SAM Magazine-Denver, July 19, 2011-In the most recent data compiled by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP),* analysts found that despite current economic uncertainties, lodging occupancy in western mountain destinations continues to rise while nightly room and lodging rates remain flat, according to the most recent data compiled by the Mou...

SAM Magazine-Washington, D.C., July 15, 2011- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously recommended passage of the Ski Area Recreation Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011, which would amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to explicitly allow a much wider array of winter and summer activities within resort permit ...

SAM Magazine--July 15, 2011--Registration for SAM's Second Annual Summer Ops Camp is officially open. The camp, which will take place at Jiminy Peak, Mass., from October 3-5, 2011, will explore the many benefits of the growing opportunities in summer recreation in the mountains. From ziplines to waterparks, we will cover the wide range of summer at...

SAM Magazine--July 14, 2011--- July 14, 2011 - The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced today that U.S. ski areas set a new all-time record of 60.54 million skier/snowboarder visits during the 2010/11 season, according to the final Kottke End of Season Survey. The association announced preliminary figures in May projecting that, at an es...

SAM Magazine kicks off the 2011 Summer SAM CAM series with a visit to Amesbury Sports Park in Amesbury, MA., on June 26th, 2011 to take part in the resort's first Warrior Dash event. Amesbury is no stranger to large scale events like these, having done the Sparton Race Series the last couple of years, but the Warrior Dash Race attracted off-th...

SAM Magazine-Donner Summit, Calif., July 12, 2011-Boreal Mountain Resort will expand its presence in action sports with the opening of Woodward Tahoe, an action sports freeride and freeski instructional center and camp program, in the summer of 2012. The local planning commission recently approved Boreal's plans for a 33,000 square foot facility...

SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., July 8, 2011-The 11th Sustainable Slopes Annual Report from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) highlights the latest environmental implementations at ski areas including the use of electric vehicles, composting, local purchasing programs, efforts to reduce carbon footprints, water conservation efforts, and emplo...

SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., July 7, 2011-Specialty Sports Venture (SSV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, has acquired the assets of Outdoor Outlet, LLC, which operates O2GearShop.com, an online outdoor/snowsports retailer that drew more than 2 million total visits last year. "The addition of O2GearShop.com is a significant opportu...

SAM Magazine-Greenwood, Maine, July 7, 2011-Fire severely damaged the lodge at Mt. Abram Family Resort Wednesday evening after it was struck by lightning. The fire began on the third floor of the west wing, which housed the administrative offices; the roof collapsed onto the third floor, and parts of some walls collapsed or were consumed by the ...

SAM Magazine-Durban, South Africa, July 6, 2011-The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the 2018 Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang, South Korea, the first time the Winter Olympics has been hosted in the country and the third time for the Winter Games to take place in Asia. Pyeongchang has been campaigning for the honor for a decade. I...

SAM Magazine--July 5, 2011--The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Monday evening that slopestyle skiing and snowboarding would make their Olympic debut at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. Snowboarding parallel slalom was also added, while the proposed Alpine team event was not. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association played a key role i...

SAM Magazine-Boise, Idaho, July 5, 2011-Bank of America (BoA) is proceeding with its plan to remove and sell two Tamarack Resort lifts. The move could make it more difficult to find a buyer for the bankrupt resort. One lift provides access for homeowners, the second serves terrain on the resort's northern boundary. BoA is filing the necessary pa...

SAM Magazine--July 5, 2011--The Utah Ski & Snowboard Association closed its 202-day 2010-11 winter season July 4 at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort. Utah's 14 ski and snowboard resorts recorded 4,223,064 skier/snowboarder day visits during the season. This marks a 4.23 percent increase over last year's 4,048,153 and is less than a percentage point (...

SAM Magazine-Truckee, Calif., July 1, 2011-A grand total of 12 North American ski areas will be open this weekend for the 4th of July and Canada Day holidays, following what was for many a record-setting winter and spring snowfall. California will have the most ski areas open-a total of six. Mammoth has been open daily, as it has been since last...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., July 1, 2011-SnowSports Industries America (SIA) reports that a total of 31 million Americans say they are winter sports participants. Of that total, 21 million were active winter sports participants in the 2009-10 season, including approximately 18.3 million skiers and snowboarders who visited alpine resorts, according to...