
300 acres, 71 runs near Burlington. Vermont's highest base elevation, extensive night skiing, Indy Pass.
Bolton Valley's summit reaches 3,150 feet, dropping roughly 1,700 vertical feet to a base at 1,447 feet across 71 runs spread over 300 acres near Bolton, Vermont. Terrain splits 38 per cent intermediate, 34 per cent beginner, 22 per cent advanced and 6 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 312 inches, among the highest totals in the state. The resort carries Indy Pass affiliation. Six lifts, including two quad chairs and three double chairs, serve the mountain alongside one t-bar.
Bolton Valley holds the distinction of having the highest base elevation of any ski area in Vermont, a genuine advantage for snow reliability that has underpinned the resort's affordable, community-focused identity for nearly six decades. Its extensive night-skiing programme and direct backcountry access from the resort's boundary further distinguish it among Vermont's ski areas.
Ralph DesLauriers and his father Roland purchased land previously used by a logging company in the early 1960s, cutting trails, parking lots and an access road by hand to build what became the last major ski area constructed in the Northeast. Bolton Valley opened on 24 December 1966, and the DesLauriers family owned and operated the resort until financial pressures during a difficult decade for New England skiing led to its sale in 1997.
Following two decades under Red Stone Properties' ownership, Ralph DesLauriers and a small group of investors purchased Bolton Valley back in the spring of 2017, returning the resort to its founding family. Ralph DesLauriers, the resort's legendary founder, passed away in October 2025, though his children continue operating the mountain he built. Adult daily tickets run from 79 to 95 US dollars, with children aged 5 and under skiing free.
Bolton Valley spreads 71 runs across 300 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 38%, with 24 beginner runs to find your feet and 20 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
The 2025-26 season at Bolton Valley ran from 6 December 2025 to 12 April 2026, a roughly eighteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 312 inches, among the highest totals of any Vermont ski area. This substantial snowfall reflects the resort's genuinely high base elevation, the highest of any Vermont ski area.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent, deep conditions to Bolton's intermediate-and-beginner-weighted terrain. As an Indy Pass resort, Bolton draws some visiting skiers holding that multi-resort pass alongside its core regional Vermont visitor base drawn to the mountain's affordable, community character and extensive night skiing.
Direct backcountry access from the resort's boundary continues to draw experienced skiers seeking terrain beyond the lift-served trails, a distinctive feature among Vermont's mountains. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given the resort's substantial beginner and intermediate terrain and free access for children aged 5 and under.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and night skiing is not confirmed in available resort information. Following founder Ralph DesLauriers' passing in October 2025, his children continue operating Bolton Valley much as the family has since its 1966 founding, aside from a two-decade interlude under Red Stone Properties. This enduring family stewardship remains central to the resort's seasonal identity.
Bolton Valley sits near Bolton, Vermont, with a base elevation of 1,447 feet and a summit at 3,150 feet across a roughly 1,700-foot vertical drop over 300 acres. This setting gives the resort the highest base elevation of any ski area in Vermont, a genuine advantage for consistent snow conditions.
Bolton and the broader Chittenden County region offer modest local lodging and services within a short drive of the resort. Burlington, Vermont's largest city, lies within a reasonable drive, providing a considerable regional population base and additional visitor amenities.
Interstate 89 provides convenient access to the resort from Burlington and the broader region. Winter driving conditions on the access road climbing to the resort's high base elevation can include significant snow and ice, reflecting the mountain's genuinely elevated setting. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.
Burlington International Airport, within a reasonable drive, is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service, making Bolton Valley accessible for visitors flying into northern Vermont. This combination of highway and air access supports the resort's popularity with both regional and visiting skiers.
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Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.

Nassfeld is putting €13 million into a new 6-seater chairlift, the Tressdorfer Almbahn, connecting Sonnleitn with the Tressdorfer Alm from December 2026. It replaces three ageing drag lifts and will run through summer too, from June 2027, moving up to 2,500 people an hour on the roughly three-minute ride. It's the latest step in Carinthia's largest ski resort building out a genuine year-round offering, following last year's Gartnerkofelbahn gondola.

Italy's Stelvio Glacier has pulled the plug on summer skiing from August 15. It was the last lift-served ski option left standing in continental Europe, and now there's none. Operator SIFAS pointed to persistent heat, storms, and a snowpack that simply wasn't refreezing overnight anymore. The cable car keeps running. Whether skiing comes back later this summer depends on the weather turning - and right now, nobody's promising anything.

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.

Fairmont is bringing its second Japanese property to Niseko, and this one's got history. The 165-room resort will rise on the site of the stalled La Plume project, which collapsed into bankruptcy in 2025 before J-Will Partners bought the site for redevelopment. Set between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri, it's slated for an early 2028 opening - putting it in play for the 2027/28 season. Expect two restaurants, a spa, onsen bathing, and a kids' club, a short drive from Niseko Village and Hirafu.

Saas-Fee is closing its glacier to summer skiing from Monday, August 10 - the second major Swiss resort to shut in under two weeks after Zermatt suspended operations on August 1. Persistent heat and warm nights that won't let the glacier refreeze are behind the call, per Saastal Bergbahnen. That leaves Italy's Stelvio as the only glacier ski area open in the Alps. Reopening could come as early as August 17, though nothing's confirmed - and racing teams are already looking south instead.

Silvretta Montafon wants to retire one of its most distinctive lifts. The plan: a single 10-person gondola running direct from Schruns to 1,870 metres, replacing both the two-stage Hochjoch cable car and the 1985 Kropfen chairlift in one move. Capacity jumps from 620 to 3,000 people an hour, and the mid-station transfer disappears entirely. The public hearing lands August 27, 2026 - construction hasn't been confirmed yet, though lift databases are pointing to 2027.

Dolomiti Superski's general assembly has unanimously re-elected Andy Varallo for a third consecutive term, running through 2029. Alongside the leadership renewal comes a bigger shift: a Smartpass that puts your ski pass on your smartphone, more AI in guest services, and an expanded Dolomiti Supersummer program. The 46-year-old Alta Badia cable car entrepreneur says the region's marketing is moving beyond skiing alone, toward positioning the Dolomites as a year-round destination.
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