Yell when others are whispering, whisper when others are yelling. Make a different noise than everyone else and more people will hear it. It’s clear some ski area marketers took a version of these words of wisdom to heart this past year to get their message through. Others followed trends. Either approach can work well or backfire, depending on the execution.
Video was unquestionably a preferred medium in ski areas’ marketing mix. High production value still wins the day, but in many cases, simpler, more authentic videos resonated with audiences more.
And while turmoil and conflict invade our daily newsfeeds, marketers were keen to deliver an antidote by using humor in a variety of ways. As with any joke, some punchlines landed, others didn’t.
To sort through the hits and misses, our small group of reviewers shared their subjective opinions on the ski area marketing that they consumed over the past year. They can’t see it all, of course, but what they did see is an excellent representation of the marketing landscape. We hope you find their observations informative, entertaining, and maybe even instructive.
General
Worst Math
Powder Mountain, UT
Dear, Reed Hastings: I know you founded Netflix and have, like, a gazillion dollars. If I had “Stranger Things” money, I would have bought Powder Mountain, too; the place is amazing. But then you privatized almost half the mountain. Not cool, but still, I get it—capitalists gon’ capitalize. But then, THEN, you plaster ads all over social media touting “More acres than all United States resorts,” even though that math only maths if you count all the privatized acreage that nearly all the people seeing those ads likely cannot afford. And if you click that ad, right there above the fold on powdermountain.com, is the line, “...no crowds, no mega pass madness.” That’s a bold copy choice shortly after yanking Powder Mountain from the Indy Pass, whose clientele consider themselves the anti-mega pass crowd. — LS
Best Anniversary Logo
Alta, UT
As more and more resorts have been hitting major anniversaries in recent years, more and more resorts have been designing special anniversary logos to celebrate the occasion. You know how these often look: a big block number, ribbons with the years of operation, and maybe a crest or circle holding it all together. Alta, however, had a trick up its sleeve in the form of the number 8. As in, the famous powder 8s that can only be found at resorts that get as much snow as Alta does. So, when Alta reached its otherwise random 88th anniversary, it celebrated with a very clever logo tweak that featured two powder 8s side-by-side on its snowflake logo. It was subtle enough that people younger than me might call it a flex, but clear enough that few are going to miss the slight adaptation of the usual design and the important meaning it holds for a ski area that truly has some of the best snow you’ll ever ski. — GB
Best Referral Program
Indy Pass
When Indy Pass launched its new discounted beginner pass, I was happy. When I saw that it had an integrated referral program, I was stoked. For years I’ve felt that one of the most untapped avenues for growth in our sport is turning every skier into a salesperson by providing meaningful reasons to tell their friends to try skiing with a very specific next step for those friends to take. Indy did this by giving every Indy Pass holder two referral codes that took $40 off these already affordable beginner passes. Is a multi-day pass the perfect entry point for most beginners? Probably not. But Indy’s sphere of influence revolves around passes so it pulled the best lever it could by giving “buddy tickets for beginners” to its army of loyal customers, which will surely drive more than a few sales from beginner skiers looking to take the next step. It’s a great idea that I’m hoping other resorts draw inspiration from in the coming seasons. — GB
Friendliest Response
Tourism Eastern Townships, QC
Tourism Eastern Townships promotes visitation to the southeastern region of Quebec, including its many ski areas. This ad doesn’t directly promote ski areas, so it only marginally qualifies for inclusion here. But to paraphrase Mel Brooks, “It’s good to be the editor.” And there’s a lesson to be learned. Ready? The “Come hug it out” campaign was created in response to the U.S. government’s less-than-endearing posture toward our neighbors to the north, which unsurprisingly resulted in Canadians opting to spend their tourism dollars anywhere but here. Knowing that not all Americans agreed with said posture, Tourism Eastern Townships took the high road with an invitation to visit, and did so using humor. The guy’s awkward admission to being American and the front desk agent’s immediate response intentionally build tension before the two hug it out. The symbolism is magnificent, and I challenge you not to LOL. When done right, humor in marketing can mend rifts and clarify intentions—and net millions of views and impressions, too. — DM
Best Competitive Positioning
Powder Mountain, UT
Like other parts of the country, Utah has some capacity issues. Red snakes of traffic fill the divided highways of the Cottonwood Canyons. One place you won’t find bumper to bumper traffic, however, is Powder Mountain, just 90 minutes north of Salt Lake City, where limits on passes and tickets have kept its thousands of acres uncrowded. The resort has been leaning into this strength for a few years, but 2025-26 built on that momentum with a campaign that’s hard to argue with: “You spend enough time waiting, you shouldn’t wait to ski.” Driving the message home was a muted color palette and images of potential skiers waiting in line for buses, elevators, and other things that draw a subtle, but unmistakable parallel to the time it often takes to drive to other mountains in the state. The campaign included a YouTube pre-roll ad that was shown 2.6 million times, creative across a handful of other digital channels, and a popup on the homepage of the resort’s website that made the message tough to miss. — GB
