A Comprehensive Tour of Sugarbush’s Expert Castlerock Zone
Castlerock has it all—steeps, rocks, cliffs, and even some trails so tight they mandate near-perfect technical precision. In this video, we give you a tour of the trails that make up what’s arguably Vermont’s hardest terrain zone.
Learning to Ski or Snowboard: Beginner-Friendly Destination Resorts
If you choose not to learn locally—or don’t have the option to—these resorts offer some of the best beginner bargains and general learning experiences out there.
One-Third Of Resorts Earn the Same Score for Mountain Aesthetic. It’s Time for a Splitter.
We’re splitting our ‘8’ score for Mountain Aesthetic into two, with most resorts seeing a score change as a result.
Sugarbush Unlikely to Spin Slide Brook Express Quad This Season
The Slide Brook Express is the world’s longest chairlift, providing the only lift connection between the Vermont resort’s Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen sides.
State of 2021-22 Ski Resort Operating Plans, Opening Dates, and Updates
In the wake of the rapidly spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant, several resorts have added new mask mandates. No outdoor capacity restrictions have been reinstated as of yet.
State of 2020-21 Resort Operations
With COVID-19 cases continuing to persist across North America, we’re seeing some resorts tighten capacity restrictions or push back openings, either voluntarily or by state mandate. As you debate whether to book a trip this season, we’ve decided to aggregate all we know in one place.
Sugarbush and Stratton Open for the Season Today, Homewood Opens Tomorrow
Vermont’s Sugarbush and Stratton opened today, December 10, after several delays amidst unfavorable weather. Tahoe’s Homewood opens tomorrow, December 11. At this point, the North American ski areas that haven’t opened yet are mainly local, regional hills.
California Bars Day-of Ticket Sales at Ski Resorts This Season
To limit mountain capacity and discourage last-minute traveling, California will no longer allow resorts to sell day-of lift tickets this season. Resorts are also asked to limit parking to ticket and pass holders only.
Many Holdout North American Destination Resorts to Open This Week, Parking Reservations at Copper and Snowbird Already Filling Up
By the end of this week, most of the resorts we’ve reviewed will be open for the 2020-21 season. With COVID-19 still a factor, we’ve detailed the access information for each of these mountains here.
Alterra Releases 2020-21 Lift Ticket and Ikon Pass Reservation Policies (Many Resorts Don’t Require One)
Alterra released their initial ticket and pass policies for the upcoming winter today. Many Ikon resorts, including the overwhelming majority of unlimited destinations, will not require reservations. However, multi-day pass products for Alterra-owned mountains will be severely limited.