SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Oct. 17, 2022—SKI Magazine's 2023 “Top 50 Resort Reader Survey” has been released with some noteworthy trends, albeit not totally surprising to anyone who's been following ski industry news, even loosely.  The survey “points to the overall trend of people seeking out the non-corporate ski areas after a coup...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 12, 2022—SAM has launched its fifth annual Summit Series leadership development program and is calling for ski areas to nominate emerging leaders to participate as mentees. Mentees will engage with respected industry leaders in dialogue around key topics, gaining tangible takeaways to apply to their careers, o...

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., Oct. 12, 2022—Summer occupancy is likely to be down at the end of October, compared to both last summer and the pre-pandemic, benchmark-setting summer of 2019, as the booking pace remains slow. Lodging at Mammoth, Calif.However, the average daily rate (ADR) has continued to soar, allowing lodging properties to i...

SAM Magazine—Gatlinburg, Tenn., Oct. 12, 2022—Local entrepreneur and former Sevier County attorney Joe Baker has acquired Ober Gatlinburg and all its assets—including the aerial tramway and employee housing properties—from longtime owners, the Anders family.  The property is held under a long-term lease from the city of Gatlinburg, dati...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Oct. 12, 2022—A group of lift mechanics and electricians at Vail Resorts-owned Park City Mountain, Utah, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to form the Park City Lift Maintenance Professional Union.  The workers are seeking to organize under the United Professional Ski Patrols of America, a ...

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Oct. 11, 2022—The Indy Pass has added 12 ski areas to its 2022-23 roster, including its first in eastern Canada, as well as three other Alpine partners, four cross-country resorts, and four Allied resorts.  The additions bring the total number of participating resorts to 133.Calabogie Peaks Resort in Ontario is eas...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 10, 2022—Ski areas across North America are invited to nominate their snowmaking teams to participate in the eighth annual “I AM a Snowmaker” contest, presented by HKD Snowmakers. The “I AM” contest highlights the hard work and camaraderie of snowmakers, and recognizes how critical they are to the succes...

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 10, 2022—On Oct. 4, the Salt Lake City Council became the latest government group to formally oppose the Little CottonwoodImage credit: Gondola Works Canyon gondola, Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) proposed solution to traffic congestion on the route that leads to Alta and Snowbird. Hours ear...

SAM Magazine—Fairfield, Pa., Oct. 6, 2022—Vail Resorts appointed Chris Blackwell as the new general manager of Liberty Mountain Resort. Blackwell assumed the role in September. He succeeds Jeff Lifgren, former GM of Liberty and VP of Vail Resorts’ Mid-Atlantic region; Lifgren will continue in his role as vice president of the Mid-Atlantic reg...

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Oct. 6, 2022—Stephanie Cox has been named as the new executive director of the National Ski Patrol (NSP). Cox brings extensive experience leading nonprofits, technology, and consumer goods companies around the world. She succeeds Chris Castilian, who resigned as the NSP CEO in August.  “The search committee,...

In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. From resort hires, promotions, and retirements to supplier news, awards and obits. We celebrate the people that make this industry thrive.   PEOPLE PAUL MUNDY, DODGE RIDGE,  CA Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort hired Paul Mundy as its ...

SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Oct. 4, 2022—Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) has entered a joint venture with the Wiper family to operate and manage Willamette Pass Resort, Ore. The partnership will begin immediately with Willamette Pass being added to MCP’s Power Pass family of season pass products, joining the nine other ski/ride and mountain ...

SAM Magazine— Denver, Oct. 4, 2022—Ikon Pass has added Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia and Grandvalira Resorts Andorra in Andorra for the 2022–23 season.  With five other partners added earlier this year—Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley, France, Sun Valley, Idaho, Snowbasin, Utah, Lotte Arai Resort, Japan, and Panorama, B.C.—Ikon Pass ho...

SAM Magazine—Oct. 4, 2022, Broomfield, Colo.—Vail Resorts plans to utilize technology that will allow guests to store and use their season pass or lift ticket directly on their phone. The new feature will be tested during the 2022-23 North American winter season, with roll-out to guests expected for the 2023-24 season.  “We are excited for ...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 28, 2022—Vail Resorts (VR) reported that for its fiscal 2022 year, ended July 31, 2022, overall revenues were up 34 percent and EBITDA rose 54 percent, thanks to fewer Covid restrictions in 2022 than in the prior year. The same story held true for individual departments, with major increases in revenue from...

SAM Magazine—Norden, Calif., Sept. 23, 2022—Bridget Legnavsky has been named as the new president and CEO of Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge, Calif., effective Oct. 17. She will work alongside current president and CEO Greg Dallas as he transitions to a vice chairman role focused on execution of the resort’s master plan. Legnavsky has 30 years ...