Best Way to Spend a Friday Night
Big Snow American Dream, NJ
July is usually a quiet time for snowboarding in the Northern Hemisphere, but summer heat is no match for the freezing temps inside Big SNOW—especially last July, when the indoor oasis launched a new nighttime endeavor: Park After Dark. A warm-season fever dream for park rats, the event opened The Fridge for late Friday night riding from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., and the reverberations were plentiful. Slush the Magazine came onboard to provide media coverage. Brand sponsors like Oakley, 686, and Vans Snow supplied prizes for participants. Pros Mike Ravelson and Savannah Shinske were there. Big SNOW local and community leader SK rallied the regional scene. Zeb Powell pulled up and filmed an episode of his YouTube series, “Planet Zebulon.” The aftermath was a barrage of earned media and social hits that fueled stoke near and far during the off-season. Park After Dark is now a monthly event—and continues to earn Big SNOW big earned media. — MW
Biggest Missed Opportunity
Nekoma Mountain, Japan
In February, the crew behind The Uninvited Invitational brought the impactful event series to Nekoma Mountain outside of Tokyo for The Uninvited Japan Open. Hosting one of these events is an opportunity to make a big earned-media splash while supporting women in sport. Nekoma Mountain provided an ideal setting for it and the in-person aspect was dialed. While so many eyes were on The Uninvited’s digital updates before, during, and after the multi-day contest, Nekoma was noticeably quiet about it on social media—its only activity for the event was a promotional post the month before on its English language account (as a side note, it’s very cool that the resort operates two accounts, one in Japanese and one in English, for its customers). Nekoma still got tons of exposure, or course. But to not capitalize on such a content-rich event on its own channels seems like a missed opportunity. — MW
Best Gamification
Saddleback, ME
Soul-destroying “Leave a comment to be entered to win!” social media campaigns are mercifully few and far between these days. But Saddleback borrowed the same principle, minus the stench of desperation, for its Lift Ticket Loot Drop series. Step 1: film a first-person POV clip while hiding lift ticket vouchers (and maybe some beer money from Harpoon or Bissell Brothers) at various somewhat-known spots in Boston and Portland, Maine. Step 2: post to socials and watch the New England ski community lose its collective mind. With thousands of likes and hundreds of comments across social platforms on each Loot Drop, Saddleback demonstrated that you don’t have to raid the marketing budget or rely on a huge snowstorm to generate some buzz, both on social and in the marketplace. — LS
Best Use of Stored Snow
Trollhaugen, WI
Of the handful of ski areas that stored snow over last summer, Trollhaugen wins the best-value-from-stored-snow contest even though, unlike the others, none of the snow it saved was skied on this winter. For the first time in four or five years of storing spring snow to use for its early-October Open Haugen rail jam event, Troll pulled the tarp and hay to reveal enough leftovers to build a full park and spin its rope tow for two days (previous rail jams were one-day hike parks), leading to social media virality. A 60-second video of the constant stream of park riders lapping the rope during the event earned millions—MILLIONS—of impressions alone, plus millions more via other owned and earned media related to Troll’s snow storage effort. This was the culmination of stoke-stirring updates from the ski area leading up to the event, and the momentum surely carried into the actual ski season. With the benefits becoming clearer, it’s safe to say we’ll see a lot more summertime snow piles at ski areas moving forward. — DM
Best Responses to Hate
Snowshoe, WV; Sugarbush, VT;
Mammoth Mountain, CA
An early March post for Snowshoe’s LGBTQ+ Pride event included this lovely invitation/ethos: “Come celebrate unity, joy, and being exactly who you are, on and off the slopes.” Who could take issue with that? Internet trolls, that’s who. Now, they say you shouldn’t feed trolls, and I generally agree, but Snowshoe’s social team decided instead to completely ROAST them in response to their (blood-boiling) hateful ignorance, and it was masterful. “I’m here for the absolute joy that is both Pride Day on the slopes and Snowshoe’s social media team absolutely cooking in the replies,” said one commenter. Shortly after, Sugarbush took a brilliantly proactive approach to responding to the intolerably intolerant by announcing in a post about its mid-March Pride weekend that it would donate $1 for “EVERY comment” (note the all CAPS) on that post, up to $2k, to a Vermont-based LGBTQ+ youth services organization. The resort belittled haters by thanking them for their donations in the comments. Mammoth took a cue from its Alterra sister resort with the same approach a few days later, giving credit to Sugarbush for the idea. Dearest Snowshoe, Sugarbush, and Mammoth social teams, your allyship was on full display, in epic joyous regalia. May your wit change the world! — CB
Worst Ostriching
Telluride Ski and Golf, CO
