New ski releases are generally accompanied by loads of marketing language, detailed spec sheets, and a firehose of information and imagery to help sell the new product. It's a process as old as time, and Fischer decided to turn it completely on its head this year, with the release of their all-new Fischer Nothing. Other than a cryptic PR blast and a few photos shot in grassy field (of all places), there was absolutely no information accompanying the pair of test skis I got from Fischer this winter.

In a world where ski experience is built so much on the hype a brand creates around a product, Fischer wanted to try something else: design a ski that speaks for itself. The idea was to create a freeride ski for advanced to expert skiers that would just do its job, without having to "explain" how it worked or was built—just click in and have a great time.

They arrived like any other new ski, in a plain cardboard box, wrapped in plastic, unceremoniously dropped by UPS in front of my garage. Instead of a spec sheet or hang tag, there was literally no information affixed on the plain white topsheets. In fact, the usual info printed on the topsheet graphics was actually crossed out, only increasing the mystique around the ski.

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2026 Fischer Nothing Specs

• Size skied: 186 cm
• Lengths available: 176cm, 186cm, 196cm
• Sidecut: 143mm – 112mm – 134mm
• Radius: 22m (186cm)
• Profile: directionalrocker
• Weight: 2120g (186cm)
• Price: $899

Shape, Flex and Construction

Of course, once I had the ski in hand, it wasn't that hard to deduce the actual specs of the ski. Keeping in line with Fischer's intentions, I skied them for a few days before looking into what the shape and construction was all about. It's something I honestly wish that I could do for all skis I test, but then I would be ignoring a lot of emails and be doing a bad job as Gear Editor. I applaud Fischer for keeping all that info under wraps and I think it's a really cool way to market something.

At first glance, the Nothing looks remarkably similar to the Fischer Ranger 116, the brand's current offering as a freeride powder ski. There's the directional shape, squared off tips, kicked up tail, and visible metal inlay under the topsheet. However, there's a few subtle differences that give the Nothing a very unique character.

The Nothing's tip shape is a little less tapered than on the big Ranger, and the tail is much more twin-tippy. Underfoot, the 112mm waist is a little narrower than the Ranger, though the turn radius is quite a bit longer (22m vs. 19). The metal layer (presumably Titanal...Fischer wouldn't tell me) also extends closer to the tip and tail, adding damping and some rigidity to the Nothing. Overall, it's stiff but not 2x4-stiff, with the back half feeling quite a bit stiffer than the front.

A cool thing to note is the fact that the Nothing comes in a 196cm length–that might the longest production freeride ski on the market right now. Tall guys and girls, take note.

On-Snow Performance

I spent the majority of my time testing the Fischer Nothing at Grand Targhee, with a few days at JHMR and in the backcountry around both resorts. The ski was mounted with a pair of the new Atomic Shift 16 MNC, and I mostly rode it with my pair of pin-toe modded Atomic Remedy 130 boots. Conditions ran the gamut from scary firm refrozen BS to slushy spring snow, with a few very deep powder days in between.

On first impression, the heavy weight, stiff hand flex, and long turn radius had me thinking these would be absolute hogs to drag around the mountain and would want nothing to do with terrain that didn't resemble big-mountain movie lines. While it certainly excelled in that setting, I was truly impressed at how it handled everyday skiing in the resort—something that skis of this caliber tend to have trouble stooping down to.

The Nothing is without a doubt a very powerful ski, but it doesn't have as much of a barrier to entry than some competitors. Even with the 22m turn radius and stiff, powerful construction, the balanced swing weight and somewhat more centered mount point makes the Nothing feel very pivoty and drifty, making it easy to throw sideways and scrub speed in tight situations—not to mention tossing cheeky shifties off every sidehit. I particularly liked this in steep and technical terrain like Targhee's Bobcat or Reliable or JHMR's Alta Chutes, where a run will include everything from drifty, high speed turns to quick pivots, slashes, and direction changes to piece together a line through rocks, trees, and other obstacles.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of this ski however, is its stability at speed and the way it smooths out variable snow conditions like they simply don't exist. I comfortably hit the biggest and most technical airs I did all season on these skis, dropping into unknown (to me) terrain several times without any hesitation. I tend to pick and and choose my airtime these days...these knees aren't getting any younger...but I kept surprising myself with how these just invited me to point them off a cliff with no qualms, knowing that the stiff tails and super-damp ride would help keep me on my feet even after a big impact.

In pure powder, these are also an absolute hoot, providing plenty of float and offering a nice surfy feel. Meanwhile, on firmer snow, the metal layer, long turn radius, and less tapered tip give these a super-powerful GS-ey character that will make ex-racers smile.

Comparisons

Three current skis come to mind that feel very similar to the Nothing. First would the current Salomon QST Blank. The shape of the Nothing looks and feels very similar, offering a combination of hard-charging fun and slower-speed maneuverability. However, the added metal layer in the Nothing gives it more powerful top-end performance.

This might be going out on a limb a bit, but another comparison I'd like to make is to the 4FRNT Hoji, which shares really similar soft-snow performance characteristics. While the Hoji is a fully reverse-camber design, the sidecut shape and stiffness make these similarly drifty and fun in soft or even chalky snow.

Finally, perhaps the most similar ski—also a new one for 2026/27—is the Armada Antimatter 114. At first glance, the spear-shaped tip of the Antimatter might make it look like a very different ski, but it's the skis' back halves and metal-layer construction that have me drawing the comparison. Both feature a shaped titanal sheet and a pronounced twin-tip tail shape, and strike a balance between aggressive, planted high-speed power and poppy, energetic handling. Unsurprisingly, the Armada might be better suited for a more freestyle-oriented skier looking for something that can butter and press a little better, while the Fischer would make a more traditional, perhaps race-trained, skier happier.

What type of skier is the Fischer Nothing best for? 

With the release of the Nothing, Fischer set out to create an "experimental freeride ski." I'd say that the experiment was resounding success, creating one of the most powerful, yet extremely fun big skis in recent years. This one reminds me of older hard-charging directional "fat" skis like Atomic Automatic 117, or the 4FRNT Kye 110–meant for skiing fast and showing off to your friends both in and out of the resort.

For good reason, ski design—particularly on the powder and freeride end of the spectrum—has become more "inclusive" in recent years, meaning that the performance envelope has shifted a little closer to the easier-to-ski end of the spectrum. That has sometimes come at the expense of top-end performance. The Nothing is a refreshing change from that, offering a ski that will make even the hardest-charging skiers happy, with enough weight, stiffness, and oomph to encourage the dumbest ideas on the mountain.

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This past winter around Banff was a big one. 

Lake Louise, another mountain in the neighborhood, set a new overall snowfall record. Sunshine Village had one of its highest precipitation seasons on record. Mt. Norquay cracked its top ten snowiest winters on record. 

Given how many other resorts out West dealt with warm weather and thin snowpacks, the pattern up north marked a surprising contrast—and served as a reminder that western North America is a big place. At least one region is bound to buck the overall trend. 

If you missed out, don’t fret. In 2022, Sunshine Village resurrected the tradition of offering a few days of summer skiing when possible. 

Unsurprisingly, this season fits the bill. A quick cruise through the resort’s webcams shows surprisingly consistent coverage. That aligns with the numbers shared on Sunshine’s website. On the upper mountain, around five feet of snow is still on the ground.

The ingredients, clearly, are there for a little more skiing. So, Sunshine’s doing just that. The resort plans to reopen on June 20 and stay through July 5, with skiing off the Strawberry Express lift. You can stay posted by following Sunshine’s Instagram page. 

Beyond Sunshine Village, though, opportunities to ski and ride chairlifts this month are melting fast. 

Mammoth Mountain, California, just sent off its season on June 7. Timberline Lodge, Oregon, is, as usual, still in the game with its signature mix of freestyle action, slush, and Mt. Hood views. Beartooth Basin, on the Wyoming-Montana border, plans to reopen on June 12, pending lift repairs.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: A "Remarkable" Ski Season: How Banff Beat the Odds and Saw Powder Days Aplenty

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The race will take place on what Deer Valley's Senior Director of Mountain Operations, Garrett Lang, called the National Championship Series trail, which winds down from Bald Eagle Mountain to Snow Park Lodge. Admission to the event is free for spectators, and viewing zones for the course will be accessible on foot. Silver Lake Express and Homestake will both operate for public access to the bike park throughout the event.

The US Open stands out with its unique Open Class Pro/Amateur format, which allows up-and-comers to compete with the best riders in the country for an $80,000 cash purse. Previously, the US Open was held at Killington, Vermont.

Deer Valley's bike park has returned to full capacity after operating on a limited footprint during last summer's expansion. For the second year, Deer Valley has also teamed up with Solitude Mountain to offer the Wasatch Gravity Pass, which provides access to both resorts' bike parks.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: A "Remarkable" Ski Season: How Banff Beat the Odds and Saw Powder Days Aplenty

For the send-off, Mammoth ran three lifts, the Broadway Express, Face Lift Express, and Chair 23. The last one, Chair 23, takes the resort beyond the thin strips of snow often associated with spring or summer skiing. Depending on the year, it can offer steeps and off-trail action, two things that get harder and harder to find as the ski season winds down.

Mammoth staying open this late isn’t unusual, exactly. After snowier winters, it has kept the lifts spinning into July or even August. 

But given the tough and warm weather western mountains dealt with, lift-served skiing in June this year takes on a different, more alluring quality. Even Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, a late-season stalwart, couldn’t make it beyond May this season.

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With Mammoth closed, only a few more opportunities for lift-served skiing remain this month.

Beartooth Basin, the summer-only ski area on the Wyoming-Montana border, opened May 25 and plans to reopen on June 12, pending lift repairs. Timberline Lodge in Oregon, home to summer camps and terrain parks, is still kicking. If you don’t mind walking uphill, Copper Mountain, Colorado, has a hike-to terrain park. 

And up in Canada, Banff Sunshine Village is planning a June 20 reopening and is still getting snow after a winter that defied all expectations. 

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: A "Remarkable" Ski Season: How Banff Beat the Odds and Saw Powder Days Aplenty

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The National Park Service will release additional information as it becomes available and appropriate to share.

POWDER extends our deepest condolences to Pendry's family and friends, the entire Denali climbing community, and all those affected by the tragedy.

Related: New Data Shows Just How Far Skier Visits Fell in Colorado This Winter

Watch: Copper Summer Hike Park Flyby

Copper has preserved a significant amount of snow to create the summer hike park, as evidenced by the thick mound of snow protruding from the dirt, and skiers are showing up to make the most of it.

From the quick video above, we can see that the Summer Hike Park features at least one jump, a small hip, and multiple rails and tubes. It's not big per se, but it's more than enough to scratch a snow sliding itch or to keep working on your park progression.

Check Copper Mountain's website and social media channels for updates on the Summer Hike Park operation.

