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A useful place to start

Ski friends, snow forecasts, and mountain resources

Find an existing community, check the mountain outlook, and agree on the journey. These independent resources complement the SkiBuds resort forecast directory; inclusion here is a reference, not a partnership announcement.

Each entry includes its link review date. Check the provider for current coverage and details, and the resort for access and operations.

A free meetup planner and checklist

Agree on terrain, pace, a public meeting point, a forecast check, and the return plan before riding together.

Find a ski club or snowboard community

  • National Ski Council Federation: member councils

    A starting point for finding US regional councils and their local snow sports clubs. Check membership, current trips, and whether a group fits your riding plans directly with the club.

    Link reviewed .

  • SnowPals: Bay Area and Tahoe community

    Explore current community, trip, and ride-sharing information for Bay Area and Tahoe snow sports. Read the group's rules and arrangements before joining a trip.

    Link reviewed .

  • High Park Ski Club: Toronto ski and snowboard trips

    Toronto club for adults aged 21 and over, with paid membership and separately booked trips. Included ski and snowboard lessons require some experience; check lesson eligibility, trip availability, pickup points and costs before joining.

    Link reviewed .

  • Victoria Alpine Ski Club

    Victoria, British Columbia: visitors are welcome at socials. The club is open to adults 19 and older and organizes member ski and snowboard trips, including to Whistler. Trips require membership and a waiver; check the current calendar and terms.

    Link reviewed .

  • Ski Club of Great Britain: resort Reps

    Volunteer Reps bring club members together for social skiing at selected European resorts and Whistler. This is not formal guiding. Check membership requirements, your resort's Rep dates and days off, and meeting details; arrange lessons separately if you need instruction.

    Link reviewed .

Check forecast sources and snow observations

  • National Weather Service forecasts

    Find a forecast for the actual US mountain location, then check the update time, period, and elevation described.

    Link reviewed .

  • NWS probabilistic snowfall products

    Read snowfall outlooks with probabilities and ranges where available. Forecast snowfall is an estimate of new snow over a stated period.

    Link reviewed .

  • NRCS snow and water interactive map

    Look up station observations and snowpack context. A station reading is different from a resort-wide fresh-snow report.

    Link reviewed .

  • Avalanche.org: US avalanche centers

    Find the relevant regional avalanche service. A resort weather outlook or a buddy meetup checklist does not assess avalanche safety.

    Link reviewed .

  • Avalanche Canada

    Use the relevant Canadian avalanche forecast and education resources when planning travel beyond managed resort terrain.

    Link reviewed .

  • MET Norway: Locationforecast

    The forecast source used on SkiBuds for mountains outside the US. Check the forecast location, time period and source updates; a weather forecast is distinct from a snow observation.

    Link reviewed .

Check the drive separately from the mountain weather

Turn the information into a day together

Start with how to find ski buddies or how to find snowboard friends, or join a ski club for a regular group. Choose a destination in the regional mountain guides, then plan the forecast checks with your crew.

Heading past the resort boundary? Learn how to read an avalanche forecast from the avalanche centers above, then read how to find a backcountry ski partner you can trust before a first tour together.

Run a club, resort, or mountain publication? You can reference the guides and link to the checklist's source page. For questions, corrections, or a possible collaboration, contact SkiBuds.