually went.

Mt. Shasta Ski Park Closes Early as California Snowpack Hits 10-Year Low

Michael Fulton

Mt. Shasta Ski Park Closes Early as California Snowpack Hits 10-Year Low

Mt. Shasta Ski Park has shut down for the 2025-26 season after just 55 days on snow, with unseasonably warm weather and California's worst snowpack in a decade making continued operations impossible. Season pass holders are getting credits, and the resort is going out with a St. Patrick's Day party — because what else do you do when it's 70°F on a ski mountain.

Mt. Baker Ski Area Is Running Night Skiing for the First Time Ever This Weekend

Michael Fulton

Mt. Baker Ski Area Is Running Night Skiing for the First Time Ever This Weekend

Mt. Baker Ski Area is doing something it has never done in its entire history this weekend — night skiing. Chair 7 and the White Salmon Handle Tow get lit up on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 March, with live DJs, fire pits, and overnight camping in the lot. If you're anywhere near Bellingham, this one's worth knowing about.

ORDA New York

Michael Fulton

New York Allocates $15.9 Million Across Whiteface, Gore, and Belleayre

ORDA's board has approved $15.9 million in capital funding for its three state-owned ski areas, with the bulk directed at snowmaking infrastructure. The allocation continues a decade-long pattern of public investment in New York's ski mountains, though the recurring focus on basic infrastructure raises questions about maintenance backlogs.

Vail Resorts Introduces 20% Discount on Epic Pass for Under-30s

Michael Fulton

Vail Resorts Introduces 20% Discount on Epic Pass for Under-30s

Vail Resorts has announced a 20% price reduction on Epic Pass products for skiers and riders aged 13-30, bringing the 2026-27 Epic Pass down to $869 and Epic Local Pass to $649. The move comes as the ski industry grapples with participation rates among younger demographics.

Tamarack Resort Season Pass Pricing: What the Numbers Actually Mean

Michael Fulton

Tamarack Resort Season Pass Pricing: What the Numbers Actually Mean

Tamarack has opened sales for its 2026-27 season pass at $499, claiming it's the best deal of the year. We break down whether the early-bird pricing represents genuine value or standard industry tiering tactics, and what the cap on pass sales really means for access.

Europe's 2025–26 Avalanche Season: 119 Deaths and Why the Mountains Are More Dangerous Than They Look

Michael Fulton

Europe's 2025–26 Avalanche Season: 119 Deaths and Why the Mountains Are More Dangerous Than They Look

Europe's 2025–26 avalanche season has become one of the deadliest in modern history, with 119 confirmed deaths before the end of February and the season still far from over. A buried weak layer formed in December, combined with successive storms dumping metres of snow on top of it, has created conditions that aren't visible from the surface. Here's a full breakdown of what happened, why, and what it means if you're planning a trip to the Alps.

15-Year-Old Alpine Racer Dies Following Avalanche at Nakiska

Michael Fulton

15-Year-Old Alpine Racer Dies Following Avalanche at Nakiska

A teenage alpine ski racer has died after being caught in an avalanche at Nakiska Ski Area while bootpacking with another athlete. The incident raises questions about terrain management and decision-making at a resort that serves as a major training venue for youth racing programs.

Mammoth Mountain Confirms Skiing Through Memorial Day Despite Below-Average Snow Season

Michael Fulton

Mammoth Mountain Confirms Skiing Through Memorial Day Despite Below-Average Snow Season

Mammoth Mountain has confirmed it will keep lifts running through at least Memorial Day 2026, despite a below-average snow season by its own standards. With 243 inches recorded so far this season and a summit sitting above 11,000 feet, California's high-altitude workhorse is doing what it does best — outlasting everyone else on the calendar.

Freeride World Tour Georgia Pro Cancelled, Restaged at Kühtai in Austria

Michael Fulton

Freeride World Tour Georgia Pro Cancelled, Restaged at Kühtai in Austria

The third stop of the 2026 Freeride World Tour has been cancelled after unsafe snowpack conditions forced organisers to abandon the Georgia Pro at Tetnuldi resort. Rather than write off the round entirely, the FWT has moved quickly to restage the event at Kühtai near Innsbruck, Austria — a venue that already knows how to host a freeride competition.

Castle Peak Avalanche: California's Deadliest Slide Kills Nine Backcountry Skiers Near Lake Tahoe

Michael Fulton

Castle Peak Avalanche: California's Deadliest Slide Kills Nine Backcountry Skiers Near Lake Tahoe

On the morning of February 17, 2026, nine people lost their lives when an avalanche swept through a group of fifteen backcountry skiers near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada. It is the deadliest avalanche in California's recorded history — and the full picture of what happened that morning raises serious questions about decision-making, risk assessment, and the weight of avalanche warnings.