SAM Magazine--October 1, 2010--It's the season for hiring, promoting and moving, so we have compiled the latest resort personnel changes...and will continue to do so throughout the year. Congratulations to everyone below on their new positions! Mt. Rose, Nev., hired sales and marketing director Sean Bakos. Bakos hails from Vermont and spent the ...

SAM Magazine-Sacramento, Calif., Sept. 30, 2010-It could only happen in California: last Friday, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger first approved a bill that required under-18 skiers and snowboarders in the state to wear helmets, but then vetoed companion legislation that would have required resorts to take a number of other actions to further safegua...

SAM Magazine-Kiltarlity, Scotland, Sept. 29, 2010-The website www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that as the southern hemisphere's ski season continues to wind down, resorts in France, Switzerland and the USA are opening, or have opened, in the last seven days. Fresh snow in the Alps and the start of snowmaking in Colorado are further signs that the ski sea...

SAM Magazine-Alta, Wyo., Sept. 27, 2010-Grand Targhee Resort owner Geordie Gillett is assuming the role of president. He replaces former Targhee president (and general manager) F. Scott Pierpont, who recently left the resort to become vice president of sales for Doppelmayr CTEC. "We are very proud when our employees are recognized within the ind...

SAM Magazine-Denver, Sept. 16, 2010-The positive occupancy trend in mountain destinations continued during the month of August, according to the most recent data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP). The data reflect activity at 265 lodging properties in 15 destination resorts in Colorado, Utah, California, and Oregon. August...

SAM Magazine-Cable, Wisc., Sept. 15, 2010-Telemark Resort, a well-known cross-country resort that dates back to the 1940s, is being taken over by its bank via foreclosure, after a planned sale fell apart last spring. The foreclosure, said to be "friendly," is set to be complete in October. Susan Wiik, vice president of the owners group, said the...

SAM Magazine-Donnelly, Idaho, Sept. 15, 2010-A unanimous executive committee of the Tamarack Municipal Association (TMA) homeowners today moved to launch a marketing campaign to offer a 2010-11 season at Tamarack Resort. The season is scheduled begin on Dec.20. Snowmaking is set to fire up in early November. "We need to move now to complete t...

SAM Magazine-Beaver, Utah, Sept. 15, 2010-The once defunct Elk Meadows Resort in Beaver, Utah, is stirring. It's been nine years since the southern Utah resort gave a lift up to riders, but new management has had the chairs recertified, the lifts painted, the runs cleared, and the lodges remodeled. The new Eagle Point Club, as it is tent...

SAM Magazine--September 9, 2010--A 66-year-old woman who was partially paralyzed at Mt. Baker, Wash., as a result of falling snow received a jury award of $300,000 yesterday. The award, however, is far from the $7.6 million the plaintiff was originally seeking because the jury put 85 percent of the blame on her. The woman had admitted to going a...

SAM Magazine--September 9, 2010--Snow Valley Mountain Resort declared winter early this morning when their automated fan guns started making snow shortly after 3 a.m. Nick Chatterton, snow surfaces manager, says, "Our records indicate that this is the earliest we have made snow and this proves that our system is prepared to make plenty o...

SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., Sept. 8, 2010-The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) is awarding $100,000 in grants and in-kind contributions through its Sustainable Slopes program. The grants were the primary focus of the ten-year-old program this year. The 10th Sustainable Slopes Annual Report, released yesterday, details the program and the ski...

SAM Magazine-Bolton's Landing, N.Y., Sept. 8, 2010-Winter resorts have long recognized that their greatest competition comes not from one another, but from other leisure activity industries. Disney is often held up as the ultimate competitor. Yet Disney openly shares its knowledge of and approach to customer service, and that expertise is featured ...

SAM Magazine-Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 8, 2010-F. Scott Pierpont will be joining Doppelmayr CTEC as vice president of sales in mid-October. Pierpont has spent his entire professional career in the ski industry, including president/managing director positions with Grand Targhee, Canyons, and Mount Snow. He has also been a part of the ANSI B77.1 co...

SAM Magazine-New Zealand areas appear to have emerged with no significant damage from the recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake. The epicenter of the quake was at Darfield, a town just east of the Porter's Heights and Mt. Hutt ski areas. Both resorts managed to open on Saturday. The worst damage from the quake seemed to be east of Darfield, toward Chr...

SAM Magazine-Christchurch, New Zealand, Sept. 3, 2010-An earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitude hit Christchurch, New Zealand, and the South Island, causing widespread damage and power cuts to most of the city. The quake was centered about 20 miles west of Christchurch and 20 miles underground. It hit at 4.35 a.m. Saturday. It is not known how the l...