SnoNews

It’s been an incredible January for so many ski areas across North America. January will be one to remember with snow-packed storms, keeping soft turn after soft turn.

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.

The annual Masterfit Boot Test concluded after a 5-day ordeal in which some 35 volunteer testers donned 98 boot models and sallied outside to put them through their paces at Silver Mountain, Idaho.

Steamboat, Colorado turned snowier during Christmas. (Larry Pierce)

A majority of Canada and U.S. resorts will experience cold weather through New Year’s Day, while a few feet of snow may fall in the West.

A summer chairlift ride includes eye-popping views. (Schweitzer Mountain Resort/Facebook)

Idahoans and visitors alike escape the summer heat down below by heading into the mountains of the Gemstone state.

Cruisin' at Snoqualmie. (Summit at Snoqualmie/Facebook)

Everyone else seems to be doing it, so why not joint season pass programs for the ski and snowboard resorts in the Pacific Northwest?

Crystal Mountain, Stevens Pass and Summit at Snoqualmie have come together for next season with the Cascadia Pass to give skiers and riders a break on day tickets at their partners’ resorts.

With an unrestricted season pass in hand from one of the three Washington state resorts for 2017-2018, skiers and snowboarders can add on three days at each of the two other mountains for $199 – if purchased before May 31 – or $33 a day.

Each resort is within a couple hours’ drive of the Seattle area, so the goal of the program, according to officials at the three mountains, is to “give skiers and snowboarders living in the Puget Sound more reason to stay local.”

Resorts across the Northwest are ramping up discounts on 2017-18 passes. At Stevens Pass, the first layer of discounts has begun. A renewal costs $549, a new pass $599 for a limited amount. When the “first tier” of passes is sold out at Stevens Pass, the price goes up.

Crystal Mountain and Snoqualmie have yet to put next season’s passes on sale. Three resorts in the Northwest link into the Colorado-based M.A.X. Pass, which offers five days of skiing and riding at 44 resorts around the country. Included are Mt. Bachelor, Crystal Mountain and Snoqualmie.

Elsewhere in the region, early season deals are also on sale at Lookout Pass, Mount Spokane, 49 Degrees North and Silver Mountain.

Cutlines

Cruisin' at Snoqualmie (Summit at Snoqualmie/Facebook)

Cascadia Pass works at Stevens Pass. (Stevens Pass/Facebook)

More pow' days at Crystal. (Crystal Mountain/Facebook)

Snow storms both big and small have been rolling into the mountains of Idaho since Thanksgiving, giving skiers and snowboarders what they want for the holidays and beyond – and erasing memories of a couple of lean years on the slopes.

This summer in Idaho saw crews working on trails, lodges and terrain parks at mountain resorts, and the fruits of those labors are now ready for skiers and snowboarders to enjoy. Eight resorts announced improvements and upgrades that were completed during the offseason, and one, Tamarack Resort, is back to a full-week schedule under new ownership.

With a solid snowfall this season, at least seven Idaho resorts aim to keep the momentum going by digging deep discounts out of cost of a 2014-2015 season pass.

Many season passes add extra value through discounted rentals, food, ski shop apparel, and other perks, but several Heartland season passes also include alliances with western and eastern ski resorts. Check them out. There are some good benefits if you’re planning a ski vacation outside the Midwest this winter.

It’s in the 90s in Boise, Idaho Falls and Spokane, so the way to cool off for many interior Northwest folks is to head to the Idaho mountains. 

It’s springtime in Idaho, the snow is softening, and the end of the season is sadly within sight – but so are the bargains on next year’s season passes.

Visitors and locals to inland Pacific Northwest resorts will find improvements – big, small and in between -- when they buckle up for the new season.