SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., Apr. 16, 2010-The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has honored 12 member resorts with its annual Safety Awards, which recognize resorts that have done an outstanding job of educating employees and guests about skiing and snowboarding responsibly. The 2009-10 winners are:

Best Safety Week Program (tie)

Vail Mountain, Colo.

Stratton Mountain Resort, Vt.

Best Overall Safety Program

(Up to 250,000 visits)

Arizona Snowbowl, Ariz.

Best Overall Safety Program

(250,000 or More Visits)

Beaver Creek Resort, Colo.

Best Helmet Safety Program

Heavenly, Calif.

Best Terrain Park Safety Program

Loon Mountain, N.H.

Best Use of Web Social Media

Mt. Bachelor, Ore.

Best Employee Involvement & Education

Aspen Snowmass, Colo.

Best Chairlift Safety Program

The Canyons, Utah

Best Community Outreach

Seven Springs Ski Area, Pa.

Best Avalanche Safety Program

Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Mont.

Best Safety Theme/Quote

Mountain Creek, N.J.

Each of the winning programs will be highlighted in the August issue of the NSAA Journal. For more information on the awards or other NSAA safety education initiatives, visit the Safety & Education section of nsaa.org.