SAM Magazine—Boise, Idaho, Oct. 27, 2015—The board of directors at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area has chosen Brad Wilson to be the resort’s new general manager. Wilson has worked in a variety of management, marketing, sales and master planning roles over the past 30-plus yeas in the ski resort and hospitality industries. He begins his new job on Nov. 9.

SAM Magazine—Ishpeming, Mich., Oct 26, 2015—The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame has chosen seven pioneers to join the Hall as part of the Class of 2015.

The annual Toronto Snow Show, Oct. 15-18, 2015, at the International Centre, helped kick-start the upcoming Canadian winter ski season—as well as the North American consumer show season. Featuring a mix of vendors, local retailers and 40+ resorts from across North America, thousands of consumers flooded the trade show floor looking to purchase the latest gear, the best season passes available, and unbeatable travel packages.

SAM Magazine—Hancock, Mass., Oct. 22, 2015—The economics of the ski industry, the minimum wage wave and the imperative to create increasing numbers of new skiers and riders has created an instructor shortage for many resorts across America. The Fairbank Group is tackling this problem by ramping up its efforts at all three of its resorts.

SAM Magazine—Squamish, B.C., Oct. 21, 2015—Plans to build a $3.5-billion four-season ski resort northeast of Squamish, B.C., face some key Provincial decisions this fall.

SAM Magazine—Seward, Alaska, Oct. 21, 2015—While ski resorts across North America are slowly starting to open, the staff at Silverton Mountain Guides Heli Skiing scored powder turns and faceshots this week at their new base camp in Seward, Alaska. The new location complements Silverton's Colorado operation.

SAM Magazine—Pinkham Notch, N.H., Oct. 20, 2015—Wildcat Mountain was able to fire up snowmaking operations last Saturday, thanks to a cold weekend in which daytime temperatures hovered in the 20s and overnight dipped into the teens. The resort continued to make snow “non-stop” through Monday, according to its local ABC affiliate.

SAM Magazine—Victoria, Australia, Oct. 20, 2015—Australia’s Mount Hotham ski resort is investing AU$ 4.4 million in snowmaking infrastructure for 2016, the single biggest investment in snowmaking at the resort since its 2008 partnership with the government to install the Loch snowmaking dam, said GM Belinda Trembath.

SAM Magazine—Saint-Sauveur, Que., Oct. 19, 2015—Hot on the heels of Killington and Sunday River opening in the United States, Quebec’s Mont Saint-Sauveur is now the first resort open in Canada.

SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Oct. 19, 2015—Peak Resorts, Inc. is arranging a $15 million line of credit to fund acquisitions and improvements at its current properties. The line of credit, being offered by the Royal Banks of Missouri, allows Peak Resorts to increase the limit to $20 million if needed.

SAM Magazine—Fairfield, Idaho, Oct. 16, 2015—If you’ve ever wanted to own a ski resort, then today might be lucky day. Idaho’s Soldier Mountain Ski Area, once owned by actor Bruce Willis, is currently for sale at the low, low price of $149,000.

SAM Magazine—Burnsville. Minn., Oct. 16, 2015—Buck Hill Ski Area, founded in 1954 by Chuck and Nancy Stone, has been purchased by current general manager Don McClure, along with partners David Solner and his wife Corrine.

SAM Magazine—Wrightwood, Calif., Oct. 16, 2015—Mountain High in Wrightwood, Calif., and Snow Valley in Running Spring, Calif., are offering reciprocal lift privileges this winter. Passholders at each area are entitled to three days of free riding at the other resort, excluding blackout holidays.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Oct. 16, 2015—While western mountain resorts just wrapped up their third consecutive record-breaking summer season, winter bookings are showing weakness for the first time in more than three years, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics.

SAM Magazine—Toronto, Ontario, Oct 16, 2015—In the yearly battle to be the first resort to open in North America, Killington, Vt., is gunning for the top. The Beast of the East has targeted Sunday, Oct.18 as its opening day, hours ahead of rival Sunday River, Maine.

SAM Magazine—Bethel, Maine, Oct. 14, 2015—On the heels of a relatively warm early fall across much of the country, Maine’s Sunday River Ski Resort plans to open for the 2015-16 season on Monday, Oct. 19. If all goes according to plan, it will be the first resort in North America to open this season.

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Oct 14, 2015—More than 120 ski and snowboard resorts have signed up to take part in a Guinness Book of World Records biggest-lesson-ever attempt in an effort to generate press coverage and a slew of newcomers to skiing and snowboarding.