Related: A "Remarkable" Ski Season: How Banff Beat the Odds and Saw Powder Days Aplenty

Salomon/Atomic Shift 2.0 16 MN

Long has the Shift binding enticed folks who want one binding to do it all. However, previous versions of the Shift had a few issues that seemed inescapable—broken heel pieces, pre-releases, and brake issues when skinning. That is, until Salomon & Atomic released a new version this winter, replacing some of the old Shift's plastic parts with metal and promising a burlier, more functional binding and higher DIN settings.

Our Gear Editor Max spent a chunk of time on the new version of the binding and was pleasantly surprised by it. While the new Shift is still a bit of a niche product, to see Salomon and Atomic take an old product's issues and take actionable steps to improve something that could be the Holy Grail of hybrid bindings is pretty darn cool.

Fischer Nothing

Maybe putting a ski we don't actually know anything about on this list is a polarizing choice. It's not like I can say "the dimensions of this ski are so unique" because that's still sort of a secret. But that's kind of the coolest part.

Fischer's new ski was released with no product details and a blank top sheet, with the intention that a ski's specs shouldn't influence how we think it skis, but rather that the experience of skiing it should fully dictate each person's opinion. In a day and age when the market is saturated with options and marketing telling us why one ski is better than the rest, it's a refreshing approach that earns it a spot on this list. Keep an eye out soon for more on the skis. Wink wink.

Raide Research TourTech Bibs

Raide Research technically released their TourTech bibs in 2024, but I just got around to testing them this season.

These bibs are undoubtedly super feature-rich, with bits and pieces that make them more high-tech than other bibs. However, the technology that truly stood out to me above anything else was that the women's version actually fit a female body well. Wild.

Somehow, in 2026, it's still really hard to find ski pants or bibs that fit our legs and waists, accommodate ski boots, and are functional. Yet, Raide Research's bibs knock it out of the park. The beacon leashes in both thigh pockets, the laser-cut mesh upper panel, the power-strap thread-through gaiter, and the durable yet breathable fabric are just a bonus.

Salomon S/Pro Alpha BOA 130

These days, many ski boots look like science experiments. With all the BOAs and buckles and combinations and flexes, it's a wonder 130 flex boots in a 22.5 are so few and far between. I digress.

The folks over at Salomon were busy updating more than just the Shift binding; they also made some notable tweaks to the S/Pro Alpha BOA 130 boot for 2026/27. For one, instead of putting the BOA on the lower part of the boot, where many other boots have used it, they only put a BOA on the upper cuff, in part to avoid the "shearing" effect it's had on other boots.

Second, they've eliminated a pivot point on the cuff and instead opted to bolt the upper cuff to the lower boot with something they're calling the PowerLink, which has a pretty drastic effect on how the boot skis. For now, it still only comes in 24.5 and larger, but it feels like a step in the right direction for boot technology advancements that don't just involve putting BOAs anywhere you can think of.

Armada Antimatter 114

Armada's new freeride ski, born from Max Palm's brain, is one of the more unique freeride skis to come out lately. It's also a bit of a departure from the brand's previous skis and is generally just a wild design, hence the inclusion of the Armada Antimatter on this list.

It's one of the Armada skis to use a metal laminate layer inside—Armada calls it "SpeedMetal." Those are glued to the poplar core to keep things damp at speed, but without taking that root, playful, Armada DNA out of the ski. The Antimatter also has a twin-tipped rocker shape that utilizes a multi-radius rocker in the tip to provide more stability than your average rockered, powder ski. In short, it might be one you have to ski to really understand the full effect of, but trust us that it's pretty cool.

Editor's Note:Hey, Matt here. The Armada Antimatter 114 is one of the best skis I've ever tested. The hype is real.

Related: When Telemark Was Revolutionary

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Look familiar? To most skiers on the western side of Mississippi, it probably does. Beyond that, I won’t throw the book of stats at you: last winter was rough and tumble. Most of us are hoping to forget it.

But bad snow, as evidenced by Parkin’s line, can also be a chance to get creative. Skis, despite how they’re marketed, slide on a remarkable number of surfaces, including everything from sand to escalators. 

Now, I’m not necessarily advocating for dirt skiing, at least not on the professional level showcased here. We can’t all risk a blown edge or a core shot by riding over gravel. More importantly, I’d fear for my ligaments trying to push through the compression at the end of the video. Knees, after all, are a bit harder to replace than skis.

Still, I was reminded of all the times I decided to go skiing anyway when the snow sucked. 

Rather than heading to the tried-and-true haunts, the lack of powder encouraged craftiness. Once, years ago, on a day that could’ve been forgettable, my friends and I found ourselves crowded into a tiny drainpipe, yelling at each other as our skis got stuck under the ice. Different adventures have, yes, also involved skiing dirt.

None fit the usual definition of a “good” ski day. “Fun,” in the moment, was often out of reach. Yet, here I am, more than a decade later, reminiscing fondly about those moments. It goes to show that skiing is as entertaining as you make it. 

Although I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping that next winter doesn’t involve too many chances to stretch the definition of what “skiing” means. Those of us who got skunked out West could use the clarity of a no-BS powder day. Fingers crossed.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Bones, Pesos, and More Found at Breckenridge Mountain Cleanup

In early November, the flakes were already flying. All the snow allowed Sunshine to get a head start on the second of the month, notching its earliest opening date in about four decades. The conditions were such that Kendra Scurfield’s son perhaps got too comfortable with living every skier’s fantasy. 

“On one of the days that there wasn’t powder, he's like, ‘Mom, what's wrong with the snow? Why don't we have powder today?’” Scurfield, the vice president of marketing, brand, and communications at Sunshine, said. “He's smart, a five-year-old who thinks powder is the best snow.”

December proved particularly fruitful. Matt Wilson, Sunshine’s lead forecaster, told me that during a stretch that month, weather models called for 2 or 3 centimeters each day. Instead, refreshes of up to 15 centimeters—or about six inches—kept hitting. 

By the end of December, Sunshine proudly announced that 105 inches of snow had fallen, making it the fifth snowiest December on record. Only three days in December didn’t see any snowfall, noted Wilson.

“That really set us up for success for the rest of the winter,” he said.

Sunshine's season snowfall record was set in 2012, when roughly 411 inches fell. This winter didn’t quite surpass that mark, but Wilson explained it did rank among the top three seasons for precipitation, showing how wet it got. Only two other winters—1985-86 and 1995-96—saw a higher snow water equivalency, a measure of moisture content in the snowpack. As of early June, about five feet of snow remained on Sunshine’s upper mountain.

Just up the road, Lake Louise also added an entry to the history books. The resort managed a new overall best of 370 inches, said its director of marketing and sales, Emmett McPartlin. The mountain had an early opening of its own, too. Richardson’s Ridge, a new lift in Lake Louise’s back bowls, debuted three months ahead of schedule, thanks to the snow.

“It was quite a few operational things, and along with the snow, that really aligned to make it a bit of a charmed season,” said McPartlin, adding that more terrain for advanced skiers is coming to Richardson's Ridge in the future.

Asked about how the snowy season came to be, Alysa Pederson, a meteorologist with the Meteorological Service of Canada, highlighted the jet stream, a fast-moving river of air that moves from west to east, acting like a storm highway. This “fire hose of moisture,” as she called it, often pointed towards Canada.

According to Pederson, one—but not the only—factor that led to that was La Niña, the climate pattern that can influence winter weather.

“What La Niña means, and typically means for Western North America, is that we get what we call ridging in the States and into southern BC,” she explained. “That's where that jet stream is a little bit further north than it normally is.”

Another quirk was the temperatures. Around Banff, they spent much of the winter above normal. And warmer air, generally speaking, carries moisture better, which can mean more snow if the freezing levels don’t climb too high. So, as the jet stream came in, Pederson said, the storms “had a little bit more oomph to them.”

The state of affairs left skiers in other parts of the West, myself included, gazing up north with a mix of admiration and confusion. How could it be so rough here but so great there? Some didn't just watch from afar. Many Americans acted and headed for snowier terrain, resulting in a 50% annual increase in visitation to Banff’s ski resorts from its southerly neighbors. 

“We definitely saw an influx of people from elsewhere that was stronger than other years,” said McPartlin. But this wasn't an opportunity to gloat while some mountains struggled. “Seeing other resorts in the West going through a low snow year, that's not something we enjoy, right?” he continued. “Low snow years of that scale, it's bad for the industry as a whole.”

Banff’s unusual, attention-grabbing season officially came to a close last month. But for Sunshine, the show isn’t over quite yet. In 2022, the resort revived the 1990s tradition of reopening for summer skiing when the snow piles up. 

While the resort is now closed for maintenance, it’ll once again welcome skiers on June 20. The plan, for now, is to spin the Strawberry Express lift until July 5, but there may be more terrain, depending on how the conditions fare. 

“We really made it a conscious effort to start thinking that summer skiing could be a reality if weather permitted,” said Scurfield. “We go into our season knowing that it's a possibility if the stars align.”

This season, they did.

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

The snow conditions, a documented (and quite frankly, obvious) factor in how many skiers show up at resorts each winter, were good in New Hampshire.

“Early-season snowfall and consistently favorable snowmaking temperatures in the Northeast during peak snowmaking periods allowed New Hampshire ski areas to establish a deep, resilient base of snow that supported exceptional conditions throughout the winter,” said Ski NH president Jessyca Keeler, in a release. 

She also highlighted investments in snowmaking, grooming, lifts, and amenities made by Ski NH’s member resorts.

Those investments, Keeler continued, “helped drive the increased skier visits we observed.”

New Hampshire also saw one of skiing’s most unique stories this winter. Black Mountain, after being bought by multi-pass sellers the Indy Pass in 2024, went on a historic run, staying open later than it ever has until May 17, outlasting resorts far beyond New Hampshire (Black Mountain isn’t a member of Ski NH).

Overall, it was a marked contrast to some western states like Colorado, where hot weather and little snow stymied visitation. Colorado Ski Country USA recently announced that this past winter, skier visits dropped to 10.5 million from the previous season’s total of 13.9 million.

Still, CSCUSA’s president and CEO, Melanie Mills, highlighted the upshot of the tough Coloradoan season in a release, saying it “revealed the experience, dedication, and grit of Colorado’s resorts and the teams behind them.”

CSCUSA also noted that the warmer weather, shorter lift lines, and well-groomed terrain drew newcomers and helped beginners build confidence. 

Nationwide, skier visits fell about 9%, further reflecting the West-to-East divide. 

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: 10 Things I Think Any Touring Boot Needs

Other stats highlight the challenge ski resort operators faced, according to CSCUSA.  

All visitor segments—in-state, out-of-state, and international—declined. So did the length of the ski season, which fell from the 20-year average of 144 days to 129 days. Snowfall was well below average for every month of the winter, CSCUSA noted.

