• Area Management

PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco shares his thoughts on the acquisition with SAM. SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Sept. 8, 2022—Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI) made the highest and best final bid to buy Jay Peak, $76 million, following an auction with multiple bidders. PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco told SAM that after three years spent pursuing...

• Lifts

Shanty Creek Resort and Hotel in Bellaire, Mich., became a vibrant scene of excitement for the winter season ahead during the annual Midwest Ski Areas Association Summer Meeting and Tradeshow Aug. 21-24, 2022. The event drew nearly 300 members for educational sessions, networking opportunities, and a tradeshow with 57 exhibitors. The conference ki...

• Marketing
• Personnel Issues

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Sept. 6, 2022—Bluebird Backcountry, Colo.; Chestnut Mountain, Ill.; and Snowriver, Mich., have joined the Indy Pass starting in winter 2022-23. With the additions, Indy Pass holders will have two days of access to 96 alpine ski areas and 13 Nordic ski areas in North America and Japan. "The addition of Chestnut and ...

• Miscellaneous

SAM Magazine—Hunter, N.Y., Sept. 6, 2022—Vail Resorts, in partnership with SAM magazine and Ski NY-Ski PA, has invited pro skier Drew Petersen to share the story of his mental health journey on Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. EDT during the Ski NY-Ski PA Expo at Hunter Mountain, N.Y.  The session will also be broadcast on Zoom as part of a special...

• Miscellaneous
• Lifts

SAM Magazine—Wrightwood, Calif., Sept. 1, 2022—The Powder Alliance has added two New Zealand resorts to its 2022-23 affiliate program lineup. The Tūroa and Whakapapa ski areas, both located on Mt. Ruapehu, the country's largest active volcano, join 19 other destinations in North America, Japan, and Canada as part of the reciprocal pass part...

• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 1, 2022—Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass has added Lotte Arai Resort in Japan and Panorama Mountain Resort in British Columbia. With the additions, the pass will provide access to more than 50 destinations in 10 countries for the 2022-23 season. Full Ikon Pass holders will have access to seven days at both reso...

• Marketing
• Miscellaneous

SAM Magazine—Duluth, Minn., Aug. 29, 2022—Charles Skinner Jr. has closed on the acquisition of Big Snow Resort, which includes Indianhead and Blackjack ski areas, all of which will be renamed with new branding. Big Snow will transition to Snowriver Mountain Resort, the Indianhead area will be called Jackson Creek Summit, and Blackjack will be B...

• Miscellaneous
• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Aug. 23, 2022—In a tight race, the lift maintenance team from Arizona Snowbowl and its featured lift mechanic Nick Gilbertson have won the 2022 Rise Up Challenge, sponsored by Leitner-Poma of America. Gilbertson and the Snowbowl team will be awarded a $3,500 education grant. More than 4,500 votes were cast in the c...

• Marketing

SAM Magazine—West Bolton, Quebec, Aug. 24, 2022—Former owner Peter White has entered into an agreement to purchase Mont Glen for CAD $6.1 million and plans to reopen the ski area in southern Quebec to the general public for operations this winter.  According to a report from Le Reflect du Lac, the acquisition is expected to close Oct. 31. W...

• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Aug. 24, 2022—With the likelihood that another bidder (or more) for Jay Peak will surface in the next few days, the resort’s federal court appointed receiver, Michael Goldberg, filed a motion Aug. 18 proposing a new deadline for the sale of the resort.  The motion states that any bidders must identify themselves and s...

• Lifts
• Miscellaneous

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Aug. 24, 2022—Indy Pass has added two more resorts to its growing list of partners for the 2022-23 season: Mountain High and Dodge Ridge, Calif. Dodge Ridge, Calif.The additions bring Indy Pass’s total alpine and Nordic resort partners to 106.  The partnerships are part of Indy’s strategy for growth in the We...

• Legal

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 23, 2022—Vail Resorts has updated its Covid protocols, dropping vaccine requirements for guests and staff, and will limit day ticket sales for the upcoming winter season, according to its 2022-23 operating plan.Covid protocols. Across all its resorts, the company will no longer require face coverings, vaccin...

SAM Magazine—Mars Hill, Maine, Aug. 17, 2022—The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) has awarded a $2.5 million grant to Big Rock Mountain to boost tourism by supporting investment into a new chairlift and increased snowmaking capacity at the Mars Hill, Maine, ski area. Big Rock Mountain is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit...

• Lifts

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Aug. 16, 2022—President Biden signed the $750 billion Inflation Reduction Act today. The package includes the largest climate, energy, and environmental justice investment ($370 billion) in U.S. history, from which the U.S. ski industry stands to benefit.  The legislation, which addresses health care and taxes ...

• Ski Patrol
• Legal

SAM Magazine—Stowe, Vt., Aug. 12, 2022—Daily rates at western mountain destinations are hovering at near record highs despite continued declines in occupancy totals for summer 2022, according to the Monthly Market Briefing from DestiMetrics, the Business Intelligence division of Inntopia. The downward trend in occupancy started as early as las...