Skiing's 2025 Reality Check: What's Broken, and Who's Fixing It

​Independent voices are transforming how skiers understand and experience the mountains. This panel will explore how outlets like PeakRankings and The Storm Skiing Journal have filled critical gaps in ski industry coverage. From misleading resort claims to lift chokepoints to confusing trail signage, independent journalism is holding resorts accountable and changing how infrastructure decisions get made.

​Join us for a conversation on how these platforms built influence without industry connections or VC backing, the role they play today in helping skiers and riders plan smarter trips, and how similar approaches can be applied across other niches.

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Panel Discussion Outline:

• ​The Problem: Why legacy ski media often overlooks the day-to-day realities that shape the skier experience.

• ​Filling the Gap: How independent platforms identify and cover operational quirks, infrastructure pain points, and cultural nuances that PR glosses over.

• ​Building Without Backing: How independent reporters leveraged social media and paid subscriber bases to grow without industry connections.

• ​Real-World Impact: Case studies of major infrastructure upgrades spurred by independent reporting.

• ​Takeaways for Other Spaces: Practical lessons on using independent journalism to build trust, grow audiences, and drive change.

• ​Audience Q&A to close.