Brands often avoid confronting peripheral conflict on social media, particularly when it unfolds behind the scenes. However, when that conflict becomes national news, silence will very quickly shift from strategic to damaging. The Telluride patroller contract negotiations and ensuing strike (much like Park City’s the year prior) generated widespread coverage and major headlines, leaving little room to simply proceed with business-as-usual messaging. Telluride continuing to publish upbeat “happy holidays” content amid highly visible labor tensions made it appear disconnected from the broader conversation, an issue compounded by hundreds of comments from unhappy followers, many of which were reportedly removed. It was a difficult situation, but when an issue gets THIS big, audiences often value (at least to some extent) acknowledgment over avoidance. A proactive, empathetic, and transparent response from management—sans finger pointing and posturing—at least could have signaled awareness for the community’s concerns rather than social media silence or “status quo” promotional content, which comes across as pretty tone deaf. Maybe in this case, ignorance is not bliss? — EK
Best Emulation
Mont du Lac Resort, WI
When Antelope Butte, Wyo., dropped the news in 2024 that kids ages 17 and under would ski there for free with no strings attached, the industry’s eyebrows raised—was this a brilliant idea or bad one? Two winters in and AB is doing better than ever, so it makes sense for other ski areas to explore such a bold move for themselves. Mont du Lac Resort, where kids 10 and under already skied for free, was one of them. And on March 10, MDL’s regular on-camera spokesperson Chris shared the news that kids 15 and under will ski for free starting next winter. The announcement was made with the entire MDL team standing behind Chris and reacting, which as a marketing move, gave the impression that an effort to get more kids on snow is in line with the ski area’s culture and brand. There’s also a strong business case for taking this swing. Will more ski areas du the same? I hope so. — DM
Video
Best First-Timer Video
Winter Park, CO
Now this is how you get out of your echo chamber. Winter Park played host to an episode of Prime Video’s “’N Yo’ City” featuring pro snowboarder Zeb Powell guiding former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch through his first time on snow—and it’s amazing for so many reasons. From Marshawn’s first timer commentary to Zeb’s support and encouragement, it’s relatable and hilarious. As someone who spends a lot of time with beginners, especially beginners that never thought skiing or riding was for them, this video made my season. And yet, amid all the laughs, the wholesome moral of the story gets dropped by the great Zebulon himself: “Not gonna lie, the most impressive thing is the ability to fall and get back up. That’s how I got to where I am today.” Then cue the Marshawn snowboarding bloopers followed by his progress. Friends hyping up friends, and reminding everyone that snowboarding isn’t just “white people sh*t.” I am here for it, I love it, and I want more! — CB
Best Reverse Psychology
Grand Targhee, WY
In a world where ski ads take themselves too seriously, this “ad” schools anyone that’s ever tried a little too hard to sell people on visiting their resort. This "ad" has everything. Epic Ron Burgundy-esq voice over? Check. The tongue in cheek mockery of all the things diehard skiers and riders love? Yep. The ability to somehow make me crave a leftover burrito by the fire? Done and done. I love any magical moment when a resort doesn’t take itself too seriously and simultaneously inspires me to book a trip I can’t afford to see the rocks, lose my breath, and hang out with hippies (but not too many). Targhee has been on my bucket list for a long time, and if this ad demonstrates the vibes the Targhee experience brings to the ski function, I’m so there. — CB
Best Brand Humanization
Mt. Bachelor, OR
Long-form narrative video was once at the core of meaningful brand building but now struggles to find its place amid short attention spans, sharable clips, and viral trends. Nowhere is this odder to see than in the ski industry, considering ski areas essentially represent a living ecosystem of deep history, culture, and community. Projects like Mt. Bachelor’s “Just Northwest of Normal” human profile series offer a refreshing reminder of what thoughtful storytelling can accomplish. Resort staff and community spotlight pieces are nothing new, but Mt. Bachelor elevates the format with excellent cinematography, intentional pacing, strong editing, and a cohesive narrative thread. With this series, Mt. Bachelor focuses on building brand equity by reinforcing what makes the mountain distinct: its people. Again, nothing new, but a beautiful reminder in a time of growing automation, AI, and resort homogenization that ski areas are not interchangeable. They are unique communities. And I hope we don’t lose sight of that. — EK
Best Trail Spotlight
Ski Utah/Alta Ski Area, UT
Ski Utah’s “Signatures” video series highlights some of the most beloved and recognizable runs at the state’s ski areas, and this winter’s only addition to the series (as of mid-March, at least) from Alta Ski Area is my favorite. It blends dynamic stoke footage with fun and relaxed commentary, breaking down what makes Alf’s High Rustler fun, technical, and storied. The part I particularly love is that there’s context layered in—nods to legacy and subtle reminders that it isn’t just a trail, but a chapter in a much longer history. It taps into some storytelling by local athlete Eliza Cowie that adds depth without slowing the pace. It feels less like a highlight reel and more like an invitation into a closer look at what makes the mountain tick and why its terrain gets skiers pumped up. — EK
Most Underutilized Snow Report Delivery
June Mountain, CA
