SAM Magazine—Sun Valley, Idaho, Dec. 22, 2014—Temperature, more than precipitation, has factored heavily thus far into the 2014-15 season. Resorts in the Rockies are celebrating up to two feet of new snow in the past two days, while rain has hampered the start of the season in other regions.

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Dec. 22, 2014—The National Ski Patrol (NSP) has elected five directors to its board of directors, including former board member Keith Cassidy, a patroller at Wintergreen, Va. Others include Rick Knight, of Mount Southington, Conn., Ken Kramer, of Winter Park, Colo., Chris Pringle, of Bradford Ski Area, Mass., and Bill Sinykin, Beaver Mountain, Utah. NSP’s board members serve three-year terms.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Dec. 18, 2014—A town hall-style roundtable featuring insights from Bill Jensen, former CEO of Intrawest, Harry Frampton, managing partner of East West Partners, and Steve Rice, senior vice president and senior managing director of the CNL Financial Group tops the bill for The Assembly 2015. Now in its third year, The Assembly, which aims to collect the broadest possible perspective on the winter sports industry, will be held Jan. 28 at the Colorado Convention Center in conjunction with the SIA Show Snow and the Industry + Intelligence seminar series.

SAM Magazine—Mt. Hood, Ore., Dec. 12, 2014—Mt. Hood Meadows has named Jake Bolland as the company’s chief operating officer as part of a sweeping administrative reorganization.

Bolland will oversee the day-to-day operations of Mt. Hood Meadows and Cooper Spur Mt. Resort, working with the leadership team to develop the strategic, financial and operational plans. Bolland will also serve on the company’s board of directors.

SAM Magazine—Wrightwood, Calif., Dec. 11, 2014—The Powder Alliance has officially launched the 2014-15 Wild West Powder Quest, a visit-based sweepstakes designed to encourage skiers and snowboarders to explore and uncover the best powder stashes at all 13 participating areas. Those areas include California’s China Peak, Mountain High, and Sierra At Tahoe, Oregon’s Mt Hood Ski Bowl and Timberline, Angel Fire, N.

SAM Magazine—Crystal Mountain, Wash., Dec. 10, 2014—Crystal Mountain took delivery of the first two diesel electric PistenBully 600 E+ snowgroomers in North America yesterday. The 600 E+ uses a new diesel electric drive that significantly lowers environmental and economic impacts while it enhances performance capabilities, according to PistenBully.

SAM Magazine—Carrabassett Valley, Maine, Dec. 9, 2014—Karl Strand will succeed John Diller as the resort’s president and general manager after Diller retires in April, 2015. In the interim, Diller remains in charge at Sugarloaf, and Strand, currently vice president of mountain operations at Sunday River, will remain in that position. He will begin the transition to Sugarloaf in March.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 8, 2014—Vail Resorts will make more than $50 million worth of upgrades to Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) for the 2015-16 ski season. The plan will connect PCMR and Canyons resort and create a single ski area with more than 7,300 acres of skiable terrain.

SAM Magazine–Park City, Utah, Dec. 8, 2014—The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Teams picked up this past weekend where they left off last season: with multiple medalists on the podium.

SAM Magazine—Thompsonville, Mich., Dec. 8, 2014—Crystal Mountain is the first location in northern Michigan designated as a Tesla Driving Destination Partner, in which the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer establishes complimentary charging stations for its customers.

SAM Magazine—Truckee, Calif., Dec. 5, 2014—The continued front of winter storms passing through California’s Lake Tahoe region has brought more than three feet of snow to higher elevations some ski areas, enabling resorts in the Sierra expand their open terrain or in some cases open for the season. Up to a foot of additional snow could fall on higher elevations through Saturday. In the Northwest, though, conditions still remain challenging for many areas.

SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Dec. 1, 2014—Peak Resorts, Inc., operator of 13 ski resorts located primarily in the Northeast and Midwest, 12 of which are company-owned, has closed its initial public offering of 10,000,000 shares of common stock at a public price of $9 per share. At today’s close the shares were trading at $8.59. All of the shares were offered by the company.

