• Miscellaneous
• Ski Area Profiles

SAM Magazine—Silverton, Colo., Sept. 28, 2023—Colorado’s Silverton Mountain has been sold for an undisclosed amount to Andy Culp and Brock Strasbourger, owners of Aspen-based Heli Adventures, a heli-skiing and adventure travel company.  “It’s an honor to be in this position,” Culp said in an interview with the Aspen Daily News. “My...

• Miscellaneous

 SAM Magazine—Idaho Springs, Colo., Sept. 21, 2023—Burwell Enterprises has sold Echo Mountain to Jogan Inc., LLC, for an undisclosed amount in a deal that closed Monday. The Burwell family acquired Echo in 2016 for $3.8 million, resurrecting the small ski area—located just 36 miles from downtown Denver—from bankruptcy.  “Our goal with ...

• Lifts
• Miscellaneous

SAM Magazine—Big Sky, Mont., Sept. 20, 2023—In a move toward sustainable operations, Montana’s Big Sky Resort has transitioned to 99 percent renewable diesel fuel to power its snowcats, trucks, and other heavy equipment.  Also known as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), renewable diesel is derived from agricultural byproducts such as animal ...

SAM Magazine—Montville, N.J., Sept. 20, 2023—SNOW Partners has appointed Dempsey Mendrzycki as the new general manager of its Big SNOW American Dream indoor ski and snowboard facility, effective immediately. Mendrzycki previously held the role of risk and safety ranger (i.e., director) for both Mountain Creek (N.J.)—also owned by SNOW Partner...

• Area Management
• Lifts

SAM Magazine—Plymouth, N.H., Sept. 19, 2023—Extreme skier-turned-media professional Dan Egan has been named general manager of Tenney Mountain, N.H. Egan previously served as GM at the ski area, which was purchased by a new ownership group last year, from 2002 to 2004. He assumed the role in August. "I'm a big believer in independently owned r...

• Marketing
• Lifts

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Sept. 18, 2023—The SAM Summit Series is set to embark on its sixth year with the theme “Kickstart Your Leadership Skills.” In the annual mentor/mentee leadership development program, emerging resort leaders engage and learn from top industry veterans on a variety of topics affecting ski areas. The program aims t...

• Personnel Issues

SAM Magazine—Windsor, Colo., Sept. 18, 2023—With plans to open by Thanksgiving, 12-acre Hoedown Hill will become Colorado’s newest skiing, snow tubing, and sledding area. The project is the dream of Martin Lind, a third-generation Windsor resident and owner of real estate development firm The Water Valley Company.  Hoedown Hill is located a...

• Ski Area Profiles
• Area Management

SAM Magazine—Steamboat Springs, Colo., Sept. 15, 2023—The thirteenth SAM Summer Ops Camp drew ski area and aerial adventure operators, experts, and suppliers from all over North America to Steamboat, Sept. 10-12, for three days of learning, networking, and hands-on fun in the name of growing non-winter business.  The host resort provided atte...

• Area Management
• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Harrisburg, Pa., Sept. 14, 2023—The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is committing $10 million in capital improvements and is working with a locally-based company to grow four-season recreational opportunities—including the return of alpine skiing—at Denton Hill State Park in Potter County. ...

• Personnel Issues

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., Sept. 14, 2023—After a slow start, the summer of 2023 will likely finish down slightly from last year for lodging properties in Western mountain destinations, but will still come very close to last summer's revenue record. According to the most recent monthly Market Briefing released by DestiMetrics, the busines...

• Ski Patrol
• Ski Area Profiles

SAM Magazine—Norway, Mich., Sept. 11, 2023—Norway Mountain, idle since 2017, has been purchased by a local family who plans to reopen the 160-acre ski and snowboard area situated in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the 2024/25 season.  The Norway property, existing infrastructure, and an additional 50 acres outside of the area was purchased b...

• Area Management

SAM Magazine—Boston, Mass., Sept. 8, 2023—The producers of Snowbound and Snowvana, two of the largest remaining consumer ski shows in the nation, report a record number of ski resorts and exhibitors have signed up to participate in the events this fall.   PowderDaze, a retail sales event in Colorado at which local resorts often sell passes, ...

• Legal

SAM Magazine—Eden, Utah, Sept. 6, 2023—Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings became the majority owner of Powder Mountain following a $100 million investment. Hastings acquired a minority stake in the ski area back in April. The new investment will develop the qualities that make Powder special, with a focus on bolstering infrastructure and...

• Safety
• Ski Patrol

SAM Magazine—Las Vegas, Nev., Sept. 6, 2023—Cleanup is underway at Lee Canyon after Tropical Storm Hilary caused significant flooding with flows of rock and debris settling in the base area that nearly buried lift load stations, forcing the resort to shut down its summer operations for the season.    “Our team is working with heavy machin...

• Legal
• Area Management

SAM Magazine—Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, Sept. 6, 2023—Just days after it reported its first dusting of snow for the season, Solitude, Utah, will unveil the first phase of its new Solitude Bike Park on Friday, Sept. 8, with four new downhill mountain bike trails—six miles total—that range from easy to difficult.  “With this initial pha...