SAM Magazine—Dover, Vt., Nov. 14, 2018—The subject of climate change is now more prevalent than ever, flooding our news feeds and airwaves daily. Rarely is the news inspiring or positive, but a recent article on Outside magazine’s website bucks that trend of doom and gloom promulgated by so many outlets—including itself—by recognizing 10 ...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield and Denver, Colo., Nov. 15, 2018—Yesterday was a busy day in the ongoing tit for tat between Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass and Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass. Earlier in the day, Alterra added NZSki and its three New Zealand resorts—Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and Mt. Hutt—and Valle Nevado in Chile as par...

SAM Magazine—Boston, Mass., Nov. 12, 2018—Two of New England’s top ski resort promoters, Bonnie MacPherson, Okemo, Vt., and Tom Meyers, Wachusett Mountain, Mass., shared the 33rd Annual BEWI Award. The duo was feted by 165BEWI Award winners Bonnie MacPherson (left) and Tom Meyers (right) with host Bernie Weichsel. admirers at a luncheon Frida...

SAM Magazine—Vernon, N.J., Nov. 7, 2018—SNOW Operating has reached an agreement with Mountain Creek Resort, Inc., and the Koffman family to acquire controlling ownership in the operations of Mountain Creek Resort. The Koffmans will remain partners in the ownership, but SNOW Operating will have a controlling position in all operational decisions...

SAM Magazine—Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Nov. 6, 2018—American company Wisconsin Resorts Inc. purchased Searchmont Resort in Ontario, Canada, from the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporationon Nov. 1. The $2 million deal includes all land, buildings, and equipment. Wisconsin Resorts owns and operates four other ski areas: Alpine Vall...

SAM Magazine—Cherry Creek, N.Y., Nov. 6, 2018—Cockaigne Ski Resort in upstate New York was set to spin lifts again this winter for the first time in seven years, but unanticipated challenges have caused a delay of the resort’s grand reopening. Cockaigne closed in 2011 after a fire destroyed its iconic base lodge, which served as the Aust...

SAM Magazine—Dillon, Colo., Nov. 6, 2018—A series of storms dropped nearly four feet of snow in parts of the Rockies this past week, priming some Colorado resorts to open earlier and expand accessible terrain.Breckenridge and Keystone, both of which were set to open Nov. 9, will now open Nov. 7 thanks to the new snowfall. Both resorts have rece...

SAM Magazine—Mesa, Colo., Nov. 2, 2018—Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Colo., is bolstering its management and financial resources. Owners Andy Daly and Ken, Tom, and John Gart of The Gart Companies have brought on ZOMA Capital of Denver as an equity partner to help fund future upgrades at the resort. The owners have also entered into an operating ...

In SAM’s monthly Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. This report was written by Katie Brinton. JODY CHURICH, PARK CITY MOUNTAIN RESORT, UTAH Jody Churich has become senior director of skier services for Park City Mountain and is responsible for the overall quality ...

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Oct. 31, 2018—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has elected two new members to its board of directors: Wesley Kryger, president of Greek Peak and Toggenburg ski areas, and J.R. Murray, GM of the Arizona Snowbowl. In September 2018, Kryger and Murray were voted in to replace two vacancies left by retiring b...

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., Oct. 31, 2018—It’s the most wonderful time of the year; Halloween decorations are about to come down and snow is in the forecast. Resorts are getting ready to scan passes and spin lifts, with several already open thanks to serious snowmaking and a helping hand from Mother Nature.  Oct. 19 was a busy day acr...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Oct. 26, 2018—After closing on its recent acquisition of Triple Peaks LLC, which includes Okemo, Vt., and Mount Sunapee, N.H., Vail Resorts has created a new “Northeast regional structure,” which entails leadership shuffling, layoffs, and promotions. Doug Pierini, previously VP and GM of Kirkwood, Calif., is...

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Oct. 23, 2018—Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) has collaborated with Halley O’Brien Productions and Terrain Based Learning creator SNOW Operating to produce a new three-video series: “How to Ski: A Beginner’s Guide.” The videos are the...

SAM Magazine— Sheridan, Wyo., Oct. 18, 2018—In 2004, a family dispute forced Fun Valley Inc. to shut down the slopes at Antelope Butte ski area. Fourteen years later, Antelope Butte’s lifts will spin again thanks to the hard work of a community coalition, the Antelope Butte Foundation. The foundation has been working since 2011 to reopen Ant...

SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., and Newry, Maine, Oct. 18, 2018—Killington Resort in Vermont and Sunday River in Maine will be the first mountain resorts in the East to open for skiing and riding when first chairs go up at each area on Friday, Oct. 19. Killington will be open for passholders before opening to the general public on Saturday, and c...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 17, 2018—SAM (Ski Area Management) magazine’s sister publication Adventure Park Insider has launched the 3rdannual State of the Industry survey. This annual effort collects data about summer and aerial adventure operations to help operators benchmark their businesses and inform decisions regardi...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 16, 2018—SAM has launched an open call for nominations to become a mentee for the second year of its successful Summit Series. The season-long program, aimed at developing future industry leaders, creates a public dialogue between established and respected industry leaders and up-and-coming resort staffers. Thes...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Oct. 16, 2018—Western destinations are poised to achieve the region’s fifth consecutive summer record for both occupancy and revenues, according to Inntopia's monthly DestiMetrics Market Briefing. As of Sept. 30, occupancy for May through October is up two percent compared to the same time last year. The figure includes b...

SAM Magazine—Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Oct. 16, 2018—Arapahoe Basin will open for daily operation for the 2018-19 ski and snowboard season on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, Lifts will be spinning soon at A-Basin. Photo: Dave Camaramaking A-Basin the first area to open seven days a week. The Black Mountain Express lift will start turning at 9:00 a.m., givi...

SAM Magazine—Pagosa Springs, Colo., Oct. 11, 2018—After a storm this week deposited 18 to 20 inches of snow at Wolf Creek, the ski area will open for business at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13, making it the first area in North America to open to the public for the season. The resort will open the rental shop, ski school, main lodge and three lift...

SAM Magazine—Girdwood, Alaska, Oct. 10, 2018—Canadian hospitality company Pomeroy Lodging has entered into a contract to purchase Alyeska Resort, including the 300-room Alyeska Hotel, from John Byrne, who has owned the resort Alyeska Resort entrance. Photo: Bob Hallinen, Anchorage Daily Newsfor 12 years. The transaction is expected to close by ...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Oct. 1, 2018—Alterra Mountain Company has closed on its acquisition of Crystal Mountain in Washington. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. The resort was valued at $40 million when John Kircher bought it from Boyne Resorts in 2017. Crystal is the thirteenth mountain resort in Alterra’s portfolio, all of which ...

SAM Magazine—Snowbird, Utah, Oct. 1, 2018—Snowbird is experiencing a changing of the guard. Come Oct. 26, longtime president and CEO Bob Bonar will retire, along with senior vice president and CFO Tom Jones, and director of Future retirees (L to R): Tom Jones, Jerry Giles, Bob Bonar. Photo: Matt Crawleyvillage operations Jerry Giles. Current ge...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 28, 2018—Vail Resorts has finalized its purchase of Triple Peaks, LLC, after first revealing its plan to acquire the company more than three months ago.    Vail purchased Triple Peaks, the parent company of Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont, Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire, and Crested Butte...

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Sept. 25, 2018—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has named Adrienne Saia Isaac to the newly formed position of marketing and communications director. Isaac most recently served as marketing and communications manager at Arapahoe Basin, Colo., for the past six years.  At The Basin, Isaac managed m...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Sept. 25, 2018—Mountain resorts from around the world have only 10 days to submit entries for SAM’s 14th annual Terrain Park Contest, sponsored by Burton Learn to Ride. The November issue of Ski Area Management (SAM) magazine will showcase entries from the 2017-18 season in three categories: terrain ...

SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Sept. 24, 2018—Peak Resorts has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Snow Time, Inc., which owns and operates Roundtop, Liberty, and Whitetail in Pennsylvania, for $76 million in total consideration. The transaction is expected to be completed prior to the start of the 2018-19 ski season, subject to closing...

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Sept. 21, 2018—SKI Magazine readers have named Aspen Snowmass, Colo., and Smugglers’ Notch, Vt., the Best in the West and East, respectively, in the magazine’s revamped reader—and now editor/contributor—poll. The magazine presents top picks for a wide range of resort services and characteristics in its Octob...

The combined forces of Ski Areas of New York (ISKINY) and Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (PSAA) once again staged an informative, lively, and entertaining expo, this time at Peek’n Peak in western New York. A total of 324 ski area personnel and suppliersNSAA's Mike Lane uses props to demonstrate ski lift functions with the help of Doppelmayr'...