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 23, 2022—Prinoth has appointed Scott Jones as general manager of its North American snow grooming division. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jones will be working closely with customers, developing the new strategic direction for the division, and building upon the Prinoth brand. “The U.S. and Canada ar...

SAM Magazine—Upson, Wis., Sept. 22, 2022—Co-owner and general manager David Dziuban has acquired sole ownership of Whitecap Mountains Resort, Wis. Dziuban will continue as general manager; new support roles and infrastructure upgrades are planned for the 2022-23 season.  “[Whitecap] is such a vibrant recreational resource for the surroundin...

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Sept. 22, 2022—Pacific Group Resorts Inc. (PGRI) does not plan to make any immediate changes to Jay Peak’s pass products, management, or infrastructure for the 2022-23 season. PGRI made the winning bid to purchase Jay Peak for $76 million in a Sept. 8 auction with multiple bidders. The acquisition is expected to close ...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Sept. 20, 2022—The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame has selected nine individuals for induction next March. The athletes and sport builders in the class of 2022 were selected by a national panel of voters. The inductees include X Games gold medalist, U.S. Open champion and Boarding for Breast Cancer pioneer T...

SAM Magazine—Aspen Snowmass, Colo., Sept. 20, 2022—The Mountain Collective Pass has added Sugar Bowl, Calif., to its now 25-destination roster. The Tahoe resort joins Sun Valley, Snowbasin, Marmot Basin, and Le Massif de Charlevoix as new partners for upcoming season.  “We’ve been patiently waiting to join a collection of resorts with an ...

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Sept. 16, 2022—After adding 40 partner resorts since the end of the 2021-22 season, the Indy Pass now has 96 alpine ski areas on-board offering two days of access each to Indy Pass holders, plus 14 cross-country ski areas. This dramatic growth has led to a dramatic increase in sales of the product, too. Year-to-date...

The four-season masterpiece of Quebec’s Tremblant resort was the host site of this year’s SAM Summer Ops Camp—an immersive, multi-day event designed to help ski area operators grow their summer business—Sept. 7-9. More than 80 operators, vendors, and experts were in attendance to experience a variety of unique activities, learn from several...

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., Sept. 15, 2022—Ongoing growth and strength in daily room rates continued to defy expectations at Western mountain destinations in August, while the booking pace reversed eight consecutive months of declines and exceeded the pace set in both August 2019 and 2021, according to the monthly report from DestiMetrics,...

SAM Magazine—Bridgton, Maine, Sept. 15, 2022—Maine's Shawnee Peak will return to its original namesake, Pleasant Mountain, a move that honors its 84-year history and the mountain it calls home, said resort officials.  "It gives me great pleasure to return to our original name and to know that this ski area is poised for a great future, so ot...

SAM Magazine—McCall, Idaho, Sept. 12, 2022—The Forest Service has declared the Rainbow Fire to be officially under control, five days after lightning sparked the blaze at the top of the mountain.  The Rainbow Fire began on the evening of Sept. 7. Initial attack efforts kept the fire from spreading beyond the upper Hidden Valley area, ungroome...

SAM Magazine—McCall, Idaho, Sept. 8, 2022—Forest Service firefighters are working to suppress a fire burning near the top of Brundage Mountain, with multiple crews attacking from the ground and the air. The fire is burning inside the area's permit area, in the Hidden Valley area and the Hidden Valley cliffs, to the north and just outside of Bru...

SAM Magazine—Wakefield, Mich., Sept. 8, 2022—The freshly rebranded Snowriver Mountain Resort (previously known as Big Snow Resort, and including the areas of Blackjack and Indianhead) has hired Benjamin Bartz as general manager. The news follows the completion of the acquisition of Big Snow by Charles Skinner, Jr., and his company, Midwest Fam...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 8, 2022—Alterra Mountain Company has acquired Ski Butlers, a leading ski equipment rental and delivery service based in Utah. Ski Butlers will remain a standalone business with ongoing operations in 50 worldwide ski destinations while maintaining its current staff and leadership. Alterra hopes to expand the service t...

PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco shares his thoughts on the acquisition with SAM. SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Sept. 8, 2022—Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI) made the highest and best final bid to buy Jay Peak, $76 million, following an auction with multiple bidders. PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco told SAM that after three years spent pursuing...

Shanty Creek Resort and Hotel in Bellaire, Mich., became a vibrant scene of excitement for the winter season ahead during the annual Midwest Ski Areas Association Summer Meeting and Tradeshow Aug. 21-24, 2022. The event drew nearly 300 members for educational sessions, networking opportunities, and a tradeshow with 57 exhibitors. The conference ki...

