SAM Magazine—Boise, Idaho, Sept. 26, 2012—A district court judge has refused to block Credit Suisse from foreclosing on Tamarack Resort, thus giving the bank leeway to request a sheriff’s sale for its portion of the resort—including the lifts and on-mountain facilities, golf course, and more than 2,000 homesites. According t...

SAM Magazine—Franklin County, N.Y., Sept. 26, 2012—Big Tupper ski area is closing its doors due to the cost of a lawsuit, according to Jim LaValley, chairman of Adirondack Residents Intent on Saving Their Economy (ARISE). The group has operated Big Tupper on a voluntary basis since 2009, while plans for a larger resort have been taking ...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 26, 2012—Vail Resorts reported net income of $16.5 million in fiscal 2012, down from $34.5 million in 2011. But in a sign that last season’s snow drought has not dampened customer expectations, season pass sales for the upcoming season rose 17 percent in units, to about 178,000, and 21 percent...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Sept. 24, 2012—Powdr Corp. has promoted three key personnel within the company. COO Herwig Demschar is now senior vice president of international business development. Killington Resort and Pico Mountain president and general manager Chris Nyberg gets wider responsibilities as president and chief operating ...

updated Sept. 25, 2012 SAM Magazine—McHenry, Md., Sept. 25, 2012—The owners of Wisp Ski Resort continue to negotiate to sell the resort to a well capitalized buyer that will ensure uninterrupted and improved operations for the upcoming ski season and beyond. In a statement Monday, co-owner Karen Myers said, “We fully expect to...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 24, 2012—Vail Resorts (VR) is seeking dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from an inbounds avalanche at Vail Mountain last winter, claiming that the avalanche is one of the inherent risks covered by the Colorado Ski Safety Act. The suit was brought by the parents of Taft Conlin, who di...

SAM Magazine—Montpelier, Vt., Sept. 21, 2012—The state of Vermont and four Vermont ski areas are partnering with Porter Airlines to bring Canadian skiers to northern Vermont. Porter operates roundtrip flights between Toronto and Burlington. Vermont Ski Areas Association president Parker Riehle said that about 2,000 people flew the To...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept.18, 2012—Summer occupancy at 16 western mountain resort destinations was higher than the previous two years, with increases in both occupancy and nightly revenue, according to the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP). August marked the fourth straight month of year-over-year occupancy increases. Early indic...

SAM Magazine—ASPEN, Colo., Sept. 14, 2012—A lawsuit by an environmental group has led Aspen Skiing Co. [ASC] to temporarily halt its efforts to add skiing on 230 acres of Burnt Mountain at Snowmass, according to an article in the Aspen Times. The Ark Initiative filed a suit last week, arguing that the U.S. Forest Service improperly g...

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Sept. 14, 2012—Winter sports retailers reduced preseason orders sharply last spring but remain optimistic about the upcoming season, results of a new retail survey conducted by Leisure Trends Group reveal. And early indicators show surprising strength. Drawn from a sample of 44 responses among outdoor and...

SAM Magazine—Jackson, Wyo., Sept. 10, 2012—The Little Horsethief Fire south of Jackson has burned at least 1,500 acres, prompting Snow King resort to close its summer operations, including the bike and hiking trails, lifts, and alpine slide. The Jackson Hole resort is not impacted by the blaze, and all highways in and out of Jackson rem...

SAM Magazine—Missoula, Mont., Sept. 10, 2012—The U.S. Forest Service has rejected a proposal by would-be resort developer Tom Maclay to build a destination ski resort on Lolo Peak. This is the second time Maclay has presented a resort proposal, and the second time the Forest Service has rejected it. As with his earlier plan, the Fore...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 10, 2012—Vail Resorts (VR) has partnered with Verbier, Switzerland, to provide Epic Passholders three days of free access to Verbier and the other members of Les 4 Vallées, Nendaz, Veysonnaz and Thyon. The four comprise the largest ski area in Switzerland. The upshot is that VR’s $67...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 2, 2012—The introduction of Vail Resorts’ (VR) EpicMix Racing gives skiers a chance to see how they stack up against Lindsey Vonn, thanks to a new NASTAR-like addition to VR’s acclaimed EpicMix social media program. The incorporation of EpicMix Racing has led VR to drop the 44-year-old N...

SAM Magazine—Aspen, Colo., Sept. 2, 2012—Snowmass is adding 230 acres of rolling, low-angle meadows and glades on Burnt Mountain this season, bringing total skiable acreage to 3,362 acres. This will make Snowmass the second largest ski area in Colorado, after Vail. "This is a powder skier’s dream," said Steve Sewell, ...