Sarah Crockett, Burton Sarah Crockett has been named Burton’s new chief marketing officer. Previously, Crockett was VP of integrated marketing and community engagement at REI, where she led well-known campaigns such as Force of Nature and #OptOutside. Before her time at REI, she was VP of global consumer marketing at Vans. At Burton, she will o...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Sept. 18, 2018—The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame introduced the Class of 2018 last Friday in Ishpeming, Mich. Inductees include resort veteran Bill Jensen, longtime U.S. Ski & Snowboard spokesman Tom Kelly, Olympians Bode Miller and Andrew Weibrecht, two high-profile women athletes—moguls champion Hilar...

SAM Magazine—Londonderry, Vt., Sept. 19, 2018—Magic Mountain has created an unusual, peak-season pass product specifically for Christmas-New Year’s, MLK weekend, and President’s week. Called the White Out holiday pass ($239-$279), it’s aimed at skiers and riders who want a deal over the holidays, as well as those who may have bought a dis...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 18, 2018—Summer lodging business in Western mountain destinations remained strong despite wildfires and smoke in July and August, and winter bookings have continued that trend, according to the monthly DestiMetrics Market Briefing.  DestiMetrics data for Western resorts comes from 290 property management compani...

Nearly 450 resort staff, industry partners, and exhibitors attended the 2018 New England Summit Sept. 11-12 at Sunday River Resort, Maine.Wintry Mix's Alex Kaufman helps us develop PodSAM at NES (Photo courtesy of Dave Gibson) The event kicked off with seminars on topics ranging from web trends to climate change and ended with multiple sessio...

The theme “Summer Ops 2.0” prevailed at SAM’s ninth annual Summer Ops Camp Sept. 4-6 at Aspen Snowmass, Colo. More than 150 resort professionals and industry suppliers from around the world came ready to listen, learn, and experience summer programming. With a focus on business and equipment trends, safety, planning, as well as on-brand appro...

Resorts look to ease congestion and meet increasing demand with capital improvements.Concrete being poured for a lift tower footing for Winter Park's new gondola. The snowsports industry has seen a recent influx of cash, and resorts across the country are making massive capital improvements. The money is being spent in a variety of ways—resorts ...

SAM Magazine—Stratton, Vt., Sept. 12, 2018—Stratton Mountain Resort and The North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) will present the 2018 Northeast Winter Weather Summit, Dec. 2-4 at Stratton Mountain, Vt. The two-day event will bring together meteorologists, resort associates, varied ski industry businesses, journalists, and ...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 12, 2018—Shortly after Alterra Mountain Company revealed its intent to purchase Crystal Mountain Resort, Wash.—and before the transaction has closed—the company said it plans to name current Snowshoe, W.Va., president and COO Frank DeBerry as Crystal’s new president and COO once everything is finalized. “It...

SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Sept. 12, 2018—Peak Resorts reported revenue of $7 million during its 2019 first quarter, comprised of the three months ended July 31, down from $7.5 million during the same period a year ago. Operating expenses rose 5.4 percent year over year to $14.3 million, and the company reported a net loss of nearly $11.8 mill...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Sept. 7, 2018—HKD Snowmakers has acquired the controls, monitoring and automation business of Sno.matic Controls and Engineering, a company that specializes in providing products that monitor snowmaking systems andSno.matic president Scott Barthold (left) with HKD president Charles Santry automatically control pump s...

SAM Magazine—Revelstoke, B.C., Sept. 7, 2018—Dave Brownlie has been named Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s new president. Brownlie started his industry career nearly 30 years ago as Blackcomb Mountain’s director of finance and eventually became Whistler Blackcomb president and CEO, and finally COO. He stepped down from that role more than a yea...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 7, 2018—Less than three weeks after Vail Resorts closed on its acquisition of Stevens Pass in Washington, Alterra Mountain Company has entered into an agreement to purchase Crystal Mountain Resort, located about three hours south of Stevens. The acquisition would bring Alterra’s portfolio to 13 mountain resorts in N...

SAM Magazine—Aspen Snowmass, Colo.—Sept. 6, 2018—With its national advertising campaign—Give A Flake—Aspen Snowmass once again departs from traditional ski resort marketing. The campaign invites guests and fellow travelers to join the resort in acting on behalf of climate change and equal rights. It is a continuation of last season’s As...

SAM Magazine—Boise, Idaho, Aug. 30, 2018—Ripe for a no-frills ski/ride/telemark/cat ski ownership opportunity? You’re in luck: Soldier Mountain, Idaho, is up for sale—again. The area could be just the ticket for an enterprising individual or family who wants to run a ski area and earn an income that allows them to enjoy a skiing lifestyle. ...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 29, 2018—This week’s multi-day reveal of additional resorts included on Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass continues, with today’s door opening on the four remaining Boyne Resorts ski areas previously not included, and news of expanded access to three others. The Summit at Snoqualmie, Wash., Cypress Mountain, ...

