Join us September 2–4, 2025, at the iconic Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada, for an unforgettable three-day experience packed with insight, innovation, and inspiration. SAM’s fourteenth Summer Ops Camp will bring together mountain resort professionals for dynamic education, powerful networking, and immersive hands-on learning—all focused on shaping the next chapter of summer operations.
REGISTRATION | SCHEDULE | IN-DEPTH LOOK | CWSAA BIKE PARK FORUM
Set against the backdrop of one of North America's premier year-round destinations, Whistler Blackcomb is the perfect classroom. With marquee attractions like the world-renowned Whistler Bike Park, the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, vibrant family activities, alpine hiking and sightseeing, innovative sustainability baked into everything they do, a world-class village to explore, and a buzzing events scene, the resort is a shining example of how smart strategy and bold investment can drive summer success.
Plus, you can stick around for even more value: the Canada West Ski Areas Association Bike Park Forum follows immediately after Summer Ops Camp. This highly targeted session offers next-level insight into bike park operations, trail development, and efficiency strategies—an ideal add-on for those serious about maximizing their summer potential.
Whether you’re looking to launch, expand, or fine-tune your summer offerings, this event puts you in the customer’s shoes so you can experience your a-ha moments with colleagues, experts, and supplier partners. After immersing yourself in the experiential programming on the mountain, educational workshops, and networking events, you and your colleagues will leave with ideas, connections, and energy to move your resort forward to summer ops 2.0.
"Learning from shared experiences with your colleagues, away from our home resort, was incredibly impactful. The program at the Tremblant Summer Ops Camp was so striking that I brought our leadership team back to the location a few months later."
Brian Norton, President & GM, Loon Mountain, N.H.
Registration
Registration for Summer Ops Camp 2025 is open. Packages include educational and experiential sessions, lodging, meals, and activities.
- Single Occupancy - $895 USD
- Double Occupancy - $695 USD
- Non-lodging - $550 USD
We have secured a deeply discounted rate for a limited number of rooms at the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, located in the heart of Whistler Village. Register early to lock in this low package price!
Schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 2
Midday
Optional Stops on the Way to Camp*
Hit the road early and make time to explore Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain, and Sea to Sky Gondola en route to Whistler. Tour their latest summer offerings—including new attractions like mountain coasters and bike parks—and connect with the teams bringing these experiences to life.
12-4 p.m.
Attendee and Vendor Check-In
Pick up your badge, meet the team, and get settled in for a packed few days of exploration, inspiration, and connection.
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
1-4 p.m.
Optional Activities Around Whistler*
Biking with experts in design, construction, and programming; the value of trails hiking tour; village tour with master planners; zip-lining with builders and designers; plus much more to be announced.
Whistler Village and Beyond
4:30-5:30 p.m.
Educational Session: Risk vs. Reward - Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze
Take a deeper dive into the ROI of your summer operations, with a sharp eye on risk and insurance headwinds. We’ll unpack real examples of when summer activities deliver sweet returns—and when they don’t. Discover how to weigh the squeeze against the juice and make smart, informed choices about what’s worth doing.
Sutcliffe Room, Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler Village
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Vendor Showcase Cocktail Hour
Mix, mingle, and explore the latest products and solutions from our vendor partners during this relaxed kickoff to camp.
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Dinner and Keynote Presentation: The Whistler Model - Community Relations + Stakeholder Engagement
How has Whistler earned its place as a top summer (and winter!) destination? It takes a village—literally. Hear how local and regional stakeholders work together to boost visitation, create unique and complementary experiences, and drive long-term success. Plus, get a look at Whistler’s future master plans and what’s next for this world-class resort.
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
Wednesday, Sept. 3
7:30-8:30 a.m.
Vendor Showcase Breakfast
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
8:30-9:30 a.m.
Educational Session: Shifting Perceptions - Moving Beyond the "Ski Resort in Summer" Mindset
Summer resort marketing has too often leaned on winter audiences, messaging, and infrastructure—limiting the chance to build a strong summer identity. This session will dig into how to define and reach summer-specific audiences, balance operational realities with bold marketing, and craft campaigns that elevate your summer brand.
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
10-11:30 a.m.
Experiential Session: Blackcomb Peak's Family Activities Tour & Pop-Up Talk
Ride the Blackcomb Gondola to the summit and see how Whistler designs and delivers summer programming for families—balancing engagement, scalability, and fun on the mountain.
