2010 is a year that has always been surrounded by hype and yes, hope – even before 2009 turned out to be the harshest year we've seen in three generations. When we were kids, the science fiction authors had us thinking we'd be skiing on the moon by now, and while those weird indoor ski hills in Japan are pretty close, we're not quite there yet. But that doesn't mean there hasn't been plenty of hype surrounding this milestone year and the first ski season of this most futuristic decade. We decided to check in on some of the most hyped events, places and gear of 2010...
Most Hyped Event – The Vancouver Olympics
The winter Olympiad returns to the slopes of North America this year, with events set for two weeks in February both around Vancouver itself and at Whistler/Blackcomb. British Columbia will be showing off its best and newest terrain and facilities, with Whistler hosting the alpine skiing events, and bobsled, luge and skeleton running on the resort's new sliding center at Blackcomb Mountain. Back on the west edge of the province, tiny Cypress Bowl will host the freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions. Unseasonably warm temperatures at Cypress recently forced the area to close down and horde snow for the games, but Olympics organizers promise everything will be ready to go before the opening ceremonies on February 12.
As for the competition itself, there's a North American grudge match taking shape, with both the Canadian and American ski teams set to own the podium and the medal count in Vancouver. Bill Marolt, president of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, told reporters the goal for the group of skier and boarders from south of the border is nothing less than “best in the world” status, meaning more medals than any other country. Alpine speedster Lindsey Vonn, as well as young boarding legends like Shaun White will be part of the cast of American stars hoping to neutralize the Canadian team's homefield advantage.
However the final results shake out, the Vancouver games stand to pick up where the Salt Lake City games left off – showcasing some of our favorite terrain to the world.


Most Hyped Destination – British Columbia (Honorable Mention: Alta)
The Olympic games have seen interest in B.C.'s ski areas reach what must certainly be an all-time high. Google may as well rename itself 'Whistler' for the next month or so. Of course, the terrain and facilities that many argue are among the best in the world even on a bad day are a pretty good reason to check out the province, even when the rest of the world isn't in town. It also doesn't hurt that Whistler has one of the longest ski seasons around, with an average of over 30 feet of snow, and more than 3,000 skiable acres...more than Vail and Sun Valley combined. No, really.
But to be fair to the rest of the continent, we should acknowledge that there is skiing happening in plenty of other places besides British Columbia this year, so we picked a second destination that's been receiving lots of attention of late. Utah's Alta is one of the oldest ski resorts in the country, and it's managed to maintain a kind of rustic, gritty mystique in an era of mega-resorts. It also offers some of the best value for serious champagne powder skiers around, especially with its recent partnership with Snowbird to offer a pass good on both mountains. In these times when bargains are on everyone's radar, these Wasatch wonders live up to their hype.


Most Hyped New Technology - Slopeside Apps
Maybe we're showing our age here a little bit, but we'd be lying if we didn't say we find it a little bit disturbing that so many people have their minds on their iPhone or Blackberry while they're on the slopes. That said, this is the era of constant connection, and most of the major resorts are quickly getting connected to 3G or 4G networks, so why not?
There are apps out there that can show you where you're at on the mountain to help make sure you don't end up falling down the wrong chute, give you the latest snow report, check the status of your flight home, locate and meet up with your other friends on the mountain, and even record the steepness and speed of your run to back up your bragging at your favorite Apres spot, which another app can help you choose.
(Click here for our list of the Top 10 iPhone apps to take to the mountain.)
Most Hyped Gear - Salomon Teneighty Foil / Ride Machete / K2 EcoPOP
The new Salomon Teneighty Foil skis are just about as light as the powder they take on, thanks to something called Monocoque Lite technology that we can't even begin to understand – but the point is that the Foil's lightweight but durable core makes a ski that's quick but strong. One sacrifice is that the Foils aren't as wide as others out there, making it a little tougher to handle in deep powder, but if your need is for speed or precision in the terrain parks and pipes, the Foil might live up to its hype.
For the riders, the Ride Machete has been generating lots of buzz for the guys, while K2's EcoPOP is a new favorite with the ladies. Both get kudos for their versatility and providing a lightweight, fun ride in the park or the powder. The guys especially seem to love the LowRize Rocker on the Machete.


Most Hyped New Runs – Cat Tracks
It's not exactly a new trend, but Snowcat Tours are working their way into the mainstream this year. It used to be that only the rare few Warren Miller adventurous types were hitting the virgin powder of far-off ranges in Greenland, Russia or rural Alaska. But now more companies are popping up offering package Snowcat ski tours, not only to foreign locales, but also to the fringes of ski area boundary lines.
The Keystone Adventure Tour (KAT) recently started up, with Snowcat tours of the new Independence Bowl and other back bowls. The package deal comes with access to some of Colorado's best backcountry, sans the long hike and with a catered gourmet lunch at the Independence Yurt. Wyoming's Grand Targhee also offers snowcat skiing, and a number of resorts, including Mammoth Mountain, offer sightseeing-only tours capped off with dinner and drinks.
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