FirstChair Blog
Ski guides, pass comparisons, and trip-planning notes.
- September 28, 20262026-27 Pass Rosters, Round Two: What Changed Since Our Last Update - The latest Ikon and Epic additions, Indy's 60th partner, the quiet departures from Mountain Collective and Powder Alliance, and Eagle Point Resort's full-season closure after wildfire and flooding.
- September 15, 20262026-27 Ski Pass Blackout Dates Guide & Four New Mountain Additions - FirstChair launches a dedicated 2026-27 ski pass blackout dates comparison tool and adds four new mountains across Epic and Indy, bringing our directory to 504 resorts.
- September 11, 2026The 2026-27 Ski Pass Guide: Every Mountain Update, Addition, and Departure - The complete guide to the 2026-27 ski pass landscape. Explore every new resort addition, pass departure, and roster shift across Indy, Epic, Ikon, Mountain Collective, Powder Alliance, Snow Pass, and Uphill New England.
- September 8, 2026Smugglers' Notch Joins the Indy Pass for 2026-27 - Vermont's fiercely independent Smugglers' Notch joins the Indy Pass as its 60th new partner for 2026-27, pushing the coalition to 304 resorts worldwide.
- September 7, 2026Past 300: Indy Pass's Biggest Expansion Yet for 2026-27 - Indy Pass crosses 300 resorts for the 2026-27 season with 60 new partners. Here is every new mountain FirstChair now lists, region by region, plus what changed for King Pine.
- August 29, 2026A Fifth Pass Enters the Market: Breaking Down the New Snow Pass - Snow Partners' new sub-$400 Snow Pass bundles two days each at 14 resorts for 2026-27, with a Northeast-heavy roster anchored by Whiteface, Gore, and Belleayre. Here is who is on it and how it stacks up.
- July 5, 2026Welcome to the New FirstChair - FirstChair has a new home - faster pages, real mountain pages for every resort, and passes and regions you can browse on their own.
- July 5, 2026Uphill Skiing Policies at Northeast Resorts: Hours, Prices, and Where to Skin - Uphill hours, prices, and passes for 32 Northeast ski areas - from free-before-lifts to season passes - organized by state, with links to every resort.
- July 5, 2026Night Skiing in America (and Beyond): Every Resort with Lights - 161 ski areas with night skiing, organized by region, from a 4,265-foot lit run in Canada to your local weeknight hill. Every resort linked.
- July 5, 2026The Indy Pass's Best-Kept Secrets, Region by Region - 27 lesser-known Indy Pass mountains worth the detour, from a 5-trail, 2,175-foot day in Japan to a volunteer-run hill in Maine. Region by region.
- July 5, 2026Every Ikon Pass Mountain in the Northeast (2026-27) - All nine Ikon Pass mountains in the Northeast, from Killington's 3,050-foot vertical to Sugarloaf's 176 trails, with links to every resort.