• Terrain Park
• Terrain

Welcome to the February edition of Snow People, our monthly roundup of happenings to prominent people in the mountain resort industry.

• Ticketing

SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., Feb. 23, 2017—Resort managers and operators from across North America will gather at the 2017 edition of SAM’s Summer Ops Camp, Sept. 5-7, at Killington in central Vermont. The annual hands-on educational and networking event focuses on maximizing four-season operations and revenue, which makes Killington and its ongoing multi-million dollar investment into summer attractions and activities an ideal location for the event.

• Weather
• Marketing
• Public Relations / Publicity

SAM Magazine—Taos Ski Valley, N.M., Feb. 22, 2017—Taos Ski Valley is the first ski resort in the world to become a Certified B Corporation, a recognition awarded to for-profit companies that meet the highest standards of economic, social and environmental performance, and public transparency. These standards are verified by B Lab, a “nonprofit organization that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good.” There are 2,048 Certified B Corps in the world.

• Personnel Issues
• Management

SAM Magazine—Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Feb. 22, 2017—Following nearly 10 years of planning, Arapahoe Basin gained approval from the National Forest Service for a 468-acre terrain expansion into an area located to the west of the existing ski area boundary called the Beavers and the Steep Gullies, eventually served by a new fixed-grip quad scheduled to be installed for the 2018-19 season. When complete, the new terrain will bring A-Basin’s total skiable area to 1,428 acres.

• Mountain Spy
• Customer Service
• Activities

SAM Magazine—Highmount, N.Y., Feb. 22, 2017—After committing $20 million in January to upgrade state-owned Gore Mountain and Whiteface, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today said the state would invest an additional $8 million for upgrades at Belleayre Ski Center. The investment includes a new eight-person gondola as well as upgrading and expanding its two main lodges.

• New Ideas

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Feb. 21, 2017—The rumors began swirling recently that Vail Resorts was looking to expand its portfolio east, and Stowe Mountain Resort was its target. The rumors were true. Vail Resorts is acquiring all of the assets related to Stowe’s mountain operations, including base area skier services (food and beverage, retail and rental, lift ticket offices and ski and snowboard school facilities) at Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak from Mt. Mansfield Company, Inc.—a wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Group (AIG)—for $50 million.

• News
• Opinion

SAM Magazine—Denver, Feb. 17, 2017—In its winter mid-season summary for more than 290 participating lodging properties, DestiMetrics reported that generous snowfall across the Rocky Mountain and Far West regions contributed to both positive and negative trends in lodging numbers at western mountain destinations. As of Jan. 31, aggregated actual occupancy for the winter season from November through April was up 1.3 percent, and revenues were up 8.7 percent compared to the same time last year.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Feb. 10, 2017—Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc., reported improved numbers for the second quarter ending Dec. 31, 2016, compared to the same period last year.

SAM Magazine—Wildwood, Mo., Feb. 10, 2017—With improved snow conditions compared to a year ago, sales of Peak Resorts’ new Peak Pass products were up 28 percent in units and 23 percent in dollars from the beginning of the ski season through Jan. 29, 2017, compared to the same period year-over-year. Paid skier visits at the company’s 14 ski areas were up 40 percent through the same period.

SAM Magazine—Teton Village, Wyo., Feb. 8, 2017—A massive power outage overnight Tuesday has left Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Teton Village without power, and the resort will be closed at least through the weekend as a result. At present, the resort is targeting Monday, Feb. 13 as a possible reopening date.

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Jan. 31, 2017—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has posted on its website details for the position of president and CEO, and is soliciting resumes from prospective candidates. The new head will succeed longtime president Michael Berry, who is retiring at the end of the year.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Jan. 26, 2017—During yesterday’s National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) board meeting in Denver at the SIA Snow Show, NSAA president Michael Berry informed the board that he is retiring at the end of this calendar year. Berry has been president of NSAA since January 1993.

SAM Magazine—Princeton, Mass., Jan. 26, 2017—Head Skis has been working with the Professional Ski Instructors of America on a rekindled graduated-length method of learning, called Headway, which guarantees results in just one day. This “total immersion” program combines three different lengths of specially-designed rental skis with all-day instruction, and on-mountain testing of the program has officially begun at two participating resorts.

SAM Magazine—United Kingdom, Jan. 26, 2017—Over in the United Kingdom, taking selfies while skiing and riding has its consequences, according to a recent study of British skiers funded by UK-based travel insurance company Columbus Direct. The company’s research revealed that just over half (51 percent) of experienced skiers have been injured while trying to film or photograph themselves skiing/riding on expert terrain or off-piste.

SAM Magazine—Waitsfield, Vt., Jan. 26, 2017—The nation’s only cooperatively-owned ski area, Mad River Glen in Vermont, has hired Matt Lillard as its new general manager. Lillard is currently the GM of community-owned Eaglecrest Ski Area in Juneau, Alaska, where he’s been at the helm for the past five years. He’ll start at Mad River in early March.