Spring Ski News in Brief
1st May 2026
Last modified on May 14th, 2026
– Peak at The North Face Clothing for 2026/27
– New Apparel Partner for US Ski & Snowboard
– No Summer Disciplines at 2030 Winter Olympics
– Ski Utah Puts Brave Face on Poor Season
– Swiss Glaciers Face Significant Snow Shortage…UPDATED
The North Face Clothing for 2026/27
14th May 2026
PlanetSKI has had a sneak preview of some of the ski gear on offer from The North Face for next winter – aimed at holiday skiers and alpinists alike.
The canals of north London (25m above sea level) are not the most obvious place for a glimpse of what’s on offer to wear in the mountains next winter from The North Face.
On the way to The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
A venue by the Regent’s Canal in Dalston, East London, was the spot for our snap look at a few items that are going to be in the shops & online in the autumn.
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Our attention goes first to the ski gear for recreational holiday skiers.
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
The ‘skier’ is wearing the Snow Squall jacket (£400) and Chakal pants (£225).
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
The male combo on the right is the Freedom Insulated jacket at £290 and £180 for the pants.
The jacket on the left is also from the Freedom Insulated range.
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
The light blue offering is Cold Spell Cropped – £400 for the jacket and £280 for the trousers
In other displays there is trail running kit and top end gear for alpinists – the Summit Range.
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
This is what you put on as you summit a mountain to keep warm in the cold temperatures and freezing wind:
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
The Summit series jackets are £540 for men and women.
With the option of a Gortex shell that raises the combo price to £720.
The products have been tested by the north Face’s team of athletes, including Victor de la Rue, who has featured in The North Face films in the past.
PlanetSKI watched “Of a Lifetime” a couple of years ago:
Image © North Face: Of A Lifetime/PlanetSKI
And if topping off a peak and skiing in Antarctica is not quite your thing, but you like to look the part, then this reversible jacket is perhaps the one for you.
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
It is described as being inspired by the Summit Series and can be worn away from the mountains – it will set you back £325.
We’ll be putting some of The North Face gear though its paces next winter in the PlanetSKI gear and equipment tests.
Here are the posts from our extensive gear tests in Canada last season:
The PlanetSKI 2026 Gear Tests: Direct From Canada #No 1: Equipment
The PlanetSKI 2026 Gear Tests: Direct From Canada #No 2: Women’s Ski Clothing
The PlanetSKI 2026 Gear Tests: Direct From Canada #No 3: Odds ‘n’ Ends
Our gear and equipment editor, Alf Alderson, will also be reporting for us again in the autumn on whatever takes his fancy:
We are back in East London later this month, Brick Lane to be precise, as we get another sneak preview of some other ski gear for next season.
This time from Oakley, Smartwool, Montane, Timberland and several more.
Do check back….
Part of The North Face winter 2026/27 winter collection. Image © PlanetSKI
The North Face Named As Apparel Partner of US Ski & Snowboard
13th May 2026
The 8-year deal will see the outdoor brand kit out American athletes in the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
The partnership covers all 11 disciplines governed by U.S. Ski & Snowboard: alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, nordic combined, Para alpine, Para nordic, Para snowboard, ski jumping and snowboard.
Athletes, coaches and staff will wear The North Face outerwear and training gear at World Cup events, world championships, training camps and the Winter Games.
“The partnership between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and The North Face brings together the best of our two organizations, with our long shared commitments to elite mountain and adventure sports athletes,” stated Dennis Seydel, Chief Marketing Officer at The North Face.
“As a brand forged by those who push the boundaries of human potential, we are proud to provide current and future generations of ski and snowboard legends with The North Face as they train and compete on the world stage.”
The North Face/US Ski & Snowboard.
No Summer Disciplines at 2030 Winter Olympics
13th May 2026
The International Olympic Committee Executive Board has ruled out the possibility of including summer disciplines in the competitive programme of the next Winter Games.
The Games will be held in France.
There had been suggestions around events such as cross-country, trail running, cyclo-cross and gravel.
The disciplines that are not contested on snow or ice but had emerged as possible candidates to refresh the Winter Olympic format, broaden its international appeal and improve the prospects of countries without a strong tradition in the classic winter disciplines.
“For 2030, we have taken the decision, no crossover sports, no summer sports”, said the IOC President, Kirsty Coventry.
