Washington Post: Skiing West Virginia’s “Canadian Valley” in a Banner Season

The Mid-Atlantic region is served by dozens of downhill ski areas, but few would argue that Mid-Atlantic resorts rival mountains to the West. In the area of cross country skiing, however, the Mid-Atlantic has a facility that is perhaps one of the best in the nation: the White Grass Ski Touring Center. John Briley with the Washington Post recently visited White Grass and documented his trip.

Travel + Leisure: These Old-School New England Ski Areas Are Totally Affordable and Full of Local Charm

Travel + Leisure takes a look at some smaller ski areas throughout Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire that are low on cost but high on charm. You might not find high-speed lifts, heated sidewalks, or Louis Vuitton boutiques at these ski areas, but that’s part of the appeal. Read what they have to say in their story. Also be sure to check out the Going Further Afield series by DCSki’s own Robbie Allen, where Robbie ventures across the country seeking out smaller ski areas off the beaten track.

Fast Company: The Latest Outdoor Dining Craze? $20K Ski Gondolas

You may have thought that gondolas were primarily useful as a means of getting from the base to peak of a ski mountain, but restaurants across the country are also bringing the gondolas to flat city streets. Why? They provide cozy spots for outdoor dining, which has become in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there is suddenly a strong market for used and refurbished gondola cabins. Fast Company look at this latest craze.

Washington Post: Devastating Avalanche Season in the West has Already Caused Average Yearly Deaths

A snowy winter has been a boon for winter sports enthusiasts, but has also led to an significant increase in deaths due to avalanches in states such as Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. 27 fatalities have been reported as of February 18, 2021, including five in recent days. Backcountry winter sports enthusiasts are most at risk from unstable snowpacks. Ski resorts perform avalanche control within bounds, which makes avalanche fatalities rare. Deep snow can still be a risk for skiers and snowboarders within bounds; according to the Miami Herald, last week, a missing snowboarder was found dead in a tree well at Wyoming’s Jackson Hold Mountain Resort. The Washington Post has more details about the avalanche season so far.

RFI: No Uplift in Sight for France’s Struggling Ski Resorts

This time of year would normally be quite busy at ski areas in France, but according to the French publication RFI, visits to resorts in the Alps and Pyrenees have plummeted this winter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bars, restaurants, and ski lifts are closed, and a 10-day compulsory quarantine for arriving foreign visitors has reduced tourists to a trickle. Unable to run lifts, some French ski areas are trying to compensate by pushing activities such as cross country skiing, dog sleighing, snowshoeing, and snow-biking. But even with an increase in those activities, it look to be a bleak season in the French Alps. RFI has more on the negative impact.