National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
November 2021
POWDR to Offer Express Lift Access Upgrade. POWDR is launching Fast Tracks, a daily ticket or season pass upgrade option for express lift access via dedicated lanes at four of its resorts: Copper Mountain, Colo., Killington, Vt., Mt. Bachelor. Ore., and Snowbird, Utah. Fast Track passes will start at $49 per day, but the pricing will vary by resort and be dynamic based on peak periods. More. SAM
Fast Tracks Raises Storm of Controversy, POWDR Responds. After POWDR launched its new Fast Tracks pay-for-faster-lift-access program, reaction from skiers and snowboarders was swift—and largely negative. In response to the feedback, POWDR posted “A letter to the community regarding Fast Tracks” from co-presidents Wade Martin and Justin Sibley. More. SAM
Challenges Ahead for Sierra-at-Tahoe Recovery After Fire. Significant damage sustained from the Caldor Fire—a 221,000-acre conflagration that tore through the Tahoe Basin in late August and September—will impact operations at Sierra-at-Tahoe for the coming season, according to the latest from the resort. More. SAM
Sunday River to Install Eight-Passenger Lift. Sunday River, Maine, will install a new Doppelmayr D-Line eight-passenger bubble lift for the 2022-23 winter season. It will be the third lift of its kind in North America, all of which are at Boyne Resorts-owned properties—Big Sky Resort, Mont., installed the Ramcharger 8 in 2018, and Loon Mountain, N.H., debuts the Kanc 8 this winter. More. SAM
Boyne Resorts Buys Shawnee Peak (ME). Transition of the resort’s ownership has begun immediately, with all Shawnee Peak team members being retained under Boyne Resorts’ ownership. More. SAM
Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah, Announces Extended Lift Opening Times. Starting in mid-December, select chairlifts will have extended lift hours on weekends and holidays, opening an hour early. Then, in mid-March, lift operations for the whole mountain will “spring ahead” with daylight saving time all lifts will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day through the end of the season. More. SnowBrains
PSIA-AASI and Women of Winter Launch Scholarship Program to Drive Inclusivity. The Professional Ski Instructors of America and American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) and Women of Winter are hosting instructor training and certification events for Black, Indigenous, Women of Color that will encourage and support Women of Color to pursue opportunities to teach skiing or snowboarding. More. SnowBrains
Norwegian Archaeologists Uncover 1,300-Year-Old Ski Preserved in Ice. The ski, uncovered with its primitive binding still attached, is the best-preserved prehistoric example to date. More. Ski Magazine online
AccuWeather Releases 2021-22 Winter Forecast. If you’re not overwhelmed yet by winter forecasts (NOAA, Old Farmer’s Almanac, Farmer’s Almanac, Direct Weather), AccuWeather’s meteorologists have just released their winter forecast. More. SnowBrains
Top Five Ski Apps for the Winter Ahead. Here are some of the apps the folks at GetSkiTickets found most useful for keeping track of each other, keeping track of the runs skied, and ultimately, keeping track of who has earned the bragging rights on a blower day. More. GetSkiTickets.com Ed. Note: I can vouch for Open Snow. Local forecaster Bryan Allegretto sends a detailed Tahoe forecast every morning during the season.
The 11 Best Ski Towns in the U.S. What makes a great ski town? Obviously, the slopes, but it also needs to have a great village with shops, restaurants and activities, plus great accommodations. Pure Wow’s top picks. More. PureWow.com via NBSWR’s Facebook page.
Ski Fashion through the Decades. Having really only sprouted legs in the US after WWII ended in 1945, skiing is still pretty young. Despite its youth, the sport/lifestyle that we know and love has gone through many phases of fashion. Here’s a rundown of the major trends of each decade starting all the way back at the turn of the 20th century when skiing was focused primarily in Europe. More. GetSkiTickets.com
Volunteer Opportunities
Donate Your Used Gear to Help Others Experience the Outdoors. Your used gear can help fund outdoor experiences for children and adults with disabilities. More. Ski Magazine online
One Warm Coat provides free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability. Through their Coat Drive Program, nearly 4,000 volunteers organize coat drives and collect and distribute more than 500,000 coats each year in local communities within all 50 states. They have invited NSCF council and clubs to participate by making the information available or to organize a coat drive to benefit a local charitable organization partner. One Warm Coat
