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Riley McDonald

Outdoor enthusiast, skiing addict, full-time Lifty, and part-time student. Fully here for a good time.

The New Elan Voyager: The World’s First High-Performance All-Mountain Folding Ski

elan's new voyager skis

After jumping through all of the hoops and emptying out your bank account just to go on a few-day ski trip… you now have to face the headache of getting all of your gear on a plane or packed into the car. Arguably, the worst part about skiing is trudging your skis, poles, boots, helmet, goggles, and the bag full […]

Post Tag for Industry NewsIndustry News
Riley McDonald | December 22, 2022
1 Comment

Deer Valley, UT, Will Offer Season Passes to Homeowners Willing to House Employees

deer valley resort from above

A significant issue faced by ski resorts is finding a solution to enable employees to continue working at the resort while being able to afford housing. Ski resort towns are notoriously expensive, the tourist attraction of skiing and a quaint town experience creates a perfect storm for a high cost of living. Most resort employees are seasonal workers that receive […]

Post Tag for Industry NewsIndustry News
Riley McDonald | December 20, 2022
2 Comments

British Columbia Closes Large Backcountry Skiing Area Due to Uncompliant Skiers

BC backcountry skiers

Glacier National Park in British Columbia, Canada, was forced to close an entire backcountry skiing area because skiers failed to stay out of avalanche mitigation areas. On December 1st, skiers entered the closed MacDonald West area. This area was closed due to avalanche mitigation concerns.   To ski in Glacier National Park, one must obtain a winter permit. This permit requires […]

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Riley McDonald | December 14, 2022
0 Comments

Everything You Need to Know About Skier’s Toe

yellow ski boots

The dreaded skier’s toe… The bane of any unsuspecting skier’s existence. Nothing like a subungual hematoma, also known as skier’s toe, can damper a season. Typically, skier’s toe results in your big toenail turning black. This may be concerning and some will fret about the possibility of frostbite, chances are it is just a subungual hematoma. While incredibly irritating and […]

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Riley McDonald | December 12, 2022
5 Comments

Switzerland Implements Changes to Avalanche Warnings

dry avalanche in Utah

The Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) responded to requests to make its Avalanche Warning System more detailed by implementing a change in the way the warning system operates. They are pioneering a new path toward avalanche safety with a major change. The five categories of danger remain the same: 1- Low  2- Moderate  3 – Considerable […]

Post Tag for AvalancheAvalanche
Riley McDonald | December 6, 2022
0 Comments

5th Annual Beacon Bash at Winter Park in Colorado

girl practicing beacon skills

The 5th Annual Beacon Bash will be held Saturday, December 10th, from 9 am to 4 pm at Winter Park, Colorado. The event will provide top-notch avalanche education, rescue skills, beacon training, and an opportunity to demo backcountry gear. Backcountry Access, Inc (BCA) and ORTOVOX will sponsor two major beacon practice parks. These parks will be open all day and […]

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Riley McDonald | November 30, 2022
0 Comments

Ride For A Cause at Brighton Resort in Utah

chair-itable Wednesdays at Brighton

Utah’s Brighton Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon is giving back this season. Three early-season Wednesdays are dedicated “CHAIR-itable” ride days where tickets will only cost $40, with $5 from each ticket going to a Utah Charity.  The CHAIR-itable Wednesdays will be November 30th, December 7th, and December 14th. There are limited tickets for these days. It is highly recommended to book ahead if […]

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Riley McDonald | November 24, 2022
0 Comments

Who Are The Unsung Heroes of Ski Resorts?

ski patroller

Who are the unrecognized heroes of ski resorts? The votes are in! According to 183 Facebook comments on the SnowBrains Facebook page in response to the question: “Who are the unsung heroes at a ski resort?” there are three close finishers. The top three unsung heroes all finished within a couple of points of each other: Lift Maintenance, Lift Ops, […]

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Riley McDonald | November 21, 2022
1 Comment

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