“News Flash” is FREESKIER’s online column designed to keep you up-to-date with snippets of outdoor news you need to know about. This article is published weekly on Wednesdays.
This Week’s Weather Forecast
Heavy snow for the West
The Northwest is being favored for the deepest snow totals this week, but the entire Western half of the United States and Canada will see significant snowfall. Unfortunately, strong winds will be associated with this storm, making avalanche conditions tricky.
This Week’s Top Headlines
Whistler announces plans to go mobile for 2024-25
At the start of the 2024-25 ski season, Whistler plans to take its season passes and daily lift tickets mobile—completely eliminating plastic passes and paper tickets. The new technology will allow customers to buy their passes online as well as activate and store them on the My Epic app, but Whistler says they will still print out passes for anyone who wants a physical card in their pocket.
Alyeska celebrates active and retired military with a free ski day on March 4, 2024
As a way to thank the Armed Forces, Alyeska offers “Military Mondays,” where all active and retired military are invited to ski and ride for free, along with discounted rentals. The next Military Monday is March 4, with full-day lift and tram tickets available.
Visiting snowboarder faces shotgun from Brighton local
For the last lap of Loren Richardson’s Utah vacation, the snowboarder headed out the resort boundary gate near the Great Western Lift to return to his Airbnb. What he found as he dropped onto the plowed road was an angry local wielding a shotgun. Richardson was recording his last run and, subsequently, the entire run-in with this lunatic. The Mayor of Brighton, Daniel Knopp, has confirmed this unruly resident has been several times regarding his aggressive behavior, and this only adds to the case against him.
What to Watch
The MAGMA boys ski Japan
Deep pow, skinny trees and tasty snacks. Japan is all it is hyped up to be, and the MAGMA boys unanimously agree.
Level 1 drops Sander Hadley’s 2023 season edit
Sander Hadley spent his entire 2023 winter on the road filming for the Level 1/Dynastar team film, “Lemonade” and the amount of footage that came out of that project called for an edit of his own. Enjoy five minutes of absolute nutty skiing from the Idaho pro skier.
Josh Daiek introduces new series “One Track Mind”
Josh Daiek is known for skiing really f*$#ing fast down big lines with massive airs and consequences. The Salomon athlete is now letting the public in on the behind-the-scenes of what it takes to ski like that with his new series “One Track Mind” and the first episode takes us through his top 10 lines ever skied.
Josh Daiek plays with fire in episode two of “One Track Mind”
A line in Nevada that almost took Josh Daiek’s life is the subject of episode two of the pro skier’s new series. Find out how close to the flame Daiek actually gets in this almost tragic ending.
Jib League returns for season two
Jib League is back, baby! Enjoy the first episode of the second season, recapping the Open Jam—open to all ages, genders and abilities.