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Sept. 6, 2022—Bluebird Backcountry, Colo.; Chestnut Mountain, Ill.; and Snowriver, Mich., have joined the Indy Pass starting in winter 2022-23. With the additions, Indy Pass holders will have two days of access to 96 alpine ski areas and 13 Nordic ski areas in North America and Japan. "The addition of Chestnut and ...

SAM Magazine—Hunter, N.Y., Sept. 6, 2022—Vail Resorts, in partnership with SAM magazine and Ski NY-Ski PA, has invited pro skier Drew Petersen to share the story of his mental health journey on Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. EDT during the Ski NY-Ski PA Expo at Hunter Mountain, N.Y.  The session will also be broadcast on Zoom as part of a special...

SAM Magazine—Wrightwood, Calif., Sept. 1, 2022—The Powder Alliance has added two New Zealand resorts to its 2022-23 affiliate program lineup. The Tūroa and Whakapapa ski areas, both located on Mt. Ruapehu, the country's largest active volcano, join 19 other destinations in North America, Japan, and Canada as part of the reciprocal pass part...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 1, 2022—Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass has added Lotte Arai Resort in Japan and Panorama Mountain Resort in British Columbia. With the additions, the pass will provide access to more than 50 destinations in 10 countries for the 2022-23 season. Full Ikon Pass holders will have access to seven days at both reso...

SAM Magazine—Duluth, Minn., Aug. 29, 2022—Charles Skinner Jr. has closed on the acquisition of Big Snow Resort, which includes Indianhead and Blackjack ski areas, all of which will be renamed with new branding. Big Snow will transition to Snowriver Mountain Resort, the Indianhead area will be called Jackson Creek Summit, and Blackjack will be B...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Aug. 23, 2022—In a tight race, the lift maintenance team from Arizona Snowbowl and its featured lift mechanic Nick Gilbertson have won the 2022 Rise Up Challenge, sponsored by Leitner-Poma of America. Gilbertson and the Snowbowl team will be awarded a $3,500 education grant. More than 4,500 votes were cast in the c...

SAM Magazine—West Bolton, Quebec, Aug. 24, 2022—Former owner Peter White has entered into an agreement to purchase Mont Glen for CAD $6.1 million and plans to reopen the ski area in southern Quebec to the general public for operations this winter.  According to a report from Le Reflect du Lac, the acquisition is expected to close Oct. 31. W...

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Aug. 24, 2022—With the likelihood that another bidder (or more) for Jay Peak will surface in the next few days, the resort’s federal court appointed receiver, Michael Goldberg, filed a motion Aug. 18 proposing a new deadline for the sale of the resort.  The motion states that any bidders must identify themselves and s...

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Aug. 24, 2022—Indy Pass has added two more resorts to its growing list of partners for the 2022-23 season: Mountain High and Dodge Ridge, Calif. Dodge Ridge, Calif.The additions bring Indy Pass’s total alpine and Nordic resort partners to 106.  The partnerships are part of Indy’s strategy for growth in the We...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 23, 2022—Vail Resorts has updated its Covid protocols, dropping vaccine requirements for guests and staff, and will limit day ticket sales for the upcoming winter season, according to its 2022-23 operating plan.Covid protocols. Across all its resorts, the company will no longer require face coverings, vaccin...

SAM Magazine—Mars Hill, Maine, Aug. 17, 2022—The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) has awarded a $2.5 million grant to Big Rock Mountain to boost tourism by supporting investment into a new chairlift and increased snowmaking capacity at the Mars Hill, Maine, ski area. Big Rock Mountain is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit...

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Aug. 16, 2022—President Biden signed the $750 billion Inflation Reduction Act today. The package includes the largest climate, energy, and environmental justice investment ($370 billion) in U.S. history, from which the U.S. ski industry stands to benefit.  The legislation, which addresses health care and taxes ...

SAM Magazine—Stowe, Vt., Aug. 12, 2022—Daily rates at western mountain destinations are hovering at near record highs despite continued declines in occupancy totals for summer 2022, according to the Monthly Market Briefing from DestiMetrics, the Business Intelligence division of Inntopia. The downward trend in occupancy started as early as las...

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Aug. 9, 2022—After only 13 months on the job, National Ski Patrol (NSP) CEO Chris Castilian resigned last week, Aug. 5, 2022, having reached an impasse with the organization’s board of directors.  “Over the last several months, it has become clear that the board and I have vastly different visions for the fut...

