The 4 Best Ski Areas for Mountain Biking, Plus Opening Dates
Don't stop going to your favorite ski area just because the snow melted. These are four great ski areas for mountain biking.
Jon Jay is a former Senior Editor for SKI Magazine. He directed all ski and ski boot testing for SKI Magazine from 2018 to 2021 and is still willing to test craft beer and good whiskey.
Before joining SKI, Jon held multiple titles at Silverton Mountain and, as a Princeton in Asia Fellow, taught writing and critical thinking at KIMEP University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. While growing up in western Colorado and attending the University of Denver as a Boettcher Scholar, Jon worked in a number of ski shops where he learned about what makes quality skis and boots stand out for all types of skiers.
Primarily a freeride and backcountry skier, Jon competed on the Freeskiing World Tour for two seasons and has earned first descents in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Norway. When not skiing, Jon has been known to go for long runs in the mountains, occasionally competitively. He also rides mountain and road bikes, but would always rather go skiing.
He lives in Boulder, Colo., and now works for Fischer Skis. You can follow his travels on Instagram @jonjski, his adventures on Strava, and more writing—plus his love of Colorado sports teams—on Twitter @jonjski.
Don't stop going to your favorite ski area just because the snow melted. These are four great ski areas for mountain biking.
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Does your new pair of ski boots have GripWalk soles? If so, it may be time to update your bindings.
Learn how to execute a kick-turn more efficiently with this step-by-step tutorial.
Lange took the award-winning XT3 concept and made it even more backcountry-friendly, but didn't sacrifice an ounce of downhill performance in the process.
If you like to go fast in crud and variable terrain on powder days, you’d probably give the Nordica Enforcer 110 top marks.
Despite the hardcore name and top sheets, the Faction Dictator 2.0 is a surprisingly forgiving, playful, and fun ski.
All-black, all-speed, and all-mountain. The Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition is back for 2022 and it comes with QuadRod technology.
This jacket stood the test of Silverton, Colo. Now that's saying something.
The all-new, all-mountain Head Formula ski boot provides an ideal combination of performance and comfort for recreational skiers.
The next generation of this iconic all-mountain workhorse ups the ante on what can be done by a ski boot.
The third generation of Nordica's classic medium-volume boot sheds grams without sacrificing performance.
The newest generation of this iconic backcountry ski boot is still as stiff as can be, but still gets up a skin track well.
An all-new ski boot from Fischer that reimagines how lightweight your everyday backcountry ski boot should be.
Lange took the award-winning XT3 concept and made it even more backcountry-friendly, but didn't sacrifice an ounce of downhill performance in the process.
Skinny, blue, and incredibly powerful, the Black Crows Mentis Freebird is an ideal option for long uphills.
Super lightweight, great for skiing the steeps, and reasonably priced? The Dynafit Blacklight 95 checks all the boxes.
The DPS Pagoda Tour 106 C2 is made with foam in the core, but it's also made to be super fun on the down. Here's why.
This beefy backcountry ski is made for skiers who want to go fast down the mountain, and don't mind hauling a little extra weight up for it.
The Utah-based company built a super-fat backcountry ski for earning your turns in powder. Here's how it skis.
No one should call it quits when the refills are free.
“Easy to engage, easy to release, easy to ski.”
A great option for someone getting into the sport but wants a ski that can take them to the next level and beyond.
“An amusement park with bindings.”
Wondering about the all-new Rossignol Experience 86 Ti Frontside Ski? Check out our testers' scores in this in-depth review.
These chargers remain a top freeride option, especially for those with the pocket change for this level of ski.
On firm snow, the Hotshots' Vermont roots came to light.
Back for a third season, the all-mountain K2 Mindbender 99Ti is still just as happy as can be in all conditions.
At SKI Test, the Rossignol Black Ops Sender Ti ski had hardly any faults and wasn't ranked lower than fourth in any category.
The all-new Black Diamond Impulse 98 can hold its own at the resort and in the backcountry, making it an ideal do-it-all ski.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
No metal? No problem! The Rossignol Black Ops Escaper dials up the playfulness and forgiveness scores thanks to its lightweight nature.
Dynastar's M-Pro 90 was ranked in the top-five overall Frontside skis for 2022. Find out what our testers loved and what they didn't like.
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The lightweight Völkl Blaze 106 can hold its own all over any ski resort, as well as deep into the backcountry.
A confidence booster that can ski short turns right into pure-carve GS turns, then off the piste into some soft fluff. Superb!
The Fischer RC One 86GT frontside ski returns for 2022, and has already become a classic ski that includes a binding.
