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Many have stared amazed as rock climbers wind their way up seemingly vertical cliffs in the Western mountains, but few take the plunge. But now, the advent of via ferratas -- "iron roads" -- has brought the holds, cracks, caribeeners and safety of rock climbing to a wider audience.

Many of the usual summer activities -- mountain biking, ziplines, hiking, scenic lift rides -- will be in place in the West during the warm months. But the Covid-19 pandemic has forced resorts to tone down or fully eliminate offerings for the time being.

The first deadline for savings on season pass prices for the 2020-2021 season is coming, and skiers and snowboarders will have to decide whether the low cost or the uncertainty of COVID-19 virus carries more weight.

It’s no surprise that community is at the heart of everything we do at Taos Ski Valley. As the first certified B Corp ski resort, we are constantly looking for ways to improve and give back to those that help define who we are. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world in ways that were unimaginable only a month ago. Yes, ending the season early means less days on snow, but also lost wages for our staff and the employees of many local businesses in our tight-knit town. Once the decision to close the resort was made, our Food and Beverage team quickly realized we had a surplus of incredible food that would no longer be needed on the mountain and would be put to great use distributed to those in need in Taos.  Chris Goss, Director of Food and Beverage, explained: “We feed hundreds of skiers up on the mountain every day with these same ingredients, yet being able to donate this quantity of quality food to feed our own community at a time like this feels much more impactful. We are grateful to help in this small way.”

Taos Ski Valley is a skier's mountain. Not for the faint of heart. It can match steeps with any in the Rockies. And, if storms course far enough south, it's a dry powder snow-pocket nonpareil. Six years of new ownership has smartly overhauled the lifts and base areas of this venerable original-family resort, including high-end hotel The Blake and chairlift to the top of Kachina Peak.

As we approach the final days of 2019, we'll have a pleasant mix of snow days, sunny days, and mild days to take in all that the weather has to offer on our favorite ski trails.

A powerful winter storm hit the western U.S. over the Thanksgiving holiday, delivering huge snow totals from California to the northeast. While the storm caused trouble during the busy holiday travel days, the snow made skiers and riders very thankful.

Several large storms will develop across the country in this week’s SnoCast. Great news as the ski season ramps up following the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are the latest details.

The first major snowfall in the southern tier of the Rocky Mountains brings welcome coverage to resorts in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and southern Colorado – just in time.

After hiking in the mountains, the chance to soak sore muscles in a warm or hot springs pool beckons us all -- especially as the weather cools.

In the Rockies, a bountiful season of snowfall this winter meant many powder days, extended skiing and riding into June and even July. Add in a cooler-than-normal spring in much of the West, so much so that you can still see snowfields off the high ridges as we finished up the month of July.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

That’s how George Brooks, executive director of industry group Ski New Mexico, describes the 2018-19 ski season in comparison to the previous winter — one of the most dismal in years.

Most resorts have a bunch of bars to choose from when it comes to apres-ski, but if you want to find the down-home, braggin' rights kind of bar, just follow a local.

In this week’s SnoCast, every corner of the country will get snow. In this continued active weather pattern, see what days will be best to hit the slopes in your area.

Heading down the mountain, you suddenly drop off the side of the trail and into the trees. That's where you find the powder and the alpine quiet – and where you go back to the old-school.

From efficient snowmaking to recycle stations to wind and solar generation, ski and snowboard resorts know that their survival depends upon reducing the effects of climate change.

For any skier or rider, their bucket list includes not only visits to renowned resorts but also taking a run down a trail they've heard about for a long time. Here's SnoCountry's shot at those trails.

As we bid a fond farewell to 2018, the editors at SnoCountry take a look at the news that shaped skiing and riding at mountain resorts across North America over the year.

With 2018 quickly coming to a close, several areas across the U.S. and Canada will get final bursts of snow and cold for the year. Here’s the breakdown…

After an incredible November, more wintry conditions take us into December. We’ll kick it off with a cross-country storm system tracking low across the U.S.