SAM Magazine—Keystone, Colo., Aug. 5, 2022—Work on Keystone Resort’s Bergman Bowl Express will move forward after the U.S. Forest Service approved the resort’s plan to restore environmental damage to a high alpine area incurred during construction. However, the lift will not be completed as scheduled in time for the 2022-23 winter season du...

SAM Magazine—Vail, Colo., Aug. 5, 2022—The Vail town council approved an emergency ordinance this week that suspended all permits for any activity on Vail Resorts’ 23-acre property in East Vail where the company planned to build a $17 million affordable housing development. The housing project was slated to be completed for winter 2023-24, bu...

SAM Magazine—Boyne Falls, Mich., Aug. 3, 2022—Boyne Resorts has tapped Nick Herrin to lead its new snowsports division. Herrin joined the company in the newly created role of senior vice president of snowsports on Aug. 2.  “We are excited to again reinforce the importance of our instruction programs as we work to grow winter sports,” said...

In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves made in the mountain resort industry. From resort hires, promotions, and retirements to supplier news, awards, and obits, we celebrate the people that make this industry thrive.     PEOPLE MATT PETERSON, PALISADES TAHOE, CA Palisades Tahoe hired Matt Peterson as its senior director ...

 SAM Magazine—Gilford, N.H., Aug. 2, 2022—The Gunstock Mountain Resort senior leadership team is back to work today after the Belknap County Delegation voted 9-1 to accept acting Gunstock Area Commission (GAC) chair Dr. David Strang’s resignation following the appointment of Denise Conroy to the GAC at an emergency meeting last night. Strang...

SAM Magazine—Steamboat Springs, Colo., Aug. 2, 2022—Scott Leigh was appointed as general manager and chief operating officer of Bluebird Backcountry, effective Aug. 1. In his new role, Leigh, a ski industry veteran of 20-plus years, will focus this season on the chairlift-free ski area’s revenue and operational growth goals.  “I'm impress...

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Aug. 1, 2022—A motion for approval has been filed for Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI) to enter into a $58 million asset purchase agreement (APA) to acquire Jay Peak Resort, Vt. A judge has 10 days to accept or deny the motion; if accepted, the asset purchase agreement would become the initial bid in a potential auction...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Aug. 1, 2022—Voting is now open for the second annual “Rise Up Challenge,” a video contest highlighting a few skilled, young lift mechanics who will keep ski area lifts spinning for decades to come. This year’s contest includes videos from six resorts, each featuring an up-and-coming mechanic from the resort’...

SAM Magazine—Ludlow, Vt., July 27, 2022—Resorts across North America have eased into summer this year, with the Fourth of July holiday weekend serving as a litmus test for the state of “typical” traveler behavior amid fluctuating Covid infection rates and persistent recession and inflation concerns. Courtesy of OkemoThe long weekend and the...

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., July 26, 2022—Indy Pass will now include Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore. The ski area is Indy’s largest resort partner by skier volume, and it brings the pass’ total resort partners to 105 for the 2022-23 season. Meadows VP of sales and marketing Dave Tragethon anticipates that the pass partnership will spur new busines...

SAM Magazine—Aspen Snowmass, Colo., July 26, 2022—The Mountain Collective Pass has added Marmot Basin, Alberta, to its winter 2022-23 roster. Marmot Basin is the seventh Canadian resort to join the pass partnership. (Le Massif de Charlevoix in Quebec signed on in June.) Its addition brings the total number of Mountain Collective resort partners...

SAM Magazine—Gilford, N.H., July 21, 2022—The senior management team at Gunstock Mountain Resort resigned Wednesday night at a Gunstock Area Commission (GAC) meeting. Escalating tensions between Gunstock staff and the GAC, a five-member board appointed by the Belknap County Delegation to manage the ski area, precipitated the resignations.  Th...

SAM Magazine—Milwaukee, Wis., July 18, 2022—In a claim involving an unseated passenger who fell from a lift at Sunburst Ski Hill, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals recently ruled that the waiver signed at the time the plaintiff purchased her lift ticket could be enforced for part of the plaintiff’s claim because the day-pass release included bif...

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., July 18, 2022—The booking pace for lodging at Western mountain destinations improved slightly during June, but occupancy is still down compared to both last summer and the pre-pandemic summer of 2019—and bookings remain below the pace of 2021—according to DestiMetrics, the business intelligence division of I...

SAM Magazine—Roxbury, N.Y., July 14, 2022—A direct lightning strike on July 12, 2022, started a fire in the bottom lift shack of the Plattekill Mountain Northface double, destroying the structure and its contents, including the lift’s drive control. No one was injured in the incident, but the Hall double chair will need a new low-voltage cont...