Melissa McGibbon

Salt Lake City, United States

Destinations Editor at POWDER Magazine

Destinations Editor, Powder | Freelance Travel Writer — The Points Guy — T + L — Lonely Planet | Editors Council Chair, Society of American Travel Writers

Articles

Colorado River Rafting: 3 Stretches You Can't Miss

2 weeks ago | visitutah.com | Melissa McGibbon

Colorado River | Bob Wick, BLM With rocky walls towering above and the sound of roaring water rising, Captain Matt Thorne readies to row through Westwater Canyon’s infamous Skull Rapids. It’s one of the canyon’s least-forgiving rapids, with the reputation for sucking your boat into the Room of Doom — a rock alcove with a current powerful enough to flip and destroy rafts.
What You Need to Know Before Visiting Alta Ski Area

4 weeks ago | powder.com | Melissa McGibbon

Alta Ski Area sits seven miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. It boasts an average seasonal snowfall of 548 inches – more than nearly every ski resort in the contiguous United States, Canada, or Europe. With sexy snowfall stats like that, it’s no wonder Alta draws such big crowds during the ski season. However, its flauntable flakes also present unique challenges for skiers getting to and from the resort.
What You Need to Know Before Visiting Alta Ski Area

4 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Melissa McGibbon

Alta Ski Area sits seven miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. It boasts an average seasonal snowfall of 548 inches—more than nearly every ski resort in the contiguous United States, Canada, or Europe. With sexy snowfall stats like that, it’s no wonder Alta draws such big crowds during the ski season. However, its flauntable flakes also present unique challenges for skiers getting to and from the resort.
Skip the Ski Traffic and Take Colorado's Winter Park Express Train

1 month ago | snowbrains.com | Melissa McGibbon

Skiers and snowboarders based in the Denver area have long been beleaguered by aggravating traffic congestion on their way to and from the resorts that dot Colorado’s I-70. The traffic jams are practically synonymous with the superb skiing. On powder storm weekends, locals have to leave their homes at 5:00 a.m. to have a chance at beating the rush.
A New Way to Dive the Galapagos Islands

Jan 20, 2025 | scubadiving.com | Melissa McGibbon

01/20/2025 - The Galapagos Islands enchants both above and below the water. Shutterstock.com/FOTOGRIN Like most divers, I’ve always wanted to visit the Galapagos Islands. When I finally had the opportunity to do so, I was torn between a land-based trip and a liveaboard. Then, I discovered a little-known third option: a small-ship expedition cruise with a diving add-on. While researching the best way to visit these Enchanted Isles, I learned about its fascinating history.
Alta's Historic Goldminer's Daughter Lodge Stays True to Its Roots

Sep 26, 2024 | flipboard.com | Melissa McGibbon

Paralympics 8 hours ago Let's beware of a post-Olympic drift in the use of AI-powered video surveillance Le Monde in English • 8h Paris police chief said he was 'very much in favor' of extending the algorithmic video surveillance system used during the Olympic and Paralympic … Extreme Sports Now Korua Shapes’ Transition Finder Is an Affordable All-Mountain Surfer Outside Magazine - Drew Zieff • 43m Korua Shapes cult-classic, medium-stiff Transition Finder hasn’t been updated since the German...
Alta's Historic Goldminer's Daughter Lodge Stays True to Its Roots

Sep 26, 2024 | powder.com | Melissa McGibbon

Goldminer’s Daughter Lodge at Alta Ski Area’s Wildcat Base is one of the last remaining independent ski lodges in the US. While Alta Ski Area does not own or operate the property, its prime location – mere steps away from the Collins Lift – has made it the ski area’s de facto base lodge since the early 1960s. Now familiarly known as GMD, the lodge was built by Jim and Elfriede Shane. After serving in the US Air Force during World War II, they moved to Utah and got involved in the ski community.
Skip Jackson, Stay in the Teton Village During Summer

Sep 4, 2024 | powder.com | Melissa McGibbon

If you’ve been to Jackson, Wyoming, you know it’s a year-round destination. Just 12 miles separate the Town of Jackson, Wyoming, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which is where the Teton Village and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort are located. Jackson sees more visitors during the warmer months, while Jackson Hole gets more visitors during winter. If you visit the Teton Village during summer, you’ll experience a much different vibe than during ski season.
Discovering Relaxation and Unlimited Scuba Diving at Sandals Dunn’s River

Sep 3, 2024 | matadornetwork.com | Melissa McGibbon

Why we visited Sandals Dunn’s River in JamaicaThe land of Bob Marley was one of the places on our wishlist, and staying at new hotels is always exciting, so we booked our stay at Sandals Dunn’s River. The resort is a relatively short flight for most Americans. If you live on the West Coast, you can leave your home in the morning and be sipping cocktails in paradise by dinnertime; if you live on the East Coast, you can be there by lunchtime. The new OCJ Airport is a 30-minute drive from the resort.
How to Plan a Ski Trip to Antarctica

Aug 9, 2024 | newsbreak.com | Melissa McGibbon

Skiing in Antarctica is not for everyone, but for those who are game, it’s an unbelievably cool experience. In terms of doing cool shit, it’s right at the top. There are plenty of mountains to ski, but there are no ski resorts or chairlifts so the only way to accomplish this feat is earning your turns by ski touring. You can’t just go cowboy-style and show up with your backcountry ski setup. You have to go with professional mountaineering guides on an organized expedition.