New Trends for the Ski Season

Filed in archive Winter Adventures on December 13, 2007

Although the ski season got off to a slow start, with the Northeast and Midwest snow storms, it looks to be in full swing now. So, what are the hottest trends for the ski season? The editors at USA Today asked the editors of Powder and Ski magazines to weight in.

• Soaring lift-ticket prices. Resorts such as Aspen and Vail, Colo., are nudging the $90 mark for a day of skiing, says Powder editor Derek Taylor. "We're worried about it, because (skiing) already has this reputation as a country-club sport," and the young and budget-conscious are being priced out. He likes value destinations such as Mount Baker Ski Area in Washington state ("great powder"), where an adult lift ticket costs $41. Look for deals on multiday, package or advance-purchase tickets, says Ski editor in chief Kendall Hamilton.

• A flurry of programs and amenities for kids. Resorts are trying to keep young parents on the slopes instead of home minding the children, says Hamilton. "A lot of folks give up skiing when they have young kids; resorts are looking to keep skiing hassle-free."

• Ever-fatter skis and chic boutique makers. "A lot of small, independent companies" are blazing trails, Taylor says. Salt Lake City-based 4FRNT, started by young pro skiers, offers trendy freestyle and "big mountain" models. Armada, co-founded by X Games champ Tanner Hall, also produces skis popular with half-pipers and hot doggers in their teens to '30s.

• Insider ski areas. Taylor praises Revelstoke in British Columbia, formerly known as Powder Springs. It opens Dec. 22 with a new gondola that ferries skiers up Mount Mackenzie.