#summer-ski-destinations

#summer-ski-destinations

Breckenridge will host its first-ever Wildflower Week from July 2 to July 12, celebrating the arrival of colorful blooms in the mountain meadows. The event will include a farmer's market, live music, and kids' crafts, along with wildflower hikes led by naturalists and floral cocktail classes.

The Theth-Valbonë trail in Albania connects two breathtaking national parks via a scenic mountain pass, suitable for all kinds of hikers.

Ski Vallée Bleue is a new addition to Indy Pass for 2025-26, promoting itself as 'Le ski, sans stress.' The atmosphere is relaxed, and the lift attendants are friendly.

Takasu, Japan, features superpipes with walls often cut to 23 feet, providing extra amplitude for training. The region's snowfall and grooming ensure consistent transitions.

Hanmer Springs Ski Area, located on Mount Saint Patrick, features New Zealand's longest Poma lift at over 2,625 feet, catering to a range of skiers.

"There's nowhere else in the world where you can sit down with a drink and watch skis being made right in front of you," Ted Eynon said, CEO of Meier Skis, in the announcement. "We've always believed in making the ski-building process visible. The Couloir turns that into something people can experience."

The Canterbury region woke up to the coldest day of the year so far, with windchill making residents wonder if it's time to turn on the heating and bring out the winter bedding and heated blankets.

You won't find either on the Epic or Icon passes, which means fewer skiers and shorter lift lines. The proximity to Flathead Lake, even larger in surface area than Lake Tahoe, also means stunning views and a phenomenon called "snow ghosts" - when ice crystals form on the pines. Both resorts have long, lazy runs for multigenerational skiers and boarders but also challenging terrain for advanced skiers and riders.

The horses were in full view across the resort boundaries, even getting pretty close to the lifts, captivating skiers with their unexpected presence.

When the numbers were added up, the Green Mountain State took the crown with a score of 9.49 out of a possible ten. With an average of 81.2 inches of snowfall annually, Vermont's precipitation was bested by only two other states in the top ten-Wyoming with 91.4 inches and New York with an impressive 123.8 inches. Temperatures from December through February hover around a frosty 19.4 degrees, perfect for maintaining snow accumulation on trails throughout the season.

Camelback Mountain has achieved its longest season in history, remaining open with a 10-foot base despite recent warm temperatures. The conditions were soft, slushy, and surfy, typical of spring skiing.

Both avid and casual skiers know that winter requires preparation. If you want to ski as many days as possible, you must have a game plan. After all, skiing is an expensive sport, so budget is typically one of the top considerations. But before you book flights, hotels, and lift tickets, or decide if you want to invest in an Epic Pass or Ikon Pass, you'll need to identify which ski resorts you want to explore over the course of a few months.

The ski season in Colorado is being described as the worst in 50 years, with resorts opening less than half their usual terrain for much of the winter.

Thanks to the millions of baby boomers hitting retirement age, powder hounds in their 60s and 70s (and beyond) are an increasingly common sight on the slopes. In contrast to the popular stereotype of sun-seeking snowbirds, many older adults head straight to their favorite mountain each year when winter hits. But it turns out some ski resorts are better than others when it comes to catering to senior skiers' needs.

The 2025-26 winter saw extreme weather, with the eastern half experiencing consistent cold and heavy snowfall, while the western half endured record warmth and a lack of snowfall.

The sport originated thousands of years ago in Europe by necessity when hunters used long skis to travel and explore over mountain passes, placing animal skins on the bottoms of their skis for traction when climbing. Military units used similar gear to patrol the Alps in the late 1800s, sometimes engaging in speed competitions, which were likely the prototypes for the format of the Olympic skimo debut this February.