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• Environment
• Trail Maintenance

At Mount Snow, Vermont, a local farm owner has been grazing a flock of 65 sheep on the hill as a natural lawn mower. The project has been very well received and is expected to continue for years to come. ...

• Buildings & Grounds
• Resort Development

This feature takes a look at the trend of multi-million dollar spending on mountain restaurants, focusing on three new summit restaurants in Colorado: The Outpost at Keystone, The Two Elks restaurant at Vail and the Lodge at Sunspot in Winter Park. The question is, where does such blue-chip dining fit into the skiing experience? Add a commen...

The Outpost, a new restaurant in Keystone, Colo., is a group of buildings that form a small village at an altitude of 11,444 feet. This dramatic concept works well with the menu, the operations, the floor plan and a new image. Includes photos, layout plans and specifications. ...

• Buildings & Grounds
• Resort Development

The master plan for Vail, Colo., included a master lift system, skiing in distant bowls and memorable dining. A new mountain restaurant called the Two Elk fills the void. A complete look into the making of the restaurant at 11,240 feet of altitude, including photos, plans and specifications. ...

• Risk Management
• Trail Maintenance

An example of how the maintenance department at Sundown, Iowa, was able to construct a solid but forgiving barrier to prevent skier injuries on a steep embankment. The maintenance team devised a cantilevered pole that suspends vinyl-coated cyclone fence. This solution saved both labor costs and reduced injuries. ...

• Ski Area Profiles

Powder Ridge Ski Area in Minnesota decided that demand in their area dictated expansion. The plan they settled on called for adding 40 vertical feet to the top of the hill via large earth movers. The hole left behind is the new three million gallon snowmaking pond. Includes: Photos and plan. ...

• Buildings & Grounds

The maintenance crew at Grand Targhee, Wyoming, devised an inexpensive and manageable way to make their own lightweight sign posts using a combination of electrical conduit and plastic tubing. ...

• Ski Area Profiles

Bristol Mountain, New York, maintains the ultimate metropolitan feeder ski hill, answering a community need and creating skiers for the future. A look at how Bristol Mountain agreed to a nonprofit deal to operate a single run ski slope for a municipal park (Powder Mills Park) with the intention of breeding new skiers. The program has turned into a ...

• Lifts

The important decision of whether to select a top or bottom drive lift involves many factors, including alignment, drive location, capacity, access and power supply. This article explores the differences in cost and structure between the two styles of lifts, including charts on tensions and specifications for both top and bottom drive lifts. ...

• Tools

Electric impact wrenches are handy tools for mountain use when pneumatic wrenches are not convenient or available. A review of six types of impact wrenches includes a comparison chart and photos. ...

• Marketing

At Crested Butte, Colorado, management decided not to charge for lift tickets for the first three weeks of the season. In lieu of lift revenues, the resort made profit-sharing plans with stores in the community. The result was record crowds and full booking for the entire 18 days of the promotion. This article explains how and why it worked. ...

• Safety

Inventor Walter Dandy claims his strange-looking device can keep skiers in action when knees would otherwise have persuaded them to hang up their skis. This article examines CADS, or Constant-Force Articulated Dynamics Struts, a device designed to relieve the pressure on the knees and thighs while skiing. Tested and proven, the next goal is the mar...

A look at the bankruptcy hearings for George Gillett. Among the major transactions is the assumption of control of 60 percent of Vail Associates by four former Drexel Burnham Lambert executives. All the details of the agreement are explained and the end result laid out. ...

• Racing

A look at how the current trends towards a service-based industry demand the efficiencies of computer technology, especially in a small ski area environment. Topics include: equipment needs, operation systems, standardized software and where to start. ...

• Racing

A look into the basic uses and misuses of computers at the small ski area. A description of an area's evolution into the computer age with a strong but conservative approach. Topics covered include: training, hardware, restriction of access, software and expansion. ...

• Personnel Issues

Using the results of a study conducted at several Colorado ski areas on the needs and attitudes of seasonal vs. year-round employees, the author has assembled a list of guidelines to be used in hiring and evaluation. Topics covered include: job values, orientation and training, supervision, management issues, observations and recommendations. ...

High pressure washer by Alfred Marcher Ski. Snowboard racks by Air Dry Systems. Power control system by Var+Controls. Human maze by Amaze Venture, Inc. ...

• Ski School

It appears as though people who take advanced ski lessons rarely repeat. This trend is explained along with possible actions to reverse this trend. Topics include: economics, public perception, marketing, administration and possible solutions. ...

• Business
• Lifts

A closer look at the three prevailing conditions for the weak number of orders so far this construction season: a poor economy, S&L banks loaning less and the growing expense of permitting processes. A major focus is on the growing trend of reconfiguring old lifts. ...

A somewhat mean-spirited look at the AT&T ski awards for using the ski industry for its own ends. Note: see letters in SAM, November, 1992, for several strong reactions to this article. ...

A commentary on the sport of snowboarding and its recent accreditation at the FIS meeting. A look toward the future of the sport and its future in recognized competition. ...