SAM Magazine—Turin, N.Y., Oct. 9, 2015—The mother and son duo of Cyndy Sisto and Nick Mir have taken ownership of Snow Ridge Ski Resort. The Adriondack resort was previously owned by Russell Horn.

A view from the top of Killington looking down Superstar, site of the November 2016 Audi FIS Ski World Cup women's races.

SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., Oct.

A view from the top of Killington looking down Superstar, site of the proposed November 2016 Audi FIS Ski World Cup women's races.

SAM Magazine—Oct.

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Oct. 1, 2015—There are still several hours left to join the Guinness World Record ski and ride lesson attempt. With 103 resorts signed on by mid-afternoon, organizers hope to reach 120 by tonight’s midnight deadline.

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Oct. 1, 2015—Resorts have until midnight tonight to register for the attempt to establish a Guinness World Record for the largest mass-participation ski and snowboard lessons. More than 80 resorts have already signed up for what may be the year’s greatest PR and photo op in winter sports, and others are invited to join the effort.

SAM Magazine—Bondville, Vt., Sept. 30, 2015—Bill Nupp has been promoted from interim manager to president and chief operating officer of Stratton Mountain Resort, effective immediately.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 30, 2015—Total mountain revenue for Vail Resorts (VR) increased 11.6 percent to $1.4 billion for the 2015 fiscal year, fueled largely by a 10.1 percent increase in season pass and ticket prices and a 6.5 percent increase in total skier visits. The results also include one month of peak season operating results from Perisher, Australia, a purchase that the company closed on in July.

SAM Magazine—Aspen, Colo., Sept. 30, 2015—Chamonix’s Mont-Blanc Valley is now part of the Mountain Collective 2015/16 season pass program. Chamonix is the Collective’s first European resort, and the fourth international destination, joining Thredbo, Australia; Hakuba Valley, Japan; and Valley Nevado, Chile. The Collective now has 14 member resorts in all.

SAM Magazine—Kelowna, B.C., Sept. 30, 2015—According to CBC.ca, Crystal Mountain, a day ski area in West Kelowna, B.C., will not open for the 2015-16 winter season.

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Sept 29, 2015—In the never-ending debate over which resort is the best, Ski magazine released its 2016 Top 10 list of Western North American resorts today. The publication’s readers voted Whistler Blackcomb, B.C., as number one for the second straight year. The resort is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Dec. 12.

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., Sept. 29, 2015—There are only two days left to enter SAM’s 11th Annual Terrain Park contest, sponsored by Burton Snowboards. The magazine aims to showcase the most unique terrain park features and innovative park contests from last season. Start sorting through your creations and submit your entry for the feature and/or events categories.

Mount Sunapee's Bruce McCloy and Jay Gamble proudly display their "trophy" on a Pats Peak-mobile.

SAM Magazine—Newbury, N.H., Sept.

The annual ISKINY-PSAA Expo Sept. 21-23, 2015, at Lake Placid, N.Y., attracted more than 370 ski resort, vendor, and guest attendees from across North America. Two major themes dominated the gathering: the guest experience and risk management.

Before diving into business, though, the fun kicked off with a tour of the operational areas at Whiteface Resort, followed by a friendly golf tournament.

The near-record turnout at this year's New England Summit Sept. 15-17 showed how much excitement there is in the region as resorts anticipate what El Nino will bring—including the possibility the Northeast is looking at another record-breaking snowfall year. Show organizer Bo Bigelow of the Ski Maine Association said the Summit drew 290 ski area attendees and an overall total attendance of 452 including exhibitors and speakers. Sessions were well attended, and the trade show hall was standing room only. 

SAM Magazine—New Hampshire, Sept. 21, 2015—It’s been a busy year with multi-resort companies and independent ski areas rolling out new pass partnerships (see Blue Pages, SAM Sept. issue). And now, it’s about to become even busier with the entry of the MiniMIX pass in New Hampshire.

Available for only $199, the pass includes two lift tickets and one tubing session at each of the following resorts: Pats Peak, King Pine and McIntyre. The MiniMIX doesn’t have any blackout dates, additional fees or surcharges.

The continued growth in summer resort operations lured more than 160 attendees representing 50 resorts, along with 34 vendor partners, from across North America to SAM’s 6th annual Summer Ops Camp at Camelback Resort, Pa., Sept. 9-11. The three-day conference addressed several aspects of “The Serious Business of Summer Fun” and provided several opportunities to demo a variety of summer activities and different ways to program them.