SAM Magazine—Taos, N.M., Sept. 2, 2012—The acting supervisor of the Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico has signed the Record of Decision for Taos Ski Valley’s Phase I projects in the Ski Area’s 2010 Master Development Plan. That includes two new lifts to access high alpine terrain and upgrades to existing lifts. ...

SAM Magazine—Irwindale, Calif., Sept. 2, 2012—Start-up company Energy Cache is exploring the use of specially equipped “ski lifts” to create a large-scale energy storage system. The aim is to use solar and/or wind power to drive the lift and transport gravel uphill, where it would be stored in giant hoppers. Then, the lift w...

SAM Magazine--August 31, 2012--This past Wednesday, Arapahoe Basin, Colo., introduced a long-term master development plan, kicking off what will likely be a years-long process. The plan includes an expansion of 412 acres into The Beavers, a new lift to access the terrain, a year-round zipline, increased capacity for its snowmaking reservoirs and se...

SAM Magazine--August 31, 2012--After years of court battles that finally ended in a green light for Arizona Snowbowl's comprehensive snowmaking system, the last remaining legal battle seems to have come to an end. According to the Arizona Daily Sun, an earlier court decision that would have made opposing attorney Howard Shanker responsible for ...

SAM Magazine--August 29, 2012--Park City, Utah--The U.S. Ski Team and NBC Sports Network will partner for first-ever U.S. live TV broadcasts of Audi FIS Alpine World Cup ski racing as part of a pre-Sochi broadcast schedule announced by the network and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. The live coverage will feature Olympic champions Lindsey V...

SAM Magazine—Tannersville, Pa., Aug. 29, 2012—With five days left in the summer business high season, Camelbeach Mountain Waterpark has exceeded 366,000 visits, surpassing last summer’s previous record of 365,000 visits. A member of the Gober family from Easton, Pa., was visitor number 366,000, and received season passes for all i...

SAM Magazine—Idaho Springs, Colo., Aug. 29, 2012— Pykkonen Capital LLC has purchased Echo Mountain, and will convert the area into an alpine race training facility serving Denver-area competitors. The transformation of Echo Mountain into the Front Range Ski Club will begin in the coming weeks and involve the entire property. Nora Pykko...

SAM Magazine—Greenwood, Maine, Aug. 27, 2012—Mt. Abram and the Mountain Rider’s Alliance (MRA) have partnered to promote a cooperative business model and convert Mt. Abram into a member-owned MRA Mountain Playground. The joint effort aims to boost regional visitation, increase sustainability awareness, and create a business model ...

SAM Magazine--August 27, 2012--ESPN, the creator of the popular X Games series in both summer and winter, has made the decision to cut skier and snowboarder cross events for the coming year in Aspen, as well as the mono skier X. The X Games are largely credited with popularizing the events, in fact, they will still be held at the 2014 Olympics in S...

SAM Magazine--Pittsfield, MA--August 24, 2012--George W. Jervas died suddenly on August 20, at the age of 76, doing what he loved most: working at his ski area. Jervas, the owner of the Berkshire resort for over 30 years, reportedly suffered a cardiac arrthymia. Jervas originally bought the ski area as part of a four-member group, but has been the ...

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., Aug. 22, 2012—Registration for SAM’s third annual Summer Ops Camp—a series of seminars, workshops, and site visits that explore the state of the art in summer operations—closes on Aug. 27. A few spots are still available for the camp, which takes place Sept. 4 to 6 at Canyons, Utah. The...

SAM Magazine—Breckenridge, Colo., Aug. 22, 2012—Breckenridge received approval to add 550 acres of skiing and riding on Peak 6, thanks to a Record of Decision from the Forest Service which was made public yesterday. The terrain includes approximately 140 hike-to acres. White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams’ dec...

SAM Magazine—Middlefield, Conn., Aug. 17, 2012—Middlefield residents overwhelmingly voted to sell the Powder Ridge ski area to local businessman Sean Hayes, who operates a nearby adventure center, Brownstone Park, for $700,000. Powder Ridge opened in 1959, and last operated for the 2006-07 season. The town purchased the area in 2008 ...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 16, 2012—Average occupancy for the month of July in 16 Western destination resorts was up 4. 7 percent compared to July 2011, with the average daily rate up 4.5 percent for the same time period, according to the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP). The data suggest that many mountain resorts have establish...