June Mountain put a refreshingly enjoyable spin on the traditional conditions report by delivering it through the lively POV of snow reporter Kylie, ripping down the mountain while sharing the report’s highlights. While the concept itself isn’t groundbreaking, the execution is what made it work. In the Feb. 20 post, viewers got the essential information—snowfall totals, current conditions, safety messages, and even the honest callout (“we’re getting that champagne powder we don’t often get”). The tone was casual and genuinely fun, and the report blended information with the experience because you get to see exactly what she’s skiing through in real time. That quick glimpse of the terrain and snow quality made the update feel far more tangible than a typical report and, somewhat surprisingly, actually makes you want to watch the whole thing. People enjoyed and appreciated it. It works. So, why only do this once all season? This could be your thing, June. We want more. — EK
Most Genuine Update
Mt. Washington Alpine Resort
Sometimes you just need to tell it like it is. Let’s start with: This winter was brutal for the West. Tons of ski areas had to deliver the news that opening day was delayed due to lack of snow, sometimes repeatedly. When Mt. Washington Alpine Resort had to delay its opening after a snowstorm didn’t deliver as forecast, general manager Mike gave a heartfelt and honest message to the community: “Talk about heartbreak … We are doing everything we possibly can.” It wasn’t all bad news—Mike invited people to a party at the bar and a free learn-to event that was being held on snow farmed from all over the mountain (footage shows shovel crews filling sleds with snow). Showing up and showing what it takes when winter doesn’t cooperate isn’t glamourous, but it shows real commitment and love for their audience. Like Mike says, “When the snow doesn’t show up, the community certainly does.” Step up your game, Ullr. — CB
Funniest Use of Doublespeak
Whiteface, NY
“Ski resort marketers be like…” reads Whiteface’s caption for a viral Instagram video that’s a brilliant mix of light-hearted self-deprecation and transparency. Rather than sulk on a rainy Dec. 19 as 100+ mph winds closed the ski area for the day, the marketing team had some fun with the situation by putting together a visual representation of the doublespeak flexed by snow reporters from a bygone era. The first scene sets the tone with a staffer standing in the pouring rain saying, “it’s just absolutely dumping out here … let’s add a couple inches to the snow report,” and it continues from there. Cameos from lift ops and ski patrol add to the team effort. It’s a great example of a creative pivot developed on the fly by a marketing team with the leeway to have some fun. Let marketers have fun, reap the benefits. — DM
Most Rewarding Sustainability Project Updates
Sun Valley, ID
Since 2020, Sun Valley has worked with the National Forest Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management on the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project, an effort to improve forest health, reduce forest fire risk, and enhance recreation on the mountain by removing hundreds of acres of pest-infected dead and dying trees and planting new saplings. Forest health and wildfire mitigation are, of course, important, though may seem fairly dry for storytelling. However, Sun Valley has done a great job of telling this story with videos that are both factual and compelling. On-camera contributions from a variety of knowledgeable people such as local athletes, Sun Valley sustainability staff, and USFS crewmembers help to explain both the reasoning behind the actions and—to the delight of those more interested in skiing than conservation—the expansive new terrain the project has opened up. Transparent explanation is always appreciated, especially when the change is significant and the reasoning behind it not necessarily common knowledge. Linking the transformation to its immediate gratification is a strong strategy, too. — MW
Best Snow Stake Upgrade
Mt. Bachelor, OR
It’s not unusual for a ski area to swap out a snow stake every now and then. Maybe you make a quick post about it, toss a few stories up, send an email update, and call it a day. But Mt. Bachelor decided this moment deserved a little more production value. The video kicks off with a full-blown retirement party for the old snow stake—the kind of sentimental send-off usually reserved for a longtime employee. From there, the story shifts to the “new guy” interviewing for the role, with some playful interview moments and snow stake-related one-liners before the shiny new stake ultimately “gets the job.” Of course, no good workplace drama is complete without a final hallway encounter: the fresh hire locking eyes with the seasoned veteran on their way to retirement. All of this to retire a giant orange ruler and introduce a new one? I’m here for it. It’s the kind of light-hearted storytelling that makes you smile while scrolling—a needed laugh during a tough winter. Nicely done, Mt. Bachelor. — EK
Best Holiday Film Integration
Sun Peaks, BC
You know the script—a woman from the big city trying to get the promotion, a handsome man in a small town standing in her way, a deceased parent (or two), and, of course, Christmastime. Humans by the millions (myself included) can’t help but watch these cheesy, predictable stories each winter. And since these stories need a snowy setting to set the mood, why not film one at a ski resort? That’s exactly what happened when Netflix’s “My Secret Santa” was set at Sun Peaks. As an added boon, the resort was actually referred to as Sun Peaks in-movie rather than some fictitious name, so it was easy for viewers to connect the charming base village on the screen to the actual base village in reality. Netflix didn’t return my call requesting the total viewership numbers, but the trailer alone netted nearly a million views. And its annual reappearance on our “suggested for you” list around Christmas makes it a gift that will keep giving for Sun Peaks. — GB
