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This piece examines the demographic similarities between skiers and Internet users and reviews what resorts are doing to keep up with Web-savvy consumers. It discusses the fact that marketing departments are being driven to develop new strategies and techniques to reach skiers who like to book vacations on-line. The article is accompanied by charts...

• Public Relations / Publicity

This article explains the ins and outs of planning special events from large media happenings to intimate charity events. The piece explains, in detail, that rigorous planning is essential for success regardless of the scale of the event. Sidebars on tips on promoting and staging a race and on the most important tough questions that planners need t...

• Conferences / Trade Shows

This wrap-up of meetings and conferences has photos and descriptions from the Cross Country Ski Areas Association meeting in Sun Valley, the Lift Maintenance Seminar at Butternut, Mass., the Rocky Mountain Lift Association meeting in Colorado Springs, the California Ski Industries Association Maint. and Ops Conference at Diamond Peak, the Canada We...

• Lift Maintenance

This article explains how to extend the life of a lift and prevent accidents through proper cleaning, lubing and alignment of sheave assemblies. ...

• Safety

This article discusses a Colorado Supreme Court decision that could leave state ski areas open to lawsuits if the don't install safety (restraining) bars on chairlifts. The court ruled ski resorts have to "ensure the highest level of safety available for lift passengers" beyond the standards established by the state agency regulating such equipment...

Wiesel diuscusses the attendance and activities of the Cross Country Ski Areas Association meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho. He says the year saw record earnings for some areas and a growth in women and family markets. Jim Rennie spoke, as did Chad Dyer of AMI News and Kathy Murphy of Tubbs Snowshoes. ...

This article is a roundup of what transpired at the National Ski Areas Association annual convention and conference at Marco Island, Florida, May 26-29, 1998. The conference was marked by upbeat attendees having fun and learning about marketing, among the many subjects covered. Photos from the convention are on page 61. ...

• Lift Maintenance

This is the first in a series of articles on wire rope that was presented in the months prior to the OITAF International Congress in May 1999 in San FRancisco. This introduction to the basics of wire rope was reprinted from the Wire Rope User's Manual, a publication of the Wire Rope Technical Board. The article discusses the three main components o...

• Personnel Issues

Heidi's article explores Vail Resorts' development of an internal training program to fix its problem of a shortage of experience lift mechanics. The problem was an industry-wide problem. The Vail development became the first federally-approved lift-mechanic apprenticeship program in the U.S. ...

• Research

David's article discusses a Gallup poll of skiers taken from April 24 through May 9, 1998. The survey involved 1,200 skiers and snowboarders and showed an estimated 1.7 million people in the U.S. skied or 'boarded an average of 2.1 days that season. The survey showed that it is very compatible with the NSAA Kottke Report and estimates made by indus...

• Ski Area Profiles

Jerry writes about fullfilling his dream of skiing every major resort in North America. He provides some insights on management and how to evaluate a resort from an insider's point of view. He also makes some predictions about the future. ...

• People

This article is a recap of the innaugural SAMMY awards presented at the NSAA annual meeting on Marco Island, Florida. It includes a brief explanation of the awards and encapsulates the contributions of the first five winners, Tim Boyd, Guy Desrosiers, Stacy Gardner, Karl Kapuscinski and Ed Pitoniak. ...

The establishment of a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) may radically change the ski area landscape. This article discusses the REIT concept with a brief analysis and history by David Harbaugh. ...

This article explores the fact that after SIA decided to negotiate a shorter sell-in cycle by reducing the number of trade shows, most suppliers agreed. The article discusses scheduling of on-snow demos and trade shows for the 1999-2000 selling season. ...

• Resort Development

Snowshoe spending $36 million on lifts, housing and a new lodge; Camelback building a $4 million water park; Big Sky is building a $45 million luxury Summit Hotel Condominium; Jackson Hole spending $11 million on the Cody House, medical clinic and six condo units; Squaw Valley's $1.1 million funitel. ...

• Miscellaneous

Three ideas are presented, including: chair loading guides for summer guests; handy APU directions attached to the auxiliary engine on a laminated card; and a simple stop gate for off-ramps to prevent bent gates and replacing spring-loaded gates. ...

• Miscellaneous

Tidbits on the Future Marketing Summit at Vail; how Colorado's smaller areas posted gains while the big resorts did not; the death of Birger Ruud, Norwegian jumping and downhill champion; Marc Hodler's stepping down from FIS; the return of the World Cup to Aspen; Sugarbush finally getting its hotel; Pam Murphy being named GM at Mammoth; Intrawest s...

• Miscellaneous

The Art of Grooming, Homestead Resort, Mich., paints names on their grooming vehicles; Rl Nino...the Real Story, Kottke Report comments regarding waether's impact on 1997-98 skier visits; Where No Man Has Been Before, a fun letter on heli-skiing for first tracks at Sugarloaf, Me.; A Little Help From His Friends, the lowdown on how Bombardier's Bib ...

The 1998 Metro Newspaper Directory of newspapers with special ski sections and winter travel promotions in the big markets. ...

• Summer

This article looks at what resorts are doing to attract business during the summer season, The article discusses everything from BMX events to waterslides and from symphony concerts to paint ball from coast to coast. ...

• Miscellaneous

A short editorial noted the "I'm all right, Jack" feeling at the NSAA convention at Marco Island, Fla; "True Good Friend of Skiing" is a tribute to Sir David English adapted from a letter by Bernie Weichsel; "Are Your Bathrooms Dirty at Home?" is a fictitious piece calling on resort management to take its employees seriously and treat them well in ...

• Miscellaneous

This roundup includes reports on helmet and forest service issues that took center stage at Ski the Hill; Okemo's (Vt.) lease of Mt. Sunapee; Mt. Tom, Mass. closing; Financial trouble for Mt. Orford, Bromont and Stoneham, Quebec; David Cleary's resignation as counsel to NSAA; media news from STN's freq. change to Snow Country's name change and a ne...

Jennifer's memo discusses the details that went into launching the SAM Website and reviews its purpose. ...

• Miscellaneous

There is one letter on how shops can make the most of skiboarding's explosive growth.And then there are five letters on SAM's new look. ...

This page contains a schedule of consumer ski shows for October and November and a list of contacts. ...