Blackcomb Village & Peak
11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Experiential Session: Peak 2 Peak Gondola Ride
Soak in the views and connect with fellow attendees as we cross between Whistler and Blackcomb on one of the world’s most iconic gondola rides.
Blackcomb Peak to Whistler Peak
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Experiential Session: Umbrella Bar & Pop-Up Talk
Gather for a scenic breather at this mountaintop hotspot and see how well-executed food and beverage offerings can elevate the guest experience—and become a destination in their own right.
Roundhouse Lodge, Whistler Peak
12:30-1:15 p.m.
Lunch
Glacier View Room, Roundhouse Lodge, Whistler Peak
1:15-2:00 p.m.
Educational Session: Summer Trends Around the Globe
This session will explore how resorts worldwide are reimagining summer through innovative programming, sustainability-focused development, and evolving guest expectations. We’ll highlight emerging trends, fresh ideas, and lessons that operators can apply to strengthen their own summer strategies.
Glacier View Room, Roundhouse Lodge, Whistler Peak
2-3:30 p.m.
Experiential Session: Cloudraker Skybridge & Raven's Eye Platform Tour
Step out over the peaks on this jaw-dropping suspension bridge and cliffside lookout—an example of high-impact, low-footprint guest infrastructure.
Whistler Peak
3:30-5 p.m.
Experiential Session: Whistler Bike Park Descent
Advanced/expert riders can take on the legendary Top of the World trail, or an advanced intermediate group will leave from Roundhouse lodge for a descent down Whistler Peak on bikes.
Whistler Peak
3:30-5 p.m.
Experiential Session: Gondola Talks
Hop back on the Peak 2 Peak—but choose your cabin wisely: each one will host an expert leading a mini-session on key summer ops topics like trail development, environmental stewardship, scalable ideas, guest experience, summer F&B, mountain biking, family programming, nighttime activities, and more.
Whistler Peak
5-6:30 p.m.
Snack & Cocktail Hour
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
7-10 p.m.
Dinner and Vallea Lumina Experience
Enjoy a sunset experiential meal at TAG’s rustic basecamp, followed by a walk through Moment Factory’s Vallea Lumina—an immersive multimedia night adventure through the forest that blends storytelling, light, and sound.
TAG Whistler, Cougar Mountain
Thursday, Sept. 4
7:30-8:45 a.m.
Vendor Showcase Breakfast
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
9-10 a.m.
Educational Session: The Masters of Planning
We’ve assembled some of the top master planning minds in the industry to dive deep into how our business is evolving—here in North America and around the globe. What are the next big things in summer? What headwinds lie ahead? And what do these seasoned planners wish resorts would do more (or less) of? It’s part practical playbook, part visionary forecast—and one conversation you won’t want to miss.
Sutcliffe Room, Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler Village
10-11 a.m.
Educational Session: Strategic Planning for Summer Growth
Is growing your summer business part of the plan? Whether you’ve got capital ready or are bootstrapping as you go, we’ll explore practical strategies for building your summer ops. From funding options and benchmarking tools to proven KPIs, you’ll walk away with the resources to launch, grow, and measure success.
Sutcliffe Room, Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler Village
11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Educational Session: Events, Festivals & Megaphones: Make Some Noise for Summer
Events drive visits, stretch the season, and give people new reasons to come back. We’ll dive into the “festivalization” trend—how to energize your resort brand and fire up your summer revenue engine.
Sutcliffe Room, Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler Village
12:15-1:15 p.m.
Vendor Showcase Lunch with CWSAA Bike Park Forum
Our friends from Canada West Ski Areas Association will join us for our final meal, offering a great opportunity to connect with even more industry colleagues as they kick off their Bike Park Forum.
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village
1-4 p.m.
Optional Activities Around Whistler*
Biking with experts in design, construction, and programming; the value of trails hiking tour; village tour with master planners; zip-lining with builders and designers, plus much more to be announced.
Whistler Village and Beyond
1:30 p.m.
CWSAA Bike Park Forum - Classroom Sessions*
Topics to include an industry insights panel, master planning and contractor case studies, wood feature construction, risk and legal updates, and more. Separate registration required.
