The famously light dry powder snow of Utah is under threat from the growing needs of an expanding population, and higher temperatures die to climate change, scientists say. Utah trademarked the phrase “The greatest snow on earth” in 1975 and fought legal battles with the circus that trademarked “the greatest show on earth” to be able to keep using it. The argument is that the snow  is particularly fine and dry thanks to unique geographical and climatical conditions. Unfortunately though climate change and the increasing need for water from the growing population around Salt Lake City looks likely to decrease the snow in the Wasatch Mountains, home to Park City, America’s biggest ski area, among others, scientists believe. The Great

ExplorersWeb reports that American ski mountaineer Sarah Strattan is currently at K2 Base Camp and is considering skiing all or some of the world’s second highest mountain. Strattan says she will decide on that depending on how things go. “I am here to try and climb K2 this summer, but I will also have my skis with me. I want to ski what I can safely. Hopefully from the summit,” Strattan told ExplorersWeb. Last year Strattan attempted Broad Peak, another of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000m and skied from 7,700m. “When I saw K2 towering above Broad Peak Base Camp, I was in absolute awe. It was the most amazing, imposing, and beautiful mountain I had ever seen,” Strattan

Issued: 29th June 2022 By Patrick "Snowhunter" Thorne Southern Hemisphere European Roundup North American Roundup Asia Roundup World Overview After the big June snowfalls first in the Andes then Australia and finally New Zealand, over the first three weeks of June, the past seven days (the first of full wintertime by both astronomical and meteorological measures in the southern hemisphere) have been rather quiet for most ski areas around the world with just light snowfall, if any at all, reported for most. That said, at least some fresh snowfall was reported on all six continents, up high in the northern hemisphere of course. The biggest snowfalls reported though over the past seven days have been in South America. In the northern

A Chamonix-based international team has completed the second successful summit and first ever ski descent of the highest mountain in Swat Valley, Pakistan. On 9th June a mixed nationality three-person team based out of Chamonix skied the summit of Falak Sar, the highest peak in the Swat Valley in Pakistan. It is understood to be the first ski descent of the peak which is just short of 6000m. The team – Brit Aaron Rolph, Slovenian Bine Žalohar and Tom Grant who has dual American-British citizenship - recorded a new height of 5963m, around 40m higher than a previous New Zealand expedition casting doubt into whether they reached the true summit. The Pakistan expedition in 2019 recorded a similar height. “Putting

Banff’s Sunshine ski area has announced it is re-opening its ski slopes this week. The resort first teased the idea after receiving fresh snowfall at the end of last week on top of what’s still plenty of snow left from last season. The idea got such a positive response that within 24 hours the plan was confirmed. Fresh snowfall last week. The key idea is to open for Canada Day, when the country celebrates its foundation, this Friday July 1st, however the centre says it expects to be open for six days in total, from Tuesday June 28th through to Sunday July 3rd – conditions permitting. It will be the first time the area has opened in July for more