SAM Magazine—Catskill, N.Y., April 18, 2013—The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) has proposed a five-year, $74 million expansion of the Belleayre ski center that could double the area’s annual visits. The plan, developed largely before ORDA took over control of Belleayre from the Department of Environmental Conservati...

SAM Magazine—Georgetown, Colo., April 16, 2013—The U.S. Forest Service has accepted the master development plan for Loveland Ski Area, setting the outline for expansion and improvement plans for the next decade or more. Specific projects included in the plan will still be required to undergo the usual environmental approval process, but...

SAM Magazine--April 11, 2013--U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell today announced a series of meetings in Colorado, Utah and California that will focus on the development of a ski area water rights clause impacting ski facility operations on national forests. “Skiing is an important recreational activity on our nation’s forests and...

SAM Magazine--April 10, 2013--Mt. Bachelor, Ore.'s Ski Area Improvement Project was given the green light after no appeals were filed with the Deschutes National Forest during the 45-day appeal period, which ended on April 1, 2013. The approval initiates the first updated master development plan for Mt. Bachelor in 32 years. The 10-year deve...

SAM Magazine--April 10, 2013--Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) is reported that winter 2013 ended with the highest level of skier/rider visits in the resort’s history. The end of season total of approximately 502,222 visits surpasses the previous record set during the winter of 2008, a winter that saw significantly more in season snowfall ...

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., April 8, 2013—Ryan Bell of CNL Financial Group, Ross Boisvert of McIntyre Ski Area, Rob McSkimming of Whistler Blackcomb, and Justin Rowland of Ski Apache have earned the 2013 SAMMY Leadership Awards, given annually to individuals who will shape the future of the winter resort industry. This is the 14th yea...

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., April 8, 2013—The 13th annual SAM Magazine Cutter’s Camp West session at Timberline, Ore., May 13-17 has filled all available slots. “We urge would-be campers to get on the waiting list as soon as possible” by sending an email to liz@saminfo.com, said SAM publisher Olivia Rowan.

SAM Magazine—Hancock, Mass., April 5, 2013—Father and son team Brian and Tyler Fairbank have formed The Fairbank Group, LLC to manage and oversee its group of businesses that includes Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Cranmore Mountain Resort and Bromley Mountain, as well as EOS Ventures, Bullwheel Productions and other endeavors. As part of...

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., April 5, 2013—Snowsports retail sales reached $3.1 billion for the season through February, up 2 percent compared to August through February 2011-12, according to the SIA RetailTRAK retail audit conducted by Leisure Trends Group for Snowsports Industries America (SIA). Backcountry gear showed the greatest ...

SAM Magazine—Canton, Mass., April 4, 2013—Ski Blue Hills Management is seeking a longer-term lease for the state-owned Blue Hills Ski Area here so that it can make capital improvements to the area. Typically the state offers five-year leases, and Ski Blue Hills operated this past winter on a one-year extension to its former lease. Bl...

SAM Magazine—Scranton, Pa., Mar. 28, 2013—Local real estate group Jefferson-Werner, headed by developer Charlie Jefferson, is said to be close to buying Snö Mountain winter resort and water park. The group plans to restore the area’s original name, Montage, and bolster marketing efforts. Jefferson-Warner is expected to pay...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Mar. 28, 2013—Powdr Corp.’s new License 2 Ride season pass program gives youths six areas for the price of one. Passholders ages 17 and under (18 and under for Killington and Mt. Bachelor) at any one of six participating Powdr resorts receive lift privileges at all six. As an extra perk, passholder...

SAM Magazine--March 28, 2013--Following an inspection by the Department of Toxic Substances Control in September 2010, which found several violations relating to a used-oil tank, Heavenly Valley, Calif., settled the matter this week by agreeing to pay a civil penalty of $94,000, an adminstrative fee of $26,000, and another $30,000 to Western States...

SAM Magazine--March 28, 2013--New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced yesterday that he will launch a full financial audit of the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) after a report by his office found that financial issues persist at a time when its operations have been expanded to include Belleayre Mountain. "ORDA...

SAM Magazine--March 22, 2013--Thanks to improved snow conditions in January and February, skier visits among Colorado Ski Country USA's (CSCUSA) 21 member resorts partially rebounded from an early-season deficit, increasing 1.3 percent over the two months, compared to the same two months last year. From opening through December 31, 2012, CSCUSA...