Mammoth Open Until July

by Erik Olsen on


Talk about a turnaround. Just yesterday, it seems, the state of California was suffering from a drought that seemed
biblical in its proportions. Members of my family who live out there were saying that
Mammoth Mountain seemed doomed.

But look

how things have changed. The mountain got 15 feet between December 26 and January 12. Mammoth is now saying they
will remain open until July. This is like the old days when I used to go there as a kid and the snow piled up so high
you had to dig a hole to get to your cabin. But it’s great news. Great for the state and great for skiers.

Andrew McLean…Again

by Erik Olsen on

Hotshot back-country skier Andrew McLean has certainly raised his
profile lately. Following a superb profile in the New Yorker by
Nick Paumgarten, he is now being featured in another long-form
piece in Outside. McLean’s passion
and insanity are legendary among the back-country crowd, so perhaps they are happy to have one of their own so widely
celebrated. But I have to say that both articles are very good, and really flesh out the appeal of back-country skiing
and highlight one of the sport’s more charismatic characters.

A Ski Resort Rises from the Sands

by Dave (Blogsmith Old) on

Here’s something which will make your either shake your head or pack your skis. There’s a place in the Dubai desert where you will soon be able to seek indoor skiing. Called Ski Dubai, this 25-story mountain-themed resort is set to open this September, according to Yahoo/AFP. It will boast a slope with an overall length of 400 metres, five trails of different grades and full time falling snowflakes. It is being built as part of the Mall of the Emirates, which the AFP says will be the world’s third largest shopping center when completed.

Backcountry Utah

by Erik Olsen on

For backcountry fanatics, here’s
a piece from Great
Outdoors.com about back country skiing in Utah. The state’s “Interconnect Adventure Tour” takes skiers into
the heart of the Wasatch mountain wilderness. Seems like a very cool tour. You cover 20 miles and ski between and
through five different Utah resorts including Park City, Solitude, Brighton, Alta and Snowbird. Along the way, you stop
and do a few runs at each ski area and move on.  

Hitting the Colorado Backcountry in Spring

by Nino Marchetti on

Think it’s time to put away the skies? If you have access to the backcountry of Colorado, this 
Denver Post article will make you think
otherwise. This is apparently one of the best times of year to head out that way via car for access to powder you might
not normally touch during the regular season. Top places to consider include Loveland Pass, Mount Evans  and Trail
Ridge Road. You should, of course, avoid those nasty avalanches if you can.