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An in-depth look at a controversial NSAA board resolution that calls for "substantial reduction" in funding the ski industry's lobbying arm, the American Ski Federation (ASF), and a shift of some responsibilities to NSAA's Lakewood offices ...

• Lifts
• Research

A review of all lifts installed in North America during the year 1994. Includes regional, type, and manufacturer breakdowns along with historical data. ...

• Lift Maintenance

A print version of a presentation given by the author at the 6th OITAF/NACS Syposium, held in September at the Mount Washington Hotel, N.H. The topic is how to prevent water from leaking into and emulsifying hydraulic fluid in brake systems. Includes diagrams and photos. ...

• Personnel Issues

A look at how the management technique of empowering employees has worked at Diamond Peak ski resort in California. Includes mentions of ways to make the program succeed and the potential pitfalls of the program. ...

• Racing

A primer on approaches to fan snowmaking technology and a listing of what is available in different levels of automation. Includes a definition of the various approaches and technology, photos and vendor's descriptions of the products along with operational data. ...

• People

A report on the progress made by Channing Murdock, president of Butternut , Mass., and former chairman of NSAA, after he sustained injuries in a bicycle accident. ...

• Grooming
• Snowboarding
• Terrain

An extensive look into the emerging trend of "All-Terrain Parks" which allow for varied terrain for both skiers and snowboarders. Examines the recent trends in sculpting a park and what should be considered in creating a new one. ...

• Consumer Equipment
• Rental
• Retail
• Snowboarding

A guide to the retail and rental snowboard operations that have proven to be profitable. Written by SAM's snowboard consulting professional. Includes tables of retail and wholesale prices for rental equipment ...

• Legal
• Risk Management
• Snowboarding

A look into the major risk management issues facing snowboarding. Article covers aspects from collisions, to segregation of skiers/snowboarders and safety design of terrain parks. Includes coverage of several pending lawsuits and where the legal scene stands now. ...

• Marketing
• Snowboarding

An examination on how the rules of marketing are changed when trying to market to snowboarders, based on the assumption that snowboarders do not want to be marketed to or defined. There is some hope. Includes some recent successes. ...

A review of Aspen's ski school and how they formed their own seperate business in the same style as Aspen's Little Nell hotel. Supervisory positions were eliminated in favor of team leaders, instructors became "Pros," and the school took on the task of creating their own marketing plans. ...

• Marketing

A review of this years crop of new ski guides. Included are: Peak Ski Guide, The Insider's Guide to Skiing The East, and the Yellow Pages of Skiing. Includes how ski areas can use these guides to their advantage. ...

• Obituary

An obituary for Roxy Rothafel, a legendary ski reporter, who died in October at his home in Massachussetts. ...

• Marketing

A SAM survey of 50 areas that use radio advertising. Here are the results along with tables and charts. Topics covered include: who buys, when, where and how, the role of barter, trading tricks and the nature of radio. ...

• Racing

A comprehensive guide to business planning software that has proven beneficial to ski resorts. The author offers advice on what the needs are and gives the operating characteristics of the major programs. ...

A guide to the legal scene concerning food for public consumption. Covers such topics as liability, precedents, determining legal factors and defense tactics. ...

• Research
• Ski School

An interpretation of a Snow Country survey of North American ski schools and how they are failing. Written by the co-chair of the NSAA/PSIA task force, this piece examines ways to improve the system. Includes reports on the more common inefficiencies found in ski school management. ...

• International
• Ski School

A look into the organizational structure of Interski, the International Association for Ski Instruction, and how it seems to be losing efectiveness in several regions outside Europe. Includes proposals by the Canadian and American instructors' associations to restructure the organization. Norm Crerar offers his name in the hunt for a new president ...

• Finance
• NSAA
• Politics

An initial look at NSAA's withdrawal of funding to the ski industry's lobbying arm, the American Ski Federation (ASF), an unprecedented move that reflects industry skepticism and fear. ...