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The cold Pacific currents that run from the North to the South keep water temps pretty cool/cold year round - rarely gets above 60f in SF. Even LA is not that warm. (Meanwhile you can hit 70f+ in the shallows of Cape Cod Bay or Nantucket Sound in New England. Similar Oregon latitudes are...

I also have an issue with ski areas connected by a horizontal ski lift - identifying as a single resort. To me, the connection seems a bit artificial. And others that are just marketed as one area despite not being connected. In North America: Whistle (It's really Whister + Blackcomb...

After skiing Grands Montets (1 day) and Zermatt (3 days) in mid/late April 2018, I was able to extend my trip and added Les Arcs/La Plagne (1 day) and Val Thorens (3 days). The 3 Vallees closed for the season during my stay (Meribel and Courchevel), but Les Menuires remained opened. It barely...

There used to be Telemark sections of some more BC-focused ski shops, selling boots, bindings, and skis. I do not see these sections anymore. The Alpineer on Colorado Ave, Telluride, and Alpineer Crested Butte had a lot of tele gear. AT equipment has taken over that 'shelf space.' Also...

This storm caused a lot of snow in the North and Northwest Alps. It was weird weather—two massive April warm-ups. And at least two or three dumps. Val Thorens looks like it might have almost received a meter over the last couple of days.

I think a four-area count is fair. Les Menuires is definitely different from Val Thorens. You can buy a pass for Les Menuries only—even just 37 Euros on Saturdays. Pointe de la Masse is not part of Val Thorens. https://www.skipass-lesmenuires.com/en/ James seems to think Solitude and...

Maybe the purpose-built French resorts can be more lacking since their summer/shoulder season business is a lot less. Austria and Switzerland resorts can be a bit monotonous ingredient-wise, but those near the Italian border are generally better. Chamonix, Zermatt, and, to a lesser extent, Val...

It's a tragic loss—Anchor Brewery and Anchor Steam Beer are gone! They definitely led the rise of Microbreweries in the 1980s and 1990s. It was kind of a perfect storm: Companies that made much of their revenue from on-site sales saw that business dry up. In that situation, it was impossible...

Gran Becca Race - Gone! Suprised - Solden could easily suffer the same problems in October (like this year). After two failed attempts to stage the FIS Alpine World Cup’s first-ever cross-border race at the Matterhorn Ski Paradise, starting in Switzerland and finishing in Italy, the...

It's more of a curiosity to see what they develop. I often check Jordanelle once a visit—it's either machine-made ice or super-spring slurpee conditions. There might be 2 pockets of semi-worthwhile skiing: Park Peak (Higher elevation, Phase 1 Bowl. However, this looks like primarily a ridge...

I had no idea Sunrise/Backside was the first developed area at Kirkwood. Interesting. Vail certainly has not invested much in its infrastructure. There are a few candidates for high-speed lift upgrades, namely Sunrise/Backside and maybe a low capacity HS Wall lift. I typically turn my...

Spring skiing's sweet spot window is shorter - it helps to have a mountain with 360-degree / multiple exposures. My April powder days in Utah typically deteriorate rapidly if sunny. Need cloud cover at that point. ....well when you think about it, you only get about 2-3 hours on a powder...

Contract Awarded. They will put temporary cable cars in for hauling materials and workers. No completion date yet. Since 2018..... I am surprised this replacement has taken so long. I could not imagine Jackson or Snowbird to be tramless for an equivalent amount of time...

Well, a reserved spot at Solitude definitely can make things a breeze 😄😂 Is the parking spot affiliated with a condo or purchased for a year? The Intrawest Condo Village at Solitude certainly took away a lot of prime parking - perhaps even more so than Squaw’s Intrawest development. I likely...

On a weekday.....And likely, weekend crowds dissipate by mid-March - except for a powder day. I know 1-70 is a breeze in April, and pretty good by Mid-March. Not sure if i-70 is worse in December vs. March. Generally, getting to Loveland and/or A-Basin is not too bad since you can avoid the...

I assume the ability to spontaneously drive up to skiing on a weekend or holiday in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon will end soon. Given the success of the Tahoe Ski Resort auto reservation programs, it's only a matter of time. Likely, most Seattle resorts and possibly Portland ski areas...

It's pretty easy to have a 'best day on skis' on a powder day at Val d'Isere/Tignes—there is so much off-piste terrain for all ability levels. The extremities are so poorly served by lifts (Col Pers, Vallon Sache) that the snow remains untouched for longer periods of time despite the crowded...

It's too bad some Eastern Resorts were closed for the Eclipse. I saw CNN footage from the Top of Stowe Gondola, but that is not a 360-degree view—maybe 180. Nice though - eclipse over the Stowe Valley. The Sugarloaf Snowfields look like a fantastic spot! Was there coverage on the Backside...

Impressive shots. I've never been to Mazatlan, but the mountain looks relatively scenic. I always book on an airline's website with cancellations, credits, changes, standby, status, and miles. There are no savings on a 3rd-party site - only pain if the trip does no go right. The most...

I believe those towers are for power lines coming into Val d'Isere, and not a lift. This is an insane video. You must know the run well to be going at that speed. However, it looks like many skiers get over their heads and ski it slowly. Seems ripe for a collision. Vallee Perdue is on the La...