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Copper Mountain Resort officially kicked off the 2018-19 snowmaking season early Sunday morning near the top of the Excelerator lift on Andy’s Encore trail. Meanwhile, Loveland Ski Area received three inches of new snow, and just over the Continental Divide, Arapahoe Basin also reported a fresh coat of snow.

October has arrived, and with it comes the annual #RaceToOpen between Colorado’s Loveland Ski Area and Arapahoe Basin, which has claimed the crown outright the past two years.

With temperatures moderating and the colors beginning to burst across mountain country, fall is a perfect time to get the family out for a hike. Depending on the age and stamina of the kids, suitable hikes abound for everything from an easy stroll to rock scrambles, many with mountain views for mom and dad and the hook of possible nature sightings for the kids.

Glad to have you back, SnoCast readers! We can't wait to give you an early edge on when to catch the best snow of the season as we bring you forecasts each week through the season. 

Another small ski and snowboard area in the southern Rockies is ready to expand: Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort has announced projects to add lifts, trails and more on-mountain dining.

Rock climbing is a specialized sport, with its own equipment and techniques. But European-based via ferratas have begun to spring up in the U.S. mountain country to make the sport more accessible to more people.

The weather cools this time of year, but the temperatures in the dozens of hot springs that bubble up in the Colorado high country stay hot.

A staple on the activity slate at many ski and snowboard resorts in the Rocky Mountains is the fast-chargin’, whip-turnin’ mountain coaster.

A lack of space at Winter Park has forced the 79-year-old Eskimo Ski Club to cease a program that has brought thousands of Denver-area youngsters onto the slopes of the Colorado mountain.

Summiting a 14,000-foot peak is a popular pastime in Colorado, since 56 of the 68 14ers in the continental U.S. lie within its borders. And a handful are close enough to cop in a single day.

The sale of the lease and operating agreement of New Hampshire’s Mount Sunapee to Vail Resorts was discussed at a public information session Wednesday night at the resort's Sunapee Lodge. Many attendees of the meeting came for reassurances that the new owners of the lease would continue stewardship of the state park’s natural resources and protection of affordable outdoor recreation.

Summer vacationers often seek out lakefront property to cool off, and a number of ski and snowboard resorts across the West are blessed with a lake within spittin’ distance.

Colorado’s mountain resorts roll out the fun carpet during the summer, especially for families with children. Base areas abound with entertainment for the younger set, while most resorts put kids on the mountain for outdoors activities, like mountain biking and tubing.

Firefighters have gotten portions of the massive 416 Fire under control, enough so to allow Purgatory Resort to open again for summer activities.

Resorts all over the West put gravity mountain biking on the top of the summer attractions. Those who crank up the lifts in the off-season put on bike racks and bring riders to great heights.

Colorado ski and snowboard resorts took a short break after winter, but they quickly turned their attention to the burgeoning summer season – full of hikes and bikes and thrills of all kinds.

Vail Resorts launched another salvo in the battle to own the winter destination market and a larger slice of the ski marketplace with the purchase of Vermont’s Okemo Mountain Resort, Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire, Crested Butte in Colorado and Steven Pass in Washington Monday.

Powder Alliance, the so-called “off-beat” combined pass, is now a partnership of 19 resorts in U.S., Canada, Japan and Chile with the addition of Sugar Bowl, Loveland and two mountains in the Canadian Rockies.

More tree skiing if plan gets approved. (Aspen-Snowmass/Facebook)

No mountain in the West is known its steeps more than Aspen Mountain. Now, the resort wants to add more precipitous terrain off its summit.

On-mountain eating welcomes Taco Beast mobile taco truck. (Steamboat/Facebook)

Ever got a sudden hunger pang while skiing or riding, but the snow was too good to waste time in the cafeteria line? Or you are far from the nearest on-mountain eatery?