• 154 reads
  • Rental Roundup 1999-2000: Snowboards-Coming On Strong
    Iseult's roundup explores rental snowboard equipment for the 1999-2000 season.
  • Industry Reports
    Headlines from this installment: N.Y. Areas Protest state's competition; Ax falls at Head, SIA appoints interim chair; ASC puts a hold on two projects in Vermont; IOC reaches agreement on anti-doping measures; Schweitzer Mountain sold to Harbor Properties; NSAA postpones marketing initiative; Vermont area (Maple Valley) reopens; Intrawest invests in ONtario and heli-skiing; Catamount scrapped; Moseley, Street honored; Vail buys more land; Sell-out at Copper; Symposium to explore future of snowsports. And then People and Supplier moves are reported.
  • Rental Roundup 1999-2000: Skis-Better Than Ever
    Iseult's roundup explores all the alpine ski gear available for rental operations for the 99-00 season. A trend in better equipment for beginners is discovered.
  • Vail's Amazing Turnaround
    This is the story of Vail's efforts to rebuild and open on time after the arson fires of October 19, 1998 burned four lifts, two restaurants and two patrol buildings. The resort, industry and community came together to make the opening happen.
  • A Lift Fit for a King
    Janet's story is about the replacement of the tram at Masada, Israel. The historic location got a new Von Roll to replace a 25-year-old Brandle.
  • The Scoop on Guns
    There's an amazing selection of air-water snowmaking guns available. This is a breakdown of what's out there and compares all the specifications in table format.
  • Innovation in the Alps
    Two family-owned ski areas in Switzerland have been on the cutting edge of trends and technology since 1962.This profile is a report on how the resorts have succeeded and how they are continuing to be profitable today.
  • Ropeway Technology Branches Out
    People movers are the latest developments from some old names in chair lift and gondola circles. Companies are moving into intra-area transportation and branching out to include shuttle opportunities at airports and casinos.
  • Conveyor Magic
    An overcrowded beginner hill at Glen Eden Ski Area,Ontario, was transformed by a powerful conveyor lift manufactured by Barrie Welding and Machine, which doubled capacity and thinned crowds.
  • Retaining Employees
    The author, with the PR departnment at Crystal Mountain, Mich., writes about tips and ideas to build and retain good staffs.
  • Predicitions: You Can't Win 'Em All
    Needham looks back at Ski magazine's (January 1990 issue) predictions for the new decade, made when he was editor. His fun look backs points up all the misses from the "FutureSki" issue and a couple of good predictions.
  • Tourism and New Papers Highlight OITAF 1999
    Heidi's article previews the subjects planned for the 8th International Congress for Transportation by Wire Rope in San Francisco. It will coincide with the National Ski Areas Association national trade show and seminars.
  • How to be a Hot Media LOcation
    This article explores the possibility of a resort offering its location for print and television advertising. Early snow and easy access are two keys to making a public relations coup.
  • The First Sling Lift
    This article was adapted from a letter to Skiing Heritage on the subject of a jigback surface lift constructed at McGee Mountain in the Sierras in 1936-1937.
  • Snowshoeing Colorado
    This is a review of Claire Walter's book, "Snowshoeing Colorado," describing trails and backcountry sites. It also has pointers on equipment and technique.
  • Seth Says: Pricing for Locals vs. Pricing for Brazilians
    Seth explores the multi-tiered pricing structure of ski equipment and how ski-area shops compete with big-city shops in the retail end of things.
  • Rules of Thumb
    This column deals with math shortcuts for figuring appropriate amounts and dimensions of materials used in construction projects. Some of the subjects are rebar sizes; concrete estimates and welding needs.
  • Ask Stimilon: Snowboard Questions Answered
    The two experts answer the questions: How do I create a snowboard bench made out of old snowboards? When is the best time to cut a halfpipe? and More and more people coming to work at resorts are snowboarders, why and what are they looking for?
  • What's New?
    Freeze-Zyme from Nutricepts; Boot Jaws by MasterFit; Atlas Copco compact compressors; Kryptonite ski and snowboard locks; Hyline mountain boards (wheels); InfoInteractive U-Tellus survey system; ASV rubber-tracked compact dozer/loader/tractor; Johnson Technologies EZ Stock inventory system; Lumastrobe flashing traffic batons; DuPont pocket ski cart carrier; Lenko weather station; Trynex plow snow deflectors; Resort Technology intra-resort integrated software; Garon stair treads; SnowScan snow depth reader; IDeaS yield management software; Cushman RangeCat vehicle; National Solar solar-powered security lighting; Rottefella releasable tele binding.
  • Idea Files
    Ober Gatlinburg, Tenn., retrofits its towers with cable lifting frames; Shawnee, Pa., makes snow moving sleds out of recyled snowboards and split juice barrels; Soda Springs, Ca., creates a tubing unload ramp by carving a a short downhill to release the handle automatically before the tube stops on a level area.
  • Blue Pages
    The Worldwide Ski Corp-Ski magazine partnership ends leaving NASTAR without an administrator; Earl Holding victim of IOC Scandal; Yellowstone Club Gets an Icon (Warren Miller) As Member; Vail World Championships Score a 10; National Uphill Capacity Remains Stable; ASC Rumors Abound; No Website at Vailresortssuck.com; Forest Service Pushes Pelican Butte; Ski Publication In Flux (Snow Country Tribulations); Dynastar to Market With TV Infomercials; Pandolfi Leaves Catburd Seat at USFS; Nike Correction.
  • End Page
    Inspection of Mt. Washington, B.C.'s new quad au naturel; NYT item tells of Squaw Valley locals mourning the loss of the Ganjola; Lawyer buddies who sued each other for a collision; Clear, Inventive Signs; Harry Shearer's satire of the "World Olympic Bribery Championships."
  • Take Skiboards One Step Further
    Ettlinger's letter to the editor comments on an earlier Seth Says column about the short-sighted design of non-releasable bindings on skiboards.As Seth Says: Bad Idea! And so underscored by Carl Ettlinger.
  • CPSC and Helmet Use
    This editorial endorses the NSAA position that individuals should be able to choose whether to wear helmets and objects to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's rush to judgement on the matter and the inaccuracies portrayed in a Wall Street Journal article on the safety of skiing and snowboarding.
  • Has the Snowboard Industry Lost Its Soul? Deep Down, Maybe Not
    This opinion piece examines how the snowboarding industry has become a victim of its own success by having to soften its image to appeal to more mainstream consumers. Deep down, however, Kreitman says the effort to inject excitement into a soft industry reveals the same bunch of fringe players playing on a different backdrop.
  • William Banks Berry, 95
    This short obituary profiles the dean of ski journalists and ski historians, William Banks Berry, who died on January 23, 1999.