The Nordica Enforcer 94 took top scores for Flotation, Crud Performance, and Balance of Skills/Versatility at this year's SKI Test.
A unisex powder ski that charges the mountain like an all-mountain ski.
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Check out the new Kästle FX86 Ti Frontside ski as well as how it scored at the 2022 SKI Test at Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah.
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The iconic Salomon QST 106 is back for its third season. See how it stacked up compared to the rest of the all-mountain wide field this year.
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These black betties love to go fast and float in deep pow. Check out how they did according to the SKI Magazine SKI Test Crew.
The perennial favorite is back for another season of all-mountain shredding, and it's better than ever.
Head rebuilt the entire Kore series for 2022. Check out what's new with the Kore 93 and what the SKI Test Crew thought about it.
The classic 4FRNT MSP 107 returns for 2022, and this year it placed first for Playfulness and Forgiveness at the annual SKI Test.
Check out how the all-new Head Kore 105 performed at SKI Test after more than a dozen skiers tried it at Solitude Mountain Resort.
Learn about the newest edition to the J skis line-up, the Fastforward. Our ski testers tried it, and this is how it stacks up.
This is a serious carving ski. Just look at the dog staring at you from the topsheet.
If you like to go fast, keep it on edge, and are a strong skier, then the Blizzard Brahma 88 is a solid frontside ski for you.
Find out what SKI Magazine's Testers thought about the all-new Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB carving ski for 2021-'22's winter season.
Check out the details plus our testers' thoughts and rankings for the all-new Armada Declivity 88 C frontside ski.
Find out everything you need to know about the all-new Stöckli Stormrider 88's performance based on the results of the SKI Magazine test.
The Nordica Enforcer 104 Free has won the All-Mountain Wide category for three years in a row. Here's why it's such an awesome ski.
Check out the Head World Cup Rebels eSpeed Carving Ski, which earned top scores in Stability at Speed and Hard Snow Integrity at SKI Test.
The classic Kästle FX96 has Titanal again, which makes it a stout, freeride-oriented all-mountain charger from Austria.
The new Stöckli Stormrider 95 raises the bar for supple feel and power at speed. Find out why this was many of our testers' top ski.
The Scott Slight 93 is a wide, all-mountain-oriented Frontside ski. Find out what SKI Mag's expert crew of testers thought about the ski.
Check out the all-new Stöckli Stormrider 102 and see what the SKI Magazine Test Crew thought about it at the annual SKI Test.
If you're ready to master your local beer league or any groomed terrain at all, the Völkl Deacon 76 Master carving ski will get you there.
The 2022 Armada Declivity 102 Ti is back for another season, and is still one of the most playful wide skis with Titanal available anywhere.
The Fischer Ranger 99 Ti provides fun by the shovelful, just as long as you are keen on getting them up to speed.
Back for its third year at the SKI Test, the K2 Mindbender 108Ti continues to be one of the highlights of the line according to our SKI Testers.
Save some cash without sacrificing performance with these affordable yet highly competent skis.
The Scott Slight 100 is made for a light skier (or skiers with a light touch), but they can rip in every condition.
See what SKI Magazine's expert crew of testers think about the performance of the Salomon Stance 90 Frontside ski.
Playful, strong, and fun, the Blizzard Rustler 10 is freeride-oriented and designed to make the entire mountain a playground.
The Dynastar M-Free 108 returns for 2022 as a playful, quick, and maneuverable all-mountain wide option for skiers.
Check out the ski industry's most comprehensive review of the 2022 K2 Mindbender 90Ti Frontside ski, one of SKI Mag's Official Selections.
This unisex ski was tested by both the men and women at SKI Test, and there were some differences in opinion.
Learn about the Armada Declivity 82 Ti ski, find out what our testers thought about it at SKI Test, and see last year's review.
This new powder ski deserves all the hype it's getting, and then some.
Revised for 2022, the J skis Masterblaster is a playful, forgiving all-mountain ski optimized to make skiing fun.
Stiff, fast, and made to be on edge, the Blizzard Bonafide 97 is made to turn the whole mountain into an international speedway.
If you love to keep your skis on the snow and to be entirely chatter-free, the Salomon Stance 96 is an ideal all-mountain choice.
The Stöckli Laser AR ski was picked by SKI Magazine testers as the best carving ski of 2022 with high scores for Quickness and Versatility.
You read that right. Get ready to stomp the crap out of this ski season's ski movie season.
New Holland has one great beer to enjoy while getting ready for ski season, and one beer designed to celebrate the end of non-ski season.