The numbers don’t come as a surprise following the National Ski Areas Association's preliminary assessment of the 2025-26 season, which was released in early May. Nationwide, skier visits dipped to 52.6 million from 61.5 million the previous year.

Those results, NSAA president and CEO Michael Reitzell said in a release, demonstrated clearly “how dependent our industry remains on regional weather patterns.”

“Challenging conditions across much of the West—including a slow start, rain events, and record March warmth—significantly impacted visitation throughout the season,” he continued.

The story of this past winter wasn’t a monolith, though.

The Northeast and the Southeast both tallied their second-best seasons of the past decade, visitation-wise, according to the NSAA. Many mountains there had a rip-roaring start with ample snow. And, in Pennsylvania, Camelback Resort stayed open far later than normal, setting a new closing date record of May 5. 

Despite the drop-off out West, Melanie Mills, president and CEO of CSCUSA, said this past winter “revealed the experience, dedication, and grit of Colorado's resorts and the teams behind them.”

“Their work supports mountain economies, keeps people connected to the mountains, and sustains the experience that generations of Coloradans and visitors come here to share,” she added. “Skier visits are an important metric, but they are far from the only measure of the health of our industry.”

On a positive note, the group’s release noted that warmer weather brought newer skiers to the slopes, with shorter lift lines and well-groomed, approachable terrain helping beginners build confidence. 

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: I Moved Away From the Mountains, But My Ski Dreams Won’t Let Me Go

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If anything, these annual mountain cleanups are a great reminder that dropping one small thing off the lift can really add up.

Anecdotally, you also never know what could find its way back to you. In the early days of the iPhone, my older brother lost his out of his pocket while skiing and thought it was forever lost. One full summer season passed, another winter passed, and the following summer, a woman hiking on the mountain found his phone, plugged it in, and found his contact info.

She mailed the phone back to him, and while it had seen better days, it still worked. At that point, it had long been replaced, but it's still wild to think how long that phone sat on the mountain before someone found it.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: New Ski Descent Made in Peru's Cordillera Blanca Range

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Over the past 24 hours, according to its snow report, Perisher has received about 4 inches of snow. The weeklong total is larger, coming in at a respectable eight inches or so. 

It’s not just Mother Nature that’s hard at work. In a recent snow report, Perisher said 77 of its snowguns had been firing since the early morning, “helping to complement the natural snowfall and build the best possible start to the season.”

At Perisher, that start is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, when the resort plans to kick things off with the Front Valley conveyor. Perisher also advised skiers that, thanks to good snowmaking conditions, they should stay tuned for more updates.

Over at Falls Creek, the situation is also looking rosy. 

“20cm of snowfall across Falls Creek today, transforming the village into a true winter wonderland,” the resort said on social media. “The best part? Temperatures are staying low, setting us up for another great night of snowmaking.”

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The early-season momentum comes amid word of a building El Niño, which can spell warm and dry conditions across Australia. That, of course, may not be good news for the country’s ski resorts, although El Niño doesn’t guarantee outcomes; it just tilts the odds. 

Regardless, for now, the focus is on the snow. Fingers crossed it sticks around. 

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

A last-minute ACL tear called her chance at Olympic gold into question, but Vonn chose to compete anyway. Her bid on the Italian downhill course was cut short, though, as Vonn crashed hard, seriously injuring her lower body (Vonn has said her ACL wasn’t responsible for the crash—instead, she clipped a gate). 

Reappearing in the start gate post-retirement also made Vonn a sensible fit for another Stifel award: best comeback.

Among the freeskiing men, Mac Forehand, who took Olympic silver in Big Air, earned the best athlete title. That category’s comeback award went to Hunter Hess, who dealt with a long list of injuries as he competed in Olympic halfpipe.

“This season was marked by outstanding performances across all of our teams and that success would not be possible without the dedication of the athletes, coaches and staff working behind the scenes every day,” said Patty. “We’re grateful to Stifel for continuing to celebrate and support the people who make these achievements possible.”

Here’s a look at the full list of awardees.

Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team 

• Athlete of the Year: Lindsey Vonn, Ryan Cochran-Siegle
• Rookie of the Year: Elisabeth Bocock, Jevin Palmquist
• Most Improved: Mary Bocock, Kyle Negomir
• Best Comeback: Lindsey Vonn, Erik Arvidsson
• Coach of the Year: Kip Spangler 

Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team

• Athlete of the Year: Jessie Diggins, Ben Ogden
• Rookie of the Year: Sammy Smith, Murphy Kimball
• Most Improved: Kendall Kramer, Zak Ketterson
• Best Comeback: Novie McCabe, Ben Ogden
• Coach of the Year: Matt Whitcomb

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team

• Athlete of the Year: Grace Henderson, Mac Forehand
• Best Comeback: Rell Harwood, Hunter Hess
• Most Improved: Avery Krumme, Konnor Ralph
• Rookie of the Year: Avery Krumme, Henry Townshend
• Coach of the Year: Ryan Wyble

Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team - aerials

• Athlete of the Year: Chris Lillis
• Rookie of the Year: Kyra Dossa
• Most Improved: Connor Curran
• Best Comeback: Winter Vinecki
• Coach of the Year: Walter Crijanovschi

Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team - moguls

• Athlete of the Year: Olivia Giaccio
• Rookie of the Year: Abby McLarnon
• Most Improved: Landon Wendler
• Best Comeback: Liz Lemley
• Coach of the Year: Bryon Wilson

Stifel U.S. Nordic Combined Team 

• Athlete of the Year: Alexa Brabec, Niklas Malacinski
• Best Comeback: Tara Geraghty-Moats, Erik Lynch
• Most Improved: Alexa Brabec, Niklas Malacinski
• Coach of the Year: Emil Vilhelmsen

Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team

• Athlete of the Year: Patrick Halgren
• Rookie of the Year: Meg Gustafson
• Most Improved: Anna Soens

Stifel U.S. Ski Jumping Team 

• Athlete of the Year: Annika Belshaw, Kevin Bickner
• Best Comeback: Josie Johnson, Kevin Bickner
• Most Improved: Sandra Sproch, Jason Colby
• Rookie of the Year: Josie Johnson, Jason Colby
• Coach of the Year: Karl Vegard Andersen

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

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The opening ceremony for the World Cup takes place on June 11, 2026, in Mexico, with another immediately following on June 12, in Vancouver, BC, and in Los Angeles, California. Vancouver will host their first match of the World Cup on June 18, 2026, between Canada and Qatar. Vancouver will host another match between Canada and Switzerland on June 24, 2026. 

Fans visiting Grouse Mountain this summer who wear team jerseys the day before home matches on the 18th and 24th will receive 15% off Mountain Admission tickets for activities like scenic gondola rides, the Grouse Gravity Coaster, and more.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

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Ranrapalca has several standard climbing routes, including one on the east ridge that's rated D, difficile, by the IFAS grading system. The peak was first climbed in June of 1939 by four German mountaineers. In contrast, the line skied by Manners and Malcangi travels over far more exposed, steep, glaciated terrain than the east ridge route.

In the days since their descent of Acceso Momentáneo, Manners and Malcangi also skied Artesonraju in the Corillera Blanca range. Artesonraju is recognizable to many as the mountain in the Paramount Pictures logo.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

It’s not the only superlative on the table. The proposal also includes a new gondola linking The Remarkables’ current base area to a new one at the bottom of Doolans Basin. The proposed gondola is set to be New Zealand’s longest, spanning 2.7 kilometers.

The proposed slopes, according to The Remarkables, include terrain for every kind of skier, with a new learning area and “more to explore for advanced riders pushing their limits.”

Doolans Basin is also higher and south-facing, meaning the resort expects it’ll hold snow well and, in an apparent nod to warming global temperatures, help ensure “more resilient seasons as weather patterns change.”

“It is also a smarter way to grow,” The Remarkables wrote. “Rather than asking the existing trails and lifts to do more, Doolans opens up a new part of the mountain, lifting the experience across the whole ski area.”

The resort noted that the expansion plans, which were several years in the making, involved expert input and were designed to minimize impact where possible, with construction kept consolidated, sensitive ecological habitats protected, and water management planned.

The application, The Remarkables said, was lodged via the fast-track consenting process in May 2026. If it gets approved, work is set to begin in November 2026, with winter operations continuing normally. The resort anticipates construction taking about four years, and is eyeing gondola construction as the first step.

“You will not be dropping into Doolans just yet, but this is a major step forward and an exciting glimpse of what could be coming,” The Remarkables wrote.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

Cal Fire, Mammoth Yosemite Airport, and Mammoth Lakes partnered to secure the helicopter.

"The support provided by Mammoth Yosemite Airport and the Town of Mammoth Lakes has been instrumental in bringing this resource to the Eastern Sierra," said Cal Fire officials in the release. "This partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to protecting residents, visitors, critical infrastructure, and the region's natural resources."

Among skiers, Mammoth Lakes is best known for its accompanying ski resort, Mammoth Mountain. This year, the late-season hotspot plans to stay open until June 7 after a few season extensions, offering slushy turns under the sun. That makes Mammoth Mountain one of the only places on the continent still open for lift-served skiing.

But like many other mountain destinations, the Mammoth Lakes community is also no stranger to fire. Last fall, the Pack Fire torched nearly 2,000 acres in Mono County, destroying several structures and prompting an emergency declaration from the governor’s office. 

Elsewhere across the West, fires have threatened or burned through well-known ski resorts in recent years. In August 2025, the Rock Fire cut close to Idaho’s Tamarack Resort. And back in 2021, the Caldor Fire infamously affected 1,600 of Sierra-at-Tahoe’s 2,000 acres.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

In Glenwood Canyon, not far from Sunlight Mountain Resort, the plan includes replacing guardrails and paving on deteriorated sections of I-70. 

Further west, the plan aims to improve the I-70 interchanges at the towns of Silt and New Castle. 

“These improvements will be scaled based on available budget and may incorporate enhancements to I-70 ramps, as well as signing and striping updates,” the draft plan reads. 

The plan also eyes continued funding for improvements to West Vail Pass. That area of I-70 has already seen work on new auxiliary lanes, wildlife fencing and underpasses, and advanced avalanche mitigation systems via a project slated to reach “substantial completion” in December 2026. Vail Mountain and Copper Mountain stand on either side.

All told, the plan includes more than 250 projects across Colorado, with the aim of fixing roads, improving safety, and “sustainably” increasing transportation choice, according to a release shared by CDOT.

Folded into those goals is $60 million in funding to grow and maintain Bustang's fleet, a transit service that takes passengers all around Colorado, including from Denver to ski resorts like Breckenridge, Loveland, and Copper Mountain. 

The release noted, too, that passenger rail projects are “key initiatives” in the plan. Earlier this year, Coloradans voted on a name for a future Front Range rail passenger service, deciding on the Colorado Connector, or CoCo. 

