For the past decade, the mountain resort industry has circled around the trial and conversion quandary: How do we get more than 15 percent of those who try our sports to stick with them? The first annual Conversion Camp, Mar. 4-6 at Jiminy Peak, Mass., provided some answers. Resorts from across the continent gathered together to share ideas and programs that have moved the conversion needle considerably. The Camp, organized by SAM Magazine and Snow Operating LLC, hosted 90 attendees representing 32 resorts...

From January 21-23, almost 800 people gathered at Steamboat, Colorado, for the National Ski Areas Association Western Conference and Trade Show. With 84 ski areas on hand, the 147 exhibiting companies had no shortage of potential customers. And ski area attendees had a wide variety of educational sessions to choose from as presenters tackled everything from marijuana use at ski areas to wildfire management. Of note was a presentation by Nate Fristoe of RRC Associates who predicted that the 2013-14 skier visit numbers will struggle to reach 53 million thanks to poor snow on the West Coast.

In its fourth year, the SAM Summer Ops Camp drew over 150 operators and vendors together at Attitash Resort, N.H., from September 15-18 to discuss the many money-making opportunities to be had outside of the snowy months. From aerial adventure parks to mining and from water features to mud races, operators from approximately 35 resorts from across the country left with a slew of new ideas and best practices from vendors and from each other.

The 2013 New England Summit Sept. 17-19 at Attitash, N.H., drew 425 attendees, including more than 275 ski area staff from 51 areas. There were also eight industry organizations represented, and 150 exhibitors.

From September 11 to 13, 2013, 326 attendees from 66 supplier companies and 36 ski resorts gathered at beautiful Holiday Valley for a few days of networking and shopping during the Ski Areas of NY (SANY) and Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (PSAA) annual Expo. Attendees took advantage of more than 30 sessions covering everything from risk management to social media and cruised the trade show hall for new ideas from vendors. It was all capped off by a fantastic fireworks display from Young Explosives. Check out the full gallery of pictures here.

From August 4-7, 401attendees representing 54 ski areas and 71 suppliers, convened at Alpine Valley Resort, Wisc., for three days of networking, learning, shopping, eating, and duckie races. Check out the photo gallery below.

PistenBully parent company Kassbohrer All Terrain Vehicles (KATV) hosted a crowd of 150 resort customers, local businesses, and staff at the grand opening of its new office and warehouse facility in Reno, Nev., July 24. KATV had invited many customers to join a multi-day celebration that included a tour of Lake Tahoe on the M.S. Dixie paddleboat and a reception, ribbon-cutting, and tour of the new facility itself.

SAM Magazine--May 22, 2013--Timberline, Mt. Hood--Last week over 80 campers and panelists gathered at Timberline Lodge, Ore., for SAM Magazine's 11th annual Cutter's Camp--a hands-on education and networking event that gathers like-minded individuals who all share a passion for the progression of freestyle terrain. This was the western installment of the camp (the East was held last month at Carinthia, Mount Snow). Together, the camps drew over 130 resorts from North America and some overseas.

The annual Ski Area Vehicle Maintenance Institute in Grand Junction, Colo., May 13-16 drew nearly 300 attendees. In addition to several workshops dedicated to Prinoth and PistenBully equipment, there were several sessions related to the impacts of the coming Tier 4 implementation—and to compressed natural gas, one alternative to Tier 4 diesel issues. Welding, safety, snow removal, and a wide range of management seminars also filled the schedule.

From April 30 to May 3, 2013, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) held its annual trade show and convention in Palm Springs, Calif. The mood was upbeat, especially given the 11-percent increase in skier and snowboarder visits over last season, allowing all 900 attendees to breathe a sigh of relief. SAM's annual SAMMY Awards were also given out to four deserving recipients: Ryan Bell, Ross Boisvert, Rob McSkimming and Justin Rowland.

From April 10-13, 2013, over 20,000 gathered in Innsbruck for the Interalpin show. The mood was upbeat as everyone celebrated a great winter in Europe. Check out our photo gallery below. 

A few days before the epic blizzard of 2013 hit New England, the NSAA Eastern Trade Show and Conference took place at Mount Snow, Vt., from February 4-6. In all, 72 ski areas were represented by 351 ski area attendees who were able to shop at 120 supplier booths. We just wish the snow had arrived before the show!

SAM Magazine—Denver, Feb. 5, 2013—Nearly 19,000 attendees representing 80 percent of the buying power in the snowsports industry descended on the Colorado Convention Center from January 31-February 3. More than 900 brands showcased their latest innovations and hottest products for the 2013-14. Attendees packed up and headed to to the On-Snow Demo Feb. 4-5, hosted in conjunction with the Western Winter Sports Reps Association's Rocky Mountain Demo and in partnership with the Cross Country Ski Areas Association at Winter Park and the Nordic Demo at Devil's Thumb Ranch.

NSAA's western trade show and conference, held at Snowbird in Utah from January 22-24, 2013, had a total of 731 attendees who networked, shopped and enjoyed the Utah Slopes. Of the 731 total, 374 were ski area attendees representing 78 ski areas and 357 supplier attendees representing 136 companies.