The Algorithm, Part 2 of 4: Snow Nerds, Ski Builders, and a Few People Who Are Much Better at This Than Me
Forecasts, films, gear, resorts, and racers.
My algorithm still thinks I care about summer and there is actually snow falling and threats of lifts spinning. This is a problem. So I cleaned it up and tuned it to get ready for the season, and now I’m sharing the list of how to fix your feed: 100 Instagram and X accounts, 25 at a time, in four parts. This is part 2 of 4. I checked every handle. If one’s wrong anyway, that’s on me.
Missed the first 25? Part 1 is here. Here’s part 2.
26. SnowBrains (X @SnowBrains · IG @snowbrains)
Fast storm totals and forecasts. Usually first with the early-season numbers.
27. Newschoolers (X @Newschoolers · IG @newschoolers)
Freeski community since ‘99. Park edits and forum chaos.
28. OnTheSnow (X @OnTheSnow · IG @onthesnow)
Snow reports and webcams for nearly everywhere.
29. Matchstick Productions (X @mspfilms · IG @mspfilms)
Ski films out of Crested Butte since the ‘90s. The reason you think you can huck things you cannot huck.
30. Patagonia (X @patagonia · IG @patagonia)
Jackets and activism. Even if you disagree, the ski storytelling is good.
31. Arc’teryx (X @Arcteryx · IG @arcteryx)
Expensive shells and good alpine content. GORP butter, everything is better with their wares.
32. Evo.com (X @evo · IG @evo)
Seattle gear shop with useful ski reviews. Dangerous to scroll after 9 PM. “Do I need a pair of Rossi Black Ops 118… not sure but they will arrive within few days regardless.” (Heather if you are reading this it’s from last year I didn’t order another pair…. Of Black Ops 118)
33. Völkl Skis (X @volklskis · IG @volkl)
German ski builders with 90+ years of tech.
34. Moment Skis (X @MomentSkis · IG @momentskis)
Skis built in Reno, with top sheets you’ll want to look at on the chair. Oh and their skis ride amazingly well.
35. Jonny Moseley (X @jonnymoseley · IG @jonnymoseley)
Olympic moguls gold, the Dinner Roll guy. A legend you’ll hear on broadcasts.
36. Armada (X @armadaskis · IG @armadaskis)
Freeski brand with lots of athlete edits.
37. SkiEssentials (X @Skiessentials · IG @skiessentials)
Ski reviews from people who obviously love skiing. Good comparison videos.
38. Backcountry (X @backcountry · IG @backcountry)
Gear deals. Don’t follow it if you’re trying to keep the shopping minimal (me).
39. Ski.com (X @Skicom · IG @skidotcom)
Trip deals and resort info for planning the big one.
40. Brighton Resort (X @BrightonResort · IG @brightonresort)
Utah’s favorite place to ski, by its own account. Night skiing and a lot of locals.
41. Vail (X @vailmtn · IG @vail)
The flagship. When the snow guns fire up, you’ll see it here first.
42. The Snow League (X @thesnowleague · IG @thesnowleague)
Shaun White’s pro halfpipe league for snowboarders and freeskiers. Head-to-head runs. I’d lose in any format.
43. Jay Peak (X @jaypeakresort · IG @jaypeakresort)
The East’s snow magnet. When the Northeast gets snow, Jay gets more. “Jay sucks, tell your friends” stops working as camo after the season they had last year.
44. Eileen Gu (X @eileengu)
Olympic freeski champion in halfpipe and big air. Makes the hard stuff look like a warm-up lap. (This is one smart, motivated, talented human… or a freestyle robot… Unclear)
45. Ted Ligety (X @tedligety · IG @tedligety)
Two-time Olympic gold, GS legend, goggle co-founder. Family life, with some carving still mixed in. This is the Snoop Dogg OG of hip dragging so much that they call him Mr. GS. If his race glory isn’t enough this Park City/SLC native is now head of product development for DPS Pisteworks line (89 may be the best ski ever made… more to come on that), a CARV ambassador and is the oracle of cutting edge ski tech. Big Fan.
46. Nick Goepper (IG @nickgoepper) Three Olympic medals, five X Games golds, and somehow undrafted by the new X Games League. Park City's most prolific poster, and the best argument that the content-creator era and the podium aren't mutually exclusive.
