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Big White is ready to open for its summer season, full of physically distant biking and hiking.

Happy New Year! You’ll have plenty to celebrate in certain parts of the U.S. and Canada regarding this week’s weather forecast.

Here we go again! The second strong, early-winter storm has moved across the Rocky Mountain range in the western United States and Canada.

Here we go! The first major storm of the season in the West has dropped more than two feet on the Northern Rockies – with more expected on the way.

It's time to enjoy spring weather in the mountains, and the outlook is great across SnoCountry.

Record cold temperatures slowly fade away in the East this week, while another batch of cold helps Canada and parts of the U.S. stay snowy.

First chair at Red Mountain. (Red Mountain/Facebook)

British Columbia’s Red Mountain has always gone its own way – and soon it will have $10 million to upgrade facilities while maintaining its iconoclastic, anti-corporate spirit.

The Rossland, B.C., resort recently offered public shares in the mountain – through a “crowdfunding” method – and reached its goal of $10 million in February.

Next step is a legal equity offering, expected this fall, according to resort ownership.

Here’s CEO Howard Katkov’s pitch: “Why not join us on this big mountain, big community, love-driven adventure. We’ll keep investing in this community and these fantastic people with or without your help, but dropping in on this could change your life -- just like it changed mine.”

Some 3,000 people took up Red Mountain’s offer, reserving shares ranging from $1,000 minimum to $25,000. The higher the commitment, the more perks, like free season passes and equipment.

If all $10 million reservations come through and the legal offering succeeds, Red Mountain will use the money for Paradise Lodge renovation, expanded snowcat terrain on Mount Kirkup, summer trail-building, and construction of new restaurant, private clubhouse and cabins atop Grey Mountain, according to resort management.

The mountain has more than 2,800 skiable acres served by seven lifts, plus another 1,200 acres that require either a hike or a snowcat ride. With nearly 3,000 vertical feet, Red Mountain tops out at 6,800 feet above sea level.

The resort has always gone counter to the flow, promoting itself as an alternative to “corporate resorts” that it contends have priced many families out of the sport.

Tremblant’s color index guide will help you find peak foliage for your fall mountain bike adventure. (Tremblant)

If beautiful mountain views, fall colors and fun events aren’t enough reason to visit Canada this fall, you can add one more to that list. A favorable exchange rate has made international travel a lot more affordable. With a strong U.S. dollar, now is a prefect time to travel north.

The fastest female ski racers in the world take to Aspen Mountain Friday through Sunday, Nov. 27-29 for the Audi FIS World Cups at the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational. Star of the show? Certainly could be -- perhaps should be -- Colorado’s Mikaela Shiffrin in either the Giant Slalom or the two slaloms. Or all three. No pressure there.

Canada West Ski Areas Association presented their 2015 Jim Marshall and Lars Fossberg Awards at their annual conference at Whistler.

Update Sunday, Dec. 7: Lindsey Vonn finished second in a World Cup super-G in Lake Louise, Alberta, Sunday, completing her first weekend of races this year with two podium results. Vonn was .37 of a second slower than Swiss winner Lara Gut, one day after Vonn won her first race in nearly two years in a downhill. Slovenia’s Tina Maze finished third, increasing her World Cup overall lead. American Julia Mancuso was sixth. Vonn will race next Dec. at Val d’Isere, France.

U.S. Ski Team men and women speed racers got their respective North American World Cup weekends off to strong starts Friday (Dec. 5). 

It’s early and snow cover, depth, run length and number of lifts running varies across North America’s ski resorts. But, if you’re ready to play, more than 42 ski areas are ready help you do it this weekend (Nov. 16-17).

Season pass deals at many resorts are still out there, but dates for discounted deals vary. Here are a few areas where you still can grab those special rates.