“This 10-Year Plan is part of our firm commitment to a safer, more connected future for every Coloradan,“ said CDOT executive director Shoshana Lew in the release. “This plan was developed through countless conversations with Colorado residents, local elected officials, technical experts and many others dedicated to improving Colorado’s roads.”

Related: Matthias Giraud Lands First Ski BASE Jump of Aiguille du Plan North Face

At 10:30 a.m., Giraud dropped into the line, which had a layer of firm snow on top and softer snow beneath, providing him with a good grip on his skis. He completed two 60m rappels through the crux of the line before descending a final, icy, steep passage as rock, snow, and ice fell around him. After four final turns on skis, Giraud put his pilot chute in his hand and straight-lined towards the edge of the sérac.

Giraud completed the BASE jump, which ended up being about 30m vertically with 25m of angled ice below. Tap or click to watch below.

Watch: Matthias Giraud, First Ski BASE Descent of the Aiguille du Plan North Face

The first ski descent of the North Face of the Aiguille du Plan was completed in 1977 by Jean-Marc Boivin and L. Giacomini.

Chamonix-based ski alpinist Aurel Lardy gave the idea of a ski BASE jump to Giraud.

Just two weeks prior to Giraud's jump, another respected Chamonix ski alpinist, Milo Cravero, was killed in an avalanche on the same line.

Ski BASE is notoriously one of the most dangerous disciplines of either sport. It was featured in the 1976 James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, when Rick Sylvester performed a jump from Mount Asgard as a stunt double for Roger Moore.

Shane McConkey was another early pioneer of ski-BASE and completed jumps from spots like Lover's Leap, La Clusaz, and the Eiger North Face. McConkey tragically died during a ski BASE jump on the Sass Pordoi in the Dolomites in 2009.

Related: A Magic Carpet Journey To Remember—Skiing With My Young Kids for the First Time

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Through its Ales for Trails initiative, Long Trail Brewing has raised more than $15,000 in support of organizations such as Vermont Mountain Bike Association, Vermont Huts & Trails, and Vermont Greenways Council to build, maintain, and provide access to trails for all types of year-round recreation.

At the June 6th celebration, you can learn more about local trails, meet the folks behind Vermont's trail networks, make your own Trailmix bar, and indulge in Long Trail beers.

Long Trail will also have a limited-time return of Hit the Trail Brown Ale for the celebration.

'What does this have to do with skiing?', you might be wondering. The answer is not a thing! But trail organizations like VMBA, Vermont Trails & Greenways Council, and Vermont Huts & Trails help maintain access to public lands and foster more accessible outdoor spaces, which we can support as skiers.

Also, we'd be lying if we said a cold Long Trail after a day of skiing didn't hit!

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Finnish Ski Resort Hides $23,000 Worth of Gold for Summer-Long Treasure Hunt

The name refers to Levi’s northerly location. Perched just inside the Arctic Circle, the ski resort sees flashes of the northern lights overhead and, during the warmer months, exceptionally long days. It seems Levi is hoping the Midnight Sun Hunt will make visitors see why the area’s special, aside from just the skiing.

“Levi is known above all for its winter, but the northern summer is still undiscovered by many. We want to give travelers a new reason to visit Levi when the sun never sets, and the fell landscape reveals a completely different side of itself,” said Satu Pesonen, CEO of Visit Levi, in the release.

Fittingly, the event was put together in collaboration with Agnico Eagle Finland, a subsidiary of the Canadian gold-mining company Agnico Eagle Mines.

The organizers of the hunt asked participants to stay within permitted areas, respect nature and follow responsible outdoor practices. They said that finding the gold won’t involve any digging or disturbing the terrain, so you can leave the shovel and excavator at home. 

For the latest on the Midnight Sun Hunt, you can head over to the event’s website. Happy hunting! 

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Shaun White's Snow League Is Back: Here's When Season 2 Hits the Slopes

Alongside the new event in New Zealand and a new stop in Park City, The Snow League has also made some tweaks to the event format. Perhaps most notably, the freeski field will expand from 16 to 24 skiers for Season Two, allowing for greater depth of competition and a showcase of more halfpipe athletes.

Additionally, Season Two events will take place over three days, with a freeski and snowboard competition held every day to accommodate larger athlete fields. A qualifier round will take place on Day One, followed by quarterfinals on Day Two, and a semi-final and final on Day Three.

“Season One set the foundation,” said Shaun White in a press release, “with Season Two, we’re expanding and creating new ways for athletes to compete and for fans to engage. From launching The Snow League World Challenge to returning to some of the most iconic venues in the sport, fans should be really excited for what’s in store for Season Two.”

Season One of The Snow League was hallmarked by Brendan Mackay's 20.7-foot air out of the halfpipe, the head-to-head match-up of two of halfpipe skiing's leading women, Eileen Gu and Zoe Atkin, and a prize purse of more than $570,000 distributed across the freeski field.

Luke Harrold and Eileen Gu were crowned The Snow League World Champions at the end of the season and qualified for Season Two. Alongside Harrold, Brendan Mackay, Hunter Hess, and Gus Kenworthy all qualified for Season Two as well. In the women's freeski field, Gu will be joined by Amy Fraser, Svea Irving, and Rachael Karker as qualified athletes.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: A Magic Carpet Journey To Remember—Skiing With My Young Kids for the First Time

First off, you have Todd Jones, TGR’s co-founder, in the director’s seat. One of skiing’s most seasoned filmmakers, he’s been filming athletes for decades. A keen eye goes a long way, regardless of what equipment you’re using.

That’s not to say Valhalla Transmissions didn’t involve additional equipment, though. From the looks of it, the iPhone spent time attached to a drone, stood atop a tripod, and behind a hulking cinema lens. They didn’t—like most of us do—pull it out of their pockets and hope for the best. 

Still, it’s impressive what the iPhone could pull off.

“These things are pretty powerful,” noted Jones in the video. “They shoot ProRes Raw, which is the same file that all the big cameras shoot.”

While the iPhone 17 Pro may not replace dedicated videography cameras, the whole test showcases an ongoing shift in ski movie-making. In a relatively short period of time, camera options have gone from huge to sizable to surprisingly small. Higher-end GoPros—the tiny action sports cameras—are even viable in many contexts and can produce stunning results. Just look at HOTLAPS.

“We’re working in the mountains, we’re always trying to make our rigs smaller and more compact,” said Jones. 

That development is good news for the pros. For more casual skiers, though, it’s pretty neat, too. If you told someone thirty years ago that their phone could access the internet and shoot a quality ski move in skilled hands, they probably wouldn’t have believed you. 

Related: A Magic Carpet Journey To Remember—Skiing With My Young Kids for the First Time

The event marks another step in the remarkable turnaround of Cuchara. For the first time in more than two decades, the ski area’s Chair 4 opened this season, welcoming a new crop of visitors. That followed local efforts to make the mountain skiable again after its closure in 2000. Three years ago, a cat known as the “ski bus” started towing skiers up the mountain.

Now, Cuchara’s back in business in a more official capacity, filling the same niche as other humble-but-vital little ski areas across the continent. A pass for next season only costs $125.

Cuchara won’t be the only place to ski in Colorado in June. The backcountry remains an option, and Copper Mountain, despite the low snow year, has still built out its summer hike park with plans to open on June 5.

Outside of Colorado, Timberline Lodge in Oregon and Mammoth Mountain in California are still in business. Mammoth, after a few season extensions, is aiming to keep the season going until June 7, while Timberline will keep its lifts spinning further into the summer.

A few other ski areas are also holding similar events to Cuchara with leftover snow this month, like Jay Peak, Vermont, and Tyrol Basin, Wisconsin.

No one would fault you for grabbing your mountain bike, of course, but if you want to ski a bit more, you have options.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: A Magic Carpet Journey To Remember—Skiing With My Young Kids for the First Time

The town of Fraser began working with American Ramp Company in 2023 on the park's initial design, which was subsequently approved on July 17, 2024. Shortly after the project was put up to bid, Avid Trails was awarded the contract. Construction, with an estimated cost of $1.1M, began in July 2025 and took roughly 4 months. The bike park had a soft opening in October of 2025.

Funding for the project came from a $389,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado and a $250,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation's Revitalizing Main Street program. The town of Fraser also partnered with Headwaters Trails Alliance, Fraser Valley Metropolitan Recreation District, Fraser Valley Mountain Bike Alliance, and Skinny Traffic Trails on the project.

The Fraser Bike Park joins Trestle at Winter Park Resort as Grand County's second bike park. Trestle came to fruition in 2009, with help from the expert team of builders at Whistler Blackcomb on their inaugural project as the renowned trail-building company, Gravity Logic. Trestle is another key partner on the Fraser Bike Park project.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: A Magic Carpet Journey To Remember—Skiing With My Young Kids for the First Time

Robert C. Carroll, a member of the New York State Assembly, previously laid out how the two-region model might look in an op-ed. 

To start, how about ice skating in Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center?

“Those arenas could stage every indoor ice event, while iconic outdoor settings could push the boundaries of what a Winter Games looks like—Big Air at Citi Field or Yankee Stadium, or even a cross-country sprint through Central Park,” Carroll wrote. 

(For the record: Big Air in a baseball stadium isn’t as wild as it sounds. Years ago, skiers hit a towering jump in the middle of Boston’s Fenway Park.)

Then, of course, there’s Lake Placid, which last hosted the Winter Olympics in 1980, seeing the famed “miracle on ice” where U.S. hockey players defeated the Soviet Union in an upset and eventually went on to win gold. 

The Lake’s home to multiple well-preserved Olympic facilities, thanks to the Olympic Regional Development Authority, or ORDA. In 1980, Whiteface Mountain hosted the alpine skiing events.

As for building new venues, Hochul told The Athletic that “One never knows. This would be for later. It’s very early.”

Regardless, Carroll appears to be all-in.

“The Olympic flame should not stop at the Rockies,” he wrote. “It is time to bring it to New York.”

Related: A Magic Carpet Journey To Remember—Skiing With My Young Kids for the First Time

Some could say the first run was nearly a disaster. I might prefer adventurous. The reality may well be somewhere in between.

Regardless, I schlepped the little one (we call her Iggy) to a flat, snowy area by the magic carpet to set up camp, where I laid out our gear while four-year-old Ted was briefly on his own, front-pointing it up the steep cat track that led from our parked car to the base. Ted summited just behind us with only some misgivings. Then, by some stroke of luck, we managed to all get our skis and gear on. 

I then had to develop a technique on the fly for holding my beskied little one—still reeling from being forced into boots and skis—while simultaneously pushing Ted toward the magic carpet, a distance of thirty yards whose one-degree incline made it seem like a journey we might never cover, but persevere we did. We shuffled toward the conveyor, surrendered to its cycle, and were whisked to parts unknown. 

