Vail Resorts has announced a 20% decrease in their Epic season passes for the 2021-22 ski season, and that also includes their Epic local passes at all their Midwest ski areas. A little bit of good news for those skiers that like to mainly ski local.

Lower Midwest ski areas in Indiana and Missouri attract southern skiers from Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.

Most Heartland ski areas and resorts are not planning on requiring reservations for daily access to the slopes, but are saying if you wait you may run into sold-out periods. Season pass holders will have priority access through reservations.

For Midwestern skiers that like to get in a lot of slope time around the country outside the Heartland, a few new options are available for this season.

The Midwest has 116 ski areas scattered across the Heartland and just under half of them offer snow tubing, especially across the lower Midwest. It’s relatively safe, and something easy to do. Just sit and let gravity do the work.

Several ski areas located near Midwest major cities are hosting female ski clinics over the next month. Enjoy that slope time even more with improved form and confidence.

Good news for St. Louis snowsports lovers. Missouri’s Hidden Valley Ski Area has settled its dispute with the city of Wildwood and will be allowed to build a zipline, which will open next spring. The resort had initially threatened to close the ski area if the zipline had not been approved.

Ski Girl's Rock on Afton Alps' slopes. (Afton Alps/Facebook)

Over the next few weeks seven Midwest ski areas are hosting women’s ski and snowboard clinics. Two ski areas are located in Indiana, and one each in Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.

Grabbing some air at Hidden Valley. (Hidden Valley/Facebook)

Missouri’s Hidden Valley Ski Area is once again in a dispute with the city of Wildwood in which it operates and once again is threatening to close the ski area after this season.

Join pro skier Lisa Densmore at Boyne Highlands. (Boyne Highlands)

Over the next few weeks eight Midwest ski areas are hosting women’s ski and snowboard clinics. Two ski areas are located in Michigan, two in Indiana, and one each in Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.

Midwest ski areas are getting an early jump on the spring carnival season with family events, cardboard sled races, pond skims, family events and live music. It’s never too early to have some fun on the slopes.

Lower Midwest ski areas in Indiana and Missouri attract Dixie State snowsports enthusiasts from Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.

Midwest skiers and riders get some nice perks when purchasing a season pass at any of the six Heartland ski areas. Pass holders from Hidden Valley and Snow Creek in Missouri and Paoli Peaks in Indiana receive half-off daily lift ticket rates at all of the Midwest locations, and eastern ski areas Jack Frost/Big Boulder and Crotched Mountain. All you have to do is present your season pass and photo ID.

Summer has barely started in the Heartland, but a trio of ski resorts already has projects underway to enhance skiing and riding conditions next winter. There are also some new summer offerings. 

Landon Fake, general manager of the Camden Snow Bowl in Maine, told SnoCountry.com that skier terrain will increase from 45 to 60 acres, and a new triple chair will increase uphill capacity 20 percent. 

While this winter’s great season is still underway at a few resorts across the upper Midwest, now is the time to be thinking about your 2014/15 season pass. Some Heartland ski areas are currently offering their best prices of the year for a limited time. Many of these price incentives end this month.

Lower Midwest ski areas in Indiana and Missouri attract Dixie State snowsports enthusiasts from Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.

January is National Ski and Snowboard Month, but the movement actually started years ago in the Heartland through the Midwest Ski Areas Association. Choose from many offers next month.

A blast of Arctic air, followed by a system moving up the East Coast, has created the perfect storm for resort areas such as Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Nashoba Valley, who are anxiously eyeing the start of the season this weekend.

No worries. Indulge. Then, work it off, as nearly 200 of the nation’s ski resorts – coast to coast – will be open for skiing and riding Thanksgiving Weekend.