SAM Magazine—Dresser, Wis., Dec. 20, 2024—Photo credit: Krista HoldenSeventeen female terrain park builders gathered Dec. 8-14 at Trollhaugen Ski Area for the 4th annual Take the Rake—a weeklong event where female diggers and snowcat operators attend shop clinics and on-hill workshops to learn about topics ranging from rail setting and park m...

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SAM Magazine—Cheyenne, Wyo., Dec. 20, 2024—Grand America Hotels & Resorts has promoted Pete Sonntag to chief operating officer of Sun Valley Resort, Idaho, and Davy Ratchford to chief operating officer of Snowbasin Resort, Utah. Both will also continue in their current capacity as general managers of their respective resorts. Davy Ratchfo...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Dec. 18, 2024—Vail Resorts and union representatives for the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) have agreed to mediation following a Dec. 16 bargaining session. Courtesy of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association Members of PCPSPA unanimously voted Dec. 14 to authorize the union to d...

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo. Dec. 16, 2024—Bookings for the winter months surged during November at Western resorts, according to the monthly Market Briefing from DestiMetrics, the business intelligence division of Inntopia. For participating properties in 17 mountain destinations across seven western U.S. states the combination of occupancy...

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SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Dec. 16, 2024—More than 1,700 votes were cast in the 18th annual SAM Terrain Park Contest in which a total of 60 resort-submitted entries from ski areas around the globe competed for the top spot in one of four categories: features, events, edits, and park crews.  A selection of entries was shared in the November 2...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 11, 2024—Vail Resorts (VR) has reported results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 ended Oct. 31 and provided season pass sales results for the 2024-25 season. For the quarter, financial results were similar to the prior-year period. Total net revenue increased $1.7 million, or 0.7 percent, to $260.3 ...

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SAM Magazine—West Dover, Vt., Dec. 4, 2024—Lea Gabrielle Potts is the new vice president and general manager of Mount Snow, Vt., effective Dec. 19. A newcomer to the ski industry, Potts fills a seat that’s been vacant since late July when former Mount Snow VP and GM Brian Suhadolc departed for Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia.  Accord...

SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., Dec. 4, 2024—The annual Stifel Killington Cup, a women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup race, drew more than 39,000 visitors to Killington Resort over Thanksgiving weekend, with a record 21,500 in attendance for Saturday’s giant slalom race featuring Mikaela Shiffrin, who was racing for a historic 100th win. This is t...

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SAM Magazine—Twin Bridges, Calif., Dec. 4, 2024—Dan Healy is returning to Sierra-at-Tahoe, this time as the resort’s vice president and general manager, effective early January 2025. Healy previously served as director of snowsports at Sierra for more than three years until 2021, when he moved to his current role as vice president, recreation...

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SAM Magazine—Gorham, N.H., Dec. 3, 2024—Vail Resorts has appointed Brandon Swartz general manager of Wildcat Resort, effective immediately. Swartz, who currently serves as general manager of Attitash Mountain, will now oversee operations at both resorts, fostering greater collaboration between the neighboring properties.Credit Wildcat Mountain ...

SAM Magazine—Boston, Mass., Nov. 25, 2024—Snowbound Boston returned to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Nov. 15-17. Attendance was flat year-over-year, with the event drawing more than 21,000 visitors across three days of sunny and mild weather in the city. Event organizer Racoon Media Group reported having more than 200 brands an...

SAM Magazine—Princeton, Mass., Nov. 21, 2024—Wachusett Mountain co-owner and ski industry leader David Crowley died Wednesday, Nov. 20. He was 69.  Crowley succumbed to a rare degenerative neurological disease called progressive supranuclear palsy, or PSP. He was diagnosed several years ago. There is no known cure.  Wachusett shared the new...

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SAM Magazine—Greenwood, Maine, Nov. 21, 2024—Mt. Abram Ski Area & Bike Park hired Josh Thompson as its new general manager. Thompson previously served as a mountain operations manager at Sunday River, Maine. “With over 15 years in the ski industry, specializing in mountain operations and risk management, Josh brings a wealth of expertise...

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SAM Magazine—Crested Butte, Colo., Nov. 20, 2024—Vail Resorts named JD Crichton as the new vice president and general manager of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, effective Dec. 9. Crichton has served as director and general manager of Wildcat Mountain Resort in New Hampshire since 2021.Credit Myles Harrigan, Wildcat Mountain Resort As general man...

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SAM Magazine—Bennington, N.H., Nov. 21, 2024—Vail Resorts has promoted Deirdre Riley to general manager of Crotched Mountain, effective Nov. 25. Riley most recently served as senior mountain operations manager at Attitash Mountain, N.H.Credit Vail Resorts    “With nearly 25 years in the ski industry, Deirdre brings a wealth of experie...