Vail resorts to require helmets
Vail Resorts, Inc. (VR) will require all employees to wear helmets when skiing or riding on the job at each of its five mountain resorts—Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly—for the 2009-10 season. Helmets will be provided to every employee next fall as part of their standard uniform for working on the mountain.

VR also announced that it will require all children, ages 12 and under, who participate in a group lesson through one of its five resorts’ ski and ride schools to wear a helmet. Furthermore, a helmet will become a required part of any child’s (ages 12 and under) ski and snowboard rental package offered at all of Vail Resorts’ retail and rental outlets, unless a parent or legal guardian signs a waiver to decline use of the equipment.


U.S. Ticket Prices Highest in World
U.S. ski areas are selling 19 of the 20 most expensive six-day lift tickets on the planet, according to the World Ski Lift Ticket Price Report (2009). This annual study compares six-day, peak-season prices from more than 600 ski areas in 40 countries worldwide. Eight of the world’s most expensive six-day tickets were in Colorado alone. The average price in the U.S. for the six-day ticket is $408, exactly double that of France at $204.


RETAIL SALES FALL SHARPLY IN FEBRUARY
Snow sports market sales declined 16 percent overall in February 2009 compared to February 2008, the largest year-over-year decline this season. Equipment sales were particularly hard hit in February as consumers hesitated to purchase big-ticket items like skis and snowboards. The dropoff in sales of Alpine ski and snowboard equipment began in November.


Obituaries
Skiing legend Andrea Mead Lawrence died after a long battle with cancer. Mead Lawrence competed on the U.S. Olympic Alpine Team in ‘48, ‘52 and ‘56 and was an active champion of the mountain environment in Lake Tahoe.

Big-mountain freeskier Shane McConkey, 39, died in late March while ski-BASE jumping in the Dolomites. He was working on a new film from Matchstick Productions. McConkey has appeared in dozens of films, including “Claim,” from Matchstick.

Cy Andres, 57, the CEO of Ober Gatlinburg, died in mid-March.


Honors
SAM Magazine is pleased to announce its 12th annual SAMMY Future Leadership Award winners: Jonathan Davis, Perfect North Slopes; Jesse Boyd, Peak Resorts; and Alan Henceroth of Arapahoe Basin. In addition, the third annual Diversity Leadership Award goes to Arn Menconi of SOS Outreach.

The North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) announced its annual awards. The NASJA Lifetime Achievement Award went to Peter Ingvoldstad of Smugglers’ Notch. The Bob Gillen Memorial Award went to Tom Kelly of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

The International Skiing History Association gave its Lifetime Achievement award to E. John B. Allen, Dick Barrymore and Paul Ryan.

Colorado Ski Country USA gave its Terrain Master award to Geoff Bostwick of Echo Mountain; Snowmaker of the Year award to Scott Livingston of Steamboat; and Slope Groomer of the Year award to Cheri Sanders of Winter Park Resort.


People
Bonnier Mountain Group hired Mike Federle as the new group publisher of SKI, Skiing, SkiNet.com and Warren Miller Films.

Sunday River, Maine, hired three new real estate agents: Julia Young, Cheri Thurston and Margie Finley.

Jim Spenst has taken the helm at Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo. . .Vail Resorts appointed Rob Katz as chairman. Katz also remains CEO.

At Sun Valley, Idaho, Wallace Huffman became the director of resorts and resort development. Tim Silva is the new GM of the area.

At Mountain High, Calif., Damaris Can is the new guest services manager.


Supplier news
Snowsports Industry America’s annual trade show is moving to Denver after 37 years in Las Vegas and the organization is changing the name of the event to the SIA Snow Show. The Denver Snow Show will run January 28 to 31, 2010, and will include an on-snow demo and festival February 1st and 2nd. For ongoing updates and further information, visit www.snowsports.org/siasnowshow.

Ericksen Associates announced that its three-year-old construction branch, EAI Construction, will now be a stand-alone company. With $100,000 worth of equipment, the company will concentrate on smaller projects, such as conveyor and handle-tow installations, plus trenching and drainage work, that larger companies are not interested in. Their new website is www.eaiconstruction.com.

Idaho Sewing for Sports appointed Gunther Williams to CEO and Steve Barela became COO. Pete Northcutt was named customer relations manager.