It’s bittersweet to post this 2013-2014 ski season recap, but most of the northern hemisphere’s resorts have stopped turning their lifts and are preparing for summer adventures and festival season.
There are a few places where you can still ski, like Snowbird (open until May 26), Mammoth (open until May 26), Banff and Lake Louise (with Sunshine Village open until May 19), Whistler (with Blackcomb Mountain open until May 26 and glacier skiing in June and July), and Killington (open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as long as conditions hold).
If you’ve put away your ski gear and unpacked your mountain bike, here are a few of the best ski season recap videos to reflect on all the awesomeness that happened this winter. If you’re looking for an endless winter, scroll down to the bottom to get excited for South America’s ski season, starting in just a few weeks!
Crested Butte Ski Season Recap
We visited Crested Butte in February, and it was one of the highlights of our winter at Ski.com. We saw firsthand what happens when a big storm settles in over Mt. Crested Butte. With three feet of snow, the resort’s massive terrain opens up with steeps, glades, gullies, little cliffs, big cliffs and endless features to hit on your skis or snowboard. These local riders show off Crested Butte’s nearly limitless potential in their ski season recap.
Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows Ski Season Recap
Despite a late start to their ski season, Tahoe joined the party with a monster storm in February that contributed to more than 80 inches of new snow at Squaw Valley that month. Even if the notorious big storms were sparse, Squaw and Alpine Meadows know how to show their visitors a good time. The resorts’ ski season recap video is all soul, sunshine, smiles and some extra special powder days.
Northstar Ski Season Recap
Also in North Lake Tahoe, Northstar is paradise for families with wide, open ski runs, the charming Village at Northstar and beautiful views of Lake Tahoe. Here’s a look at some of Northstar’s favorite moments from the 2013-2014 ski season.
Breckenridge Ski Season Recap
Breckenridge seemed to be posting snowfall totals in the double digits every day, and after a visit in late March, we confirmed that the conditions were in fact “epic.” The new Peak 6, a well-timed gift that debuted on Dec. 25, added incredible hike-to expert terrain and intermediate bowl skiing to Breck’s trail map. And—as you’ll see in their ski season recap—the resort’s legendary events like the Dew Tour and the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix were amazing as usual.
Vail Ski Season Recap
You’ve heard stories of unbelievable powder days in Vail’s Back Bowls, and if you visited this season, chances are you experienced one of those days yourself. It was another big season in Vail this year with consistent, great snow and more powder days than most peoples’ legs could handle. Relive this great ski season with the recap video below, and if you missed it, this might be the inspiration you need to make your Vail ski trip happen next year.
Whistler Heli-Skiing Ski Season Recap
Whistler’s ski season is still going strong with Blackcomb Mountain open until May 26 and glacier skiing in June and July. But the birds are in the roost as Whistler Heli-Skiing props have stopped spinning for the season. This bucket-list experience is not to be missed on a Whistler ski trip, so check out their ski season recap and start thinking about booking your spot on a heli-skiing expedition next season.
Stowe Ski Season Recap
East Coast residents were hammered by winter weather this year, and, for those who escaped to the mountains, it was wonderful. Here are the highlights from Stowe.
Chamonix Ski Season Recap
We journeyed across the pond to Chamonix in March and found out why “Nothing’s ever as cool once you go to Cham,” as it’s so eloquently stated in the video below. The Southern Alps had a great season with big storms early on, a bit of a dry spell in February and another good run of snowfall in the spring. We arrived just before a three-foot storm during the last week of March (at the same time the video below was filmed), which set up spectacular conditions for Grands Montets skiing and a tour of the Vallée Blanche.
This video shows professional skiers from Montana tearing up the Alps, on much more extreme terrain than we normal folk would ski. However, the scenery and the powder shots show just how good Chamonix can get. If you dream of big mountains and Alpine culture, we recommend adding a Chamonix ski vacation to your bucket list.
Courmayeur Ski Season Recap
We also toured Italy’s Aosta Valley, stopping in Courmayeur, Cervinia and a handful of other Alpine ski resorts. Located just on the opposite side of Mont Blanc from Chamonix, Courmayeur had an outstanding season just like its French neighbor. This resort is known for its American-esque terrain with gladed trees and wide runs as well as some of the best on-mountain dining in Europe. It also hosts one of the most spectacular stops on the Freeride World Tour. The venue for this competition is off-piste and above treeline, but the following video shows what professional skiers and snowboarders can do with some of the best terrain in the world when conditions align.
Val Thorens Ski Season Recap
Another notable season overseas took place at Val Thorens. This French ski resort is one of eight resorts in the Les 3 Vallées region and has the highest elevation. Its long season makes it one of the most visited ski destinations in the world, and this year it was accessible with the Epic Pass. Check out their 170-day season in a cool 58 seconds.
Jackson Hole Ski Season Recap
We also visited Jackson Hole this year on a reunion of sorts. Our timing was once again pretty perfect; we arrived just before the resort reached 400 inches of snowfall for the season. (Jackson Hole finished out the season with 500 inches.) The secret might be out: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort posted their highest visitation on record with more than 560,000 skier days on the books. Wyoming is famous for wide, open spaces, so all those skiers had plenty of room to themselves. We don’t have a ski season recap video to post yet, but we’re sure there’s one coming soon!
Aspen/Snowmass Ski Season Recap
Our backyard ski mountains—Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass and Buttermilk—had a banger year with record-setting snowfall (the most snow in a 24-hour period in recorded history), amazing events (like X Games and the Red Bull Doublepipe), and even an extended season. Aspen/Snowmass hasn’t posted a ski season recap video yet, but we’ll be sure to share it here when it’s ready.
Get ready for South America’s Ski Season!
Winter doesn’t have to be over yet! The snow has started to fall in Chile already, and the lifts start spinning in early June. Get excited with this 2013 summer ski season recap from Valle Nevado.
If you’re ready to go to South America, speak with a expert. Our Mountain Travel Experts are standing by at 800-610-8911 to start planning your endless winter!
Thanks for a great ski season in the northern hemisphere!