SAM Magazine-Denver, Mar. 24, 2011-For the sixth consecutive month, occupancy at western mountain destinations rose. According to the most recent data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP), occupancy was up 1.2 percent compared to February 2010. Overall results for September through February are up 7.3 percent compared to the sam...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Mar. 17, 2011)-The board of directors for SnowSports Industries America (SIA) has voted to shift the SIA Snow Show dates to an earlier, mid-January time slot beginning in 2013. That year, the show will begin Saturday, Jan. 12 and run through Tuesday, Jan. 15 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The On-Snow Demo wil...

SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., Mar. 18, 2011-The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) will present its Industry Impact Award to snowboarder Shaun White. Last presented in 2009 to the Winter X Games, the Industry Impact Award recognizes significant contributions made to the ski and snowboard industry by an individual, business, or other entity. NSAA...

SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., Mar. 18, 2011-Vail Resorts (VR) second-quarter net income rose 34 percent as ample snow and the improving economy brought more people out skiing, and the addition of Northstar-at-Tahoe boosted results. Net income during the quarter rose to $54.6 million, from $40.7 million a year earlier. VR's revenue rose 29 perc...

SAM Magazine-Denver, Mar. 18, 2011-Colorado's ski season continues on a positive path despite a small dip in visitation during the first two months of 2011. Visits were down .75 percent at the 22 members of Colorado Ski Country USAS during January and February, but remain up by 3.4 percent season-to-date compared to the same time last season. "Our ...

SAM Magazine-Rutland, Vt., Mar. 11, 2011-Despite good snow nearly everywhere for the Presidents' Day holiday, U.S. resorts saw signs of winter fatigue. Business levels were sporadic, ranging from "absolutely rockin'" in Utah and "crazy busy" in Vermont, to "not stellar' at Wachusett, Mass., "not outstanding" in Colorado, and only "decent" at Liber...

SAM Magazine--March 10, 2011--Jason Gibbs has been named director of marketing for Ski Vermont, the Vermont Ski Areas Association (VSAA). Gibbs has an extensive background in brand management and strategic communications, formerly serving as commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation and as communications director for Governor Ji...

SAM Magazine-Idaho Springs, Colo., Mar. 10, 2011-Echo Mountain is turning five this spring, and celebrating by offering $5 lift tickets on Friday nights, Mar. 18-Apr. 15. The tickets are good for skiing and riding 4-9 p.m. The 700-vertical-foot area is the closest ski and ride area to Denver, about 35 minutes away. To further mark its fifth anni...

SAM Magazine-Cortland, N.Y., Mar. 9, 2011-Greek Peak Mountain Resort, NY is developing an Adventure Fun Center that's part of a $20 million expansion. The center, scheduled to open in June, includes a ropes course, zip lines, a mountain biking park, alpine coaster and tubing center. The Wiegand alpine coaster will be 4,300 feet in length. There ...

SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo. , Mar. 9, 2011-Vail Resorts (VR) plans to invest $30 million on capital improvement projects at Northstar-at-Tahoe. VR aims to enhance the guest experience both on the mountain and in the Village at Northstar for the 2011-12 winter season. Plans include the installation of a new backside high-speed chair that will ...

SAM Magazine-Boulder, Colo., Mar. 8, 2011-Snow sport sales increased 13 percent in units and 16 percent in dollars for a total of $516 million at retail this January, the strongest in at least 10 years, according to the Leisure Trends Group. Snow sport retailers comfortably outpaced general retail, which was up 8.3 percent over January 2010, accord...

SAM Magazine--March 7, 2011--Johnson Controls Snow announced the hiring of James Voskuil as the new GM for the North American market. Voskuil will be based out of Denver, Colo., and started on February 28, 2011. Voskuil is new to the industry, but has an extensive international sales and general management background and is also bilingual in Englis...

SAM Magazine--March 7, 2011--Mount Snow, Vt., announced that it will replace its Summit Local triple chair with a Leitner-Poma high-speed detachable six-passenger bubble chairlift. The new lift will have a ride time of seven minutes. Every night the chairs will be run off the line and stored in a heated barn to protect the bubbles and allow the ...

SAM Magazine-Nederland, Colo., Mar. 7, 2011-Eldora Mountain Resort's 2011 Master Plan has been accepted by the U.S. Forest Service. Eldora has been working on its updated Master Plan for more than two years, during which time it conducted research, solicited public input and studied the impacts of future projects from both business and environmenta...

SAM Magazine-Ruidoso, N.M., Mar. 7, 2011-Two weeks ago, the Elk Lodge at Ski Apache became the nation's first winter resort to offer slopeside slot machines. "During the Presidents' Day weekend we had a nice turnout," said Justin Rowland, Ski Apache's director of operations. "We opened midday on Saturday, and ran Saturday, Sunday and Monday." Th...