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., Nov. 21, 2014—After six successful camps at Carinthia, Mount Snow, Cutter's Camp will change the venue of its eastern location to Loon Mountain Resort, N.H., April 12-14, 2015. The western camp will remain at Timberline, Mt. Hood, Ore., May 11-15.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Nov. 21, 2014—Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc. has named Thomas F. Marano as the company’s chief executive officer, effective immediately. Marano will also serve on the company’s board of directors. Additionally, Intrawest has promoted Sky Foulkes, President of Stratton Mountain Resort, to the position of Chief Operating Officer.

William A. Jensen has tendered his resignation as CEO for personal reasons. A former head of Vail Resorts’ mountain division, he became CEO of Intrawest in 2008.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Nov. 20, 2014—With cold and snow sweeping through much of the Rockies and the eastern half of the country, resorts there are opening ahead of schedule and with more terrain than usual. Nationwide, there were nearly 50 resorts open today, with more than 80 ski areas nationwide open this weekend.

Meanwhile, snow remains in short supply on the West Coast.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Nov. 17, 2014—Despite mild October temperatures, lodging reservations for the six-month winter season (November through April) are currently running ahead of the same time last season. Denver-based DestiMetrics, an organization that tracks mountain lodging bookings in 19 Western mountain resorts in six states, said that reservations as of Oct. 31 are up 7.4 percent and revenues are up 13.9 percent for the six-month period compared to the same time last year, with increases in every month except April.

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 14, 2014—Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation and Visit Salt Lake have settled the litigation involving Steamboat’s Ski Town, U.S.A. trademark and Visit Salt Lake’s Ski City USA marketing campaign. The upshot: Visit Salt Lake has agreed to revise its campaign in a manner that is acceptable to the parties. All other terms of the settlement are confidential.

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., Nov. 13, 2014—A strong cold front that continues to sweep through most of the country this week blanketed some ski areas with nearly two feet of fresh snow, allowing snowmaking crews to piggyback off of Mother Nature’s graces as they work to open for the 2014-15 season.

The National Weather Service said that the front is the result of a developing El Nino weather pattern, and that, as resorts know, could have season-long impacts.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Nov. 7, 2014—Three Colorado resorts headline this weekend’s openings, along with resorts in California, Nevada, and Michigan, as the winter season slowly gets underway. The pace could well pick up soon, though: With an extended cold snap forecast next week for much of the nation east of the Rockies, more resorts are expected to open within the next week.

SAM Magazine — Broomfield, Colo., Nov. 5, 2014 — Vail Resorts, Inc. today announced that Patricia Campbell, executive VP and COO of Breckenridge Ski Resort, will become president of the company's mountain division effective Aug. 1, 2015.

SAM Magazine – Aspen Snowmass Village, Colo. Nov. 4, 2014 – Today Aspen Skiing Company announced an internal reorganization that is says is aimed at enhancing the guest experience through improved operational efficiencies, developing a more collaborative environment among employees, and allowing the company to keep up with the pace of the changing business environment.

The announcement comes just a few weeks before the scheduled Nov. 27 openings of Snowmass and Aspen Mountain. Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are set to open Dec. 13.

ISHPEMING, MI – Nov. 4, 2014 – Ten athletes and sport builders make up the Class of 2014 to be inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in Steamboat Springs “Ski Town USA,” Colorado on April 11, 2015.

SAM Magazine – Woodbury, Ct., Oct. 31, 2014 ¬– The Halloween weekend saw a flurry of ski area opening activities as the result of a Nor’Easter making its way up the Atlantic Coast.

SAM Magazine – Woodbury, Ct., Oct. 31, 2014 – Organizers of the snow sports industry’s Learn to Ski and Snowboard (Month) and Bring a Friend initiative recently unveiled a new campaign called “First Day Faces” that will make its official consumer debut Dec. 1, 2014. The ads and social media campaign feature the happy faces of guests who just took beginner lessons.

SAM Magazine – Taylor Falls, Minn., Oct. 31, 2014

After tweeting a shot of a virtual blizzard via snowmaking last night, Wild Mountain in Taylor Falls, Minn., opened its Front Stage terrain park today serviced by a rope tow. This comes after just 14 hours of snowmaking.

