SAM Coverage
Special Reports
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Special Report: Black Mountain’s Revival, Led by Its Disrupter-in-Chief
Indy Pass and Entabeni Systems owner Erik Mogensen has transformed this legacy ski area and designated it as his laboratory. It’s the perfect pitch…
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Special Report: Schmitz Brothers Resorts, Big Business in the Heartland
If it’s done strategically, Wisconsin resort leader Rick Schmitz sees ‘no better investment’ than owning the snow for greater Milwaukee day trippers. Here’s why.
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Special Report: Sundance: Revival in Redford’s Shadow
This rustic, soulful resort is an anomaly, but the well-capitalized, strategic rebirth of Robert Redford’s legacy is chock full of lessons for all resort…
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Special Report: Swiss Valley: A Michiana Revival
On the cusp of turning 65, the Wiseman family’s Swiss Valley has done more than persevere, it’s found a Perfect future.
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Special Report: SAM Technology Survey Shows Tech’s Rising Strategic Role at Ski Resorts
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Jan. 7, 2026—Resorts are investing more in technology and increasingly treating it as a strategic priority, according to SAM’s 2025–26 Technology…
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Special Report: Nederland’s Eldora Purchase: Brave But Risky Business
A special analysis and commentary by Andy Bigford. The town of Nederland’s efforts to buy neighboring Eldora Mountain Resort, with the support of an…
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Vail Resorts Reports Solid Early Winter Results, Sees Softer Spring
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., March 11, 2025—Vail Resorts reported increases in visits, net income, and EBITDA for its fiscal second quarter, ended Jan. 31. However,…
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EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL REPORT: Indy Pass Gets New Owner, Maintains Independence
In a move intended to bolster the future of the five-year-old Indy Pass, the Pass is being acquired by Entabeni Systems, “the long-time trusted…
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Special Report: The American Rescue Plan of 2021
By Mark E. Battersby The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) includes lots of potential benefits for winter resorts, especially smaller ones. Here’s a…
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Special Report: Backcountry Ed Can Save Lives
SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Feb. 19, 2021—As of Feb. 19, 28 Americans have died in backcountry avalanches this winter, five more than the entire 2019-20…
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Special Report: Cross-Country Skiing is Booming
by Roger Lohr The Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) has been conducting online sessions with members since last spring, focused on sharing information…
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Special Report: Legal and Insurance Issues in the Age of COVID-19
By Charles Gfeller and Mellicent B. Thompson,Partners, Gfeller Laurie LLP COVID-19 has led to a variety of measures aimed at mitigating its impact. While…
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Special Report: How Mountain Resorts Can Adapt to COVID-19
By Skip King, Reputation Strategies Whether you think the concern—even panic—over COVID-19 is warranted or not is immaterial. The fact is that it’s the…
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SPECIAL REPORT: COVID-19 AND THE ECONOMY
seven things to expect for destination travel businesses By Tom Foley, Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Analytics for Inntopia We’re providing this…
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Special Online Report :: Summer (Work Travel) in Winter
International college students on J-1 cultural exchange visas are key to U.S. ski area operations. So how do they differ from H-2B guest workers…
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Special Report: Capital Improvements Across the Country
Resorts look to ease congestion and meet increasing demand with capital improvements.Concrete being poured for a lift tower footing for Winter Park’s new gondola.…
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Special Report On Snowmaking
This article is currently not available online. Please email [email protected] for a pdf copy of the article
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Multi-Property Passes
Because visuals are easy to digest, we put together this informal comparison of some of the multi-resort season pass products on the market.