Having paused lift construction in the 2020-2021 season, Vail Resorts unleashed its financial wherewithal to make it easier to move around a half-dozen of the 19 of its ski and snowboard mountains in the Rockies and the Sierra.

A steep slope off the ridge above The Canyons side of Park City Mountain Resort that has killed three in recent years will be open this season only to skiers and riders who want to make the hike.

Chelsea Clapham and her family began snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain four years ago. They enjoyed it so much that they return to the resort year-round. “We like summer and fall up there almost as much as winter,” said Clapham, who lives in Santa Clarita with her husband, Shaun, and two kids. “We have family friends who let us use their condo, so we’re hooked.”

The stairway to heaven may actually be a bootpack.

What do families want out of a resort? Parking near slopes, ski-in ski-out lodging, efficient signup for lessons, plenty of wide, moderate trails for the whole family, and lots of entertainment.

The nation’s first all-in-one action sports and ski resort is set to debut its ramps, tracks, pits and parks for this ski and snowboard season near Park City.

Both the Epic Pass and Ikon Pass streamline skiing and riding costs during the winter. Now that summer's here, they switch gears to make warm-weather times in the mountains more affordable, too.

Olympians Bode Miller and Andrew Weibrecht were among the star-studded group of eight noted skiing and snowboarding pioneers, athletes and sport builders inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame at an April 6, 2019, ceremony in Park City.

As the years pass by, mountain visits can blur or even fade from memory. To make a trip stand out, try one of these memorable activities for après time, a day off, or a unique experience.

Friday January 11, 2019 was the snow sports industry’s first National Learn to Ski or Snowboard Day at resorts throughout the U.S. Many resorts offered special deals for newcomers to take beginner lessons from professional instructors as a way to celebrate the sports. 

Some of the prime powder steeps on Park City Mountain will be closed until further notice because a private landowner and Vail Resorts have not reached a new lease agreement.

More mobility around the base of Alta, an on-mountain learning center at Park City Mountain, and lodge renovations at Snowbasin highlight the first-to-open resorts in Utah.

Here’s a sample road trip for those who have purchased an Epic Pass, have a week or two on the loose, and are ready to ski and ride across the West without having to shell out for a day ticket.

The IOC has announced that seven new winter sports will be incorporated into the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. Four of these sports are International Ski Federation (FIS) events that will be on show at the 2019 Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships taking place in Utah in February 2019.

Mammoth's ski and ride season lasted 270 days last year. (Mammoth) 

Skiers and riders love to talk about the weather, and where to find the perfect storm of great snow and value tops the SnoCountry.com news for 2017.

Payette River goes big near Tamarack. (Tamarack Resort/Facebook)

The winter may be over, but a solid reminder of what a good year it was in the West continues to play out in the rivers that are flowing bank-full out of the mountains this spring.

Angel Fire Art + Farmers’ Market is a weekly showcase of diverse local/regional artists, live music, food artisans & fresh produce. (Angel Fire)

There are vibrant communities surrounding our favorite mountain towns, and one way to celebrate that community is to shop locally at a farmer’s market. Whether you’re a regular or a visitor exploring a new place, a farmer’s market is a great way to experience the flavors and culture of small-town life. 

Rider in Big Bear Grizzly 100 gets encouragement from a fan (Big Bear Gran Fondo/Facebook/Pink Shorts Photography)

For those with big lungs, tree-trunk quads and a desire to spend hours on a mountain bike -- or folks who enjoy watching them -- the mountains all across the country are an endurance racer’s heaven.

Ski swaps offer a convenient and inexpensive way to fill in your current ski and snowboarding equipment or accessories. It's also a great place to try to sell some items you no longer need or want. 

Talk about time sneaking up on you. If you’re close enough to consider a season pass to Utah resorts, it feels like just a few months ago we were debating whether the Mountain Collective should be the only pass you purchase.