Sutcliffe Room, Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler Village
Afternoon
Optional Adventures En Route*
Make the most of your travel back to Vancouver with curated stops at Sea to Sky Gondola, Cypress Mountain, and Grouse Mountain. Connect with fellow operators, get a behind-the-scenes look at their summer operations, and experience select activities that bring their warm-weather strategies to life.
Friday, Sept. 5
CWSAA Bike Park Forum - Field Day in the Bike Park*
On-mountain breakout sessions covering topics such as irrigation, progression zones, in-field discussion on wood features, and guest experience. Separate registration required.
Whistler Bike Park
More information to come. The schedule is subject to change.
*Select activities have capacity limits or require a separate free sign up or paid registration. Camp attendees will receive communications in advance.
"Every time I attend Summer Ops Camp, it is well worth it. I get inspired and motivated by other resorts' operations. In return, I get to bring back meaningful ideas to help grow my operation and a couple good stories as well. Camp gives us the opportunity to connect with each other and grow our community of summer operators. These takeaways from camp are priceless."
- Tish Lopez, Director of Tram & Lifts and Summer Ops, Snowbird, Utah
Zooming In: One Full Day of Experiential Learning
At Summer Ops Camp, learning goes beyond the classroom—each session is designed to immerse attendees in the real-world potential of summer operations. What better way to know what your guests want than to experience things as your customer! Set against the backdrop of Whistler Blackcomb, this full day of experiential programming on Wednesday, Sept. 3, showcases how resorts can activate their mountain assets to deliver high-impact summer experiences.
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FIRST THING
Kick off with the vendor showcase breakfast and an education session, where you’ll connect with vendors offering tools, tech, and services to support your resort’s summer evolution. Then, take in insights from experts on financing and future-proofing fun. -
LATE MORNING
Ride the gondola to Blackcomb Peak and explore family activities that show how interpretive trails, adventure playgrounds, and kid-focused zones can engage new audiences. On-site pop-up talks will provide insight into designing experiences that appeal to families while boosting length of stay and ancillary revenue. -
MIDDAY
Ride the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, the world’s longest unsupported span for a lift of its kind, and learn how scenic transportation can serve as both an iconic attraction and a revenue driver. Bonus: hear live insights from industry pros in select cabins during the ride. -
MIDDAY
Tour the Roundhouse Lodge, a hub of food and beverage offerings perched at elevation. Discover how destinations like the Umbrella Bar create guest “wow” moments while supporting strong per-cap spend and season-long traffic. Then enjoy a mountain-top lunch and education session on global summer ops trends. -
AFTERNOON
Hop on a chairlift to the Cloudraker Skybridge and Raven’s Eye platform, where you’ll see how dramatic, view-driven infrastructure can become a marquee experience. Discover how these high-elevation features are woven into marketing, guest flow, and operations to drive summer demand. -
AFTERNOON
Join the Whistler Bike Park tour to explore what goes into operating one of the world’s most renowned lift-served bike parks. Hear how trail design, guest segmentation, and smart programming combine to attract both first-timers and pros—and drive return visits. -
EVENING
Close out the day at Vallea Lumina, where you’ll enjoy a one-of-a-kind sunset dinner, followed by a walk through the forest illuminated by an immersive multimedia experience. Designed by Moment Factory, it’s a stunning example of how creative nighttime programming can extend the guest day and elevate brand storytelling.
Each touchpoint throughout the day is a living case study supported by insights from experts and fellow colleagues—designed to inspire, educate, and equip attendees with actionable ideas to elevate their own resort's summer operations.
CWSAA Bike Park Forum
Summer Ops Camp attendees can tack on an extra day of learning with CWSAA’s Bike Park Forum, immediately following on Sept. 4-5, 2025. With the world-renowned Whistler Bike Park as the classroom, ski area operators with an interest in bike park development, maintenance, and management won’t want to miss this event. Event details and registration to come from CWSAA.
Take a Look at Summer Ops Camp 2023 in Steamboat, Colo.
"I never miss SAM's Summer Ops Camp. It is invaluable for looking ahead and identifying the 'what’s next,' and exploring all aspects of maintaining a sustainable summer operation. The camaraderie, hands-on format, and 'experience it like a guest' programming are great for capturing many 'aha!' moments. Anyone in the business of summer should go to Camp!”
- Claire Humber, Director of Resort Planning, SE Group