“We will vote on the programme in June, but we have already decided that no summer sport and no all-season sport will be included.
“It will only be snow and ice”.
See here for more on Inside the Games.
Winter Olympic Games. Image c/o PlanetSKI
Ski Utah Puts Brave Face on Poor Season
11th May 2026
The Rockies saw a significant drop in the amount of snow that fell. Utah was no exception.
The state experienced its warmest winter on record from December through to February.
This was followed by the warmest March.
Season at a Glance:
- Final Closing Date: May 10, 2026 (Snowbird and Brighton)
- Key Statistic: Warmest meteorological winter and March on record for Utah.
- Weather Trend: Shift from northwest cold troughs to southwest moist flows.
“Instead of the cold, dry troughs typically arriving from the northwest, this winter was dominated by moist flows from the southwest,” said Ski Utah.
These warmer systems pushed snow levels higher up the mountains, resulting in denser snow that failed to accumulate to the legendary depths Utah is known for.
This “heavy” snow particularly impacted lower-elevation resorts, while high-elevation terrain remained the primary haven for skiers.
“The Law of Averages meant that after three incredible years, it was probably time for us to see
Ski Utah claims that statistical trends suggest a high probability of a significantly stronger snowpack for the 2026–27 season.
Deer Valley, Utah – Image © PlanetSKI
Swiss Glaciers Face Significant Snow Shortage
9th May 2026
Swiss glaciers saw less snow this winter than usual and the shortfall could accelerate glacier melt this summer.
Compared with the annual average between 2010 and 2020, last winter saw an average snow deficit of 25%.
Glaciers in the Bernese Oberland and central Valais regions were less affected and remain close to long‑term averages.
Snow cover plays a key role in determining how glaciers fare during the summer melt period.
If winter snow does not melt completely, glaciers can gain mass; if it does, they lose it.
In the majority of regions, fresh snow levels were lower than those measured in early spring 2025.
Only four winters in the past twenty years have recorded less glacier snowfall than last winter.
In 2022 and 2023, deficits were similar to those seen this year, and both summers saw heavy glacier losses.
“The outlook for this summer is bad,” glaciologist Matthias Huss told the Keystone‑SDA news agency.
Fresh snow acts as a protective blanket, reflecting sunlight and slowing melt, he explained.
If that snow disappears early, darker ice and debris are exposed.
This reduces the albedo effect, causing the glacier surface to absorb more solar energy and heat up faster – a process that further accelerates melting, Huss said.
Mont Fort glacier, Verbier. Image © PlanetSKI
Lindsey Vonn Nominated for US Ski Team
8th May 2026
The veteran racer who crashed heavily at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics has her name put forward for the 26/27 season.
Athletes are nominated to the team in May, based on qualifications and eligibility;
Athletes must adhere to team expectations before spots can be officially accepted.
The official team is announced in October.
48 athletes were nominated across:
- Alpine skiing
- Freeski
- Cross-country
- Aerials
- Moguls
- Nordic combined
- Para alpine
- Para nordic
- Ski jump disciplines
Amongst the nominated alpine ski athletes were familiar names:
- Mikaela Shiffrin has has three overall World Cup titles,
- Breezy Johnson, who took gold in downhill at the Olympics
- Lauren Macuga, who tore her ACL last season.
Nominations to the A Team were based on athletes achieving either a top-three individual result at the 2026 Olympic Games or being ranked in the top 25 on the FIS World Cup Start List.
Lindsey Vonn has not ruled out competing again:
Lindsey Vonn. Credit: Stifel U.S. Ski Team
Olympic Speed Kings & Queens
6th May 2026
Check out the video of the downhill racers at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The fastest recorded speed was from Switzerland’s Alexis Monney who reached a speed of 139.31km/h (86.56 mph).
Macron Tries to Steady Nerves over 2030 Olympics
5th May 2026
France is set to host the Winter Olympics in four years time, but it seems to be beset by problems.
The Alpine bid was ratified by the International Olympic Committee in July 2024, albeit subject to certain conditions being met.
- France awarded 2030 Winter Olympics
- What will the French 2030 Winter Olympics look like?
- France gives assurances for 2030 Winter Olympics
President Macron has said: “We will be there for these Winter Games, which are an important event not only for our two regions, but for all of France, our Alps in blue, white and red, allowing our generations to excel, to go even further and achieve an even greater success because they will be at home.”
