VISITS REBOUND
The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced that U.S. ski areas tallied an estimated 56.6 million skier and snowboarder visits during the 2012-13 season—the results represent an 11 percent increase over the previous season. The previous season was one of the worst in recent history, when visits totaled an estimated 51 million, a decline of 15.7 percent from the 2010-11 record total of 60.54 million, according to the Kottke National End of Season Survey.

In another indication of the widespread rebound this season, 78 percent of reporting ski areas posted increases in visits. The median resort experienced a 10.6 percent gain in visits. Visits were up in all regions, with the biggest rebounds seen for the Pacific Southwest, up 20.5 percent. Meanwhile the Northeast was up 20.3 percent, and the Southeast was up 17.2 percent. Impressive gains were also recorded in the Midwest, up 11.5 percent, and Pacific Northwest, up 7.5 percent. The Rocky Mountain region was up 1.9 percent over the 2011-12 season.


BONNIER GETS OUT OF WINTER SPORTS
Bonnier Corp. has now disposed of all its snow titles, most of which it had acquired from Time Inc. as part of its Time4Media purchase in January 2007. Bonnier spun off Ski, Skiing, and Warren Miller Entertainment to Active Interest Media (AIM) in late April.

Source Interlink’s GrindMedia division acquired the TransWorld magazine titles on May 20, swapping them with Bonnier Corp. for Source Interlink’s nine motorcycle titles. The exchange gives Source Interlink TransWorld Skateboarding, TW Snowboarding, TW Business, TW Surf and other titles to its Grind stable, which already included Snowboarder and Powder, as well as Surfer and Surfing.


CALIFORNIA SENATE OKS SAFETY BILL
The state Senate in California passed SB564, a bill that would require ski resorts in that state to prepare an annual safety plan and to post those reports on their websites. The bill by Senator Bill Monning (D), which was passed by a 24-8 partisan vote, is the third attempt in California to legislate safety procedures, the other two attempts were vetoed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in 2010 and by Gov. Jerry Brown last year. Monning’s bill would require ski areas to prepare a report that includes information about accident-prevention efforts and operational standards, and to make those reports available, both on-line and by request. The next stop for the bill is the Assembly.


RETAIL SALES REACHED $3.4 BILLION
For the season, August through March, winter sports retail sales grew 3 percent over the prior year to $3.4 billion, according to RetailTRAK data released by SnowSports Industries America and Leisure Trends Group.

Broken out, accessories sales increased 6 percent, to $1.1 billion; apparel was up 4 percent, to $1.46 billion; and equipment sales were flat compared to the 2011-12 season, at $841 million.


NEW FOREST SERVICE AD POLICY RELEASED
The Forest Service issued its long-awaited advertising and sponsorship policy in May. Highlights include: Interior space advertising is still fine, including inside buildings, gondolas, buses and other vehicles. Advertising for short term competition/events (limit 21 days) is still permissible, but sponsorship recognition at events is limited to sponsor names and trademarks. Chairlift-based ads on bars are allowed as long as there is a map included and the advertising does not exceed 33 percent of the surface area of the panel. Facilities such as trail map bulletin boards and directional signing are considered basic elements of a ski area’s operations, and are therefore not appropriate for sponsor recognition. For the full policy, go to www.nsaa.org.


OBITUARIES
Orville A. Slutzky, who co-founded Hunter Mountain, N.Y., with his late brother Izzy, died on April 18, 2013, at the age of 96.

Ted Seeholzer, co-owner of Beaver Mountain, Utah, died in mid-May at the age of 81.

Jack Bright, 75, the first GM of Whistler Mountain, died in early May.


PEOPLE
CNL Financial Group promoted three executives: Steve Rice was named senior managing director of ski/mountain lifestyle and lodging properties; Tom Lithgow was named VP of ski/mountain lifestyle properties; and Ryan Bell was named senior asset manager for ski/mountain lifestyle properties.

Peak Resorts announced three promotions: Josh Boyd is the new president of Boston Mills/Brandywine and Alpine Valley, Ohio; John Lowell was promoted to president of Attitash Mountain and Wildcat Mountain, N.H.; Brian Heon was named GM of Wildcat. . .Ski NH announced its new board of directors for 2013-14: Ben Wilcox of Cranmore is the new chairperson; Ross Boisvert of McIntyre is the new vice chairperson; and Greg Goddard of Gunstock was elected treasurer.

Jiminy Peak, Mass., welcomed Bethany Kralovic as the new conference sales manager for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Vail Resorts named Taylor Ogilvie as GM of Mt. Brighton, Mich.

At Jackson Hole, Wyo., Molly Perlman was named budget analyst and Elizabeth Collins executive assistant.

Aspen Skiing Company, Colo., named Peter Santini to the newly-created director-level position of director of business development. . .Vail Resorts announced the appointment of Peter Vaughn to its board of directors.

At Mammoth Mountain, Calif., chairman and CEO Rusty Gregory announced a new leadership team: Greg Dallas is the COO; Erik Forsell is the chief marketing officer; Mark Clausen is the CFO; and Ron Cohen is the chief administrative officer.


SUPPLIER NEWS
David Cutler is the new CEO of Sitour USA.

MTRiP, the Mountain Travel Research Program, has changed its name to DestiMetrics to better describe its primary purpose and the type of data they gather and analyze.

The SAM Alpexpo show in Grenoble, France, has changed its name to Mountain Planet.