SAM Magazine--August 14, 2012--Alta, Aspen/Snowmass, Jackson Hole and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows have partnered to form the Mountain Collective, a pass for the 2012-13 season. The Mountain Collective Pass goes on sale today and is available online through an exclusive technology, distribution and marketing partnership with Liftopia at www.TheMount...

SAM Magazine--August 9, 2012--According to the Modesto Bee, a coalition of environmental groups will get together to buy the almost 3,000-acre Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort in California. Royal Gorge was put on the block after the area defaulted on its $16.7 million loan in June 2011. After spending the last year in receivership, Douglas Wil...

SAM Magazine—Telluride, Colo., Aug. 8, 2012—Dave Riley, CEO of Telluride Ski & Golf Resort for the past five years, has been reassigned to CEO of Newport Federal Financial, a subsidiary of Telluride’s parent company in Newport Beach, Calif. Riley starts his new job immediately. No replacement has been named at Telluride, where...

SAM Magazine--Cortland, N.Y., August 3, 2012--On August 2, 2012, Greek Peak Mountain Resorts, Peak Resorts, Inc (PRI) and affiliates, filed voluntary petitions in the Bankruptcy Court under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This filing gives Greek Peak the time and protection needed for reorganization. Earlier this year, Greek Peak Mountai...

SAM Magazine—Burlington, Vt., Aug. 2, 2012—Both the new terrain park Task Group of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Snowsports Committee F27 and a group that is reviewing the NSAA Terrain Park Notebook met here July 17-18. And both are moving forward at an intentionally measured pace. The ASTM members adopted a w...

SAM Magazine--August 2, 2012--The owners of the Otsego Club in Michigan, Osprey S.A. Ltd., announced that they will not open for the 2012/13 season. Osprey's CEO, Michael Collins, wrote that after unsuccessfully trying to sell the 73-year-old ski area last year, the company was forced to make the decision to shut down operations for this coming...

SAM Magazine—Vail, Colo., July 31, 2012—Burton Snowboards is moving the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships to Vail, where it will take place Feb. 25 to Mar. 2, 2013. The move is aimed at continuing the progression of the event. The US Open had been held at Stratton, Vt., for the past 27 years. The US Open, which first took pla...

SAM Magazine--July 31, 2012--Potential buyers of the shuttered Powder Ridge ski area in Middlefield, Conn., were given the go-ahead by Middlefield selectmen. The Town, which owns the ski area, received a proposal from Sean Hayes, the owner of nearby Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park, to purchase the area, but the Board of Selectmen first as...

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., July 30, 2012—The fifth annual January Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM) initiative kicks off officially at the Midwest Ski Areas Association conference at Boyne Highlands, Mich., Aug. 5 to 8. Details of the new Bring a Friend (BAF) program and the national Bring a Friend Challenge will be unveiled a...

SAM Magazine—July 26, 2012—The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued two citations against Hunter Mountain, N.Y., following the January 18 death of a snowmaking employee who slipped on ice and slid 200 feet hitting a tree and a rock. The safety violations (each carry a fine of $4,250) claim that 1) Hunter did not...

SAM Magazine—Beaver, Utah, July 25, 2012—Eagle Point resort is so intent on expanding its market that it’s offering free, unlimited skiing to California residents next winter. And for everyone else, skiing and riding are free on Thursdays in January. To receive free lift privileges, visitors must simply provide a name and email...

SAM Magazine—Richmond, Utah, July 25, 2012—The proposed Cherry Peak ski area has been stalled by a group of local opponents here, who are appealing a county conditional use permit in Utah’s 1st District Court. The local planning commission approved the permit last February, and the board of adjustments upheld that decision. Opp...

SAM Magazine--July 19, 2012-- Vail Resorts, Inc. has submitted a proposal to the U.S. Forest Service for a comprehensive summer activities plan at Vail Mountain. Vail’s summer activity effort, named Epic Discovery, a Summer Mountain Adventure, will encourage “learn through play” by featuring environmental educational elements i...

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., July 17, 2012—In a sign that sports consumers are investing in their favorite activities (when the weather cooperates), May retail sales at outdoor retailers and sporting goods chains were up from year-ago totals, according to the Leisure Trends Group. Outdoor and sporting goods sales got a solid boost fr...

SAM Magazine—July 17, 2012—Yesterday, U.S. Senator Charles Shumer of New York visited Greek Peak Resort to urge the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corp) to push through a loan review for the beleaguered resort after its primary lender, Tennessee Commerce Bank, was closed by state regulators in late January of this year. "Due to...

