Robbie Allen learned to ski on Whitetail's opening day! Since then his travels have taken him to many a ski area from the smallest 150-foot hill to the Swiss Alps to Ski Dubai. His passion is for small local ski areas.
When not skiing Robbie can be found in melted snow, an All American swimmer in his youth he continues to swim today. He has raced in the waters around Manhattan and across the Chesapeake Bay. Also he has completed 4 Ironman triathlons - winning the swim portion in each. When not swimming he is found working on his other goal of running 50 marathons by age 50.
An aspiring writer Robbie he has written for Sprit magazine, Metro Sports, Xtri.com, Trip Advisor.com as well as others. In his day job he is a Project Manager and/or a Naval Reserve Officer. He is married with two kids (The Team) who all ski!
Robbie has written 62 stories for DCSki since 2008.
Brian Head Resort, located at the southern end of Utah near stunning national parks like Zion and Bryce, offers a unique ski experience with its high base elevation of 9,600 feet, red rock vistas, and family-friendly atmosphere. While lacking the extensive infrastructure and nightlife of larger resorts, it makes up for it with affordable lift tickets, uncrowded slopes, and a relaxed vibe. Robbie Allen checks in with a Firsthand Report from Brian Head.
By Robbie Allen | November 23, 2024 1 Further Afield
The Timberline Lodge ski area on Mt. Hood, Oregon, offers nearly year-round skiing, with summer camps and public skiing on the Palmer snowfield, providing hardcore skiers and aspiring athletes a unique opportunity to ski in July thanks to its high elevation and preserved snowpack. And DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen sampled the July goods firsthand.
By Robbie Allen | September 8, 2024 1 Further Afield
Robbie Allen's search for off-the-beaten-track ski areas has taken him to California's Mount Baldy Resort, located a short drive from Los Angeles. He describes his visit to the old-school resort.
By Robbie Allen | February 23, 2024 5 Further Afield
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen continues to trek across the country looking for off-the-beaten-track ski areas. His latest find is just outside the glittering lights of Las Vegas: Lee Canyon, the only ski resort in southern Nevada.
By Robbie Allen | January 23, 2024 3 What's New
Robbie Allen is forever trying to find ski areas that are off the beaten track. His latest ventures brought him snowboarding to Alta -- but not the snowboarder-banning Alta you might be thinking of. Robbie describes Alta Sierra, a small ski resort in California that bucks the trend of crowds and high lift ticket prices to provide an ideal experience, especially for those new to the sport.
By Robbie Allen | January 10, 2024 Further Afield
Skiing six ski resorts in one day might seem like an overambitious fantasy. But it was always on DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen's bucket list. In mid-March, 2023, he checked that off his bucket list as he took advantage of the Ski Utah Interconnect Tour to hit six ski areas in one day: Deer Valley, Park City, Solitude, Brighton, Alta, and Snowbird. He describes his experience in this feature story.
By Robbie Allen | April 16, 2023 3 Further Afield
Robbie Allen is always on the search for smaller and lesser-known ski areas, and this search recently took him to Howelsen Ski Area, the oldest continuously-operating ski area in Colorado. Howelsen shares some of the same champagne powder as its more popular neighbor, Steam Springs, but at a fraction of the lift ticket price.
By Robbie Allen | March 10, 2023 1 Further Afield
After endless canceled flights during the recent holiday period, Robbie Allen decided to do what any sensible person would do: he tossed family members in his car and headed west, driving to Colorado. While there, he sampled the off-the-beaten-path Powderhorn Resort, located in far west Colorado. Learn more in his Firsthand Report.
By Robbie Allen | January 10, 2023 5 Further Afield
Robbie Allen's ski ventures took him to a very snowy region of Japan, Niseko United. He provides this Firsthand Account.
By Robbie Allen | January 17, 2022 9 News
DCSki's Robbie Allen has traveled the United States in search of small, off-the-beaten path ski areas. Now, he takes his skiing game to a new level, exploring smaller ski areas in Northern Japan. He describes his experiences in this feature story.
By Robbie Allen | February 25, 2021 4 Feature Story
Robbie Allen reports on a diminutive New England ski area near Boston Harbor.
By Robbie Allen | February 7, 2021 4 Further Afield
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen is always in search of interesting ski experiences across the country. In his latest report, he describes a visit to New Jersey's Mountain Creek Resort.
