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SAM Taps Whistler Blackcomb to Host 2025 Summer Ops Camp
SAM Magazine—Whistler, British Columbia, March 18, 2025—SAM’s Summer Ops Camp will be held at Whistler Blackcomb, Sept. 2-4, 2025, offering three days of education, networking, and hands-on learning focused on the future of summer operations at mountain resorts. This year’s camp will also feature a partnership with the Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA), bringing together a dynamic mix of resort professionals from across North America. Whistler Blackcomb has been at the forefront of year-round recreation development, balancing business innovation with environmental sustainability. With a robust lineup of summer attractions—including the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Peak...
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SAM Magazine—Cody, Wyo., Jan. 22, 2020—The board of directors for Yellowstone Recreations Foundation, the not-for-profit that owns and operates Sleeping Giant Recreation Area, said it plans to suspend winter operations after this season due to an annual financial deficit of more than $200,000. “Sleeping Giant will continue operating through ...
SAM Magazine—Wilmington, VT., Jan. 22, 2020—The former Hermitage Club, a private ski area and golf club in southern Vermont that’s been shut down since 2018 due to foreclosure, has received two separate offers totaling roughly $7.5 million for its assets, possibly beginning an auction process that could happen as soon as late-February. Bankr...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Jan. 22, 2020—For the early portion of the winter season through Jan. 5, Vail Resorts (VR) has reported a 7.8 percent decline in skier visits across its portfolio of resorts compared to the prior winter, when early-season visits were very strong. Lift ticket revenues, including an allocated portion of season pass...
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Jan. 21, 2020—The nomination period for the 2020 SAMMY Leadership Awards is now open. SAM invites members of the winter sports industry to nominate leaders who they believe deserve recognition. Nominations close March 13, 2020. The SAMMY Leadership Awards honor individuals who, at mid-career, demonstrate the innovati...
SAM Magazine—Gilford, N.H., Jan. 20, 2020—The Gunstock Area Commission (GAC) has hired former Waterville Valley general manager Tom Day as the new president and general manager of Gunstock Mountain Resort, effective Jan. 15. He succeeds longtime GM Greg Goddard, who will end his successful tenure at the resort Jan. 21. Day was hired afte...
SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Jan 17, 2020—Head USA has made a substantial donation to the Share Winter Foundation as part of the Snowsports Industries America (SIA) Generation Snow industry-match initiative. The program challenges winter industry companies to match or even exceed SIA’s previous $40,000 Share Winter donation. The Share Winter...
SAM Magazine—Lincoln, N.H., Jan. 17, 2020—Loon Mountain Resort will install a new Doppelmayr eight-passenger, high-speed bubble chairlift for the 2020-21 winter season—the first of its kind in the eastern U.S., and the second in North America after Big Sky debuted its Ramcharger 8 last season. Both properties are owned by Boyne Resorts. ...
SAM Magazine—Warren, Vt., Jan. 16, 2020— Alterra Mountain Company closed on its acquisition of Sugarbush Resort, Vt., on Jan. 14. The company now owns 15 year-round mountain destinations throughout North America. “With the acquisition of Sugarbush Resort, we are excited to expand our presence within the Northeast skier market,” said Alterr...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Jan. 16, 2020—Generous snowfall and good slope conditions throughout most Western resorts, along with less than ideal conditions in other regions, buoyed lodging rates even as occupancy figures continue to slip. The monthly Market Briefing from Inntopia’s DestiMetrics noted that rates are rising despite some consum...
SAM Magazine—Kellogg, Idaho, Jan. 16, 2020—The in-bounds avalanche that killed three skiers at Silver Mountain, Idaho, Jan. 7 was triggered by skiers and riders, despite ski patrol’s mitigation efforts prior to opening that area of the mountain, according to a preliminary report by Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center (IPAC) director Jeff Thompso...
SAM Magazine—Enumclaw, Wash., Jan. 14, 2020—In response to traffic, crowding, and parking issues, Crystal Mountain, Wash., will no longer sell walk-up full-day tickets on weekends and holidays. Instead, it will offer a limited number of tickets for online advance purchase. The resort will still honor Ikon passes and any other advance purchase p...
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Jan. 9, 2020—The online voting for the HKD and SAM “I AM a Snowmaker” contest is now open, and continues through midnight (EST) on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Started in the winter of 2013-14, the annual I AM contest highlights the hard work, determination, and camaraderie of snowmakers, and recognizes how critical they ar...
By LINDA GOODSPEED SAM Magazine—Rutland, Vt., Jan. 7, 2020—Santa brought a mixed bag to North American ski resorts this holiday season, according to a spot survey conducted by SAM. The period included two Wednesday holidays, which stretched out the usual week-long Christmas/New Year’s holiday period into two solid weeks of business. The exce...