47. Breezy Johnson (X @BreezyJohnson · IG @breezyjohnson)
US speed skier who actually posts like a person. She likes heavy skis and isn’t afraid to speak her mind on it to FIS. I agree with her and love that she took this fight public.
48. Paula Moltzan (X @PaulaMoltzan · IG @paulamoltzan)
US tech racer. Mostly an Instagram person, so follow her there.
49. FIS Alpine World Cup (X @fisalpine · IG @fisalpine)
The official World Cup feed. Results and calendars. Gents I’ll be watching the US ladies until you come up a bit more… Also please come up a bit more. Would love to see River Radamus make the leap this year but until then…
50. Warren Miller Entertainment (X @WarrenMillerEnt · IG @warrenmiller)
Film tour season is here. As Warren said, if you don’t do it this year, you’ll be one year older when you do. Warren is the GOAT. New flicks are great and the classics are the stuff of my youth.
Sidebar: Forecast Nerds
1. NWS Burlington (X @NWSBurlington)
Vermont forecasts from the people who actually issue them. The East’s version of a good AFD.
2. Josh Larson (Colorado Wx) (X @coloradowx)
Longtime forecaster covering Denver and Colorado. Ex-Capital Weather, so DC folks will recognize the style.
3. Capital Weather (X @capitalweather)
DC’s weather team. Not a ski account, but you need to know when the ‘snow’ will be rain.
That’s 50 down, 50 to go. (Part 1 has the first 25.) If I missed your favorite, reply and tell me. I’ll probably agree. Parts 3 and 4 land in your inbox if you subscribe.
The Beacon and Probe
From DC, October is a scouting month, not a skiing month.
Making snow
Colorado: A-Basin, Keystone, Loveland and Copper. Purgatory joined in too, per 9NEWS.
Arizona: Snowbowl, still going since October 13.
Tahoe: Mt. Rose.
Not yet
Colorado: Wolf Creek and Powderhorn, as of late Thursday.
Utah: No snowmaking reported in the Cottonwoods. They got the natural stuff instead.
Vermont: Nothing since Killington’s gun test on October 6.
Utah gets a sunny weekend off. Snow returns Tuesday, with 6 to 12 inches up high into the weekend.
What melts in the warm spell, per @WasatchSnow
Most snow below 9,000 feet
Sunny south and west faces
Shady north faces above 9,000 feet should hold on.
Worth knowing before December: under Alta’s 2026-27 parking rules, your first no-show gets a warning, and every one after that is $100 unless you cancel by 8 AM. Parking without a reservation when one’s required is $150. The weekend and holiday window starts December 11.
Back east, Stowe gets an inch or two of rain Friday, then maybe snow showers Saturday morning. East Coast math says it counts.
Sölden passed snow control, so the World Cup opener is on for October 24 and 25. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde tore an Achilles in training in Chile. Here’s to a boring recovery.
For the ride home: Blister’s Vault Episode 75 on Valhalla, with Dan Abrams and Jonathan Ellsworth.
Personal News
Last night was the TGR film night with the family. It was a great time. I also learned that Matchstick Productions’ new movie premieres December 3 at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse. See you there.
The Beacon and Probe lands in your inbox before first chair. Free, honest, no hype.
Check your beacon, point ‘em downhill, and drop in.
Photo credits
TGR film night photos: Brent Gardner.
Photo: Brent Gardner
Loveland Ski Area: “The Ginny Lee, Loveland Ski Area 2022-04-16” by Xnatedawgx, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Ginny_Lee,_Loveland_Ski_Area_2022-04-16.jpg
Little Cottonwood Canyon: “Little Cottonwood Canyon 2022” by GyozaDumpling, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Little_Cottonwood_Canyon_2022.jpg
Arapahoe Basin: “Independence Mountain as seen from Arapahoe Basin” by Runningonbrains, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Independence_Mountain_as_seen_from_Arapahoe_Basin.jpg
“Skiing in Utah” (Brighton Resort) by Tyson Dudley, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. “Jay Peak ski trails” by Runningonbrains, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. “Ted Ligety 2010” by Castagna, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: Unofficial Networks, Denver Gazette, Loveland Ski Area, 9NEWS, NWS Salt Lake City, OpenSnow, @WasatchSnow, Salt Lake Tribune, Utah Avalanche Center, Alta Parking, Ski Utah, Presse.Tirol, ORF Sport, NBC Sports, Ski Racing, Blister.
