60 Defining Moments

The past 60 years have seen tremendous growth, innovation, and upheaval in the mountain resort world. Here, SAM attempts to identify the 60 events, people, and inventions that have shaped our industry since this magazine was founded in 1962. If you’ve been reading SAM for more than a decade, you may remember items 1-49 of this list from the 50th anniversary issue (September 2012). Many from that list have been updated with changes that have occurred since. 

The timeline we’ve compiled is a fascinating look back that illustrates a menagerie of changemakers—from innovations in equipment and business practices to impactful global events and game-changing ideas.