Best Movie Spoof
Jay Peak, VT
Now this video caught me off guard in the best possible way. But my review is in: It’s Marketing Oscar-worthy—or at least a SAM Best! I need to take you into my brain for this one: the video starts with instant Tim Burton vibes, my diehard fangirl status ignites, and then, a moment of suspense—is it really, a take on Edward Scissorhands?!? Wait, what is Jay Peak up to here? Shredward Hisserhands! What are hissers? Am I actually learning something about snowmaking? Oh, I get it. OK, this is GENIUS. The parallels to the movie are just perfect enough thanks to the costumes, the characters, and the overall production, and the nuances of the story that tie it to Jay are brilliant. And the touching “Thank You Snowmakers” at the end followed by rolling credits of the snowmakers’ names—am I tearing up right now? That’s it. You win, Jay Peak. All the awards. Aaand scene. — CB
Best Use of Generational Slang
SilverStar, BC
If you live with a 13- and 15-year-old like I do, you are not their dad, you’re an “Unc.” Conversely, on the rare occasion that your parental conduct deserves praise—very rare—you are “sigma.” While sometimes confounding, it’s kind of fun for my wife and I to translate their vocabulary and phrases into Millennial-speak. When it was time for SilverStar to share some bad news on Instagram—opening day would be delayed—its social media team cast two Gen X’ers to deadpan their way through a script that only Gen Alpha or Gen Z could comprehend on first listen. For the rest of us, it took three or four replays to absorb the information, getting funnier every time. It’s a brilliant strategy; Insta’s algorithm rewards reels that are viewed again and again. The momentum turned the video viral as it steamrolled to 13,000 likes and hundreds of comments. (A typical SilverStar Instagram post gets about 1,000 likes.) Put another way: lowkey, it cooked. — LS
Best Terrain-Opening Announcement
Snowbird, UT
For nearly a decade, Snowbird has been rallying around the idea that it’s not a mountain for everyone. From the famous one-star campaign to the more recent “Give Me the Bird” angle, the resort hasn’t been shy about drawing clear lines around its corner of the ski market. So, what does a mountain like that do when it opens its tiny little pocket of beginner terrain that sits almost wholly within the shadow of the hotel beside it? If you’re Snowbird’s marketing team, you turn the “extreme” meter to 50 with a rope-drop edit that features fire, a Metallica soundtrack and some of the gnarliest pizza turns you’ll ever see. The Chickadee conveyor probably isn’t the reason people go to Snowbird, but it exists, it was opening, and Snowbird embraced the contrast against the rest of the mountain beautifully with this fun edit. It’s almost impossible not to smile when you watch it. — GB
Digital
Worst Bandwagon Jump
Ikon Pass
I understand the desire to jump on a viral trend, but Ikon Pass’s (and the other perpetrators, looking at you and judging harshly SKI magazine) attempt at the Taylor Swift album cover felt like desperate Swiftie baiting. I’m generally a fan of the ski industry trying to cross over into other genres. We absolutely need to get out of our echo chamber and try to appeal to a wider audience. However, at the risk of causing any “bad blood,” this “life of a Snowgirl” moment was both too cheesy and too easy. And while I hear that Ms. Taylor is in fact a ski girl, seeing everyone on the internet do their own version of this felt like Canva was giving away free marketing templates for the album drop. I applaud any effort to find relevance in the non-endemic ski world, but let’s maybe try a little harder. And sorry Ikon, I’m not trying to “ruin the friendship” or anything. — CB
Most Compelling Live Feed
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY
Webcam views often show nice scenery, base area overviews (unless they’ve been adjusted to not show lift lines), snow stakes, and a live peek at the current weather. Some might say webcams are more useful and utilitarian than compelling and interactive. That is, until Jackson Hole set up a live feed aimed directly at its infamous vertical-drop-to-bragging-rights run, Corbet’s Couloir. Yes, the new live feed is probably useful for those planning to actually drop in—but it functions most successfully to win over a wide audience of rubberneckers. Previously, the only way to get a peak at the action was from the Aerial Tram. Now, the webcam provides direct Corbet’s viewing on YouTube—and even more consequently, an active comment section. Since the feed launched, user-created clips and commentary have blasted out over social media. Kudos to JHMR on a digital initiative that serves to draw folks in and broaden the legend of Corbet’s. — MW
Best Pop-Up Ad
Telluride, CO
For many of us, checking the weather forecast during the season vacillates between legitimate hobby and borderline obsession (not that there’s anything wrong with that). While we all have our preferred sources to get the most pinpoint info, I tend to turn to a more mainstream weather site to get a general sense of a day’s temperature and conditions. And I must not be the only skier/rider to do so, because while I was checking Accuweather this winter, an ad for Telluride popped up—and I wasn’t annoyed by it. In fact, I have never been so stoked to see an old-fashioned pop-up about something that I was actually interested in. It was primarily promoting the inexpensive flight options direct to Montrose Airport (the closest travel access to the resort), and the artwork was attractive. Kudos to Telluride for meeting me where I often hang out online and just letting an ad be an ad. I have to admit, I looked up the long-range forecast in Telluride right after. — MW
