Smartwool and icebreaker Announce Partnership with Alterra Mountain Company

Industry leaders bring the natural performance benefits of Merino wool to mountains across North America

Denver, CO, Oct. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smartwool® and icebreaker®, two leaders in performance-driven Merino wool socks and apparel, announce a four-year partnership with Alterra Mountain Company, making the brands the official base layer and mid-layer partners of select Alterra destinations. Born from shared values and a collective passion for the mountains, this partnership represents a meaningful connection to the ski and snowboard community.

Smartwool is known for its commitment to comfort and performance, crafting Merino wool apparel that’s built to handle every adventure. icebreaker focuses on high-quality, natural fiber innovation, designing Merino wool garments that deliver lasting comfort while treading more lightly on the planet. Together, they champion the power of Merino wool—a naturally high-performing fiber—and through their partnership with Alterra Mountain Company, will showcase its unmatched quality and comfort at ski resorts across North America.

“Smartwool and icebreaker view Merino wool as more than just a performance material, it’s a connection to nature and to each other,” says Sara Dwiggins, Senior Marketing (Americas) at Smartwool and icebreaker. “Partnering with Alterra Mountain Company lets us bring that purpose to life across iconic mountain destinations, helping guests stay comfortable, naturally, wherever their adventures take them.”

Alterra Mountain Company owns 19 iconic mountain destinations across the U.S. and Canada, in addition to the Ikon Pass, providing access to more than 60 global destinations. This partnership will strengthen ties with Alterra’s loyal guests by bringing Smartwool and icebreaker into the heart of their mountain experiences. Guests will have access to premium Merino wool socks and apparel at resort retailers and participate in immersive on-mountain activations that celebrate the shared spirit of the mountain community.

Each brand will have exclusive marketing rights across select resorts, heli-skiing companies, and Ikon Pass.

Smartwool Resorts

• Official Sock, Base Layer and Winter Mid-Layer
  • Arapahoe Basin
  • Schweitzer
  • Steamboat
• Official Base Layer and Winter Mid-Layer
  • Big Bear Mountain Resort (Big Bear, Snow Summit, Snow Valley)
  • Mammoth Mountain/June Mountain
  • Palisades Tahoe
  • Snowshoe
  • Solitude
  • Sugarbush
  • Tremblant

icebreaker Resorts

• Official Base Layer and Winter Mid-Layer at:
  • Blue Mountain
  • Crystal Mountain
  • Deer Valley Resort
  • Stratton
  • CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures
  • Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing
• Official Sock, Base Layer and Winter Mid-Layer
  • All Alterra Mountain Company Destinations

As part of this partnership, the Smartwool and icebreaker brands will be seeding Merino wool socks and apparel with ski patrol members across the Alterra network, and outfitting CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures guides, providing high-performance products designed to keep them comfortable during long days on the mountain, while supporting the critical work they do to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all guests.

“Our mountains are more than destinations,” says Ryan Blanchard, VP Brand Partnerships at Alterra Mountain Company. “They're places of connection, community, and adventure. Partnering with brands like Smartwool and icebreaker, who share our appreciation of the outdoors and commitment to authentic experiences, adds meaningful value for our guests both on and off the mountain.”

For more information on the 2025-2026 season Smartwool and icebreaker Alterra activation events, follow @smartwool and @icebreakernz on social media.

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About Smartwool
Founded in 1994 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Smartwool® was the first outdoor company to create performance Merino wool ski socks, revolutionizing the category and forever changing the way outdoor enthusiasts viewed their feet. Today, Smartwool® continues to innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible with Merino wool, specializing in socks and apparel designed to get the most out of the inherent benefits of Merino wool and bring comfort, confidence, and community to a life lived outside. Smartwool, a division of VF Outdoor, LLC, is a brand of VF Corporation. For information on the full range of Smartwool® products or to find a dealer near you, please visit www.Smartwool.com.

About icebreaker
Founded in 1995 in New Zealand, icebreaker pioneered the ethical and sustainable production of natural performance apparel. Now a part of the VF Corporation, icebreaker continues to challenge the status quo while championing natural, transparent, and responsible ways to do business. icebreaker looks to nature for the answers and for innovative ways to do more with less. Working with what nature provides and adapting as nature does, icebreaker enables consumers to join a movement towards choosing natural and preserving the planet for generations to come. icebreaker clothing is available in more than 5,000 stores in 50 countries through wholesale, Touch Lab retail stores and e-commerce platforms. www.icebreaker.com 

About Alterra Mountain Company
Alterra Mountain Company is a family of iconic year-round mountain destinations, the world’s leading heli-skiing operations, and Ikon Pass - the premier ski and snowboard season pass offering access to more than 60 iconic mountain destinations around the world. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado and born out of a shared love of the mountains and adventure, the company has brought together some of the world’s most aspirational brands, including: Steamboat, Winter Park and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort and Snow Valley in California; Stratton Mountain and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont; Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia; Tremblant in Quebec and Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada; Crystal Mountain in Washington; Schweitzer in Idaho; Deer Valley Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah; and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in British Columbia. Also included in the portfolio are Alpine Aerotech, a worldwide helicopter support and maintenance service center in British Columbia, Canada, Aspenware, the ski industry leader in technology services and e-commerce, and Ski Butlers, the global leader in ski and snowboard rental delivery. For more information, please visit www.alterramtn.co.

About Ikon Pass
The Ikon Pass welcomes skiers and riders to a community of inspiring mountain destinations and the people who live and play among them across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Brought to you by Alterra Mountain Company, the Ikon Pass unlocks adventure at iconic and unique destinations including Aspen Snowmass, Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain Resort, Arapahoe Basin, and Eldora Mountain Resort in Colorado; Palisades Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort, and Snow Valley in California; Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming; Big Sky Resort in Montana; Alyeska Resort in Alaska, Stratton, Sugarbush Resort, and Killington in Vermont; Snowshoe in West Virginia; The Highlands and Boyne Mountain in Michigan; Crystal Mountain and The Summit at Snoqualmie in Washington; Mt. Bachelor in Oregon; Sun Valley and Schweitzer in Idaho; Tremblant and Le Massif de Charlevoix in Quebec and Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada; SkiBig3 in Alberta, Canada; Revelstoke Mountain Resort, RED Mountain, Cypress Mountain, Panorama Mountain Resort and Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia, Canada; Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine; Loon Mountain in New Hampshire; Camelback Resort and Blue Mountain Resort, Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico; Deer Valley Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Resort, Alta Ski Area, Snowbird and Snowbasin in Utah; Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley in France, Dolomiti Superski and Valle d’Aosta in Italy, Grandvalira Resorts in Andorra, Kitzbühel and Ischgl in Austria, Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland; Thredbo and Mt Buller in Australia; Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Mt Hutt in New Zealand; Niseko United and Arai Mountain Resort in Japan, and Valle Nevado in Chile. Special offers are available at CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, the world’s largest heli-skiing and heli-accessed hiking operation. For more information, please visit www.ikonpass.com.

Sophie Gold (on behalf of Smartwool)
sophie.gold@backbone.media 

Kelsey Bardach (on behalf of icebreaker)
Kelsey.bardach@rygr.us

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