SAM Magazine—Denver, July 16, 2012—Momentum for vacations at mountain destinations throughout the western U.S. showed increasing strength in both occupancy and daily rate in June, according to the latest data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP). The average occupancy for the month was up 17 percent compared to the s...

SAM Magazine—Wrightwood, Calif., July 16, 2012—Mountain High Resort, Calif., and Stevens Pass Mountain Resort, Wash., have a new management structure for the two companies. There are several changes at each resort, and a new set of managers overseeing both. At the corporate level, Michele Roy has assumed the role of chief financial o...

SAM Magazine—Hood River, Ore., July 12, 2012—The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) board of directors have selected John Gifford as its new president. Gifford, until recently the GM of Stevens Pass, will assume his duties on Aug. 15. Gifford will be PNSAA’s fourth president. He succeeds Scott Kaden, who resigned a...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, July 11, 2012—While a long-term lease agreement for Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) remains elusive, PCMR leaseholder and Canyons owner Talisker said last week that it had assured PCMR that the resort will be able to open for the 2012-13 season. In fact, Talisker said it assured PCMR of this back in April....

SAM Magazine--July 5, 2012--John J. Frado, Jr., 67, died at home on June 20 in his wife's arms (Cross Country Ski Areas Association President Chris Frado) as a result of complications from a traumatic brain injury incurred in December while building a barn. John was a visionary who enjoyed planning and creating, whether it was a multi-millio...

SAM Magazine—Mammoth Lakes, Calif., July 3, 2012—The town council here voted Monday to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection against a $43 million judgment in state court. The judgment stems from a property development fight involving the local airport and Mammoth Lakes Land Acquisition (MMLA). The judgment is more than twice the ...

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., July 3, 2012—Sister resorts Jay Peak and Burke Mountain are introducing combination season passes valid at both areas. Two-mountain access will be available across many of the resorts’ season pass and ticket categories, along with a number of shared special benefits. The new passes go on sale July 9. &ldq...

SAM Magazine—July 3, 2012—The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) decided today that it would not put forth a bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, but to instead concentrate on a 2024 summer bid and a 2026 winter bid. Both Denver, Colo., and Lake Tahoe, Calif., had formed task forces to put their names in the hat as possible U.S. ve...

SAM Magazine—McLean, Va., July 2, 2012—Both Snowsports Industries America (SIA) and the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) have declared their support for Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM) and challenged their members to get involved, financially and personally. “After coming off one of the toughes...

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., June 29, 2012—The U.S. Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to uphold the health care reforms passed in 2010, commonly known as Obamacare, saying the law was justified under the taxing power of the Federal government. The ruling leaves the law almost entirely intact, and means that companies will have to continue pr...

SAM Magazine—South Lake Tahoe, Calif., June 29, 2012—With an extremely high threat of forest fire at Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Northstar California Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort have instituted a number of precautionary measures, including banning all smoking on their respective mountains for the summer. “We w...

SAM Magazine—Scranton, Pa., June 27, 2012—Sno Mountain ski resort and Sno Cove water park are in foreclosure and a sheriff's sale is set for July 17, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune. The owners, Sno Mountain LLC, say they are in the process of refinancing the property and hope to complete the process before that time. Nat...

SAM Magazine—Aspen, Colo., June 26, 2012—The Aspen Skiing Co. (ASC) is investing $6 million in a 3MW methane plant that will generate 25 million kW of electricity annually and, in the process, eliminate greenhouse gases equal to three times the company's yearly carbon emissions. In the past, methane emissions from the Somerset, C...

SAM Magazine—June 22, 2012—On the heels of a terrible winter season in California, Rusty Gregory, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Chairman and CEO, announced yesterday the company will not operate June Mountain this summer and for the upcoming 2012-13 winter season. "June has operated at an annual deficit each year since its purchase ...

SAM Magazine—June 21, 2012—Scott Kaden announced he is stepping down as president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) to pursue additional, formal education on a full-time basis. Kaden became the PNSAA's third president in July 2000 and his last day will be September 15, 2012. Under Kaden's leadership, PNSA...

SAM Magazine—June 21, 2012—Winter ain't over until it's over. Mt. Bachelor, Ore., announced that it will open for skiing and snowboarding June 29 through July 1, with intermediate and advanced terrain off the summit, snow and weather conditions permitting. Then, on July 6, the area will officially kick-off its summer activities,...