SAM Magazine—New South Wales, Australia, Jan. 7, 2020—Most of Australia’s ski resorts are threatened by the unprecedented bushfires that continue to ravage much of the country’s natural splendor. One historic ski hill—Selwyn Snow Resort located in the Snowy Mountain region of New South Wales—was directly in the path of the flames, with ...
SAM Magazine—North Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 3, 2020—Northland Properties Corporation has entered an agreement to acquire Grouse Mountain Resort from CM Asset Management. CM has only owned Grouse Mountain since summer of 2017, when it purchased the resort from the McLaughlin family, who owned it for 40 years. Northland is the largest privately-hel...
SAM Magazine—Greenwood, Maine, Dec. 31, 2019—Mt. Abram in Greenwood, Maine, has joined the Indy Pass for the 2019-20 season. The resort is the first Indy Pass member in the state, and will offer two unrestricted free days of access. This raises the number of participating Indy Pass areas to 47. The pass price rises from $219 to $239 on Jan. 1.&...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Dec. 18, 2019—If lodging trends are any indication, the winter destination market is peaking as travelers balk at high prices. At 18 western mountain destinations spread over six states, a decline in occupancy and softening of daily rates are continuing a trend that has emerged over the past year. The most recent analysis r...
SAM Magazine—Virgil, N.Y., Dec. 17, 2019—John and Christine Meier have become the sole owners of Greek Peak Mountain Resort and Toggenburg Mountain in central New York. They acquired business partner Marc Stemerman’s 50 percent interest in the operations this November. The terms of the buyout have not been disclosed.John and Christine Meier ...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 9, 2019—Vail Resorts plans to invest approximately $210 million to $215 million across its portfolio of resorts ahead of the 2020-21 season. The plan includes new chairlifts, terrain expansions, facility expansions and improvements, and technology upgrades. Beaver Creek “We’re excited to share what...
SAM Magazine—Wachusett, Mass., Dec. 10, 2019—The second annual Northeast Weather Summit, held Sunday, Dec. 8 at Wachusett Mountain in central Massachusetts, was the result of a collaboration between the North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA), Wachusett Mountain, Blue Hill Observatory Science Center, and regional meteorologist...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 10, 2019—Vail Resorts reported it expects to sell more than 1.2 million Epic Pass products for the 2019-20 season when it released its quarterly financial report yesterday. Season pass sales through Dec. 2 increased approximately 17 percent in dollars, and 22 percent in units compared to the prior year, incl...
SAM Magazine— Portland, Ore., Dec. 4, 2019—The Indy Pass continues to grow, adding Black Mountain in New Hampshire and Detroit Mountain in Minnesota for the 2019-20 season. With these additions, Indy Pass now has 46 participating resorts: 16 in the East, 15 in the Midwest, and 15 in the West. "We're excited to be a part of the inaugural season ...
SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Dec. 3, 2019—POWDR has acquired SilverStar Mountain Resort in British Columbia. SilverStar is the first Canadian property in POWDR’s portfolio, which includes 10 other resorts across California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Vermont, as well Woodward action sports company, heli-ski and river rafting outfitte...
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Nov. 21, 2019—Vail Resorts (VR) notified a variety of personnel across the 17 recently acquired former Peak Resorts properties that their employment with the company has an end date. Most will be terminated as of May 1, 2020, with some being asked to stay on longer—into October—to help with the integration. Affec...
SAM Magazine—Ludlow, Vt., Nov. 21, 2019—Temperatures dropped to record lows across the country last week, allowing resorts in many regions to fire up the snow guns ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. A steady stream of ski areas in the Northeast and Midwest continue to open, often with top to bottom skiing and riding on multiple trails. Converse...
SAM Magazine—Philadelphia, Nov. 21, 2019—Perfect North Slopes has purchased the land and assets of Timberline Four Seasons Resort in a bankruptcy court auction at the Philadelphia offices of Timberline’s attorneys yesterday. The purchase price was $2.2 million. Members of the Perfect North Slopes management team will be forming a new managem...
SAM Magazine—Burlington, Vt., Nov. 21, 2019—Jake Burton Carpenter, the pioneer who popularized snowboarding and helped turn it into a sport, a billion-dollar business and Olympic showpiece, has died at 65. Carpenter died Wednesday night in Burlington, Vt., from complications related to a return of testicular cancer, which was first diagn...
SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Nov. 18, 2019—Snowsports Industries America (SIA) has reached an agreement to acquire the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo and the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expo from BEWI Productions, Inc., which has produced the shows for more than 40 years. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. SIA's Nick Sargent with Be...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Nov. 15, 2019—The six-month summer season, from May through October, finished with lackluster lodging results and the softest aggregated summer occupancy figures in a decade in western mountain destinations. A modest gain of 2.8 percent in the average daily rate (ADR) boosted overall summer revenues despite a 1.2 percent dr...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Nov. 13, 2019—Alterra Mountain Company has entered into an agreement to purchase Sugarbush Resort in Vermont, bringing the company’s portfolio up to 15 resorts throughout North America. Summit Ventures NE LLC, owner of the resort since 2001, agreed to sell the majority of its Sugarbush assets to Alterra. Summit Ventures ...
SAM Magazine—Burlington, Vt., Nov. 11, 2019—For many skiers and riders across North America, the long wait is finally over. Dropping temperatures, aggressive snowmaking, and early-season storms have provided the goods, and more ski resorts across the country are opening for business. Colorado led the way, with several resorts opening by Hallow...
SAM Magazine—Rangeley, Maine, Nov. 8, 2019—The owners of Saddleback, Maine’s third-largest ski area, have reached a new agreement to sell the mountain to Boston investment company Arctaris Impact Fund. The sale is expected to close in mid-December. The resort went on the market in 2015, when current owners the Berry family determined t...
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Nov. 7, 2019—Out of the dozens of talented mountain resort industry up-and-comers who were nominated this fall to participate in the third installment of the SAM Summit Series, 10 have been chosen and are already off and running. The 2019-20 mentees hail from resorts of all sizes located all over the country, and rep...
SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Nov. 7, 2019—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has released its annual Sustainable Slopes report. Nine new resorts joined the NSAA Climate Challenge this past year, raising total participation to 45 resorts. The organization awarded more than $40,000 in grants to support sustainability initiatives. NSAA als...
SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Nov. 5, 2019—Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) has entered into an agreement to acquire Brian Head Resort in southern Utah. The resort will remain under the current management and control until the acquisition closes. Brian Head will be the eighth resort in MCP’s portfolio of properties, which includes Nordic...
SAM Magazine—Oct. 30, 2019—October storms have dropped temps and several feet of snow in the Colorado Rockies, allowing resorts across the state to start spinning lifts. In other parts of the country, ski areas are mostly still shut and looking toward November to bring better snowmaking conditions and, hopefully, some of last year’s Snovember...
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 23, 2019—SAM has launched year three of its successful Summit Series. The season-long program, aimed at developing future leaders in the mountain resort industry, creates a public dialogue between respected industry leaders and up-and-coming resort staffers. These important conversations will be shared in the pa...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Oct. 22, 2019—Strong bookings made during the month of September helped boost the overall outlook for the summer season and upcoming winter months, according to the most recent DestiMetrics Market Briefing. Through Sept. 30, aggregated occupancy for the month of September was up a slight 0.8 percent compared to last Septemb...
SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 21, 2019—Katharina Schmitz has been named the next president of Doppelmayr USA, Inc., effective March 31, 2020. Schmitz will replace Mark Bee, who retires in March after 30 years in the ropeway industry.Bee will continue to serve on the board of directors for Doppelmayr’s North American entities once he...
SAM Magazine—Portland, Maine, Oct. 18, 2019—Ski Maine executive director Greg Sweetser is retiring in May 2020 after 24 years leading the association that represents 16 alpine and 21 Nordic ski areas in the state. A search is already underway to find a suitable replacement. Under Sweetser’s direction, Ski Maine has championed a healthy...
SAM Magazine—Brooklyn, N.Y., Oct. 16, 2019—The Share Winter Foundation has created new partnerships with Snowsports Industries America (SIA), the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI), and the National Ski Patrol (NSP) as part of its e...
SAM Magazine—Burlington, Vt., Oct. 16, 2019—Burton is officially a certified B Corp: a company that meets high standards for sustainability, social responsibility, transparency, and accountability. One of 3,000 B Corporations worldwide, Burton is the first snowboarding company to reach these standards. “Now more than ever, companie...
SAM Magazine—East Rutherford, N.J., Oct. 11, 2019—Big SNOW American Dream, North America’s first indoor, real-snow ski and snowboard center, has set its official grand opening for Dec. 5, 2019. The facility will offer year-round skiing and riding on four acres of snow-covered slopes inside the American Dream retail and entertainment complex, ...
SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Oct. 1, 2019—Several Powdr Corp resorts will incorporate Woodward Mountain Parks starting this winter. Woodward Mountain Parks include different elements that, combined, “reimagine the way snowsports enthusiasts [of all ability levels] experience on-mountain adventure,” according to the company. Woodward Mount...