“We’re doing it to let the kids come out and play,” says Amanda Frischmon, vice president.

SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Oct. 30, 2014—A Durango businessman, James Coleman, is buying Durango Mountain Resort (DMR) and Arizona Snowbowl. Further, he is teaming them with two New Mexico areas, Sipapu and Pajarito, to form a four-resort group that collectively tally 3,088 acres, 26 lifts, more than 200 trails and 13 terrain parks. Sipapu is scheduled to open Nov. 15.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014—Powdr Enterprises, the sports marketing and entertainment division of Powdr, has forged a strategic brand partnership with Boyne Resorts. The two companies will pool corporate partnership rights to provide brand partners a diverse platform to reach mountain sports and active lifestyle consumers—and to raise the visibility of the two companies' resorts.

SAM Magazine—Tannersville, Pa., Oct. 24, 2014——SAM's sixth annual Summer Ops Camp, a hands-on educational and networking event, will head to Camelback, Pa., Sept. 9-11. The Camp gathers resort managers and operators from around North America to explore opportunities in four-season attractions at one of North America’s most successful summer operations.

SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Oct. 22, 2014—Peak Resorts has filed for an initial public offering of its common stock, seeking to raise up to $100 million.

Peak Resorts filed a prospectus with the Securities Exchange Commission Monday. This is its second attempt to go public: In 2011, Peak filed for an $85 million IPO that was eventually postponed. It withdrew that filing in late September.

SAM Magazine—Ludlow, Vt., Oct. 21, 2014—Okemo Mountain Resort and Snow Park Technologies (SPT) have partnered on a three-year plan to reimagine the terrain park experience at the resort.

SPT has a long history of designing and constructing courses for events including the ESPN Winter X Games, Dew Tour, Burton US Open. It also regularly consults with ski areas to develop some of the top-ranked terrain parks in the country.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Oct. 21, 2014—Vail Resorts’ new EpicDay Lift Tickets, an online and mobile platform to purchase daily lift tickets, in advance, offers convenience and the guaranteed lowest price (as much as 25 percent off the lead rate) at its U.S. resorts.

“The earlier you purchase your tickets prior to arriving at the resort, the more significant discount you’ll get,” said Kirsten Lynch, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts.

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Oct. 21, 2014—SnowSports Industries America (SIA) will host a first-ever Industry + Intelligence gathering Wednesday, Jan. 28, the day before its annual trade show opens. The event will include educational offerings, market intelligence, networking opportunities, keynote speakers, a job fair, and socializing.

SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., Oct. 21, 2014—Squaw Valley plans to enhance skiable terrain through a month-long, ecological forest thinning project beginning this week. More than 5,000 dead or diseased trees will be removed to improve the natural habitat, reduce the risk of wildfire, and, just as importantly, provide unprecedented access to tree skiing and riding in the targeted area.

SAM Magazine—Vail, Colo., Oct. 20, 2014—The U.S. Forest Service has published a final record of decision regarding Vail’s comprehensive summer activities proposal, "Epic Discovery, a Summer Mountain." The decision is the first to stem from passage of the Ski Area Recreational Opportunities Act in 2011.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Oct. 17, 2014—The record-breaking summer for both occupancy and revenue among western mountain resorts is carrying into the winter booking season, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics, which tracks mountain lodging bookings at 19 western mountain resorts in six states.

SAM Magazine—Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Oct. 15, 2014—Arapahoe Basin Ski Area will kick off Colorado’s 2014-15 ski and snowboard season on Friday, Oct. 17. The Black Mountain Express high-speed quad chairlift will open at 9 a.m. to whisk riders to the top of the intermediate High Noon trail at mid-mountain.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Oct. 9, 2014—Vail Resorts has named Bill Rock, currently chief operating officer of Northstar California Resort, as the new chief operating officer of Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort. Beth Howard, currently vice president of mountain dining and clubs, will become general manager of Northstar California Resort. Both appointments are effective Nov. 1, 2014.

