SAM Magazine--Salt Lake City, Utah, January 15, 2014--Wasatch Equality announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Alta and The U.S. Forest Service in an attempt to open the ski area up to snowboarders. The non-profit group was formed solely for this purpose. The following is a portion of the group's release: SALT LAKE CITY — J...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Jan. 14, 2014—Despite late and so-so snowfall and average visitation, U.S. winter resorts posted a record level of operating profit in 2012-13, and their second-highest gross revenue, according to the recently published 2012-13 Economic Analysis of United States Ski Areas. The report, prepared by RRC Assocs. and the...

SAM Magazine--January 14, 2014--Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) announced today that its 21 member resorts reported an increase in skier visitation for the beginning of the 2013/14 ski season. Skier visits at CSCUSA resorts were up by 22 percent during the first period of the 2013/14 season, defined this year as opening day of the season (October...

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Jan. 9, 2014—Snow sports retail sales soared 14 percent in November from year-ago levels as the season began in earnest, the latest data from the SIA RetailTRAK show. The survey is based on point-of-sale data from more than 1,200 snow sports retailers. For the year through November, sales totaled $1.2 b...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Jan. 7, 2014—Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn will not participate in the upcoming Sochi Olympics due to instability in her surgically repaired right knee, and will undergo another surgery soon so that she has time to recover for the 2015 World Alpine Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek. The decision means V...

SAM Magazine—Beaver Creek, Colo.–Jan. 3, 2014 –Beaver Creek is replacing its primary express quad from the base area with a new high-speed combination chairlift and gondola. The new lift will increase uphill capacity by as much as 35 percent through the use of alternating 10-passenger gondola cabins and six-person chairs. The new ...

SAM Magazine—Grenoble, France, Dec, 30, 2013—Seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher is in critical condition in a French hospital with head injuries suffered on Sunday morning while skiing off-piste at Meribel. Update: His condition is slightly improved following a second operation on Monday night that relieved pressure on his...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Dec. 30, 2013—Lodging properties at a sample of Eastern mountain resorts are reporting a 13 percent increase in projected reservations revenue for 2013-14 over last year, according to the most recent data released by Denver-based DestiMetrics. DestiMetrics has been collecting research data in the Eastern U.S. and...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 30, 2013—After 28 days and 26 resorts in four countries, 10 lifetime Epic Passes were awarded to the winners of the Vail Resorts’ Epic Race to Ski the World. The Epic Race was intended as a season-long quest to ski and ride all 26 resorts spread across 4 countries on the Epic Pass. The reward: ...

SAM Magazine—Bloomington, Minn., Dec. 18, 2013—The Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area is set to upgrade its base lodge and parking areas and thus improve its services to the increasing throngs that visit the hill. The Bloomington City Council approved the $14.2 million expansion of the ski area earlier this week, according to local business ...

SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo. Dec. 16, 2013—Positive snow equity from last winter, good early season snowfall this year, and stronger financial news are combining to drive occupancy and revenues at western mountain destinations to one of their strongest starts in memory, according to the most recent data released by the Denver-based DestiM...

SAM Magazine—North Conway, N.H., Dec. 16, 2013—Cranmore Mountain Resort has unveiled a Master Development Plan at a town Planning Board Meeting here to replace dated ski facilities with a mix of combination service space/residential condominium buildings and residential-only condos. “Mixing new ski facilities with condominiums ...

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2013—Snow sports retailers sold $624 million in apparel, accessories and equipment from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, a three percent increase from the prior year, according to the Snowsports Industry America (SIA) RetailTRAK survey of more than 1,200 snowsports retailers. Good snow conditions in late Nov...

SAM Magazine--Taos, N.M., December 11, 2013--Mickey Blake, COO of Taos Ski Valley and son of ski pioneers Ernie and Rhoda Blake, announced today that the family-held corporation has entered into an agreement with conservationist Louis Bacon who will purchase the resort. Blake stated, "Louis and his team have been true partners for many year...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Dec. 3, 2013—Powdr Enterprises, a division of Powdr Corp., has acquired the Emmy Award-winning television series “World of Adventure Sports Presented by GoPro.” Powdr Enterprises is expanding the show from a television series airing on NBC and NBCSN into a year-round, multi-platform offering tha...