The Northern Lights Just Lit Up These Ski Resorts, and the Photos Are Stunning
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better viewpoint for a solar light show than the mountains. The alpine panoramas, the lesser light pollution, and cool, thin air all make for a memorable viewing experience.
Most recently, parts of North America readied late last week for the northern lights after space weather experts at NOAA issued a forecast for a geomagnetic storm.Â
During these storms, which can be caused by solar activity like flares or coronal mass ejections, particles can hit the Earth’s atmosphere, creating a colorful reaction known as the northern lights, aurora borealis, or aurora australis.
The forecast panned out. And as the cosmos delivered, ski resorts from Montana to Alberta were ready to capture an impressive northern lights showing that, we think, is a good omen for the final days and weeks of lift-accessed skiing.
Check out some of the best shots below.
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Big Sky, Montana
“A little springtime aurora magic from last night,” Big Sky wrote in a recent social media post.
The resort saw the Northern Lights through its Andesite web camera. The astral colors gave the towering Lone Mountain an even more impressive figure, dancing alongside Big Sky.
Big Sky
Sunshine Village, Alberta
Near Banff, Alberta, Sunshine Village has a dedicated “Aurora Cam.” That proved helpful over the weekend when ribbons of billowing green cruised overhead.Â
The Northern Lights came out to dance last night and it was spectacular! pic.twitter.com/MOLYFiAz8j
— Sunshine Village (@SunshineVillage) April 19, 2026
Revelstoke, British Columbia
The Northern Lights showed up in Revelstoke, too, as shot by photographer Laura Szanto.Â
Ski Land, Alaska
Snowcat operators are the unsung heroes of the ski resort industry, often working long hours at night to make sure the slopes are smooth and pristine when the morning arrives. Those shifts might be a grind, but they’re also a great time to see what’s happening overhead. Case in point: a cat operator at Ski Land snapped this stunning shot of the Northern Lights.
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