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.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 15, 2014—Today, on the day their mediation effort was to end, Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and Talisker Land Holdings asked Third District Court judge Ryan Harris to extend the mediation deadline by nine days. The request to judge Harris was made in the form of a joint letter from the lead attorneys for both sides, Alan Sullivan for PCMR and John Lund for Talisker.

SAM Magazine—Banff, Alberta, Aug. 14, 2014—The Mountain Collective has added Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine to its roster for the 2014-15 winter season. The Canadian group joins Alta/Snowbird, Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows and Whistler Blackcomb.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 13, 2014—With an Aug. 15 mediation deadline fast approaching, and no sign of movement in negotiations, Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) has offered to pay rent equal to “greater than fair market value” for 2011-15, in return for a ceasefire in landlord Talisker’s efforts to evict PCMR until next spring. However, PCMR did not divulge what its proposed rent amount might be.

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Aug. 13, 2014—Organizers of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM) and the Bring a Friend initiative (BAF) are introducing an updated toolkit for industry partners to use this fall and winter, and encouraging greater collaboration across the industry to bolster the recruitment effort. The program aims to increase participation over last year’s 100,000 newcomers.

SAM Magazine—Flagstaff, Ariz., Aug. 13, 2014—Arizona Snowbowl will have access to reclaimed wastewater for snowmaking for the next 20 years now that the city of Flagstaff has approved an extension of Snowbowl’s agreement with the city.

Snowbowl had requested the extension to ensure its water supply before the resort borrowed and invested in additional snowmaking and other improvements.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, July 30, 2014—The ongoing maneuvering by the two sides in the PCMR lease dispute has left the Park City community unsettled. The resort is the major economic engine for the town, and the status of the resort for the coming season remains uncertain. Legal proceedings currently underway may not conclude before the season arrives, prompting community leaders to urge the two sides to publicly guarantee the resort will operate.

SAM Magazine—Copper Mountain, Colo., July 29, 2014—In step with the trend toward multi-area pass privileges, Copper Mountain is sweetening its 2014-15 season pass deals, offering passholders three free days at Taos, N.M., and free skiing at Grand Targhee with a purchase of accommodations through Grand Targhee Lodging.

SAM Magazine—Hancock, Mass., July 22, 2014—A year ago, Killington and Elan surprised the resort industry by offering free skis to beginners who completed a multi-day learning program. Now, the Fairbank Group’s Bromley, Vt., and Cranmore, N.H., are following suit.

The two, along with Group mate Jiminy Peak, Mass., are also offering free terrain-based learning days on three dates this winter.

SAM Magazine--July 22, 2014--A British Columbia Supreme Court ruled in favor of a sale of Mount Baldy in a foreclosure case brought by a secured creditor. G-Force Real Estate Inc., is the marketing agent and has received a conduct of sale to sell substantially all of the assets of Mount Baldy Ski Corporation and related companies.

SAM Magazine—Los Angeles, July 17, 2014—U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) Olympic snowboard slopestyle gold medalists Jamie Anderson and Sage Kotsenburg won three 2014 ESPY Awards last night. Anderson was named Best Female Action Sports Athlete and Best Female U.S. Olympian, while Kotsenburg was chosen as Best Male U.S. Olympian.

SAM Magazine—Denver, July 16, 2014—Occupancy and revenue for the month of June rose compared to year-ago levels, up 9 and 14 percent, respectively, according to DestiMetrics. This marks the 13th year-over-year monthly increase in occupancy during the past 14 months; revenues have risen year-over-year for 14 months.

DestiMetrics data come from a sample of approximately 290 property management companies in 19 mountain destination communities across Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Oregon and Wyoming.

SAM Magazine—Concord, N.H., July 12, 2014 (updated July 16, 2014)—After a seven-year court battle, on Friday a state judge agreed with the operators of Mount Sunapee Resort that its leasehold boundary is the same as the state park’s north and west boundaries, as the resort has claimed. Sunapee can now consider terrain expansion options within this 175-acre portion of its leasehold and on 656 acres of adjacent land owned by the resort.

SAM Magazine--Los Alamos, N.M., July 11, 2014--The Los Alamos Ski Club announced that a 2/3 majority of voting members approved the transfer of Pajarito Mountain Ski Area to Los Alamos County and the management group that operates Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort. The partnership will ensure the future of skiing and year-round recreational activities at Pajarito, said outgoing Los Alamos Ski Club president Philip Rae. Sipapu is located 70 miles east of Pajarito.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, July 11, 2014—Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) took the first step on Thursday in appealing the district court’s ruling on PCMR’s eviction from land owned by Talisker, filing a notice of appeal that the resort wishes to take the case to the Utah Supreme Court.