SAM Magazine--Steamboat Springs, Colo., October 8, 2014--It seems that Utah can't stay out of the news. On the heels of the launch of a marketing campaign by Visit Salt Lake to promote Salt Lake City and its four member resorts (Brighton, Solitude, Alta and Snowbird) as Ski City USA, which appeared to be an effort to attract visitors away from places like Park City, Steamboat Springs, Colo., moved to protect its trademark Ski Town, U.S.A.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Oct. 3, 2014—Deer Valley Resort has entered into an agreement to purchase Solitude Mountain Resort and will begin operating the resort on May 1, 2015. No price was made public.

SAM Magazine--Donnelly, Idaho, October 3, 2014--The Idaho State Land Board authorized the transfer of Tamarack's lease yesterday to New TR Acquisition Co. LLC (NEWTRAC). NEWTRAC announced that it will be expanding operations to seven days a week--the resort has been operated by the Tamarack Municipal Association on a Thursday-to-Sunday schedule since 2010. To operate on a full-week basis, the resort anticipates adding about 40 additional employees, for a total of 150 and is targeting a mid-December opening.

SAM Magazine—San Francisco, Oct. 1, 2014—Liftopia, which operates a consumer marketplace and resort technology platform for ski lift tickets and other mountain activities, has introduced the industry’s first tiered, dynamic pricing system for lift tickets. The company’s Value, Value Plus and Flexible options are now available for the 2014-15 ski season.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Oct. 1, 2014—Vail Resorts (VR) is making it easier for skiers and snowboarders to plan their time on the mountain. A new slice of the EpicMix pie, called EpicMix Guide, generates a customized, step-by-step navigational guide to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge or Keystone in Colorado, Canyons in Park City, Utah, or Heavenly, Northstar or Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe.

SAM Magazine—Hartford, Conn., Oct. 1, 2014—The Connecticut skier safety act has been amended to require restraining bars for all chairlifts; padding or other protection for lift towers; and padding or fencing for all onslope snowmaking equipment, including above-ground snowmaking pipe. The changes went into effect today.

The requirement for lift tower padding applies to any tower located on a trail or slope.

SAM Magazine--September 29, 2014--Season's passes continue to evolve this year, as resorts entice ever more skiers and riders to commit their time and money ahead of the season to come.

Intrawest has updated the options for its Intrawest Passport, a friends-and-family pass that allows up to 16 people to define their own family unit, in which children under 12 ski and ride for free. Mountain High, one of 13 resorts in the Powder Alliance, has begun touting the group's breadth and benefits as well. As, we assume, other members are, too.

SAM Magazine—Big Bear Lake, Calif., Sept. 24, 2014—Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, owner of Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain, has entered into an agreement to acquire Big Bear Mountain Resorts and its Bear Mountain and Snow Summit resorts, which host nearly 800,000 winter visits annually. The transaction will create one of the nation’s largest ski companies, with more than 2 million visitors per year.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 19, 2014—Wolf Creek ski area has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and fined $14,000 for failing to mitigate avalanche danger in the death patroller Colin Sutton last March 4, while Sutton was working outside the resort boundary.

SAM Magazine—Patterson, N.Y., Sept. 18, 2014—After 20 years of operating Thunder Ridge Ski Area, located in the suburban New York City area, lessee-operators Mary and Bob Conklin are retiring and relinquishing operations to the area’s current owners, Dean and Wayne Ryder.

The transition from the Conklins to the Ryders is already underway, and everyone involved anticipates a seamless opening and operation of the 2014-15 winter season.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 18, 2014—It’s almost a throwback in its simplicity: the Gems Card program features two-for-one lift tickets at eight Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) member areas, along with exclusive Flash Deal promotions throughout the season.

At any Gems resort, card holders can purchase one adult full-day lift ticket and receive another adult full-day lift ticket for free. Each Gems Card is good for one use per Gems resort, per season. A limited number of Gems Cards ($20) are available.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 18, 2014— As of Aug. 31, occupancy for May through October among Western lodging properties in 19 destination resorts was up 5.4 percent compared to the same time last year, according to DestiMetrics, despite a slight 1.1 percent decline in September. Revenues for the six-month May to October period are up 10.6 percent, with only forward-looking October showing a decline, down 2.8 percent compared to October 2013.

