Get ready to make tracks to the ski show! (Free Tickets-Limited Time)
Some of the SeniorsSkiing team at the Snowbound Expo in 2024.
Get ready to make tracks to the ski show!
Our friends at the Snowbound Expo have proven they can produce the finest ski & snowboard show in the Northeast, perhaps the country. People sometimes ask me why I go? For a lot of reasons. Some psychological, some economic.
Psychologically, it’s good to be among so many people who are excited about and anticipating the coming season. It stirs the carve junky in me. I know I’ll be on snow somewhere in just weeks. That motivates me to increase my workouts (you never really know just how much gas is in the tank until the first run!) and prep the gear.
Economically, there’s gold at the show. There are more promotions than you can count. Resorts will update you about their latest improvements to their lodges, lifts, snowmaking and terrain. They’ll be selling gift-cards, ticket packages and season passes at the lowest prices of the year. If you’re lucky, you may win free tickets or passes in a raffle or by spinning a prize wheel. Chachka is everywhere. Stickers, bottle openers, keychains, goggle wipers, lift ticket clips, ski straps, hats, trail maps, water bottles, bandanas and more await you collectors of ski memorabilia.
On the gear side you’ll find close-out deals on last year’s brand-new skis, boots and bindings. It’s an excellent time to add a specialty pair to the quiver. Get that soft snow or ice ski you’ve had your eye on. You’ll also find manufacturer’s promoting their newest equipment. Get up to speed on the latest ski and boot technology designed to make your day on the hill a little easier and a little more fun. You’ll also find great deals on every kind of clothing. It’s the perfect time to update your look or add to your layers. Perhaps most importantly, there’s no better time to outfit the kids!
The show always presents a stellar line-up of guest speakers. This season will feature:
Zeb Powell, the first Black athlete ever to win Gold at the Winter X-Games.
Donny Pelletier is Maine’s finest athlete (just ask him), Donny is a legendary figure in the New England ski scene, known for his fearless style, unmatched confidence, and off-the-cuff commentary on ski culture.
Amie Engerbretson is a professional skier, producer, and host who has built a dynamic career blending adventure and media. From the slopes of Palisades Tahoe to starring in films with Warren Miller Entertainment and Teton Gravity Research, her expertise is unmatched.
Rob Roethler is a Burton Snowboards team rider. He’s known for his effortless rail tricks, bold park spins, and a fearless approach to filming in diverse terrains
Mardi Fuller is a lifelong backcountry adventurer. in January 2021 she became the first known Black person to hike all 48 of New Hampshire’s high peaks in winter.
Lj Henriquez was born in Brooklyn & raised in the Garden State; Lj Henriquez has emerged as one of the top talents coming out of the area. From an early age of 3 Lj discovered his passion for snowboarding, and since then he has been carving his way through the competitive snowboarding scene with dedication and flair.
We’ve been allocated 100 free tickets to be used by September 14th, and you can redeem yours by using the code SRSKIING at checkout on snowboundexpo.com/tickets or via this direct link: https://snowboundexpo.seetickets.com/event/snowbound-expo-2025/menino-convention-exhibition-center/3389718?OfferCode=SRSKIING
If you’re too late, you can get discounted $10 3-day passes and $5 day tickets using the code SRSKIING10 before September 30th here: https://snowboundexpo.seetickets.com/event/snowbound-expo-2025/menino-convention-exhibition-center/3389718?OfferCode=SRSKIING10
Check out the action and whet your appetite for carving, shredding, and floating, whichever works for you. If you want to try out new experiences, you won’t want to miss the indoor mega slope, Gilson rail jam, Ikon Pass Après Ski & Beer Gardens. There is much more to be announced in the lead-up to this huge community meet-up – stay tuned! For a full description of the show and everything happening there please visit https://snowboundexpo.com.
What’s Been Happening in Ski Country Since Mud Season
Credit:Bruno Giuliani
While you’ve been busy the last few months layering on the SPF, firing up the grill and dreaming of snow, you might have missed a bunch of news from ski country. Here’s what’s interesting and important intel since snow season turned into mud season from some of the many sources I follow year-round, to keep you up to date.
First, congratulations to two winners –
Bode Miller has just been inducted into United States Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame. Miller, who grew up skiing and racing in New Hampshire, is a six-time Olympic medalist and five-time World Championships medalist, and has 33 World Cup wins and two overall World Cup titles. Jannik Sinner became the world’s top tennis player when he won at Wimbledon in July. He was also a champion skier on the youth team where he grew up in the Italian Alps. Sinner told Powder Magazine how skiing made him a better tennis player.
Ski Jumping World Cup at Lake Placid
Tickets are on sale now for the International Ski and Snowboard (FIS) Ski Jumping World Cup returning to the Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex on December 12-14. The event will bring together the world’s top male and female ski jumpers for three days of competition on the HS 128 large hill, with individual events and a mixed team competition. Women’s World Cup ski jumping made its U.S. debut in February last season on the same hill in Lake Placid. The event made further history when a grassroots effort made it possible to award equal prize money for the women’s jumpers, marking a significant step toward gender equality in professional ski jumping. Lake Placid is the only North American stop of the 2025-2026 World Cup season. It’s happening during a break in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games from February 6-22 (ski jumping, Feb. 9-16) in Italy. This marks the fourth consecutive season that Lake Placid has hosted an FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. The men’s tour returned to the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid in 2023 after a 33-year hiatus and again in 2024, before the historic World Cup in February 2025 that included women. More information or to purchase tickets: Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex
Palisades Tahoe New Base Area
The massive planned base area development at Palisades Tahoe looks like it finally will go forward, now that the resort and two Tahoe-area environmental conservation groups agreed to various reductions in scope. The agreement ends a 14-year legal battle that has delayed the project from breaking ground. According to the industry magazine Ski Area Management, which I follow regularly for all its insider intel, the agreement downsizes the plan substantially, including a 40 percent reduction in total bedrooms, a 20 percent reduction in total commercial space and eliminating an indoor waterpark within the village area. The agreement also creates a conservation easement for two lots at the base of Shirley Canyon that were slated for development but will now be forever preserved for trail access and recreation. And, it prevents additional development within the village plan boundary for 25 years.
