SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., April 29, 2011-The board of directors for SnowSports Industries America (SIA) has decided to keep the organization's annual Snow Show in the late January/early February timeframe. The latest move reverses SIA's decision in March to shift the show dates earlier in January. "At the end of the day, the voice of the reta...

SAM Magazine-Hamilton, Ga., Apr. 21, 2011-Ralph Walton, who co-owned Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) with Howard "Bo" Callaway for more than three decades, died Apr. 17 at his home in Georgia. He was 80. Walton had been a manager with Westinghouse Electric for nearly 15 years when, in 1970, just months from earning a lifetime pension, he jo...

SAM Magazine-Tabernash, Colo., Apr. 21, 2011-Devil's Thumb Ranch, a 6,000-acre guest ranch and resort with an extensive cross-country network, has named Sean Damery as its new vice president and general manager. A 22-year hospitality industry veteran, Damery has worked in a number of positions in food and beverage, lodging and operations. At Oja...

SAM Magazine--April 18, 2011--Peak Resorts, Inc. announced that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") relating to a proposed initial public offering of shares of its common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined....

SAM Magazine--April 15, 2011--The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found "serious" workplace violations at Wolf Creek Ski Area, Colo., following an investigation of the avalanche death of the area's patrol director. On November 22, 2010, Scott Kay was performing avalanche control work by himself and was not wearing a helmet, ...

SAM Magazine--April 13, 2011--The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced that Dick Kun, CEO of Snow Summit Ski Corporation, has been selected as the recipient of the 2011 NSAA Lifetime Achievement Award. Snow Summit Ski Corp. owns and operates Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski areas in Big Bear Lake, Calif. Snow Summit was started in 1...

SAM Magazine-Jiminy Peak, Mass., Apr. 13, 2011-As America's lift system ages, springtime lift maintenance seminars and attendance are growing. The training season kicks off with the 34th annual Lift Maintenance Seminar (LMS) next week at Jiminy Peak and continues through Doppelmayr's two new Hall-specific training sessions in late May and June. ...

SAM Magazine-Vernon, N.J., Apr. 12, 2011-Gov. Chris Christie signed the New Jersey helmet law on Apr. 8, requiring all youths under age 18 to wear a helmet while skiing or riding in New Jersey. The law, the first statewide requirement for ski/ride helmets, takes effect Nov. 1. Enforcement is left up to parents and guardians. The parent or guardi...

SAM Magazine--The 2011 SAMMY Leadership Award honorees were announced today. This award goes to individuals who, at mid-career, show great promise as the winter sports industry's future leaders. They are: 1) Joe Hession, GM, Mountain Creek-Joe began his career at age 14 as a parking attendant at Vernon Valley Great Gorge, currently known as Mou...

SAM Magazine-Whistler, B.C., Apr. 11, 2011-Whistler Blackcomb is testing a new app which allows cell phones to serve as lift passes. The app, the Whistler Blackcomb Live Powered by Telus, will also allow users to track their runs using GPS, view trail maps, track the total vertical and distance they've traveled and their maximum speed, share their ...

SAM Magazine-Butler, Ohio, Apr. 11, 2011-Four local residents have acquired the Clear Fork Ski Area here and plan to turn it into a year-round destination. The four, Rick Weemhoff, Brian Johnson, and Ben and Luke Flynn, all grew up near Clear Fork, where they all worked and played. The area closed in 2006 after 40 years of operation. The foursom...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Apr. 6, 2011-The snow sports market surpassed the $3 billion mark for the 2010-11 season in February, even as sales slowed significantly. After two months of double-digit sales gains, units sold were down 2 percent in February 2011 compared to 2010, and dollar sales slipped 1.5 percent. Lean inventories contributed to the ...

SAM Magazine-London, Apr. 6, 2011-The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today confirmed the inclusion of ski halfpipe for both men and women and women's ski jumping among six new events on the program of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. The other events are the biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team rel...

SAM Magazine--April 3, 2011--The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced that Dan Fuller, president of Bristol Mountain Winter Resort in Canandaigua, N.Y., is the recipient of this year's Sherman Adams Award. The Sherman Adams Award is presented annually to an individual from an Eastern ski area that has significantly influenced the indust...

SAM Magazine-Whistler, B.C., April 1, 2011-Whistler Blackcomb has instituted a new height restriction for all skiers and riders due to the area's prodigious, record-breaking snowfall this season. The policy is intended to prevent guests from drowning in the bottomless pow. To that end, the resort is prohibiting guests shorter than 350cm/11.5 ...