SAM Magazine—Newbury, N.H., Oct. 1, 2019—Keystone Resort (Colo.) senior director of mountain operations Tracy Bartels will assume the role of general manager at Mount Sunapee, N.H., effective Nov. 18. She will replace Bruce Schmidt, who has been in the role for less than a year, and is now transitioning back to Okemo—where he’ll again serve...
SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., October 1, 2019—The Indy Pass has added eight more resorts to its coalition of independent ski areas, bringing its total number of participating resorts up to 44. As a result, the Indy Pass now includes access to more ski areas in North America than any other multi-resort pass product on the market. Back in Septemb...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 30, 2019—Vail Resorts, Inc. (VR) reported a 14.6 percent increase in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) for its fiscal year 2019, ending July 31, to $706.7 million. However, net income dropped 20.7 percent, to $301.2 million for fiscal 2019, as 2018 results were positiv...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 27, 2019—Vail Resorts (VR) has appointed two new GMs following a summer of operational growth and change. Jody Churich, previously senior director of skier services at Park City Mountain Resort, will serve as vice president and general manager at Keystone Resort, Colo. Matt Jones, previously VP of human res...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 24, 2019— Vail Resorts has closed on its acquisition of Peak Resorts, Inc. for a purchase price of $11 per share. With the acquisition, Vail Resorts adds 17 U.S. ski areas to its portfolio—all located in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest—and now owns and operates 37 resorts worldwide. "We ...
SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Sept. 20, 2019—Peak Resorts, Inc., shareholders approved the merger agreement for the acquisition of Peak's 17 areas by Vail Resorts, Inc. at a special meeting on Sept. 20. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Peak Resorts’ common shareholders will be entitled to receive $11 per share in cash at the closing of ...
SAM Magazine—Steamboat Springs, Colo., Sept. 20, 2019—Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation is donating $100,000 per year over the next five years to the newly launched Yampa River Fund, a local water fund created through partnerships with The Nature Conservancy and local partners. The $500,000 donation is the largest single cash commitment in...
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Sept. 20, 2019—There is just one week left to enter the 15th annual SAM Terrain Park Contest, sponsored by Burton Learn to Ride. Enter one (or all) of three categories: terrain park feature, terrain park event, and bread and butter. Mountain resorts from around the world are invited to submit entries from the 2018-19...
The annual Ski Areas of New York (ISKINY) and Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (PSAA) Expo, held at Hunter Mountain, N.Y., Sept. 16-18, welcomed a large crowd of 386 attendees. Personnel from 50 different ski areas attended, and the 79 exhibitors at the trade show represented what ISKINY president Scott Brandi termed “a record level of sponsors...
SAM Magazine—Newry, Maine, Sept. 19, 2019—This year’s New England Summit at Sunday River Resort introduced a revamped schedule and a new multi-session Communicators Camp in addition to its traditional mix of high-quality educational sessions, networking events, and trade show. The two-day event, held Sept. 10 and 11, attracted roughly 250 ski...
SAM Magazine—Warren, Vt., Sept. 18, 2019—Since 2012, Rumble’s Kitchen restaurant at Sugarbush has been a member of 1% for the Planet—a global organization that helps facilitate and accelerate giving to support environmental nonprofits. The Kitchen has pledged more than $60,000 to various local and regional organizations through this members...
SAM Magazine—Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, Sept. 18, 2019—For the 2019-20 winter season, Solitude Mountain Resort is launching a number of initiatives to address traffic and parking congestion in Big Cottonwood Canyon and worsening air quality in Salt Lake County. “We are using every tool at our disposal to encourage our staff and guests to us...
SAM Magazine—Jackson, Wyo., Sept. 18, 2019—On Sept. 17, all Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) year-round electricity needs—lifts, facilities, and base area operations—transitioned to Lower Valley Energy’s (LVE) 100 percent Green Power program. The program directly sources wind power from Horse Butte Wind Farm in Idaho, the closest wind ...
SAM Magazine—Choteau, Mont., September 17, 2019—Former Teton Pass Ski Resort general manager Charles Hlavac has purchased the resort from Nick Wood for $375,000 after it had been on the market for two years. Wood, a New Zealand native, bought the ski area back in 2010. He and his partners invested in substantial upgrades, including three new li...
SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Sept. 12, 2019—Indy Pass has added two more resorts to its lineup for the 2019-20 season: Caberfae Peaks in Cadillac, Mich., and Sunrise Park in Greer, Ariz. With these additions, the $199 Indy Pass now has a total of 36 participating ski areas. Passholders get two days at each. SAM covered the launch of the ...
The essentials for summer business success showed clear and strong as moonshine during SAM's Summer Ops Camp in Gatlinburg, Tenn., Sept. 3-5.
