“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
The next significant storm is aimed at the Southwest
While the first half of this week has been relatively boring, the weather pattern will be picking back up this Friday and Saturday. In true El Niño form, Tahoe and Southwest region of the U.S. will be favored.
This Week’s Top Headlines
Rewatch every X Games event from this past weekend
Did you miss your favorite X Games event this weekend? No worries! Catch up on every single event from the rowdiest winter weekend in Aspen at xgames.com.
Kings and Queens of Corbet’s canceled for 2024
Due to an unusually low and unpredictable snowpack, the powers that be at Jackson Hole, along with local athletes, collectively decided to cancel the iconic couloir event for 2024. While we’re bummed we won’t be seeing some of the world’s best skiers and snowboarders huck their meat, we respect the decision to postpone the event until next year when there is (hopefully) a better snowpack to send.
Woman gets stuck on Heavenly gondola overnight
Monica Laso was on a ski trip at Heavenly Resort with friends when she decided to download on the gondola instead of skiing down for her last run. A resort employee guided her to the gondola, where she loaded at 4:58 p.m., but the gondola promptly stopped at 5 p.m., leaving her stranded. She spent 15 hours in the gondola overnight, and her friends reported her missing to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. Laso was rescued at 8:30 a.m. the next morning and was treated for cold exposure—the overnight low was 23 degrees.
Four dead, three critically injured after a helicopter crash at Northern Escape Heli-Skiing
While the cause of the crash is still under investigation, it’s clear something went horribly wrong on Monday, January 22, when one of the three Northern Escape Heli-Skiing choppers deployed that day with guests crashed—leaving three of the seven passengers dead on-scene and the four others critically injured. Since the incident, another critically injured victim has passed from his injuries, bringing the death count to four. Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased and the entire heli-skiing community in British Columbia.
The first stop of the Freeride World Tour went down in Verbier without a hitch
On Saturday, January 27, the world’s best freeriders went head-to-head on the world’s biggest snow stage—the Petit Bec in Verbier, Switzerland. A consistent snowpack from top to bottom prompted the tour to switch locations last-minute for the first stop, but that’s skiing, baby—ya gotta go where it’s good.
Freeride World Tour cancels Ordino Arcalís Pro
Speaking of good snow…the second stop of the FWT in Andorra has been canceled due to unsafe conditions off-piste. While a storm is forecasted to hit the Pyrenees, it’s too little too late to pull off the comp, so the next stop will happen at Kicking Horse in Golden, BC, February 14-20.
Henrik Harlaut announces partnership with eyewear brand Chimi
After bidding ado to Oakley, Henrik Harlaut left us all wondering where he would land for eyewear. Ponder no more, the Swede has announced his partnership with Swedish eyewear brand, Chimi, and we look forward to what the two develop together.
What to Watch This Week
Phil Casabon’s “Tempo”
Enjoy a throwback from Phil Casabon’s 2017 season. No matter the year, the art and the style are timeless.
Kye Petersen’s “The Sacred Grounds // Part 5”
Kye Petersen’s short film series has taken the cast from their backyards to the farthest reaches in pursuit of epic lines and blower pow, but the fifth and final installment takes us on a journey to the less remote sacred places that still offer life-changing experiences.