SAM Magazine—Collingwood, Ont., Sept. 12, 2014—Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc., which has held a 50 percent ownership in Blue Mountain since 1999, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the 50% interest in Blue Mountain Ski Resort that has been held by Blue Mountain Resorts Holdings Inc., for C$58 million. The resort has been operating as a joint venture between the two companies.

Intrawest does not anticipate significant changes to operations or resort personnel.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Sept. 11, 2014—Vail Resorts, Inc. has acquired Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) for $182.5 million. The deal ends an epic legal battle over PCMR’s lease for most of the on-mountain terrain, and removes the uncertainty that had hung over the resort for the past few years after a court ruled that PCMR had failed to renew its lease and eviction loomed.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Sept. 9, 2014—Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) will pay the $17.5 million bond amount ordered by the Court last Friday, thus ensuring the resort will open as planned this season, scheduled for November 22, 2014. Negotiations between PCMR and landlord Vail regarding the long-term resolution of ownership and operation of the terrain at Park City continue.

SAM Magazine--Tully, N.Y., September 3, 2014--Song Mountain and Labrador Mountain, both located in central New York, have announced a merger. According to published reports, the two mountains will consolidate operations, but management and staffing will remain largely the same. The two areas will offer a new Inter-Mountain Passport. Peter Harris, who bought Song in 2000, will retain the previous owners of Labrador, Bruce and Sue Wilson, for the upcoming season in their current management positions.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 27, 2014—District Judge Ryan Harris postponed until Sept. 3 a decision on the bond he would require Park City Mountain Resort to post if it wants to operate the resort for 2014-15. Harris cited the introduction of new information from both parties, and their continuing mediation effort, for the delay.

SAM Magazine--Woodbury, Conn., August 25, 2014--SAM's fifth annual Summer Ops Camp, to be held this year at Vail Mountain from September 3-5, 2014, has sold out. The event, which combines classroom learning and networking with hands-on experiences, provides attendees with the latest ideas and innovations in four-season recreation.

SAM Magazine--Vail, Colo., August 25, 2014--The U.S. Forest Service has published a draft record of decision regarding the Vail Resorts, Inc.’s summer activities proposal—Epic Discovery, a Summer Mountain Adventure—at Vail Mountain.

The primary activities and enhancements included in the draft record of decision are as follows:

SAM Magazine—Bear Valley, Calif., Aug. 21, 2014—Skyline International Development, Inc., is set to acquire Bear Valley Mountain Resort. The agreement comes after several weeks of discussion with the current ownership as well as local community leaders who had formed the Bear Valley Mountain Cooperative, which was also in the process of purchasing the resort. Closing is subject to U.S. Forest Service issuance of a permit to operate the resort, expected in 30 to 60 days.

SAM Magazine—Ashland, Ore., Aug. 18, 2014—Mt. Ashland Association, the non-profit 501(c)(3) that operates the Mt. Ashland Ski Area, has hired Hiram Towle as the ski area’s new general manager.

Over the past decade, Towle has held a variety of management positions at Sunday River, Maine, most recently as conference sales manager and, before that, lift maintenance manager.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 18, 2014—The Western mountain lodging business is poised to post record occupancy and revenue figures for the third consecutive year, according to the most recent results released by Denver-based DestiMetrics. Projections for the 2014 summer, May through October, call for occupancy to rise four percent and revenues 6.9 percent compared to last summer, the previous record year.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 17, 2014—Park City Mountain Resort and Talisker/Vail Resorts appear to be far apart on the value of the mountain underlying much of PCMR’s terrain. PCMR said that the appropriate rent for the 3,000 acre should be between $226,000 and $1 million a year, according to a report at Forbes.com. PCMR also said that Talisker, before it turned the lease administration over to VR, was seeking $7.7 million per year, according to Forbes.com. It is not known what rent VR, which has assumed responsibility for managing the leased land, is asking.