ACTIVITIES & AGENDA

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

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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 opens on Thursday, May 1. 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

11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Attendee and Vendor Check-In
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village

11 a.m. - 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.
Education Session
Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler Village

5:30-8:30 p.m.
Vendor Showcase Cocktail Hour, Dinner Reception, and Keynote Presentation
Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler Village

Wednesday, Sept. 3

Thursday, Sept. 4

Friday, Sept. 5

More information to come. The schedule is subject to change.

"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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.