SAM Magazine—Wrightwood, Calif., July 18, 2013—In response to the development of other multi-area pass deals, a dozen Western resorts have created the Powder Alliance and are offering free lift access to “anytime” passholders from member resorts. The areas are Crested Butte, Colo.; Snowbasin Resort, Utah; Sierra-at-Tahoe, Ch...

SAM Magazine--July 18, 2013--A proposed $74 million expansion of Belleayre Mountain Ski Center, in Ulster County, N.Y., is being opposed by neighboring Greene County lawmakers. In a letter to the State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Greene County legislature claims that using taxpayer dollars for the expansion of the state-owned ski ...

SAM Magazine—Stockholm, Sweden, July 15, 2013—Private equity group Altor is acquiring a majority stake in Rossignol Group from the current owners, Australian bank Macquarie (77 percent) and U.S. sporting goods conglomerate Jarden (17 percent), which also owns K2, Marker, Volkl, and several other brands. The deal values Rossignol at $196...

SAM Magazine—Denver, July 15, 2013—Hot temperatures throughout the western U.S. and increased summer programming have led to growing summer lodging occupancy, according to DestiMetrics (formerly the Mountain Travel Research Program). The June occupancy rate rose 3.9 percent compared to a year ago, and revenue increased by 9.9 percent. P...

SAM Magazine--July 16, 2013--According to published reports, a planned public auction at Tamarack Ski and Golf Resort in Idaho has been postponed for at least two months. The primary lender, Credit Suisse, had planned to auction off building materials and other furnishings today, July 15, and the county sheriff's office was going to sell off th...

SAM Magazine—Missoula, Mont., July 9, 2013—The U.S. Forest Service is considering would-be developer Tom Maclay’s latest proposal to build a destination ski resort on the Bitterroot and Lolo national forests. The Forest Service agreed to a first-stage screening on June 26, and has 60 days to determine if the proposal meets the age...

SAM Magazine—Detroit Lakes, Minn., July 9, 2013—Detroit Mountain Recreation Area supporters plan to initiate a fundraising effort this week to restore the town’s defunct ski area and turn it into a four-season activity center. The area last operated in 2004. Local businessmen formed the non-profit DMRA in 2010. The group conduc...

SAM Magazine—Rumford, Maine, June 27, 2013—The Maine Winter Sports Center (MWSC) will close the Black Mountain ski area here after the town voted to not fund the resort as a recreational resource. More than 3,000 miles to the northwest, at Mt. Sima in Whitehorse, Yukon, a similar story is playing out. In Maine, Andy Shepard, presiden...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, June 26, 2013—Vail Resorts (VR) has laid off 42 full-time employees at Canyons, many of them at the department manager level or higher, as it consolidates staff at Canyons Resort here. VR signed a lease agreement to manage Canyons just a month ago. In a prepared statement, VR spokeswoman Kelly Ladyga sai...

SAM Magazine—Queensbury, N.Y., June 25, 2013—West Mountain owner East Slope Holdings LP (ESH) filed for bankruptcy protection last week. The move could facilitate a change in ownership to Apex Capital LLC, owned by local stockbroker and ESH staff member Spencer Montgomery. East Slope Holdings sought Chapter 11 protection in federal B...

SAM Magazine—Big Bear Lake, Calif., June 20, 2013—The Snow Summit Ski Corporation board of directors has retained Houlihan Lokey (HL), an international investment banking firm, to market the company, with the possibility of selling it to one of a number of interested buyers. HL will be contacting various potential buyers as part of this...

SAM Magazine--June 20, 2013--Rusty Gregory, the CEO and chairman of Mammoth Mountain, Calif., announced a new leadership team today. The leadership change is effective immediately as the resort hopes to better align the organization to execute key strategies aimed at improving guest experience, communicating the brand and growing visitation to Mamm...

SAM Magazine—Canon City, Colo., June 18, 2013—A 3,200-acre wildfire last week destroyed much of the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. The iconic suspension bridge survived largely intact, along with several more recent additions, including the park’s skycoaster and zipline. But the park’s aerial tram was destroyed, along with 48 ...

SAM Magazine—Denver, June 18, 2013—Warm temperatures and good economic news are nudging western mountain destinations toward a record-breaking summer for lodging properties, based on the latest data from DestiMetrics, (formerly called the Mountain Travel Research Program). Occupancy during May achieved a year-over-year 14.6 percent i...

SAM Magazine—Bartlett, N.H., June 18, 2013—Peak Resorts has realigned management at several areas by promoting three individuals from within the company. Josh Boyd is now president of Boston Mills, Brandywine and Alpine Valley Ski Area, all in Ohio. Boyd has served as general manager of Wildcat Mountain since 2011. He will be relocat...