Ted stood on the magic carpet a few yards in front of us, looking for snowcats, while littlest Iggy stood between my legs. Our egress was comical; Ted went left, toward nothing, instead of right, toward the run. Iggy and I made it up to him, where I again nudged him onward, this time toward the run, with the help of the liftie, before I commanded him to follow his sister and me, and listen to each word I said.

As ever, sternness failed. Ted fell almost immediately into a contorted pile that would have blown both my knees. Shouldering my daughter, I sidestepped up to him, where I had to set Iggy on her side on the sloping ground for a moment while I helped her brother. She passed the thirty seconds wailing into the snow while I righted her brother.

Ted was again pointed downhill; Iggy was back in the saddle. And there the cosmos nudged me towards perhaps the best decision of my life; I capitulated and told Ted just to go. And off we went.

In a powerful snowplow, Ted led, making a trench of the bunny hill, arms flailing, with his sister in tow, herself with little skis now on the snow. At the bottom, stress had morphed into triumph—we were doing this. A chocolatey stroopwafel emerged from my pocket as a reward for the kids as we again hopped on the magic carpet, this time in redemption, but with a curious, even profound bent. “Where’d you get this?” Ted inquired of the baked good. “From the internet, buddy,” I enlightened him, only to be outdone by my philosophical young son.

“What’s the internet?” he replied. I didn’t have a good answer, except to say that maybe we’d get lucky and the whole thing would crash before he got too much older. A mom my age in front of us turned around, laughing at Ted, but with a serious point to make. “We should just take the whole thing down now,” she waxed. 

We had arrived. Wavelength tuned, universe aligned, we made three more runs, Ted leading each one, with me skiing behind with Iggy between my legs, where I entreated her to say ‘weeee’ at least once. And she did. And then we were done.

Just like anything in adulthood—or perhaps like life itself—it was all over as soon as we had started. All that was left was the beautiful feeling of having shared something so meaningful with my own children. Was it the best ski day of my life? It was definitely up there. And I hadn’t even made a single real turn myself.

On the car ride home, we returned a few books to the library that were weeks past due. I let Ted deposit them into the slot on his own as I tried in vain to get Iggy the Sleepy Stoic to smile one more time before nap. We then got into the car and headed for home.

“Where’s home?” Ted asked.

“You know!” I said, “over yonder,” pointing toward our house, just a few blocks over.

“What’s yonder?” the young philosopher inquired.

“It means somewhere far away from where you are now,” I replied.

The spirit of a local hill and a little adventure flowing through him, Ted then asked in the most poetic of ways to both go home and onward.

“Can we go yonder?” he asked. And we did.

About The Last Chair Column

This article was written by POWDER writer Jack O’Brien for his bi-weekly ‘Last Chair’ column. Click below to read the previous column, What Happens When You Take Skiing Too Seriously?

Related: What Happens When You Take Skiing Too Seriously?

In the past 24 hours, more than ten inches of snow have fallen on Sunshine. The storm was expected to produce another seven inches throughout the day on Monday. Stills from Sunshine Village’s webcams showed cloudy skies and flakes continuing to zip past.

Perhaps more important than this one-off storm, though, is what you can see in the background: it’s June, and vast stretches of the ski resort’s slopes are still covered in snow. 

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That’s an unusual sight given how many other ski resorts out West have fared this season, dealing with warm temperatures and little snowfall. It’s also the reason that, after having one of its snowiest seasons on record, Sunshine Village plans to reopen in the coming days. 

The resort first shut down on May 18 to free up time for maintenance and put an official bow on the 2025-26 season, but a second chapter is coming. Following a revival of summer operations in 2022—conditions permitting, of course—Sunshine Village will reopen this year on June 20 and stay open through July 5, 2026.

That’s set to include the Strawberry Express lift, which accesses a slew of beginner and intermediate runs. Another lift might be added depending on how the snow holds up.

As of now, things are looking good for the upcoming reopening.

“Going to make for some wicked good summer skiing!!” wrote one social media commenter, remarking on the latest look at the conditions.

Wicked good, indeed. The weather works in mysterious ways. While skiers in California or Colorado might be gazing jealously up north, we’re sure Sunshine Village locals have no qualms about beating the odds.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: What Does the "Super El Niño" Mean for Next Ski Season? Experts Weigh In

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“We won’t pretend this one doesn’t sting. This team pulled off something remarkable - opening the entire resort by Memorial Day weekend, the marina, the mountain, the golf course, all of it,” the resort wrote in a social media post. “The energy you all brought to that opening weekend reminded us exactly why we do this. To have this happen days later is a gut punch, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise.”

According to Tamarack, repairs were slated to begin on Monday, June 1. The installation is set to take three to five weeks, with a reopening of the Express planned between mid-June and early July. When the lift comes online again, it’ll spin seven days a week.

“To our team: thank you. To everyone who showed up opening weekend and has been patient since—thank you too. This mountain is better because of all of you,” Tamarack wrote.

Other summer activities, such as hiking, remain open. Tamarack also debuted a new marina on Lake Cascade with boat rentals and 100 slips. 

“This is the type of addition that continues to shape Tamarack into the kind of resort experience we’ve always envisioned,” said Scott Turlington, president of Tamarack Resort, in a release. “Creating more ways for our guests and homeowners to connect with the outdoors, whether on the mountain, the golf course, or now the lake, is what this place is all about.”

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: What Does the "Super El Niño" Mean for Next Ski Season? Experts Weigh In

Earlier this year, Powder Haven announced a $157 million expansion that would include two new chairlifts for the private sector of the mountain, a new clubhouse, and two new residential neighborhoods, Prado and the Chalets at Shelter Hill.

Powder Haven announced the expansion after selling all the units in the first neighborhood. The 34 additional units will be released to waitlisted buyers first. Homes in Powder Haven cost an average of $4 million, and owners are also required to pay annual membership dues of $25,000.

On the public portion of the mountain, a new lift, DMI, will open for the 2026/27 season, offering an additional 1,000+ acres of expert terrain. Powder Mountain notes DMI as one of many investments in the public part of the mountain, with more to come.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Late-May Snowfall Blankets Mount Washington In 4-Foot Drifts

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Aspen/Pitkin County Airport serves as a key conduit for skiers and others visiting the iconic and high-end town. 

When operating, its flights connect directly to major cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and Houston. From the airport, the town of Aspen and its accompanying four ski resorts are just a short drive away. 

During the closure, the airport is planning for a complete reconstruction of its runway to meet current FAA standards. The closure will also see the start of construction on a new commercial passenger terminal. That terminal isn’t slated to debut until 2029, though, well after Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is scheduled to reopen. In the meantime, the existing terminal will see continued use.

While the closure largely misses Aspen’s peak ski season window, local businesses are still preparing for a significant downturn in traffic, with more than 20 planning a partial or complete shutdown next year when the airport goes quiet, the Aspen Times reported.

Despite the lack of snow, Aspen remains popular in the summer.  

With Aspen/Pitkin County Airport out of commission, travelers can look to alternatives like Grand Junction Regional Airport and Eagle County Airport.

“Travelers are encouraged to plan ahead and utilize alternate regional airports,” noted Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. “More information about local ground transportation resources will be provided in advance of the 2027 closure.”

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: What Does the "Super El Niño" Mean for Next Ski Season? Experts Weigh In

One might expect the snow from a late-May storm to melt quickly, but according to a post by the Mt. Washington Observatory, it's still sticking around as of this morning, June 1, 2026.

"Frosty T. Snowman, sporting his nicest scarf," writes the Mt. Washington Observatory, "scratched a June bucket list item off by getting a picture taken by the summit sign this morning." Photo below.

Standing at 6,288 feet, Mt. Washington has recorded snowfall in every month of the calendar year, meaning snowfall at the end of May isn't that rare, but it's a moment worth celebrating for skiers longing for winter.

Temperatures are expected to rise back into the 50s and 60s on Mt. Washington by midweek. Soak in these snowy views while you can!

Related: What Does the "Super El Niño" Mean for Next Ski Season? Experts Weigh In

Pack Your Powder Skis, or Don’t

First, what is El Niño? 

The climate phenomenon is a phase in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. The cycle, which flip-flops on an irregular, multi-year scale, revolves around a patch of ocean in the equatorial Pacific.

The surface temperature of those waters sometimes rises or falls above or below average. When they’re warm for a long enough stretch—and the right atmospheric signals are in place—scientists announce that El Niño has come to town. The opposite is true of El Niño's sibling, La Niña. Both have documented impacts on U.S. winter weather patterns through a phenomenon called “teleconnections.”

It’s like “if you throw a rock into a lake, you would see ripples coming out from where the rock landed,” Aaron Levine, a research scientist at the University of Washington who studies ENSO, told me. 

Specifically, El Niño has a habit of boosting one of North America’s primary jet streams, the subtropical jet. This fast-moving river of air hovers miles above the ground and acts like a storm highway, steering weather systems across the southern half of the U.S.

Because of that influence, parts of the U.S. tend to have a wetter (read: hopefully snowier) winter during El Niño, especially in Southern California, the Southwest, and the Southeast U.S., explained Alan Smith, a meteorologist and the operations manager at OpenSnow, offering a broad overview.  

“On the other hand,” he continued, “you often get more high-pressure dominant patterns over the northern U.S. and Canada, so that can lead to winters that are favored to be warmer than average across the northern tier, and oftentimes drier than average, too.”

Meteorologists consider El Niño and La Niña valuable tools in the challenging game of longer-term thinking. They aren’t a wild shot in the dark, and they provide some clues as to how winter may pan out months in advance—without resorting to a Magic 8 Ball, that is. Chris Tomer, a meteorologist and name you might recognize because of his popular snow forecasts on YouTube, said ENSO is one of the first things he looks at when preparing a season outlook.

Forecasters don’t take these patterns as gospel, though, and you shouldn’t, either. Neither ENSO phase deals in certainties. Instead, it’s helpful to think of El Niño as a stacked deck put together by someone who hasn't quite mastered stacking decks.

“Everything’s a probability game in the world of meteorology and climate, and this is certainly one of those,” said Tomer.

Supercharged El Niño?

Not every El Niño is created equally. 

The Climate Prediction Center puts each in one of four buckets: “weak,” “moderate,” “strong,” and “very strong.” The last category means about the same thing as “Super El Niño”—it’s a big one, basically. However, official groups like NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization don’t use “super” to describe El Niño, as it's unscientific.

“We're just hearing the term ‘Super El Niño’ because that garners more interest,” noted Smith.

Each bucket on the Climate Prediction Center scale corresponds with sea surface temperatures. The warmer those temperatures get, the stronger a given El Niño is. To cross the “very strong” threshold, temperatures have to equal or exceed two degrees above average. 

