Editor's Picks #1: Top Ski News From Last Week

We're in the doldrums of summer- the air is hot, the sun is high, and the snow is lacking, but fear not friends for Winter Is Coming (just not soon enough).

In order to keep you informed, POWDER is dedicated to covering ski industry news, no matter the season. This article is the first entry into a weekly column called 'Editor's Pick' in which I review our top stories from the last week.

Without further ado, let's jump into POWDER 's top stories from June 23-30, 2024.

5. How Will X Games League and Snow League Change Freeskiing?

Story: How Will X Games League and Snow League Change Freeskiing?

Synopsis: POWDER writer Ian Greenwood speaks with officials from X Games League and Shaun White's Snow League to explore how the competitions will be rolled out, how they will change freeskiing, and how athletes are reacting to the news.

Commentary: X Games League and Shaun White's Snow League are marketed as 'game-changing' and 'revolutionary' competition formats for snow sports, but one question has been lingering in my mind: what will these comps actually look like? There's not a firm answer at this point, but Ian did a fantastic job cutting through the noise and honing in on what's most important to athletes and fans. Stay tuned in here at POWDER Magazine for continuous coverage of this new era of snow sports.

4. Mikey Erickson Is Utah's Ski Patroller of the Year

Story: Mikey Erickson Is Utah's Ski Patroller of the Year

Synopsis: POWDER writer Ella Boyd chats with Snowbasin ski patroller Mikey Erickson who won Ski Utah's inaugural 'Ski Patroller of the Year' award. Ella learns that Erickson is the "Swiss Army Knife" of ski patrollers, and that he works summers as a wildfire fighter for the US Forest Service.

Commentary: Hearing that Ski Utah was crowning a 'Ski Patroller of the Year' immediately piqued my interest, and I'm glad Erickson obliged to our request for an interview. It's not easy being a patroller, and they should be celebrated more often. Cheers to Mikey and the team at Snowbasin for nabbing the inaugural ward.

3. Teton Pass Reopens To Wydaho Commuters

Story: Teton Pass Reopens To Wydaho Commuters

Synopsis: POWDER Gear Editor and Victor, Idaho resident Max Ritter chimes in for the news team on a story that hits close to home. Ritter details the quick timeline for the construction of the Teton Pass detour, and envisions how things will return to normal for Teton Pass commuters.

Commentary: Having only crossed over Teton Pass by car one time myself, I figured Max was the perfect person to cover this story for us. He was directly impacted by the road closure, and was very relieved once the detour opened. Check out his weekly Gear Locker content on POWDER .

2. Why Arapahoe Basin Isn't Changing Ikon Pass Access Next Season

Story: Why Arapahoe Basin Isn't Changing Ikon Pass Access Next Season

Synopsis: POWDER Senior Editor Matt Lorelli talks with an Arapahoe Basin official about the decision to not change Ikon Pass access next season, despite the pending sale to Alterra Mountain Company. Matt follows up on Arapahoe Basin's new parking reservation system as well.

Commentary: A few ski media outlets jumped to conclusions when the Ikon Pass announced pass access for the Winter '24/'25 season back in the spring. However, it wasn't until last week that Arapahoe Basin confirmed that access wouldn't be changed. Wanting to provide more info about the decision, I spoke with Arapahoe Basin Communications Manager Shayna Silverman for the article. Change is scary, but the folks over at Arapahoe Basin are staying the course while the deal is worked out.

1. Is It the Forest Service? Why Ski Resorts Close "Early"

Story: Is It the Forest Service? Why Ski Resorts Close "Early"

Synopsis: POWDER writer Ian Greenwood exposes one of the ski industry's worst-kept secrets in this feature-length piece. As it turns out, the US Forest Service doesn't maintain strict operating dates for many resorts across the country.

Commentary: The commonly held belief that the US Forest Service dictates ski resort closing dates is somewhat a myth. Next time your favorite resort closes with six feet of snow on the ground, just remember- they're most likely not doing so because of an agreement with the USFS.

Related: Is It the Forest Service? Why Ski Resorts Close "Early"

This concludes the first entry into POWDER's Last Week Today series. Tune in each Monday for a new article reviewing the previous week's top stories from around the ski industry.

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