In a prepared statement, PCMR attorney Alan Sullivan termed the notice of appeal a “precautionary measure taken to protect PCMR’s appellate rights” in case the upcoming mediation effort fails to resolve the land dispute.

SAM Magazine—Price Township, Pa., July 11, 2014—Alpine Mountain is offering a $10,000 reward after thieves hit the ski resort repeatedly over the past two weeks, taking nearly a mile’s worth of heavy-gauge copper wire. The thefts have slowed, but not deterred, new owners’ efforts to renovate the area ahead of the 2014-15 season.

SAM Magazine--Lakewood, Colo., July 11, 2014--The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced that beginning in September 2014, ski resorts, companies, and brands will have the ability to reserve unique domain names that end in .SKI. NSAA, along with FIS and USSA, have been working in conjunction with the .SKI registry operators on the unique Internet domain extension program that caters directly to the industry.

SAM Magazine--Albany, N.Y., July 10, 2014--The New York State comptroller's office released an audit this week of the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) that found some serious flaws and made some key recommendations. ORDA oversees the operation of Whiteface, Gore and, more recently, Belleayre. The audit spanned from April 2010 to September 26, 2013. Here were the key findings:

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, July 10, 2014—As the lawsuit between Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and Talisker Land Holdings heads toward two key August dates, the two sides have agreed to a series of steps aimed at resolving the case—or to deal with a failed effort at agreement.

Talisker attorneys have submitted a timeline for several of these steps, and PCMR agreed to them. Most of the timeline precedes the Aug. 15 mediation and a subsequent hearing scheduled for Aug. 27.

The steps outlined in the filing include:

SAM Magazine—Butler, Ohio, July 7, 2014—The main creditor for Clear Fork Resort here has begun foreclosure proceedings against the area. However, general operations manager Kelly Donaldson told SAM that the filing is only part of a broader effort to reorganize and consolidate the ownership group, Slater Run Land Development LLC, and that the resort continues to operate on a business-as-usual basis.

SAM Magazine--Tupper Lake, N.Y., July 5, 2014--After nearly 10 years, a ruling made by the appellate division of New York's Supreme Court on July 3 paves the way for the development of the Adirondack Club and Resort in Tupper Lake. Several environmental groups, including Protect the Adirondacks, the Sierra Club and some local landowners, filed a suit in early 2012 objecting to permits given to developers by the Adirondack Park Agency (APA).

SAM Magazine--June 30, 2014--Registration for SAM's 5th Annual Summer Ops Camp is officially open. The camp, which will take place at Vail Mountain, Colo., September 3-5, will explore the many benefits of the growing opportunities in summer recreation in the mountains.

SAM Magazine—Bessemer, Mich., June 23, 2014—The following news was just released on Blackjack's Facebook page: Blackjack LLC, owner of Blackjack Mountain Resort, Mich., has executed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of nearby Indianhead Mountain Resort, a combination that would combine two of the best and most well known ski resorts in the upper Midwest into a single ski and snowboard experience.

SAM Magazine--Park City, Utah, June 19, 2014--Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) will finally get their wish. Judge Ryan Harris today ordered both PCMR and Talisker Land Holdings (PCMR's landlord) to sit down with a formal, neutral, third-party mediator to try to resolve a land battle that threatens to leave Park City, Utah, without its anchor resort for 2014/15. For more on the battle, check out this story.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, June 17, 2014—Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) made several filings last week in advance of 3rd District Judge Ryan Harris’ decision on whether to sign an eviction order for the resort, as landlord Talisker Land Holdings has requested. PCMR has urged the judge to not sign the order, or to at least postpone its effective date if he does sign it.

SAM Magazine—Denver, June 17, 2014—Occupancy and revenues at mountain destinations across the Rocky Mountains and Far West are trending positively and looking strong throughout the summer for the third consecutive year, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics, which tracks forward-looking reservation data year-round at mountain resorts.

DestiMetrics’ data are drawn from 290 property management companies in 19 mountain communities across Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Wyoming.

SAM Magazine—Copper Mountain, Colo., June 12, 2014—Statewide skier visits in Colorado soared to an estimated 12.6 million for the 2013-14 ski season, the best season ever for the state, according to Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA). Visits rose more than 10 percent compared to last season, and more than 8 percent compared to the state’s five-year-average. CSCUSA released the figures today at the association’s 51st annual meeting.

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, June 12, 2014—Utah ski and snowboard resorts tallied 4,161,585 million skier day visits in 2013-14, up 3.6 percent from the previous season’s 4,018,812. The 3.6 percent increase marks a great success for the industry, ending above four million for the seventh time in the last nine years, and ranks as the state’s third best season on record.