Per the Climate Prediction Center, either a “strong” or “very strong” El Niño is the likeliest outcome this fall and winter, as of now. Some forecasts call for an unprecedented ocean temperature increase of three degrees. That's important because, generally, powerful El Niños hit the atmosphere harder, reinforcing the expected patterns.

In terms of the 2026-27 ski season, this could translate “to a greater chance that the storm track will shift to this more southern location for a greater percentage of the time in winter,” Levine said. “But,” he added, that doesn't necessarily mean “you're going to see a historic precipitation anomaly.”

Anomalous or not, precipitation can be fun for skiers. Without cold temperatures, though, storms are only an opportunity to test how waterproof your Gore-Tex is.

Tomer thinks there may be a problem with that next winter. With the current setup, he said, the lower 48 could be looking at a blanket of warmth. While Tomer seems bullish on above-normal precipitation in places like California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, he wondered about freezing levels, even as he acknowledged that temperature questions are difficult to answer at this point.

“​​When you really juice up the southern branch of the jet stream … you're just bringing in a ton of warm air into the country,” he said. 

The strength of this El Niño also isn’t a sure bet. While El Niño seems all but guaranteed, Levine carefully pumped the brakes on the supercharged buzz. He explained that in the spring, El Niño forecasts are at their least certain. In recent weeks, the Climate Prediction Center offered a similar sentiment, noting that “there is still substantial uncertainty in the peak strength of El Niño.”

Levine did concede that given the current conditions, there’s a reason for hype. But he said he would “tone back” on that hype a little bit. The question, then, doesn't seem to be whether an El Niño of any strength shows up—the Climate Prediction Center has pegged those odds above 90%—it's how intense that El Niño becomes.

Any discussions of ENSO will, as you can hopefully tell, be steeped in chaos, caveats, and qualifiers. Everyone I spoke with made that clear. And, of course, you have to take the time of year into account. Tomer doesn’t plan to publish an outlook for next winter until July at the earliest. Smith and OpenSnow are looking at August. We still have a long way to go before ski resorts announce their opening dates, let alone blow snow.

Still, I hoped, naively, to come away with something concrete. So, I put the question to Smith: Is there anything he could guarantee right now? He had an encouraging take. Perhaps unsurprisingly, though, it wasn't related to El Niño.

“Statistically speaking, it's very likely that this winter is going to be better than last winter, because last winter, at least from a West-wide perspective, was about as bad as it gets,” Smith said, laughing. “Having two winters in a row like that is extremely unlikely. So, I feel confident that this is going to be better than last season.”

Related: I Moved Away From the Mountains, But My Ski Dreams Won’t Let Me Go

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Electric Horseman—Sundance, Utah

The lowdown: A new alignment that expands upper mountain terrain.

Decades ago, the late, great Robert Redford starred in The Electric Horseman, a western flick about a cowboy who walks off with a stolen horse and gets into all kinds of trouble. As far as movie titles go, it’s a memorable one. It’s an even better moniker for a ski lift, though. What are lifts, after all, if not electric steeds?

That must’ve been the thinking over at Sundance, where, this coming winter, a new high-speed quad called the Electric Horseman is set to come online. This one’s a big deal for the ski area. Not only does the lift add another way to get up the mountain’s summit, but it’s also part of a terrain expansion with two pods that total 165 acres. The first stage opened during the 2025-26 season, while the next will open next winter. 

Oh, we forgot. There’s another layer to the Robert Redford callback that involves a well-known bit of ski lore. In case you missed it, Redford bought what would become Sundance more than 50 years ago, changing its original name, Timp Haven in a nod to his film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 

In 2020, Broadreach Capital Partners and Cedar Capital Partners took over. The new lift, though, is a welcome nod to one of skiing’s favorite actors and Sundance’s unique origin story.

DMI—Powder Mountain, Utah

The lowdown: A new lift that brings a sizable chunk of terrain officially into the fold.

Powder Mountain has spent far more time in the news than your usual ski area. A few years back, the Netflix billionaire Reed Hastings snapped it up, quickly debuting a blended private-public model that raised eyebrows and drew headlines. While the private side of the resort’s seen plenty of development in the Hastings era, the general public is getting some upgrades, too. 

That’s evident with the new Don’t Mention It, or DMI, lift. The fixed-grip triple accesses a tasty-looking chunk of terrain that, in the past, was reserved for guided trips. In total, the zone encompasses more than 1,000 acres, according to Powder Mountain—a number that includes lift and hike-to access.

“As a skier, it’s what you dream of: open glades, chutes, steep lines, it’s the perfect expansion for us, and it is all expert skiing. We can’t wait to hear the hooting and hollering as people drop in,” said Brandi Hammon, Powder Mountain’s president, in a press release earlier this year.

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Angel Express—Angel Fire, New Mexico

The lowdown: A darn fast lift that expedites frontside access at Angel Fire

Something big’s coming to New Mexico next winter. The Angel Express, the state’s first high-speed six-seater lift, is under construction at Angel Fire. The addition to the resort’s frontside climbs up from the base and deposits skiers at the mid-mountain. It’s aimed at the beginner and intermediate crowd, serving a network of gentler runs.

To make way for the new lift, Angel Fire bid farewell to Chair 2, an old workhorse that dates back to 1966. While locals might miss seeing Chair 2 around, parts from the retiree will be used to maintain other lifts around the mountain, like Lift 3 and Dreamcatcher.

Wild West Express—Powderhorn, Colorado

The lowdown: A sizable upgrade to a sleepy, lesser-known resort

Tucked away in western Colorado, Powderhorn is one of those resorts. You know, the kind without gargantuan condos but plenty of character? Part of that came from West End, an aging double that effectively provided access to half the mountain. 

As beloved as West End was, though, it finally came time for something new. Next winter, that’ll look like the Wild West Express, a repurposed high-speed quad from Snowmass. This’ll reduce the ride time, which, in the past, was the opposite of quick. West End was one of the longest fixed-grip lifts on the continent. That should tell you all you need to know. Here’s to a newer, speedier future.

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Homewood Gondola—Homewood, California

The lowdown: A win for a resort that’s seen a bumpy few years

After local outrage around privatization plans and a recent winter spent closed—it was a whole saga—Homewood got back to business this past season. (For the record: following the privatization controversy, Homewood reaffirmed that it would stay open to the public.) Instead of some celebratory powder turns, though, the resort—much like many other mountains in the West—dealt with a dry winter we’ll all remember for the wrong reasons.

Brighter things are on the horizon, though. Homewood’s planned gondola is officially in the works, with plans to have it up and running in time for the 2026-27 season. The eight-passenger ropeway replaces the Madden chair and fits into the resort’s master plan, which also includes a new mid-mountain lodge. It’s a significant change for Homewood, but the resort’s status as one of Lake Tahoe’s most picturesque haunts isn't going anywhere.

Related: I Moved Away From the Mountains, But My Ski Dreams Won’t Let Me Go

1. Timberline Lodge, Oregon

Projected Closing Date: TBD

Timberline has revealed that its ski season will most likely end in July instead of August this summer, but there's still plenty of snow to go around.

The resort will spin its famous high-alpine Palmer Lift daily with public ski lanes and terrain parks. The Freestyle Training Center opens on June 15, and Timberline has teased that its bike park and the Magic Mile Sky Ride will open early this summer.

Timberline is the best bet for summer skiing, no matter the year. Go for it.

2. Beartooth Basin, Wyoming

Projected Closing Date: TBD

Nestled high along the border of Wyoming and Montana, Beartooth Basin opened for its summer skiing season on Monday, May 25, 2026. Known as the United States' lone "summer-only" ski area, the destination has attracted offseason skiers for decades.

Beartooth stays open as long as conditions allow. Check the ski area's website or social media channels for updates.

3. Mammoth Mountain, California

Projected Closing Date: June 7, 2026

Just when we thought Mammoth Mountain had gone above and beyond to keep the ski season rolling, the resort surprised us all with a season extension into June.

Mammoth will remain open for daily skiing and snowboarding through Sunday, June 7, and 3-5 inches of fresh snow just fell on the resort earlier this week. What are you waiting for?

4. Banff Sunshine Village, Alberta

Projected Opening and Closing Dates: June 20 (open), July 5, 2026 (close)

Following a banner year that saw 869cm (342 inches) of snow, Banff Sunshine Village has announced an unprecedented summer ski season.

As you're reading this, the resort is currently closed, but it plans to reopen to the public on June 20, 2026, for 16 days of skiing and riding through July 5. Sunshine Village aims to open the Strawberry Express, and perhaps another lift, thanks to record snowfall.

If you enjoy unique ski experiences, consider booking a flight to Banff in late June or early July.

Related: Why Pro Skiers Are Flocking to a Power Plant in Copenhagen This June

A peek at Wach's instagram and anyone can see he's been making the most of a weird spring in the Cascades. Last winter, Wachs also released a film called Wavelengths where he spends a few days ticking off line after line on the Three Sisters, as well as skied in Alaska and Idaho.

The latest storm cycle moving through Central Oregon has brought buckets of rain down low, thunderstorms, and even a tiny tornado warning. Temperatures in Central Oregon are expected to heat up into some more summery conditions next week.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Amplified In the Lyngen Alps—The Power of Collective Progression

The mountain forecast shared by the Mount Washington Observatory seems a bit less bullish.

They said they expect Friday night “to provide 2 to 4 inches of snow at elevations in the 4000 to 5000-foot range, with 3 to 5 inches for the higher terrain.” Some models, they added, push the overnight totals closer to six inches for areas higher than 6,000 feet. Mount Washington stands just above that mark. The Observatory put the Saturday snow total at a trace to two inches.

This isn’t particularly unusual for Mount Washington. The peak averages around a foot of snow in May and has seen flakes during the summer. It’s known as having the “world’s worst weather.”

Regardless, the injection of chilly air could make for cool spring weather in some parts of New England this weekend. Boston, Massachusetts, is expecting a high of around 50 on Saturday, with a good chunk of the state dipping into the 40s during the afternoon, CBS reported. In New Hampshire, WMUR advised that it “will feel a bit like late winter or early spring on Friday night into Saturday morning.”

That’s thanks to a weather pattern called an Omega Block, which is pushing a low-pressure system over New England. Meanwhile, other parts of the continent, like Canadian prairies, have been dealing with hot weather.

Given the time of year, the prospect of high-elevation snow out East has less to do with skiers than hikers. It’s easy in May to get lulled into complacency, only to find yourself on a trail, cold and unprepared. The Mountain Washington Observatory shared some advice along those lines.

“While trailheads might look and feel more like spring, the higher you go, the colder, slicker, and wetter it will get,” they wrote. “Pack proper gear, including footwear with added traction, layers for variable conditions, and the 10 essentials.”

Related: Amplified In the Lyngen Alps—The Power of Collective Progression

Approval of this kind of plan—called a Ski Resort Development Plan, or SRDP—doesn’t give a green light for specific projects. They’ll still need to go through planning and review, including an environmental impact assessment and First Nations consultation, according to BC Parks.

