
News category

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Snowbasin Resort will close its 2025-26 season on March 22, weeks earlier than its typical mid-April closure. Warm temperatures and low snowfall drove the decision, with rain falling on Christmas Day compounding the challenges. The resort joins a growing list of operations cutting seasons short.

Snowbasin Ski Resort is auctioning 117 retired triple chairlifts from the Becker lift, offering skiers and riders a chance to own a piece of Ogden's skiing history. The auction supports local youth winter sports programs.

LEITNER is transforming two major Swiss ski resorts with innovative retrofit projects that prioritize sustainability and guest comfort. The upgrades at St. Moritz-Corviglia and Arosa Lenzerheide showcase how existing infrastructure can be modernized with cutting-edge technology while minimizing environmental impact.












A groundbreaking rail project is set to transform access to Zermatt, one of Switzerland's most beloved ski resorts. The Mattertal Tunnel, running underground from Täsch to Zermatt, promises to provide a safer, more reliable connection to this alpine paradise. With construction slated to begin in 2028, skiers and riders can look forward to weatherproof travels by 2035.


Hoch-Ybrig, Switzerland, is set to revolutionize mountain transport with the world's first Doppelmayr TRI-Line Ropeway. This cutting-edge system replaces a 55-year-old tramway, offering an impressive capacity of 8,000 passengers per hour in each direction. The TRI-Line combines high-performance tricable technology with D-Line advantages, featuring compact stations, a new trolley design, and spacious 20-person cabins. With enhanced wind stability, barrier-free entry, and potential for near-autonomous operation, this innovative ropeway is poised to transform the Hoch-Ybrig ski experience while maintaining budget efficiency


Vail Resorts, the American ski industry powerhouse, might be eyeing expansion into Austria's Alpine resorts. With a track record of revitalising struggling ski areas, Vail's attention could be turned to Heiligenblut, a picturesque but financially troubled resort. Could this potential acquisition breathe new life into Austrian skiing, or will local resistance stand in the way of American investment?


Vail Resorts, Inc. has announced its acquisition of Crans-Montana Mountain Resort in Switzerland, solidifying its presence in the heart of the Swiss Alps. With over 1,400 meters of skiable vertical terrain and 140 kilometres of trails, Crans-Montana is renowned as one of Europe's premier ski destinations, offering breathtaking views and hosting prestigious events. Vail Resorts plans to integrate the resort into its Epic Pass lineup for the 2024-25 season, providing added value for pass holders. The acquisition includes significant ownership stakes in key resort entities, reflecting Vail Resorts' commitment to the region's growth. With projected investments of CHF 30 million over the next five years, Vail Resorts aims to enhance the guest experience, expand snowmaking capabilities, and foster sustainable tourism, setting the stage for Crans-Montana's future success. The transaction is expected to close in the 2023-24 ski season, promising an exciting new chapter for this iconic Swiss destination.

Ruka Ski Resort in Finland is set to make a grand winter debut with its first 8-person chairlift, the Masto III, offering a speedy and high-capacity experience for skiers and snowboarders. The resort's newest addition will open in December, coinciding with Finland's Independence Day, and includes four new ski slopes and 40 snow cannons to boost snowmaking capacity. This €14 million project represents a significant expansion, increasing Ruka's slope count by 10% and its ski lift capacity by 15%. While the chairlift is ready, work on the slopes is ongoing, with a festive opening planned for the long weekend of December 6-10. Ruka's commitment to family-friendly amenities and its status as an early-season ski destination make it an alluring choice for winter adventurers.

Vail Resorts is in advanced negotiations to purchase Switzerland's Crans-Montana ski resort, as reported by Les Temps. The resort, known for its rich history and world-class events, had faced challenges in recent years, including disputes with its current owner, Czech billionaire Radovan Vitek. With a proposed asking price of CHF 225 million (USD 202 million), the outcome hinges on whether Vail Resorts is willing to meet this figure, which includes CHF 80 million (USD 72 million) for the lift infrastructure alone. Should the deal proceed, it could revitalise the iconic Swiss resort and leverage Vail Resorts' extensive experience in the ski industry.

Finland's Levi and Ruka ski resorts are making history by opening on October 6th, 2023, becoming the first non-glacial resorts in the northern hemisphere to do so. They achieve this early opening through the innovative practice of snow farming, preserving snow from the previous season under insulating covers, which can save up to 75% of the snow. This method provides a reliable snow source amid climate change challenges, ensuring a full winter sports experience regardless of weather conditions, and underscores the resorts' adaptability and commitment to their guests' enjoyment in an ever-changing climate.

Levi Ski Resort in Finland, renowned for its proximity to the Arctic Circle and snow-resistant practices like 'snow farming,' has witnessed the first snowfall of the 23/24 season, with plans to open on October 6, 2023, making it one of Europe's earliest ski season starters. The resort offers attractions including the Levi Glacier slope, early season park, and cross-country ski tracks, and it annually hosts the women's FIS Alpine World Cup. The Levi slalom is a highlight, featuring top female athletes who vie for the unique prize of a reindeer from Santa Claus himself. Nearby, the Santa Claus village in Rovaniemi adds to the allure, as last year, U.S. ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin won her fifth and sixth Levi World Cups and expanded her reindeer herd to six, surpassing the previous record of Slovakia's Petra Vlhová with five reindeer.

The closure of La Sambuy ski resort near Annecy in the French Alps, after 60 years of operation, highlights the profound impact of climate change on winter sports. Last year, a mere four-week ski season due to a lack of snow prompted the resort's decision to dismantle its iconic ski lifts. Rising temperatures, diminishing snowfall, and financial constraints were cited as the main culprits. The town council's move to indefinitely close the lifts in June, effective September 10th, marked a shift away from a summer tourism-centric model previously adopted to offset winter losses.

Latest News

The Alps are about to swap mild, sunny October weather for something far more wintry. A cold front arrives Tuesday, and SnowStash forecasts have Monterosa Ski out in front with 64 cm over 14 days, ahead of Blatten Belalp (55 cm) and Verbier (43 cm). The snow line should fall below 2000 metres by Wednesday night, and glaciers across Switzerland, Italy and Austria are in line for the best of it. The wind will have a say too.

A large avalanche struck near Laguna del Inca adjacent to Ski Portillo on Saturday afternoon, killing four people and injuring four others. The group were day visitors mountaineering in the backcountry after reportedly being warned about elevated avalanche risk by resort staff.

Europe’s ski season is open, technically. After a record-warm summer, glaciers in Austria, Switzerland and Italy are running a few pistes apiece, Sölden, Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn started late, Titlis has pushed back to 24 October, and Zermatt reopens a few lifts on 14 October after more than two months shut. Finland’s Levi and Ruka are skiing on stored snow. Here is what is open, and what you actually get at each.

Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.

Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.