SAM Magazine—Terrebonne, Que., June 9, 2014—Total visitation at Quebec ski areas in the 2013-14 season increased a slight .6 percent to a total of 6,044,000 skier days in la belle province, according to the Quebec Ski Areas Association (ASSQ). Participation in the province's various first-timer programs increased significantly, though, and that bodes well for future visits.

SAM Magazine—Barcelona, Spain, June 6, 2014—Aspen has been chosen to host the 2017 FIS Alpine World Cup Finals, which include men’s and women’s competitions in downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom and nation’s team event. The Finals, set for Mar. 15-19, 2017, will be the first to be held outside Europe since 1997, and mark the return of the men’s World Cup tour to Aspen for first time since 2001.

SAM Magazine--Lincoln, N.H., June 6, 2014--At its annual meeting at Loon Mountain, Ski NH reported its sixth best season ever with 2,272,826 visits for the 2013-14 season, just 4,000 less than last season. In addition, there were 147,259 cross-country visits and 120,053 tubers. The skier visit number represented a slight decrease over last season of .2 percent, but was up 3.5 percent over the State's 10-year average.Cross-country was down 2.9 percent over the 2012-13 season, but tubers were up 6.2 percent.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., June 6, 2014—Vail Resorts’ (VR) has reported increased net revenues for the third quarter (February through April) due to both increased visits at its Colorado areas and the addition of Canyons, Afton Alps, and Mount Brighton to its resort portfolio. Net income hit $117.9 million, up 20.8 percent from $97.6 million a year earlier, on revenues of $543 million, up from $470 million.

The 2019 World Championships bid team, including (from left) Tiger Shaw, Calum Clark, Jenni Smith, Bob Wheaton and Mike Goar, poses after its successful presentation to win the event for Park City.

SAM Magazine--Killington, Vt., June 4, 2014--At the Vermont Ski Areas Association annual meeting, the final visit tally for the 2013-14 season was announced, which was 4,503,269. The number is nearly identical to the previous season's visits. The 2013-14 season numbers ranks Vermont number one in the east and third in the country, according to preliminary figures from NSAA. The record early start and strong finish added to increases in rooms and meals revenues: November saw a 13% increase and March posted an 8.5% gain, for an overall increase of 6% over the previous season.

SAM Magazine—Eden, Utah, June 2, 2014—The Summit Series, which purchased Powder Mountain ski resort here in 2013, has revealed its plan for a village and cultural/entrepreneurial paradise at the resort. If approved, Summit Powder Mountain will consist of 500 homesites and a village core.

SAM Magazine—Duluth, Minn., May 30, 2014—The Spirit Mountain recreation area has hired a new executive director, Brandy Ream, to replace Renee Mattson, who is stepping down from the post. Ream will assume her new role in June after she and her family relocate from Washington State to Duluth.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, May 21, 2014—Utah District Judge Ryan Harris has ruled that Park City Mountain Resort failed to properly renew its lease in 2011, and dismissed all but one of PCMR’s claims for relief. In addition, the judge ruled in favor of Vail Resorts and Talisker (current leaseholder of the disputed land and the landlord, respectively) on their several motions.

SAM Magazine—Denver, May 19, 2014—Resorts East and West saw destination visits increase in the 2013-14 season, and revenues for summer lodging are poised for double-digit growth, according to the latest data from DestiMetrics.

DestiMetrics draws its data from a sample of approximately 300 property management companies in 31 mountain destination communities across six Western and seven Eastern states/provinces (Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming, New York, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Massachusetts and Quebec).

SAM Magazine--Whistler, B.C., May 15, 2014--Despite a downtick in visits, revenue saw a slight uptick for the three and six months ended March 31, 2014. Total revenue was $138.8 million (all amounts in Canadian dollars) and $188.6 million for the three and six months, respectively, increases of $6.6 million or 5% and $6.2 million or 3%, respectively, over the same periods in the prior year.

SAM Magazine—Denver, May 14, 2014—Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc. results for the three months ended March 31 improved, largely due to reduced interest expense following its successful IPO offering in February. Net income for the January-March quarter was $108.9 million, compared to $62.1 million for the year-ago quarter.

Intrawest attributed the large gain to reduced interest expense and improved revenues from mountain operations.

SAM Magazine--West Dover, Vt., May 13, 2014--A jury found that there was a two-year contract in place between Mount Snow and Alli (whose parent company is NBC) with an option for a third year to host the Winter Dew Tour event.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, May 12, 2014—Snowbird Resort’s Dick Bass has partnered with Ian Cumming in a move that took many by surprise. The families have formed a partnership that makes billionaire Cumming majority owner of the resort. Bass remains as chairman.

Cumming has the deep financial pockets Snowbird needs for capital improvement projects, including a new restaurant and skier services building atop the aerial tram set to break ground this summer.