But the SRDP does say which lifts would come first, breaking the improvements into phases.  

The first phase, which Mt. Seymour aims to begin within the next five years, includes two carpets at the base area. The second phase, Phase 1b, includes replacing the existing Brockton lift and installing a few new summit access lifts.

The Summit Chair would climb up the mountain, finishing near Brockton’s upper terminal, and would be accessed by the new Flower Chair and Access T-Bar. Alongside the Percy Chair, which is included in a later phase, the Summit Chair would provide steeper ski terrain at Mt. Seymour, according to the plan.

“The proposed advanced and expert ski terrain in the Summit and Percy pods is heavily weighted towards gladed skiing rather than traditional cleared ski trails,” the plan reads. “This is motivated by a desire to preserve forest values, especially old-growth values, and is supported by the relatively low tree density and wider spacing found in these areas, which is already conducive to skiing and snowboarding.”

The Percy Chair would stand outside Mt. Seymour’s current boundary. So would the last planned lift, the De Pencier. 

“Much of the ski terrain sits at a relatively high elevation, shaded from midday and afternoon sun, and is oriented to the east, limiting solar exposure and preserving the snowpack and snow quality,” reads the plan, also noting that as part of developing the De Pencier pod, Mt. Seymour would preserve and enhance an existing backcountry access trail in the area.

Mt. Seymour also has its eyes on summer activities like a via ferrata, disc golf, and glamping. “We want to diversify into summer to be resilient to the future,” the resort wrote.

This is only a quick overview of everything included in the wide-ranging SRDP. For more information, click here. If you have feedback on the plan, you can take an online survey published by BC Parks, which is open until June 26.

Related: Chairs From Historic, Decades-Old Colorado Ski Lift Head To Auction

Before the end of this season, when it was removed, the West End was Powderhorn’s oldest operating lift. Chair 1 predated it by a few years, but was decommissioned decades ago in 1987, according to LiftBlog. 

As for make and model, the West End is a Heron-Poma double. Heron Engineering was co-founded by Bob Heron, a ski lift pioneer and “sport builder” member of the Colorado Snowsports Museum Hall of Fame. Heron Engineering merged with Poma in 1970. While Poma lives on as Leitner-Poma, the Heron name was dropped.

Today, Heron-Poma doubles, similar to Riblet doubles, are a slowly vanishing breed. What they lack in speed, they make up for in charm and old-timey wistfulness. Change is inevitable, though, and I doubt the skiers at Powderhorn will mind having a newer, quicker ride, even if they miss what came before.

Construction on the Wild West Express is underway, with Powderhorn providing regular updates on its Instagram page. As of the latest update, the ski area said: “The Wild West Express is still mostly flags, forms, and lines on a map—but the future of Powderhorn is taking shape.”

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Why Pro Skiers Are Flocking to a Power Plant in Copenhagen This June

Despite thin coverage in some places, as is to be expected towards the end of the season, photos from Mammoth have things looking pretty darn wintery.

Mammoth announced earlier this week that it would extend its season until June 7th. While their announcement said "one more week of spring turns," knowing Mammoth, it's not closing day until it actually is.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Whistler Blackcomb Locals Raise Concerns About Ski Resort Safety Measures

Whistler Blackcomb declined to answer questions about the issue, according to the local outlet Pique. 

But in a statement, the resort’s COO, Belinda Trembath, said that “Our mountains welcome skiers and riders of all ages and abilities, and we are deeply committed to ensuring that every visit is enjoyable, comfortable, and safe.”

“We ask all guests to adhere to the Alpine Responsibility Code, and safety personnel reinforce this on our slopes,” Trembath continued.

Whistler Blackcomb is in touch with Williams, Pique reported.

Like many other destination resorts, Whistler Blackcomb has “slow zones” demarcated in yellow on its trail map. Per the map, these areas are monitored by members of the Mountain Safety Team.

Still, according to the petition, Whistler’s Emergency Department has seen a significant uptick in collision accidents over the past few years. It pointed to an op-ed also published by Pique, in which the writer described their husband—a ski instructor—being hit by a “guy just straight-lining it.”

The writer, Heike Stippler, pleaded with Whistler Blackcomb to do something.

“As a former employee, I’m not afraid to speak up louder, knowing that staff meetings bring this up again and again, yet nothing changes,” Stippler wrote. “The absolute lack of real action is astounding. We need more people with real power to pull passes, right away, and take people off the mountain for speeding out of control BEFORE these things happen.”

The petition, meanwhile, laid out several requests for Whistler Blackcomb, including adding more safety staff and strictly enforcing the Alpine Responsibility Code, a set of ten rules. The first is “Always stay in control. You must be able to stop or avoid people or objects.” 

The petition also proposed “speed traps” and suggested that Vail Resorts consider publishing accident data.

At the time of writing this, the petition has garnered more than 1,500 signatures. Several commenters have weighed in, some describing the injuries they suffered after skier collisions. 

Related: Why Pro Skiers Are Flocking to a Power Plant in Copenhagen This June

In a statement sent to the Oregonian, a spokesperson for Timberline noted that “Timberline has chosen to evolve its long-term approach to mountain access and guest experience in a way that better supports the resort’s long-term business viability and operational flexibility.”

Oregon had a particularly tough ski season during the 2025/26 winter, with many of the state's ski resorts receiving well below-average snowfall. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl had a record-short season, only opening for a few days. While Timberline Lodge is one of the only ski resorts in the country still open, the ski area has had to cut its famously long summer season short due to a lack of snow. The statement did not include any information on whether the change in plans was related to the lackluster winter.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: TGR Drops New Sammy Carlson, Kai Jones Edit Shot Entirely On iPhone

If you put this edit in front of me without telling me what camera was involved, I wouldn’t have guessed it was an iPhone. Admittedly, I don’t have the trained eye of a cinematographer, so that’s part of it, but the swooping drone shots and slow motion go a long way to cover up any possible shortcomings. Kai and Sammy’s skills help, too. 

This wasn't as simple as grabbing an iPhone and hoping for the best, though. For one, the footage you just watched was produced by skilled camera operators. If my math is right, Todd Jones, the director, has been pointing cameras at skiers since before I was born—he knows what he’s doing.

Additional gear, like the drone and maybe some other gizmos we don’t see on frame, also adds to the cinema-like quality.

Still, the fact that you can squeeze an edit like this out of an iPhone is impressive. You certainly couldn’t say the same about the Motorola Razr I had back in the day, although I wouldn’t mind seeing what would happen if you stuck that phone on a drone. 

The progress of phone cameras is made more evident by the new-ish zombie movie 28 Years Later, much of which was shot on an iPhone. Again, this involved all kinds of wild videography tricks, like big lenses, robotic arms, and a curved rig bristling with multiple phones. 

That’s all to say that making a movie or ski movie is easier than it’s ever been, and making ski movies is fun. If there’s one takeaway from Valhalla Transmissions, that should be it. These days, all you need to get started, really, is a little imagination and some stoked friends.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Paraglider Crash Lands Into Après-Ski Party, Tumbles Off Roof

According to @chrislifestyl, who posted the video, the paraglider thankfully turned out all right. 

“A paraglider suddenly flew directly toward a crowded après-ski party in the mountains and appeared to aim for a landing right next to the people,” the video’s description reads. “Everyone started reacting and laughing as the unexpected moment happened during the ski vacation. I recorded the funny scene on video. It wasn't a proper landing, but he is safe and doing well.”

That brings us to another point. Yes, sticking the landing would be cool. But rolling over—and falling off—a roof before walking away unscathed? There’s some appeal there, too. It’s not every day you get to meet someone who plunged out of the sky and lived to tell the tale, let alone share the dance floor with them. We're hoping this paraglider got their props after the snow settled.

They're also far from alone in botched, highly visible aerial landings. 

Not so long ago, a parachutist and former member of U.S. Army special operations went viral after crash landing on the scoreboard at a Virginia Tech football game. He spent about 30 minutes dangling in the air before being rescued. For him, it was one of countless jumps, showing that even when you’re an expert, things can always go south when parachutes are involved.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Destitute, Save For A Ski Turn

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In the statement they released on May 27, both via text and video, Pattie Gonia argues that the consequences of the lawsuit would take away their activism, career, and livelihoods of the team they employ. They also address claims made in Patagonia's statement, saying that they have never used the brand's logo, font, or anything from their brand and that the trademark application was filed not to compete with Patagonia, but to protect their own work, citing a similar scenario with another drag queen.

Pattie Gonia also calls out one of the more polarizing aspects of the lawsuit: both the drag queen and the outdoor brand have publicly taken stances on climate activism that are, in effect, two sides of the same coin. Notably, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard gave the company away in 2022 as a stance in the fight against climate change, transferring control to a "Purpose Trust." The brand memorably published a banner across their website stating 'Earth is Our Only Shareholder.' The company prides itself on its activism, including the more than $240M in contributions to environmental organizations and reinvested profits.

Wiley's drag queen alter-ego was born in 2018 when they donned a pair of high-heeled boots on a backpacking trip. Pattie Gonia quickly captivated an audience via social media by recreating in full drag, featuring creative and often up-cycled outfits. The quippy, humorous videos also drew in Pattie Gonia's now-massive following as they educated the world about climate change and gave tangible ways for folks to engage in their own climate activism. Pattie's work expanded from being an entertaining, informative, and LGBTQIA+ positive internet platform to a nonprofit that teaches allyship in outdoor spaces, a touring drag show, and a business that has employed more than 600 people.

Patagonia claims that they are not against art, creative expression, or commentary on the brand, but that in order to maintain their own rights, they have to be proactive about preventing others from copying their brand and logo. "To put a finer point on it, we cannot selectively choose to enforce our rights based on whether we agree with a particular point of view. Inconsistent enforcement might prevent us from stopping entities like the oil and gas lobby, counterfeiters, hate groups, or other bad actors from using the Patagonia name and logo," says the brand's statement.

Pattie Gonia stated in their video that they've spent the last four months pursuing every avenue to deal with the suit amicably and keep it out of court, but that the corporation had left them with no choice. Ultimately, Pattie Gonia's statements on social media support a letter to the brand's CEO, board of directors, and Purpose Trust trustees, asking them to drop the lawsuit, make peace, and return to their shared goal of saving the planet.

According to the lawsuit, a scheduling conference between Wiley and Patagonia, Inc. is currently set for June 8, 2026.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Destitute, Save For A Ski Turn

This isn’t your usual slopestyle competition with strict rules. Past events have seen skiers leaping over inflatable pools and sliding on rails hoisted in the air by their fellow competitors. If this rings any bells, it has some of the same flavor as the Orage Masters, a beloved but bygone event where silliness reigned. 

