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May 1991

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Featured Story

Ski Areas Speak

SAM's own ski area operator's survey produced stunning revelations on what area managers want and are thinking, particularly regarding the effectiveness of USIA...

Summer's The Time To Sell Water

Written by Terry Barnhart

Many ski areas have discovered the ideal off-season match: water attractions such as pools, flumes, slides and rivers. Here's a guide to a new wave in ...

Jerk On The Throttle

Written by Jim Ellis

Acceleration of the loads on an aerial tramway system--a chairlift, for instance--can be smooth as silk or can result in deropement. Recent information...

Tension System Behavior And Carriage Movement

Written by Doug Sowder

An understanding of the expected behavior of a lift's tensioning system will help alert lift operators or supervisors to recognize and corrrect any ten...

Measuring Demand

Written by Ted Farwell

An adaptation of a longer presentation made by Ted Farwell at a conference on ski area development at Vail, Colo., addressing the growth, or lack of it...

Grooming Vehicles 1991

Written by David Rowan

The annual report of over-snow grooming vehicles for the upcoming 1991 season. Includes a table of specifications for all models, a guide to the tables...

Primer On Air/ Water Cool-Down Systems

Written by Mark Meadows

The efficiencies gained in cooling compressed air and water for snowmaking are being confirmed daily at ski areas across the country. Here is a simplif...

Portable Bandsaws: Better Than Expected

Written by Sanford Wilk

A comparison of portable bandsaws that are a necessity in many shops. Included are individual reviews of nine machines, a table of specifications and p...

Endangered Species

Written by Harris Sherman, David Neslin, Melanie Dummer

They may be unassuming and they probably are reclusive, but "threatened" and "endangered" species can stop your area's development dead in its tracks. ...

Snowmakers Can Be Skiers, Too

Written by Janet Nelson

A brief look at the 9th Annual Snowmakers Classic ski race at Ski Windham, N.Y. A great event to cap off a season of hard work.

Improving A Mousetrap

Written by Skip King

A look at the new skier development program at Sunday River, Maine. This program was designed to replace the old-style ski lessons and ski instructor's...

In Califonia, It Seldom Rains, Then It Pours

Written by Bob Roberts

A look at the history of the weather patterns that affect California ski areas and an explanation of the two different jet streams that affect the West...

France Prepares For The Olympics

Written by Ted Heck, Bob Enzel

Snowmaking is the key question for alpine venues. This article reports on the observations of 20 American ski executives who toured France's snowmaking...

The Public Plants Trees

Written by Jim Buckingham

A look at how the staff at Norquay ski area in Banff, Alberta, was able to unite with environmentalists and the local community to plant 200 saplings. ...

Snowmaking With Artificial Intelligence

Written by Curtis Bender

A look at the use of artificial intelligence within Snowtracker's new automated snowmaking software. The program divides the mountain into elevations a...

X-Country Connection: A Learning Experience

Written by Jonathan Wiesel

A look at the state of cross-country skiing in the U.S. This past winter, while a harsh one, was not all bad. A few smaller XC centers have folded but ...

Hungry Skier: Reaching The Middle Market

Written by Kirk Duncan

A look into how the food and beverage departments can better cater to the middle-market skiers who are looking for healthy food at reasonable prices. I...

A Time For Reappraisal

Written by Sam Editorial

An overview of the organization of USIA. This piece is highly critical of the current direction of the association and adds a substantial number of sug...