Best Safety Campaign
Snow Angel Foundation
I’d be surprised if you haven’t come across the Snow Angel Foundation in your social feed or met founders Kelli and Chauncy Johnson in person over the past year. They’ve been everywhere. And their message resonates, not only because of the foundation’s tragic origin story, but because slope safety is getting far more (reactive, not proactive) attention from ski area operators and the Johnsons have some good ideas, both to improve safety and to get the message in front of the right people. Napkins with Snow Angel’s “Triangle of Safety” and the responsibility code were spotted at Jackson Hole, for example. And as a nonprofit, fundraising is key to supporting the mission. The most visible effort was this winter’s “Snow Angel Challenge” (a la the highly successful “Ice Bucket Challenge”) on social media that had dozens of industry folks participate and raised $20k for the foundation. Keep it up, team. And keep supporting the effort, ski areas. There’s work to be done yet. — DM
Best Valentine’s Day Post
Red Mountain, BC
Valentine’s Day brings an opportunity for marketing teams to lean into something playful or funny. It’s a holiday that practically begs for lighthearted content and occasionally produces trends. This winter, Red Mountain jumped in on a trend with the social launch of “Lifter,” which is essentially Tinder for chairlifts. The premise was simple: chairlifts looking for love; swipe accordingly. What made Red’s “Lifter” stand out was the execution. Each lift profile doubled as a subtle storytelling vehicle, weaving in bits of terrain lore, history, personality quirks, you name it. The bios walked a fine line between parody and authenticity. Some were understated nods to the mountain’s culture. Others leaned fully into the gag, like the T-Bar’s self-aware line: “A bit awkward at first, but once you figure me out, we can have some fun together.” Being familiar with the resort was helpful to truly get some of it, which sparked engagement with loyal fans. Plus, the profiles resembled swipeable dating cards, making it feel a bit more immersive than half-baked. — EK
Best Launch Marketing
Stoke Mountain, WA
Starting any ski area in 2026 is a process that will begin with the odds stacked against you. Starting a ski area in a warehouse? That’s the dream that Nicholas Scott and his father had when they set out to create Stoke Mountain, an indoor training facility in a warehouse just off I-5 in Seattle filled with ramps, rails, and many other ways to both learn and improve your ability on a snowboard or pair of skis. Scott isn’t a marketer by trade, but he’s a great storyteller and turned to a channel he knew well—social media—to get the word out. His creative style, clever hooks, and instinct for keeping a strong narrative running through all his updates led to tens of thousands of followers within a matter of weeks. And because Scott started to tell the story a couple months before Stoke’s grand opening in late February, he had an invested audience to turn to as he started to shift his focus away from telling the origin story and toward selling tickets and passes. — GB
Best Ad-like Online Ads
Sierra-at-Tahoe, CA
Nowadays, we accept that so much of what we see on Instagram is trying to sell us something. Even our closest friends have discount codes in the comments, so any messaging that was once more discreet, from influencers or brands, is now assumed to be promotional. It’s desensitizing as a consumer and makes it more challenging for resorts to cut through the noise and disseminate information to people in a meaningful way. I suppose this is why it was refreshing to see ads from Sierra-at-Tahoe that weren’t hiding that they were ads. The recipe was simple: a 10-second video montage of action clips set to upbeat music, big on-screen logos, and messaging with a basic call to action—like watching a TV commercial. No punches pulled, no marketing tricks attempted, no buried promos behind an influencer visit. It almost felt respectful—like, we know you’re tired of constantly being marketed to, so let’s just make this easy: It’s fun here. Buy a pass. — MW
Best Use of Audio
Steamboat, CO
As visual as the skiing experience is, it’s easy to forget how important sound can be. This is especially true when it comes to marketing. I can still distinctly hear the tune that accompanied the Steep Thrills segment in the weekly Ski Utah TV show that hooked me and my older brother on the sport. Marketing is also a game of distribution. You can have a great story, but you need some channel or tool to get that message out to your audience. Steamboat combined these two ideas beautifully by taking the songs from its classic 1970 ads, working with the band Heavy Diamond Ring to rerecord them with a slightly more modern sound, and distributing a playlist of these tunes on Spotify. Steamboat has done an incredible job in recent years of leaning into its deep heritage and weaving those stories from the past into its modern brand. This is yet another fun example of that strategy. — GB
Most Polarizing Instagram Reel
Mammoth Mountain, CA
Mammoth Mountain’s Instagram has long been a stand-out, filled with premium imagery and videos and strong copy. Its balanced content appeals to Mammoth’s wide audience—no small task—and typically eschews the passing, noisy video trends that dominate our feeds. That is, until March 2, when Mammoth mimicked a TikTok trend where a raw chicken wing with an AirTag tucked in its skin gets thrown in the ocean and followed to some TBD location that it could never realistically reach but people track its journey anyway (in this case, it served as an ad for Mammoth’s luxury condos). It’s part of a trend of social videos that catch your attention and then overtly remind you that you’re an idiot for watching and actually wondering what happens next. The genre is polarizing even in meme-loving crowds. I appreciate trying new things, but the post was a noticeable departure from Mammoth’s normal online tone. Was it worth it? If we learned one thing, it’s to scroll past any post that features a raw chicken wing. — MW
