Now more than ever, people will require a real sense of seclusion while on their ski vacations. Gone for the time being are the après ski parties, the socializing in the lodge during a quick break for lunch and eight-passenger gondola rides. These have been temporarily replaced with such wellness guidelines as chair lift rides consisting of family members only, food trucks as opposed to eating in the lodge and private ski instruction instead of group lessons.

With cold air pouring deeper into the U.S., plus storm after storm lined up both in the East and West, it’s easy to love this forecast. Here’s the scoop on when and where to find the best conditions this week.

In the waning days of January, Mother Nature got to work -- dropping her glorious bounty upon the mountains of the West, and finally giving skiers and snowboarders the deep powder they've been waiting for.

Mammoth and Lake Tahoe area ski resorts and mountain towns are reopening hotels and lodges to leisure visitors after California’s governor on Monday lifted statewide regional orders that had closed lodging to most travelers. The rollback coincides with fresh snow and good skiing and boarding conditions at Sierra resorts.

The Sierra Nevada Mountains in California are about to make up for a dry, fire-inducing stretch of weather in a hurry with anywhere from 3 to 7 feet or more of snow forecast to fall this week. 

The Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) has been conducting online sessions with its cross country (XC) ski area members since last spring, focused on sharing information about how X-C operations should respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Discussions resulted in the widespread adoption of plans aimed at minimizing risk of virus transmission for staff and guests.

With a torrent of people hitting the trails and the outdoors across the country, XCSkiResorts.com wanted to give a shout out to hidden gem destinations for cross country (XC) skiing this winter. There may very well be an overflow of skiers at the most popular XC ski trails, so this guide will share some of the lesser-known but excellent destinations.

The ski industry already took a hit in the spring when the pandemic struck and many resorts had to close early, leading to $2 billion in losses and causing layoffs or furloughs of thousands of employees, according to the National Ski Areas Association, a trade group. The industry saw its lowest number of visits, 51 million, since the 2011 to 2012 season, the association said.

The holiday season is upon us and, despite the headwinds of Covid-19, thousands of skiers and snowboarders have been aiming toward the mountains for welcome relief.

A few improvements have sprung up at California resorts this season but, more importantly, state officials said that ski and snowboard mountains can stay open regardless of which Covid "tier" their county falls under.

Like all U.S. resorts, the list of COVID-related changes at Tahoe-area mountains reads familiar: Cashless transactions, masking up, self-grouping for lifts, state regulating size of gatherings, more weekday season pass options, rental shop spacing, group lesson capping,  gearing up in the parking lot, and grab 'n' go food.

It’s never quite made sense that the Country Bear Jamboree debuted in Disney World, located in muggy Florida, a state not particularly known for furry brown bears. But the ensemble of musical bears wasn’t meant for Disney World at all. They were destined, once upon a time, for a stunning alpine-style resort tucked deep in California’s Sequoia National Park.

The winter 2020-21 snow season is quickly approaching. Although skiing and snowboarding are naturally socially distant activities, the social experiences that come with the snow community — such as striking up a conversation while congregating in line to wait for a lift, or grabbing a well-earned apres-ski drink after a long day on the mountain — are shaping up to look different this year. 

After a "brisk" preseason for season pass sales at Sugar Bowl, the northern California resort has hit the pause button to assure safe distancing this season.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has committed to removing “squaw” from its resort name. “Having our name be associated with pain and dehumanization is contrary to our goal of making the outdoors a welcoming space for all people,” said resort president and COO Ron Cohen in an email to patrons.

Lake Tahoe's Squaw Valley Ski Resort is considering changing its name to remove the word "squaw" — a derogatory term for Native American women — amid a national reckoning over racial injustice and inequality.

Californians love the out-of-doors but COVID has put some reins on that. However, the mountains still beckon as one place that can be safe to go -- and give the sun-and-fun fix they crave.

A well-known Lake Tahoe area ski resort is thinking about changing its name, officials said Friday.

While living at Lookout House, the fun doesn’t stop when the ski resort closes. To end a long day on the slopes, the residents of the Truckee, California property designed by Faulkner Architects simply ski directly into the home’s built-in ski run.

The season is over for most of the continent, but these resorts are spinning their lifts—with some very important regulations. Here’s the deal.