ICYMI: Beartooth is Back, Baby!

Beartooth Basin is back!

After a two-year hiatus, North America’s lone summer-only ski resort will start up the bull wheel this Friday, May 26. Located on the Montana and Wyoming border, Beartooth Basin has become a bit of a cult classic in recent years, offering 1,000 feet of vertical and 600 acres of skiing at the pinnacle of Beartooth Pass (the area’s parking lot is actually at the top of the ski hill). Beartooth’s unique season lasts until (we don’t know yet!), and single-day lift tickets cost around $50. If glaciers aren’t in your near future, this might be the ticket to keeping your season spinning. Check out this video of ski patrol blasting a huge cornice before this weekend’s opening. Full-on winter in Big Sky Country!

Kyrgyzstan’s “Lake Tahoe” region could see 22 new resorts

Don’t sleep on Kyrgyzstan. The world’s most land-locked country is also home to one of its largest alpine lakes, creating a perfect storm for some of the lightest powder on the planet. Recently, the Central Asian country decided plans to capitalize on that white gold, announcing plans for not one but 22 new ski areas in the nation’s Lake Issyk-Kul region in the next five years. The country’s Cabinet of Ministers was vague on exactly how that plan will be rolled out, but the announcement is a potentially huge development for one of skiing’s best-kept secrets

WATCH: Skiing the world’s largest sand dunes

I guess there’s always sand for those of us who aren’t making it to Beartooth. This week, pro skier Victor Broquedis joined mountain biker Killan Bron in Peru, shredding Cerro Blanco, a 3,860 vertical foot sand dune and perhaps the world’s longest base grind. The sand corduroy here looks quite pleasant, and that view is pretty hard to beat. It might not be my first choice or even my 27th, but heck, I’d give this thing a spin. Well done, team.

U.S. Paralympic team back under U.S. Ski Team umbrella

In a huge nod to adaptive sports, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association announced that the U.S. Paralympic Ski and Snowboard teams will once again live under the association’s umbrella, effective immediately. The decision gives a fresh boost of support to a collection of medal-winning athletes and a growing talent pool, providing additional coaching and access to sports science, medical and psychological professionals (in addition to an enhanced platform for marketing and sponsorship opportunities). Paralympians have been competing under the management of U.S. Paralympic Alpine and Snowboard teams.