Best Engagement with a Follower
Winter Park, CO
Imagine you’re a marketing manager sitting at your desk, checking the feeds, when a social media follower hassles you again about that beloved item someone on the F&B staff took off the menu. What do you do? Do you ignore them, craft a gentle reply with ChatGPT, or do you engage? Winter Park took the third option and went all-in, creating a playful, back-and-forth saga with a follower that lasted months. Every post led to yet another comment requesting waffle fry nachos be returned to the menu. Every request received a witty remark—double dog dares, for example—from the Winter Park social media team. When the item was finally returned to the menu, the social team wrapped the whole saga into another post to document the journey and share the exciting news. So much of marketing is seeing both the stories everyday moments hold as well as the potential of those stories. Winter Park saw both and delivered one of the cleverest social campaigns of the year. — GB
Most Entertaining Instagram
McIntyre Parks – McIntyre Ski Area, NH
OK, I must issue a formal apology. I’m sorry, McIntyre Parks, for sleeping on your Instagram account, on your creativity, your astute updates, and your excellent event coverage. But I’m here now, and I’m hyped. The posts are too good! I want to come visit! The account has a little bit of everything, done well with a strong brand voice, lots of info, and a sense of humor. The photography is fantastic (including both action and consistent feature updates). There are great park edits (check out the “Mac & Cheese” series) and a weekly video update where crew members share what’s going down for events, builds, and more. There’s a series of staff profiles in the style of trading cards. And they’ve got compelling BTS videos. The feed not only shows off the freestyle terrain at this small-but-mighty urban New Hampshire ski area but serves to cultivate a tightknit sense of community. Keep it up, and I’ll stay tuned in. — MW
Best Summer Campaign
Grand Targhee, WY
Grand Targhee’s Mellowstone campaign, which launched for summer 2025, teed up a beautifully laid-back and nostalgic vibe—a place where the pace intentionally slows down yet every kind of adventure lives alongside the option to simply just “do nothing at all.” Grand Targhee did a fantastic job of not just packaging Mellowstone as a set of activities; it created a mood reminiscent of vintage travel posters with some vibey Wes Anderson-style visuals that conjure timeless road trips and sunny afternoons in a sort of parallel summer universe. In a world of “GO GO GO,” this is a perfect way to cut through the white noise. The variety of activities are all nicely framed in a tongue-in-cheek voice that simply offers “Things to do. If that’s your thing.” Because doing nothing productive is as valid as doing everything adventurous. As other resorts continue to escalate the adrenaline and amplify the noise, this campaign leans into something far more enduring: room to roam and permission to slow down. If that’s your thing. — EK
Best-ish Clickbait
Belleayre Mountain, NY
The quick summary: In mid-March, Belleayre cross-posted to Facebook and Instagram a “statement in regard to a recently deleted post” with a series of seven slides that lead you from thinking it was an apology for a gaffe to ultimately an admission that there was no gaffe or deleted post—it was all designed to get our attention and promote next year’s season pass. The final slide reads: “Sorry for the clickbait. Now, put your phone down and go ski.” I didn’t like it at first. Being misled doesn’t feel great, and “the ski area who cried wolf” impression panged my risk management radar. But once I stopped being crotchety, I recognized the harmlessness and humor of the effort. It went just far enough to draw one’s attention and keep it before pulling back to point and laugh and then apologize with a shrug, which is important. An imbalance anywhere in that cadence would lead to failure. People felt duped, but laughed, nonetheless. Thankfully, this approach cannot be repeated much. — DM
Other
Best Use of Music to Create a Total Vibe
Grand Targhee, WY
Music doesn’t just accompany visuals; it defines how they’re experienced. It shapes emotion, energy, memory. With music as an available tool for all social media posts, rather than previously only videos, ski resorts should treat their music selection with respect, which is where Grand Targhee’s Instagram crushed it. Rather than chasing whatever sound is peaking on the viral charts that week, Targhee leaned into something more intentional. From AC/DC anthems powering freeride competition recaps to Smashing Pumpkins driving powder stoke posts, and even LCD Soundsystem threaded into cinematic terrain park drone footage, the throughline is clear: edgy, loud, independent. A little gritty. A little nostalgic. Entirely on brand. It mirrors the spirit of the resort itself. Whether or not this soundtrack strategy is formally codified in a brand book (it absolutely should be), consistency like this doesn’t happen by accident. It signals taste, confidence, and someone behind the screen (applause to them, whomever they are). In a social media world of trend-chasing audio snippets, Grand Targhee wins big. —EK
Best Utilization of the Power of Parks
Sugarbush, VT
