March 2022

IKON Pass Adds Partner Resorts, Pass Options for 2022-23. Alterra Mountain Company unveiled the details for its 2022-23 Ikon Pass, which includes new pass product options, new partner resorts, and changes to access for several destinations. New partner resorts include Sun Valley, Idaho, and Snowbasin, Utah—which are defecting from Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass—and Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley in France. More. SAM

Mountain Collective Shuffles Partners for 2022-23. The Mountain Collective will include 22 destinations for the 2022-23 season, as Snowbasin, Utah, and Sun Valley, Idaho, return to the group, and Mammoth and Palisades Tahoe, Calif., and Sugarbush, Vt., withdraw. More. SAM

Indy Pass Holds Prices for 2022-23, Introduces Mega Switch Pass. Pricing for 2022-23 Indy Pass products will not increase from 2021-22, but new this year is a $20 discount incentive for mega pass holders to switch to Indy Pass. All 82 current resort partners are expected to return next season. A final resort roster with blackout dates will be released May 1. More. SAM

Big Sky Resort Announces New Tram, Gondola, Midmountain Sports Center. Big Sky Resort will add a new gondola from its base area, sports center, restaurant venues and a new tram to the top of 11,166-foot Lone Mountain as the final phase of its 10-year, $150 million expansion plan. More. Billings Gazette via Inntopia | Destimetrics

Snowbird to Get New Trams, First in the United States with Rooftop Balcony.  Snowbird will upgrade its Aerial Tram with new Doppelmayr cabins this spring. The cabins, which will feature a summer rooftop balcony and glass floor panels, will be the first of their kind in the United States. More. SAM

Alterra Plans $344 Million in Capital Improvements. Alterra Mountain Company plans to invest $344 million in capital improvements for winter 2022-23, its biggest single year investment since the company was formed. More. SAM

Sunlight is First Colorado Resort to Join Indy Pass. Sunlight Mountain has become the first Colorado ski area to join the Indy Pass. For the remainder of winter 2021-22 and the entire 2022-2023 season, Indy Pass holders will get two days at Sunlight with no blackout dates. More.

Alpine-X Proposes Second Indoor Ski Area for Texas. Alpine-X, a Virginia-based developer with plans to build 20 indoor snowsports resorts across North America, has signed a letter of intent to co-develop its second location in Texas. Its flagship indoor resort, projected to open in early 2025, is in its first phase of development in the Washington D.C. area. More. SAM

Vail Resorts Sold a Record Number of Passes. Now Their Ski Areas Are Facing a Logistical Nightmare.

Employees fear the corporate behemoth bit off more than it could chew, while pass holders cry foul about overcrowding and reduced hours. More. Outside Magazine via Inntopia | Destimetrics

FIS Cancels All Forthcoming 2022 World Cup Events in Russia, Including Ski Cross and Aerial Events. The international sporting federation for Ski and Snowboard competitions announced on Feb. 25 the cancellations of all World Cup events in Russia through the rest of the 2022 season including the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup in Sunny Valley, Russia. More. SnowBrains

Black ski groups descend on Snowmass to promote camaraderie, inclusion in the ski industry.  The skiing and snowboarding industry has historically been dominated by white and male participants, but industry leaders in Colorado are ramping up efforts to bring, especially, first-time skiers and snowboarders of color to their mountains. They said they want to make it more reflective and inclusive of all Americans. More. Colorado Sun via Google Alerts

America’s Birthplace of Organized Skiing is in Michigan, Here’s What It Looks Like. More than a century ago, local businessmen and skiing enthusiasts took steps to organize the National Skiing Association in Ishpeming, Michigan. As a result, the region is credited as the birthplace of organized skiing in America, and home to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. More. NPR

The Five Scariest Lifts in the World. Some lifts are scarier than others, and that should be recognized.  Whitelines.com put together a list of the 5 scariest lifts in the world, along with some details as to why each lift is great at raising the hairs on the back of your neck. More. SnowBrains

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