SAM MAGAZINE—Zanesfield, Ohio, Sept. 18, 2015—The lodge at Mad River Mountain caught fire and was destroyed Wednesday night. The resort was closed at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. There is currently no information as to the cause of the fire.

Reports indicate that part of the A-frame brick and mortar building is still standing. However, the main portion of the lodge, better known as the Loft, was constructed from wood and is now destroyed.

SAM MAGAZINE—Cortland, N.Y., Sept 16, 2015—Greek Peak is purchasing Toggenburg. During a press conference at Toggenburg today, former owner Jim Hickey and the new owners—who are also co-owners of Greek Peak Mountain Resort—Marc Stemerman and John Meier, addressed the details.

SAM Magazine—Taos, N.M., Sept. 16, 2015—Taos Ski Valley is increasing its minimum wage to $10 an hour, making it one of the higher paying resorts in the country for entry-level employees.

As one of the largest private employers in the state, the resort decided to increase the minimum wage to ensure it retains and recruits the best employees possible. Currently, the statewide minimum wage in New Mexico is $7.50.

SAM Magazine—Mt. Hood, Ore., Sept. 16, 2015—Mt. Hood Meadows has appointed three employees, Steve Warila, Jeremy Riss and Matt Troskey, to new vice president roles in an effort to restructure and provide year-round recreational and hospitality experiences.

SAM Magazine—Toronto, Ont., Sept. 16, 2015—The C.J. Group of Companies has acquired the media brands of Toronto-based SBC Media. The acquisition includes eight magazines, all SBC websites, social media accounts and assets, which will now operate under C.J. Oyster Publishing, a division of the C.J. Group.

The titles and brands now owned by the C.J. Group are: Snowboard Canada; SBC Skateboard; SBC Skier; SBC Wakeboard; SBC Business; SBC Ski & Snowboard Resort Guide (Annual); Snowboard Canada Women’s Annual; and SBC Surf.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Sept., 15, 2015—Intrawest Resort Holdings Inc., reported a major financial improvement in fiscal 2015, increasing revenues by 14 percent and cutting its net loss for the year by 96 percent. The improvements were due to the addition of 100 percent ownership of Blue Mountain, Ont., and the restructuring and refinancing that occurred in December 2013, respectively.

On a same-store basis, calculated as if Blue Mountain had been wholly owned both years, revenues rose 6 percent.

SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Sept., 15, 2015—Peak Resorts Inc, reduced its spending for its fiscal first quarter, ending July 31, 2015, helping to reduce its net loss to $7.1 million, compared to a net loss of $8.2 million during the previous year’s first quarter. The company cited lower interest expense for much of the improvement. Revenue was nearly flat for the spring/summer period, $5.43 million vs. $5.6 million in the year-earlier period.

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., Sept. 15, 2015—Friends and associates of Jan Leonard, who died suddenly on Aug. 26, will host an evening dedicated to the aerial lift pioneer at the Deer Valley Resort Snow Park Lodge on Oct. 14. The event will recognize Leonard’s achievements in lift engineering and manufacturing. A cocktail reception at 4-6 p.m. will precede a program set for 6-9 p.m.

SAM Magazine—Teton Village, Wyo., Sept. 15, 2015—Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) has completed its new employee housing units, located in the town of Jackson. The three-building complex, which can house 94 workers, is the first of its kind for the Jackson Hole community.

SAM Magazine—Blue River, B.C., Sept. 15, 2015—Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing has named Tim Foster, former GM of Beaver Valley Ski Club and Mount Baldy Ski Area, as its new GM. With more than 25 years of experience in the ski industry, Foster’s key priorities will be to create strong guests experiences and concentrate on long-range plans at the resort.

SAM Magazine—Donner Summit, Calif., Sept. 14, 2015—Sugar Bowl Resort has named Greg Dallas, former COO of Mammoth and June Mountain, as its new CEO. Dallas will lead all aspects of resort operations, including Sugar Bowl Resort, Royal Gorge Cross Country, the Village at Sugar Bowl real estate, and homeowner services.

Dallas succeeds Rob Kautz, who had a 40-year run at Sugar Bowl, including the past 27 years as president and CEO. Kautz announced his retirement at the end of last ski season, and remains a project consultant and company board member.