Thundersnow! That’s what’s predicted for upstate New York as a big ol’ storm powered by a frigid cold front passes over the unfrozen Great Lakes startring this evening. Hallelujah!!! It’s that joyous tie of year when skiers everywhere get to ask themselves “What set from my quiver am I going to shred first?!” (I have it tough: my...
[Author’s Note: Today is my 19th anniversary as a sports writer. From time to time through the years, I’ve published an article of particular depth and breadth on that date – sometimes to address issues of the day, sometimes to highlight a wonder of the sporting world I might have seen. This year, I’m particularly grateful that it happens...
Consider the stoke fired! Skiers and boarders from all across the east coast spent last weekend in Boston to kickoff the winter season, as they have for over two generations. Now called the Snowbound Expo and run by Great Britain’s Raccoon Management, thousands of winter sports enthusiasts and industry insiders gathered at the sparkling new Boston Convention...
New Jordan Hotel at Sunday River Brings Ski-in, Ski-Out to Resort’s Western Reserve Area —by Jay Flemma, special to NASJA— NEWRY, MAINE – Maine’s iconic Sunday River just opened a game changer; the new Jordan Hotel brings ski-in and ski-out convenience to the emerging Western Reserve Area of the resort. Already sprawled across seven peaks...
Idaho’s Brundage Mountain Opens New High-speed Quad to Summit —by Jay Flemma, special to the Communications Committee— McCALL, ID – Central Idaho’s Brundage Mountain is debuting their newest lift this season: The new “Centennial Express”, a Doppelmayr 4CLD lift, will cut the ride time from base to summit from 16 minutes to just six. The upgrade...
Border War! Vermont vs. New Hampshire Skiing, Part 11 – Pats Peak —by Jay Flemma— DATELINE: THE ONLY HENNIKER ON PLANET EARTH, N.H. – It’s astounding the people you meet that learned to ski at New Hampshire’s tiny, but plucky Pats Peak: real estate magnates who play Monopoly with real buildings, skiing celebrities from chichi mountain towns all...
From the press release, great news as Indy comes to the rescue. Black Mountain had previously announced it could not operate this season. “BLACK MOUNTAIN TO OPEN THIS SEASON The Fichera family will operate the ski area for one more season after Indy Pass provides resources to operate this season and assistance in finding a buyer for the historic ski area. Grand...
Over 50 new resorts from Europe, Canada, Japan, and the US join the Indy Pass GRANBY, Colorado – The Indy Pass announced today more than 50 new Alpine and Nordic resorts have signed on for the 23/24 season, and limited quantities of passes will be released for sale starting on October 10th. Sales will be handled through the waitlist process, which is open for...
Dear Maine, Hey everybody from Bethel to Bangor and from Brunswick to Bar Harbor. It’s “Wrong Way Jay,” your sports writer buddy who visited Saddleback earlier this season with his barbarian friends Twang and Clang. You remember them, I’m sure… Contrary to reports, Clang and Twang are not some dingbat villain’s henchmen on Batman. They are, instead, my...
Another year, another epic photo essay from our European Correspondent Andrew DiGiovanni. Last year, Andrew reported from St. Anton and the Dolomites with some of the most breathtaking photos of the season. He returns triumphantly, this time after a successful sojourn to Schladming, Valluga, and more. Andrew, an American ex-pat teaching English in Austria, publishes...
New Hampshire’s King Pine Ski Area will host the 7th annual Wild Corn Backcountry Weekend and Festival, Friday March 31 through Sunday April 2, 2023. Produced by the Granite Backcountry Alliance and presented by Fischer, the weekend is a full immersion into backcountry and uphill adventures for all skill levels; all lifts are turned off and human powered travel...
RANGELEY, ME – How does the old saying go? With ski buddies like these… Meet Twang and Clang, my wingmen, and after their performance this weekend in Maine, I’ll be grateful if the next time I go back to Saddleback the resort staff aren’t waiting for me with a big net. Maine’s Saddleback Mountain proved every bit the fierce challenge and magnificent setting pictures...
[Editor’s Note: Jay Peak Week is held over by popular demand. The first article in the series is here, and the second part of the series is here.] JAY PEAK: THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET – 601, MICKY, AND CREECH, OH MY… JAY, VT – As any true sports writer will tell you, we don’t just write about skiing, we write about the people who ski...
The mid-west’s best ski and golf resort is getting even better. Both Golf Digest and Golfweek have published their recent top 100 lists and awards, and, once again, Minnesota’s Giant’s Ridge has risen in the rankings. A member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and its president in the organizations 50th year, 1995-96, Arlington...
—by Jay Flemma Special to the North American Snowsports Journalists Association GILFORD, N.H. – There’s much more to New Hampshire’s Gunstock Resort than a trail system named after firearms. Gunstock’s 1,340-foot vertical drop is formidable, especially with myriad trails cunningly cut into difficult double fall lines and strange cambers...