Small Colorado Town Buys Eldora
The small town of Nederland is purchasing local favorite Eldora from multi-resort operator Powdr, which will continue staffing and operating it for two seasons, to ensure a smooth transition. Part of the agreement is to keep Eldora on the Ikon Pass, which the official Nederland town website says provides “a stable revenue stream and keeping that as a part of the funding is essential to the financing plan.”
Taos Ski Valley New Lift and New RFID Gates
Lift 7 is being replaced, and the new high-speed version is expected to be open for the new season. You can own a piece of Taos history – and support the next generation of skiers and boarders – by purchasing a retired chair. All proceeds support the UPLIFT Youth Fund. Also new for next season is RFID gates. No more taking your pass out of your sleeve or from around your neck. The new system also makes online purchases, including reloading a pass, more efficient. See you on the slopes!
What’s New Since Mud Season – Part Two
So much has happened at our favorite resorts since the spring meltdown known as mud season and the glorious green summer that we have a two-parter “what’s new” for you. Here’s what else you need to know beyond Part One –
Solitude’s Ski Patrol Unionizes
It’s a first, and could be the start of a trend.
After more than a year of talks with resort owner Alterra, Utah’s Solitude Ski Patrol Union (SSPU) ratified a contract over the summer for better pay and benefits and improved working conditions.
The agreement is effective for the upcoming 2025/26 and following 2026/27 season and provides a starting wage of $24 per hour, which is 10% more than before the contract. Full-time patrollers also get a $100 monthly stipend for healthcare and $1,300 a season for equipment. The contract also includes an increased budget for training.
Alterra purchased Solitude in 2018 and currently owns 12 US resorts, including Steamboat, Mammoth and Palisades Tahoe. Some observers predict the Solitude contract will inspire patrollers – and perhaps also instructors – to do the same at other Alterra-owned areas. And perhaps also those owned by Vail. Stay tuned.
Near-Record Season for Utah
Ski Utah – the trade association which represents 15 Utah resorts – reports last season set a near-record, with 6,503,635 skier visits. While that’s down 3.6% from the 2023/24 season, it is the third-highest number of skier visits in state history and a 3.3% increase over Utah’s five-year average.
The numbers reflect the continued strength and resiliency of Utah’s ski industry, even in a year with more variable weather patterns.
“To hit our third-best season ever and generate $2.51 billion for Utah’s economy is a major win,” said Nathan Rafferty, President and CEO of Ski Utah in a press release. “The ski industry in Utah supports approximately 25,000 jobs, and with the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on the horizon, the eyes of the world will be on us once again. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and grateful to all who helped make this season a success.”
Colorado Resorts Also Reports Near-Record
Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) – the trade association for 21 Colorado resorts, reports skier visits of 13.8 million for the 2024-25 season. That’s also the 3rd highest for skier visits and highlights ongoing enthusiasm for skiing and snowboarding in Colorado.
The press release we received highlights these upgrades last season –
Eldora opened its new Caribou Lodge, a multi-use facility that now houses Ignite Adaptive Sports, reinforcing the resort’s ongoing support for adaptive snowsports on the Front Range.
Ski Cooper prioritizes value this season, with $45 midweek lift tickets and all non-peak days priced under $100.
Aspen Snowmass hosted the debut of The Snow League, the first professional snowboarding league created by legendary snowboarder Shaun White.
Arapahoe Basin welcomed the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA), drawing top freeride athletes to one of Colorado’s most challenging venues.
Copper Mountain hosted the X Games Street Style Pro and the USASA National Championships.
Whiteface Joins Mountain Collective Pass
The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) announces that Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, N.Y., has joined the Mountain Collective Pass, as the newest addition to an alliance of 27 destinations across five continents.
The pass provides skiers and snowboarders with two days at each participating resort, plus 50% off all additional days, with no blackout dates, and expands pass reach in the Northeast and adds a destination known for its Olympic legacy and the greatest vertical drop in the East. The Full Season Pass provides unlimited access to Whiteface, Gore, and Belleayre in New York.
Mountain Collective also includes eastern resorts Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine, and Le Massif de Charlevoix and Bromont in Quebec. The western U.S. and Canada include Alta, Aspen Snowmass, Banff Sunshine, Big Sky, Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin, Panorama, Revelstoke, Snowbasin, Snowbird, Sugar Bowl, Sun Peaks, Sun Valley and Taos. World travelers can use the pass in the French Alps (Chamonix and Megève), Japan (Niseko United), New Zealand (Coronet Peak & The Remarkables), Australia (Mt Buller) and Chile (Valle Nevado).
Currently priced at $669 USD, the Mountain Collective pass can pay for itself with visits to just two destinations.
See you on the slopes!
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