“How do we get more people into the sport?” is a tough enough question for snowsport industry leaders. “How do we engage young people, people of color, and people from underserved communities?” is even tougher. Sugarbush PARKS understood the assignment when the crew hosted Shaping Our Future. The week-long event was born “from the belief that terrain parks should be accessible to everyone,” inviting city-based youth to Sugarbush for a behind-the-scenes deep-dive into terrain park operations. The group was exposed to everything from metalwork and welding, to grooming and installing features, to, of course, shredding. Zeb Powell—arguably freestyle snowboarding’s most well-known pro these days, who also happens to be a rider of color—not only made an appearance, but lapped the park for a full five hours on the last day of the event, with anyone and everyone who wanted to join. — LS
Best Rivalry in Which Everyone Wins
Ski Maine, Sunday River and Sugarloaf, ME
Despite being under the same ownership umbrella for more than 20 years, there remains an uncompromising local split among Mainers between whether one skis at Sunday River or Sugarloaf, with deep-running lore about why each is superior to the other. Differences aside, they’ve both bred world-class athletes. Two of the most accomplished and loyal are Sugarloafer and two-time Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott and Sunday River local and Olympic mogul skier Troy Murphy, perhaps better known on social media by pseudonym Donny Pelletier. In November 2025, Ski Maine brought Wescott and Pelletier together at Snowbound Boston for an on-stage, dual (or, ahem, duel) interview in front of a packed house to debate which mountain reigns supreme. The winner? All ski areas in Maine. While the in-person audience was small compared to the potential digital one, the impact was strong and showed how valuable it is to have personable, recognizable spokespeople representing our sports. — MW
Best Non-Skiing Experience
Big Sky Resort, MT
People used to go to ski areas based on a handful of motivations that did not include taking a photo that, when shared with their followers, would give them enough likes for yet another hit of dopamine. Today, the game is different. People will often do things solely for the opportunity to take a juicy Instagram photo. Big Sky’s new glass-enclosed observation deck—called “Kircliff”—in the upper terminal of its new tram is a perfect example of aligning product and marketing decisions with this reality. The view atop Lone Peak is already photo-worthy, but Kircliff’s glass floor takes it from beautiful photo to shareable experience. Plus, all those photos and videos shared by guests are built-in marketing that will convince more people to visit. I don’t know about you, but if the product I’m selling has built-in marketing attached to it? Yeah, I’m feeling pretty good about that. — GB
Worst High-Pressure Sales
Indy Pass
As a former Indy Pass holder, I wasn’t surprised to receive four different “Buy Now!” text messages in the days leading up to the pass’s early-spring purchase deadline; it was actually a welcome reminder that I had to act early or end up on the waiting list. But the copywriting in those texts was a turn-off. Did the Indy folks enter “Give me cliché, impersonal, high-pressure marketing copy for a text campaign” into Gemini and copy/paste the first response? How else would lines like, “you are receiving a one-time opportunity,” “here’s your one chance,” and buy “before it’s too late” survive the sniff test for a brand that was built on anti-corporate sentiment? I wouldn’t be surprised if this kind of urgency tactic was effective. But if Indy really is experiencing a “massive amount of requests,” as text three of four suggested, they should have leeway to write copy that caters to the brand, not the bottom line. — LS
Best Mascot Intro
Deer Valley, UT
I think we can all agree that in these uncertain times, we need a bit more whimsy. Enter Eddie the moose, Deer Valley’s newest mascot, and the captain of a cavalcade of joy that could quite possibly heal us. Not only did Eddie gallop (yes, I googled and moose do gallop) into our hearts during this bleak winter, but he arrived with family-friendly merch! An adorable coloring book, adventure map, a plushy (yes, please), and a crew of cuddly friends brought a glimmer of hope to a weary world. His arrival at the end of Kids Ski Free Week put a perfectly orchestrated, joy-imbued bow on a foundational childhood ski experience. Take note, everyone that doesn’t have one yet: mascots are marketing and guest experience gold (I see you nodding, ski area marketers with mascots). Introduce yours at the right time with merch at the ready like DV did and prepare to be adored. — CB
Best Payoff for a Small Bet
Ikon Pass
Marketing is often a game of doing the core campaigns that you know will deliver most of your results and then placing a bunch of smaller bets to fill in the rest. Sometimes that video you painstakingly create only gets 25 views and that bet didn’t pay off. Other times, though, the odds are on your side in the form of mainstream press or virality. Ikon Pass had such a moment when it sponsored a little-known golfer named James Nicholas. As part of the sponsorship, the front of his golf shirt was adorned with the Ikon logo. Nicholas plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, which is a step below the PGA Tour, so normally very few people see him play. Last fall, however, Nicholas qualified for the US Open, where 200,000 in-person spectators and more than 5 million TV viewers might catch a glimpse of the Ikon logo proudly displayed on his kit. And THEN he went and played well, sitting in the top 10 on day one and making the cut after day two, earning more on-camera time than other top pros. This bet for Ikon paid off. — GB