He was speaking last week at an event at the Elysee Palace honouring 18 French medalists from the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in Italy last winter.
Despite the optimistic presidential words, the French Games is moving through a spell of instability and accumulated delay as reported by Inside the Games.
Meribel, France. Image © PlanetSKI
IOC Rules Out Extra Funding for Milan-Cortina
2nd May 2026
The 2026 Olympic Games faces a €300m shortfall but the International Olympic Committee has said it will not provide additional funding.
The shortfall comes from two directions.
Firstly there was more than €230m in additional costs, largely tied to construction delays and infrastructure issues.
Secondly there is a shortfall of around €80m from sponsorships, broadcast deals and ticket sales.
Under the Joint Marketing Programme Agreement, the shortfall will be covered by the stakeholders of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026:
- The Italian state
- The regions of Veneto and Lombardy
- The autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano
- The municipalities of Milan and Cortina
Rome is expected to cover half, with the rest split between regional and local authorities.
Read the full details on Inside the Games.
Cortina, 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Image © David Pearce/Team TB
GB Snow Test Returns to Champoluc
1st May 2026
It will take place 25th-29th January 2027 and follows a successful first edition in the resort last winter.
It was previously held in La Clussaz in the France and before that at Pila in Italy.
Snow Test, La Clusaz, France. Image © PlanetSKI
SIGB Snow Tests, Kuhtai, Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
The Champoluc test site is SW facing at 2,000m next to the Ristorante Bar du Soleil at the top of the Frachey funicular.
There is a choice of pistes from, Mandria, the main ‘test lift.’
There’s an accredited GS red piste, and a choice of blue slopes.
There are trees if the visability is poor and some great side-piste and freeride features between the groomers.
The only thing not on site is a park/pipe.
A further fast 4-man chair above this one arrives at over 2700m, with wide red pistes and more off-piste options.
Lift queues are normally minimal or absent in January.
The layout of the hill makes for very efficient and fast turnaround testing.
For bigger backcountry, touring and off-piste missions there are plenty of options, including glacier terrain and some of Europe’s best big mountain freeride.
There are two cafes at the test site with a huge variety of good value food.
There are two other excellent rifugios/restaurants and another café on the Test ski piste circuit.
Coffee and wine are available pretty much everywhere on the hill at suitably Italian prices and a real pizza for under €8.
Last season, for the first time, it was a four-day event, leaving the Friday for social skiing or pre-arranged testing.
The organisers say this was a success and will be repeated next year, allowing attendees to enjoy some recreational skiing.
A report on last year’s test is here.
Champoluc, Italy. Image © PlanetSKI
The SIGB Ski Test is organised by Neil and Sarah at Hillside Outside Ltd on behalf of the SIGB Ski Test Committee.
For more information contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01721 588050
REGISTER HERE
Canadian Military End Avalanche Contract
1st May 2026
The service has been provided to Rogers Pass for the past 65-years but will end in August 2027.
Since 1961, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has partnered with Parks Canada on Operation PALACI to protect and maintain the national highway and railway lines through Glacier National Park.
They use howitzers and up to 20 reserve military personnel.
It keeps the pass clear for skiers reaching resorts such as Revelstoke and Kicking Horse.
Rogers Pass, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Rogers Pass, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
PlanetSKI drove through last winter on a Canadian road trip.
There are 18 different firing positions.
In low snow winters between 300 and 500 high-explosive shells are fired along the 43kms area.
In more active years, around 1,000 rounds are fired.
In March this year alone the military fired 271 artillery rounds that helped trigger 37 avalanches.
The Department of National Defence said the decision was made “due to evolving defence modernization priorities and operational imperatives, and the planned divestment of the legacy artillery systems currently used in support of Parks Canada.”
It is unclear how this work will now be carried out.
Rogers Pass, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Ski Portillo Announces Opening Dates
1st May 2026
The resort in Chile is scheduled to open its doors from June 20th to September 26th, 2026.
It is inviting skiers to “chase winter south” for a season defined by high-altitude terrain, world-class hospitality, and the shimmering turquoise waters of the Laguna del Inca.
The resort is two hours from Santiago, the resort offers a unique, all-inclusive experience that feels more like a private club than a standard ski resort.
Capacity is capped at 450 people.
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