“Scandinavian Team Battle is about much more than skiing on plastic—it’s a celebration of ski culture, the city, and the local community,” said Jakob Ebskamp, event organizer and skier for Team Denmark. “I’m beyond stoked to once again welcome some of the biggest names in the sport to my hometown.”

Similar to last year, the organizers aren’t just inviting top pros. Anyone can enter a qualifier jam before the main event. If they win, they’ll earn a ticket to the big show, plus  VIP tickets to both the competition and the official afterparty. More prizes will be on tap throughout the day.

Teams

TEAM SWEDEN: Jesper Tjäder & TBD 

TEAM NORWAY: Robert Ruud & Mikkel BK 

TEAM DENMARK: Jakob Ebskamp & Gorm Garth-Grüner 

TEAM FINLAND: Harald Hellström & Anni Kärävä 

TEAM UNITED KINGDOM: Chris McCormick & Tom Greenway 

TEAM CANADA: Max Moffat & Mark Hendrickson 

TEAM QUALIFIER: To be announced at the qualifier competition

To stay up to date on the shenanigans, give our friends at Newschoolers a follow on Instagram. Or, check out the CopenHill page.

Related: Destitute, Save For A Ski Turn

The forecasters also advised that during this storm, freezing levels will be somewhat high, ranging between 6,000 and 9,000 feet. Still, the National Weather Service Reno said that on Wednesday morning, those freezing levels could dip as low as 5,000 feet, “creating slick travel over some Sierra passes.”

Snow isn’t the only thing going on in the atmosphere. The NWS Reno added that during the period of unsettled weather, there could be a few thunderstorms. 

Further south, the agency’s Hanford office cautioned that those thunderstorms could be strong, with “frequent dangerous lightning, small hail, brief heavy rainfall, & gusty erratic winds.” They’re possible during the afternoons and evenings through Thursday, according to the NWS.

If you’re hoping to do some hiking or camping, though, don’t fret—the cold shouldn’t last too long. After Thursday, warm, springy weather is in the forecast.

Mammoth is now the only open ski resort in California. Thanks to this latest surge of chilly weather, it announced another season extension, pushing its closing date to June 7. Previously, Mammoth planned to wrap up the season on May 31. The other hold-out, Palisades Tahoe, ended ski operations on May 24. 

Beyond California, just a few other options for lift-served skiing remain. Beartooth Basin, Wyoming, kicked off its summer season earlier this week. Timberline Lodge, Oregon, the famed summer skiing hotspot, is still in business. Sunshine Village, Alberta, plans to reopen for more than a week of skiing in June. 

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Related: Destitute, Save For A Ski Turn

A friend of Borkovec’s had caught wind that descents were possible on those free-heel rigs they were skiing. Soon, they possessed a grainy old photo of Stein Eriksen’s father using a genuflecting technique, showing the young skiers how free-heel equipment made for overland travel could be pressed into service for earning turns.

Borkovec and a cadre of Crested Butte skiers had rediscovered telemark skiing, just as other enclaves would do so independently in the Eastern Sierra, Vermont, and beyond. It was simple, really. And also revelatory. Using cross-country skis and three-pin bindings, they accessed the snowbound wilds. And with the lunging downhill technique, they could ski them, too. But the funky form of skiing Borkovec and his contemporaries stumbled upon would become something more. It would help start a movement; a rediscovery of an ancient form of skiing used in a new and exciting way, sowing the seeds of the modern backcountry craze. Multitudes took to telemark as the pious do scripture, framing their entire lifestyle while influencing movements to come.

Until each movement had come. And gone.

The generation now barreling into middle age–my generation–was one of the first to come about after the fall of discovery; of easier, if often falsely-defined firsts. By the time I made my way into this world via the cesarean method, not long after Black Monday, every book, rock & roll song, spiritual text, and even the math class-passed note had already been written, or was close to it. And every peak, slot canyon, far-flung mountain oasis, and revolutionary outdoor movement had been discovered, ogled, risen, and fallen.

My generation–the one that came up just after the fall but before the internet; amongst the pungent aroma of aging vinyl but before the scentless vapidity of social media–isn’t named the Greatest nor for any boom. We exist in a nether region of relevance; a waypoint between meaning and entropy. We’re amongst the first cohorts groping for purpose when all else seems to have been found before we ever had the chance to look. 

So instead of definitive firsts, we search for meaning in fastest known times and the irony of the first marathon run in ski boots. We tread over the same ground, but in a slightly different, sometimes sarcastic way. Because that’s what’s left.

But from the outdoors and beyond, we still do occasionally stumble upon something more. It’s in the icy, but steadfast method of the departed alpinist Marc-André Leclerc, who often told of his ascents–like soloing Cerro Torre or his Homeric climb of the megalithic Mount Robson–after he had quietly achieved them. It’s in the essence–no matter how antiquated–of buying a record player. It’s not just irony, but discovery. And like Leclerc, its meaning found in the style in which one takes to something.

And I found something new, something old, something all my own in the long, flailing, but strong sweet spot of a ski turn first made by Norwegian farmers in the dewy 19th century; the same turn that was rediscovered by a splinted college student who then ushered in a movement from an isolated mountain oasis. I found it in the telemark turn. 

Anachronistic as it may be, and certainly discovered well before my time, there’s something eminently personal, soulful, improvisational in the free-wheeling free-heel turn.

Where an alpine ski turn is marked by strength and precision, the telemark turn is something different. While using the same edged skis and sliding on the same snowy medium, the two-footed lunging turn is rhythmic in its lead change; a vulnerable moment in transition that gives telemark its bouncy cadence. It’s an exposed moment where neither edge is engaged; a brief, intoxicating spell where only gravity is felt.

The problem? You’ve already heard it all before. You dabbled in the free-heel turn when it could only be made on rugged cowhide boots and was only taken to by the most steadfast; when the mystique was building around something countercultural, off-center, weird. You were there when the first plastic boots instigated a craze. You felt the boom; when backcountry skiing was synonymous with telemark, when anyone with an iota of might, ability, or even pride donned free-heel bindings, because that’s what true skiers did then. And you saw the bust; the ascendence of alpine touring gear that dealt free-heel a mortal blow, when the anti-telemark jokes became ski town canon. You were there when Telemark came and went; I don’t have to tell you. 

Like so much else, it seems it’s all already happened. Not just in climbing, or mountaineering, or moving West. Even in the quiet realm of a ski turn most don’t understand, one that had fallen into obscurity. Every rock, so it seems, had already been overturned.

But something was left. It didn’t come from the post-ironic moment we now live in, where everything seems an opportunity for a joke; where the kernel of genuineness is buried impossibly deep. And it came not from nostalgically escaping into the past, where many heroes live, but whose influence and movements are now irrelevant save for misty-eyed recollection. It came from within, and it was the rediscovery of what we lose when the world seems without opportunity, driving many to jaded irony in the first place. 

What was waiting to be rediscovered was earnestness.

In Telemark, I found a continuity with what seemed like the idealistic before times, but more so, something all my own. And it pressed me toward seeing discovery in a new light. Highly personal? Yes. But able to penetrate through the jaded veil of irony and cynicism? Absolutely. And, perhaps more than anything, it showed that the past is no better or worse than our own moment. 

For those prone to thinking (perhaps in my case, over-thinking, even criticizing), especially in this modern outdoor world we inhabit, that isn’t always an easy feat. Perhaps make that double for an aspiring writer such as myself. In this world, one isn’t just navigating their own prose but a tangled outdoor world ever subject to the muddying effects of the digital age.  

Every webpage, affiliate link, and post can seem like a fallen wasteland of idealism, but somewhere the soul lives on; many a brave individual eschews the standard route we are presented in favor of something else.

And a free-flexing, lunging turn–especially its vulnerable changing of leads, taken to at speed and with a prayer–showed me that. Dancing with gravity, lonely and free, telemark grants that discovery–at least in microcosm–in every turn, one that ever looks the same but is somehow different from the last. Siddhartha’s river, flowing on.

Destitute, save for a telemark turn? No, not quite, it turns out. More so shaken from a negative haze by a trivial, yet immensely meaningful action, perhaps not unlike one Rick Borkovec was; perhaps not unlike the many who came before us in what seem like more idealistic times. 

What if our own era could tap more into optimism, reminded in body and soul that discovery lies in wait for each generation? Like many things, it’s not what the act itself is, but more so what it shows the actor. That in a world where so much appears off or gone or already discovered, meaning remains, just waiting to be found.

About The Brave New World of Skiing Column

This article was written by POWDER writer Jack O’Brien for his bi-weekly ‘Brave New World of Skiing’ column. Click below to read the previous column, ‘The Tangled Dance of Skiing’s Happy Hour Heroes‘.

Related: The Tangled Dance of Skiing's Happy Hour Heroes

Ski Resort Snowfall Totals May 27-29, 2026

• Northstar: 1 inch
• Palisades Tahoe: 1-2 inches
• Sugar Bowl: 1-2 inches
• Heavenly: 2-3 inches
• Mt. Rose: 3-4 inches
• Kirkwood: 4-5 inches
• Mammoth: 5-7 inches

Storm Timing and Discussion

The first wave is already underway around Tahoe and the northern Sierra, while Mammoth fills in more strongly through Wednesday and Thursday. The individual models converge well on timing, keeping showers active through Thursday night before a Friday morning to early afternoon taper, but they diverge on intensity in the southern Sierra; a wetter outlier pushes Mammoth much higher, while the rest of the guidance still keeps Mammoth favored but more modest. That spread supports Mammoth as the top target without chasing the biggest outlier number.

The guidance is mostly aligned with rising snow levels and limited wind impact. Snow levels start near 6000-7000 feet across Tahoe and the Sierra, then lift toward 7000-8000 feet Thursday and locally 8000-9000 feet late in the storm. Kirkwood, Mt. Rose, and Mammoth hold the colder profiles, while lower Tahoe bases may see wetter snow or limited accumulation. Winds are not the primary problem, but gusts in the teens to low 20s around exposed Tahoe ridges could make the light totals feel more variable; Mammoth's Thursday snow looks moderate-density with manageable wind.

Confidence is strongest from Wednesday morning, May 27, through Friday afternoon, May 29. Within that period, published totals favor Mammoth at 5-7 inches, Kirkwood at 4-5 inches, Mt. Rose at 3-4 inches, and Heavenly near 2 inches, with the rest of Tahoe generally 1-2 inches or less.

Extended Outlook

After the Friday taper, the pattern turns much warmer and mostly dry through the weekend and early next week, with only a weak chance for isolated afternoon showers. Snow levels climb well above the ski terrain as the region warms, and the longer-range signal favors above-normal temperatures with near-to-below-normal precipitation for California, so the late-May refresh should fade quickly on solar aspects while high shaded terrain preserves it best.

Related: Want To Ski In June? Mammoth Just Extended Its Season, Again