SAM Magazine—Tannersville, Pa., Sept. 29, 2025—Nearly 160 ski area and supplier personnel descended on Camelback Resort last week for the National Ski Areas Association’s Mountain Technology Symposium, where IT teams, business analysts, and industry vendors gathered to explore how technology can help shape the future of the ski industry.
Several Mountain Technology Symposium discussions were brought to life through illustrations by a caricature artist. The event blended timely topics in tech with a heavy focus on collaboration, encouraging participants to share ideas, challenges, and solutions.
The symposium opened Wednesday with a blue-sky session led by SNOW Partners’ Joe Hession and InTouch Technology Group’s Tim Thodey and Casey Parliament. Together with attendees, they explored what the future of the industry might look like if technology could fully support guest experience, organizational culture, and community connection. The conversation set a visionary tone, urging participants to look beyond operational hurdles to the broader potential of innovation, and was captured with a live illustration of the conversation with a caricature artist.
Over the next two days, education sessions covered a wide range of topics, with artificial intelligence, data management, and cybersecurity emerging as major themes.
Presenters shared examples of how AI is beginning to influence resort operations, from personalizing guest experiences to experimenting with real-time dynamic pricing models that respond to everything from visitation trends to changing weather conditions. Data-focused sessions highlighted the importance of clean, structured information and the need for integrated dashboards that can deliver insights across departments. Cybersecurity experts stressed the rising importance of network security, backup protocols, and proactive risk assessment as resorts adopt increasingly connected technologies.
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SNOW Partners' Joe Hession and InTouch Technology Group's Tim Thodey and Casey Parliament lead panel discussions for blue-sky visioning in the opening session.
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A caricature artist captures the conversation during the blue-sky session.
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Tahoe Donner's Miah Cottrell (left) leads a group discussion on "Cool Things I Built/Solved" during Wednesday's roundtable segment while the caricature artist captures themes from the conversation.
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SNOW Partners' Digi Dave Amirault kicks off Wednesday night's karaoke.
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Mike Lannen, Eternity, leads Thursday's first general session on policies, integration, and security with artificial intelligence.'
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Left to right: NSAA's Earl Saline introduces a panel on best practices data management with Lisa Graham, Gunstock Mountain Resort; Doug Hawkins, Caberfae Peaks Ski & Golf Resort; Carolin Wall, Powdr; and Rob Clark, Axess.
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Ski areas and suppiers gather to discuss e-commerce with legacy and new systems during Thursday's roundtable discussions.
Beyond the classrooms, the symposium offered multiple opportunities for hands-on learning and peer-to-peer exchange. Roundtable discussions invited open dialogue on topics ranging from small ski area priorities and mountain operations technology to “cool things I solved or built,” where attendees shared practical solutions and lessons learned. Networking receptions and vendor showcases in the exhibit space gave participants a chance to explore emerging tools and build relationships with industry partners.
The event came full circle with a closing keynote from Lex Curtis of Field of Play Consulting, who guided attendees through exercises aimed at turning the ideas from the opening session into actionable plans. By week’s end, participants left with not only new knowledge and connections, but also a clearer sense of how technology—and collaboration—can drive the industry forward.
