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Latest in Montana
Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area
Firefighters saved every base building at Maverick Mountain, Montana, but the resort's sole chairlift didn't survive the Sand Creek Fire. Owners Erik and Kristi Borge say the lift is "most likely" out for the 2026/27 season after flames tore through the mountain on August 8. The wildfire has since grown past 27,700 acres with zero percent containment. It's a gutting result for the tiny, one-lift operation near Dillon - though the lodge, groomers and equipment all made it through untouched.
Michael Fulton
Bridger Bowl Compensates Staff After Early Season Closure
Bridger Bowl's early season closure due to low snowfall impacted hundreds of workers. The resort's board approved extra payouts to compensate, a rare move in the ski industry.
Michael Fulton
Delta Adds Year-Round Austin to Bozeman Service From Winter 2026-27
Delta Airlines will extend its Austin to Bozeman route to year-round service from late 2026, providing direct access to Big Sky and Bridger Bowl during the ski season. The move is part of Delta's push to establish a stronger presence in the Texas market against competing airline hubs.
Michael Fulton
Western U.S. Ski Resorts Close Early as Warm Weather Compounds Poor Snow Season
A heat wave hitting the western United States has forced dozens of ski resorts to close early or abandon their seasons entirely. With below-average snowpacks across the region, the warm spell has ended operations at over 40 resorts from Arizona to Montana.
Michael Fulton
Pacific Northwest Ski Resorts Just Got Buried — March 2026 Snow Report
Washington's ski resorts have just received a serious dump, with several areas recording over 50cm of fresh snow in a single 24-hour period. Stevens Pass, Snoqualmie, and White Pass are all showing big numbers, and the broader Pacific Northwest — including Oregon and Montana — has copped a solid hit too. Here's what the data is showing right now.
Michael Fulton
Boyne Resorts' 2025-26 Plans: Upgrades or Marketing Spin?
Boyne Resorts has announced various projects across its North American ski areas for 2025-26, but are they truly enhancing the guest experience or just keeping up with industry trends?
Michael Fulton
Big Sky's Kircliff: Glass Summit Experience Raises Questions
Big Sky Resort announces Kircliff, a glass observatory atop Lone Peak. While impressive, this latest development prompts scrutiny of the resort's priorities and environmental impact.
Michael Fulton
Boyne Resorts Unveils New Season Pass Options for 2025-26
Boyne Resorts introduces two new season pass options for the 2025-26 winter season, offering unlimited access across all their North American ski resorts.
Michael Fulton
Big Sky Resort Raises $162,600 for Local Nonprofits Through Chair Sale
Big Sky Resort's sale of 125 Explorer 2 chairs raises $162,600 for three local nonprofits, showcasing community support and marking the end of the historic lift's 51-year service.
Michael Fulton
Whitefish Mountain Resort Nears Record with 497,000 Skier Visits in 2024/2025 Season
Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana reports a successful 2024/2025 season with 497,000 skier visits, approaching their all-time record. The resort credits early snowfall and consistent storms for the strong performance.
Michael Fulton
Bridger Bowl Ski Area Reveals Ambitious 2025 Master Plan
Montana's Bridger Bowl, America's second-largest non-profit ski area, has unveiled extensive development plans including three new chairlifts, expanded beginner terrain, and enhanced facilities. The proposed 2025 master plan aims to improve accessibility and variety for the growing Bozeman community.
Michael Fulton
Big Sky Resort Unveils World's Longest Eight-Pack Bubble Chairlift
Big Sky Resort strengthens its position as North America's most advanced lift network with the opening of the Madison 8, the world's longest eight-pack bubble chairlift. This latest addition, replacing the Six Shooter lift, doubles uphill capacity while reducing ride times by 30%.
Michael Fulton
Latest News
More from the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026