By Robbie Allen | April 2, 2020 2 Further Afield
Clinging to winter as long as he could, DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen ventured to the slopes of Washington's Mission Ridge Ski Area for some spring skiing. He provides this Firsthand Report.
By Robbie Allen | September 1, 2019 3
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen is always searching for smaller ski areas, and he recently found one that's located on Army property but is open to the public. He describes his trip there in this report.
By Robbie Allen | March 3, 2019 1
Robbie Allen is always on the search for small ski areas that are off the beaten path, and he never disappoints. In this report, he describes a recent trip to California's China Peak. Getting there with his son was an adventure, but well worth it.
By Robbie Allen | February 9, 2019 2
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen travels the country searching for local ski areas you may not have heard of, and his latest travels take him to Vermont's Burke Mountain Resort. You may not have heard of the resort, but you've probably heard of some famous skiers who cut their teeth on the mountain's slopes.
By Robbie Allen | January 8, 2019
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen continues his quest for off the beaten track ski areas, and he recently found another to add to his list: the locally-run Magic Mountain in Vermont. He provides this account of the independent ski area.
By Robbie Allen | March 17, 2018 2
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen visits New Hampshire's Cannon Mountain and describes the classic ski area, likening it to a bigger version of West Virginia's Canaan Valley Resort.
By Robbie Allen | February 25, 2018 2
Always on the hunt for mom and pop ski areas, DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen was recently in New Hampshire and visited Pats Peak Ski Area. In this report, he describes the magical night skiing environment there.
By Robbie Allen | January 28, 2018 1
After a recent visit to Connecticut, DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen has now skied in 27 states. In his latest installment to the Going Further Afield series, Robbie describes his trip to Mohawk Mountain, which holds a spot in ski history for its groundbreaking work in snowmaking over half a century ago.
By Robbie Allen | December 31, 2017
In February, DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen decided to tackle five ski areas located around Mount Hood, Oregon. He describes each area in this report, concluding that he would love to have Mount Hood in his backyard.
By Robbie Allen | April 1, 2017 1
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen keeps finding small ski areas across the country that ski big. In his latest installment, Robbie describes a recent trip to Idaho's Lookout Pass Ski Area.
By Robbie Allen | January 2, 2017 1
Robbie Allen was in Colorado for the Thanksgiving holiday, and rather than spending Black Friday shopping for deals, he pointed his car towards the snowiest ski area in Colorado: Wolf Creek. He provides this report on the diminutive ski area.
By Robbie Allen | December 3, 2016 3
What do you get when you mix a ski area (Stevens Pass in Washington state), an outstanding cause (cancer research), and a bunch of motivated skier and boarders? DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen recently found out, when he participated in a 24-hour ski challenge as part of HOPE on the Slopes. He provides this report.
By Robbie Allen | March 6, 2016 4
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen always seems to be finding off-the-beaten-track ski areas, and during a recent trip to Washington state, he discovered Hurricane Ridge. In this Firsthand Report, Robbie describes the "old school skiing" he found at Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area, located right in Olympic National Park.
By Robbie Allen | February 3, 2016 2
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen was looking for a White Christmas, so he packed up his family and headed to Utah. There, he discovered plenty of snow at four ski areas: Snowbird, Deer Valley, Brighton, and Solitude. Robbie provides this Firsthand Report.
By Robbie Allen | January 9, 2016 1
Due to the ongoing drought, California ski areas struggled through the winter, but a series of snowstorms in May allowed Mammoth Mountain to stay open into mid-May. This provided DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen with a chance to make some late-season turns. He checks in with this report.
By Robbie Allen | May 31, 2015
On a trip out west, DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen swung by June Mountain Ski Area, the "little sister" to Mammoth Mountain. With ample snow, 3,000 feet of vertical drop, and no crowds, Robbie was more than satisfied with the extra 20 minutes it takes to drive to June. Robbie provides this Firsthand Report.
By Robbie Allen | January 3, 2015 2
DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen wasn't content to hang up his skis just yet. Thanks to a late-season blizzard, he swung by California's Kirkwood Mountain Resort for late-April skiing. He describes the experience, noting that steep trails truly make Kirkwood a "Skier's Mountain."
By Robbie Allen | May 4, 2014 2
Rhode Island is a relatively small, relatively flat state. But it is home to one small ski area. DCSki Columnist Robbie Allen recently visited the Yawgoo Valley Ski Area, and provides this Firsthand Report.
By Robbie Allen | December 19, 2013 2