More than 450 ski area and supplier members attended the Midwest Ski Areas Association Summer Meetings and Trade Show, Aug. 19-22, at Boyne Highlands Resort in northern Michigan.MSAA president Amy Reents with two-time Olympic medalist, and Midwesterner, Nick Goepper. Photo: Dave Gibson, Propeller Mediaworks The event was NSAA president Kelly Pawla...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 27, 2018—The Ikon Pass has added Solitude Mountain Resort, following Alterra’s closing on this acquisition earlier this month, and added neighboring Brighton Resort as an Ikon partner. This brings Ikon’s five Utah connections—Solitide as a full unlimited access member, and Deer Valley, Alta/Snowbird and Brighton ...

SAM Magazine—Boyne Falls, Mich., Aug. 27, 2018—Three Boyne Resorts executives have been selected to lead operations for the company’s portfolio, based on geography and business specialty. Rick Kelley, previously senior vice president of mountain operations, has been appointed chief operating officer of eastern and Michigan mountain resorts. J...

SAM Magazine—Manchester, N.H., Aug. 27, 2018—The Fairbank Group labor audit and subsequent recent publicity appear to indicate a heightened focus on child labor laws. That’s noteworthy, as it coincides with historically tight labor markets nationwide and uncertainty over the status of J-1 and H-2b foreign worker visas in the Trump administrat...

SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Aug. 23, 2018—The southwest region’s only mountain coaster is making its debut this Saturday, Aug. 25, at Purgatory Resort, Colo. The Inferno Mountain Coaster, built by Aquatic Development Group, is located in the base area and will be a summer and winter attraction at the resort. The Inferno is 4,000 feet long w...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 22, 2018—Following the departure of Gail Barille, the National Ability Center’s (NAC) chief executive officer for the last eight years, former NAC chief operating officer Kevin Stickelman has been appointed by the board of directors as interim CEO. Stickelman joined NAC two years ago as its first COO. Prior...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 22, 2018—As of July 31, the midpoint of the summer season for western mountain destinations, occupancy growth is slowing slightly, but overall metrics continue to edge upward toward a seventh consecutive record summer, according to Inntopia’s monthly DestiMetrics Market Briefing. The Market Briefing aggregates lodgi...

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Aug. 21, 2018—How much access to foreign workers will U.S. resorts have under the J-1 and H-2b programs this winter? According to NSAA’s monthly Capital Watch, hiring conditions could be favorable. Both houses of Congress are preparing legislation that would protect current levels of foreign workers or even expan...

This is the August edition of Snow People, where we highlight happenings to prominent people in the mountain resort industry. Sunday River, Maine Sunday River has made a variety of staff changes, elevating several members of its team to new positions. Jim Largess was promoted to executive director of the Sunday River Community Fund. Largess join...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Aug. 21, 2018—Registration for SAM’s ninth annual Summer Ops Camp—a series of seminars, on-hill workshops, demos, and networking events that explore the current state of mountain resort summer operations—closes Saturday, Aug. 25. A few spots are still available for Camp, Sept. 4-6 at Aspen Snowmass, Colo. Here...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 17, 2018—Deer Valley’s longtime leader and current president and chief operating officer Bob Wheaton will be transitioning into a senior strategic advisory role with the resort’s owner, Alterra Mountain Company. Hospitality Bob Wheatonindustry veteran Todd Shallan will be Wheaton’s successor, working alo...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 17, 2018—Vail Resorts this week closed on its acquisition of Stevens Pass Resort in Washington from Ski Resort Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Oz Real Estate. The final purchase price, after adjustments for certain agreed-upon terms, was $64 million. The 2018-19 Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Epic Australia Pas...

SAM Magazine—Iron Mountain, Mich., Aug. 15, 2018—An anonymous buyer recently purchased Pine Mountain Ski & Golf Resort in Iron Mountain, Mich., and has already begun making improvements to the year-round resort while business operations continue uninterrupted. The same anonymous buyer also purchased the nearby Four Seasons Resort, a hotel a...

SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018—Ron Cohen is now officially president and chief operating officer of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows after four months of serving in the position in an interim capacity. Cohen succeeds Andy Wirth, who vacated Ron Cohen, president and COO of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Photo: Ben Arnstthe position ...

SAM Magazine—La Conner, Wash., Aug. 13, 2018—The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) has hired Jordan Elliott to succeed John Gifford as the association’s president. Elliott will begin transitioning into the new role in mid-October, and officially take the seat on Jan. 1, 2019, after Gifford retires on the last of the year. Giffor...