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  • SAM Taps Whistler Blackcomb to Host 2025 Summer Ops Camp

    SAM Magazine—Whistler, British Columbia, March 18, 2025—SAM’s Summer Ops Camp will be held at Whistler Blackcomb, Sept. 2-4, 2025, offering three days of education, networking, and hands-on learning focused on the future of summer operations at mountain resorts. This year’s camp will also feature a partnership with the Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA), bringing together a dynamic mix of resort professionals from across North America.   Whistler Blackcomb has been at the forefront of year-round recreation development, balancing business innovation with environmental sustainability. With a robust lineup of summer attractions—including the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Peak...

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Arizona Snowbowl Going Big with New Telemix Lift

SAM Magazine—Flagstaff, Ariz., March 6, 2020—Arizona Snowbowl will be replacing its Agassiz chairlift with a state-of-the-art combination Telemix lift from Leitner-Poma. The new high-speed lift will feature six-person chairs interspersed with eight-person gondola cabins and will climb 2,000 vertical feet in less than seven minutes—less than h...

SPECIAL REPORT: COVID-19 AND THE ECONOMY

seven things to expect for destination travel businesses By Tom Foley, Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Analytics for Inntopia We’re providing this narrative as a proactive discussion about the potential impacts of the spreading Covid-19 virus, its economic consequences, and the potential impact on the destination travel industr...

2020-21 Pass Wars Begin

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., March 4, 2020—Next season’s pass wars are off and running. Alterra announced several days ago that it will put its 2020-21 Ikon passes on sale March 5. Not to be outdone, Vail Resorts’ Epic, with a new Northeast Value Pass and mountain rewards, went on sale March 3. Other resorts beat the big two to the punch...

Dirk Gouwens Named Ski Maine Executive Director

SAM Magazine—Portland, Maine, March 3, 2020—Ski Maine Association has hired Dirk Gouwens as the organization’s new executive director. Gouwens will replace Greg Sweetser, who is retiring in May after 24 years leading the association. Ski Maine represents 16 alpine ski areas and 21 Nordic ski centers in the state. Gouwens has been the U....

“A Day for Jake” to Honor Burton Founder Jake Carpenter

SAM Magazine—Burlington, Vt., Feb. 26, 2020—Burton Snowboards has organized “A Day for Jake,” Friday, March 13, 2020, to honor the memory and legacy of the company’s founder, Jake Burton Carpenter, who died in November. Thirteen mountain resorts around the world are celebrating by offering free lift tickets to snowboarders of all ability ...

Presidents' Week Crowds Boost Business for Many

SAM Magazine—Burlington, Vt., Feb. 27, 2020—Many resorts saw the usual uptick in crowds over Presidents' Day weekend and into the midweek, despite some experiencing a mixed bag of weather prior to the holiday. The weekend, and the holiday week in the Midwest and Northeast, was strong all along the northern tier and in the Rockies.At Cannon Moun...

Western Lodging Softens Despite Ample Snow

SAM Magazine—Denver, Feb. 20, 2020—Despite widely-reported exceptional skiing and riding, lodging occupancy is slipping year-over-year at many Western resorts, according to the most recent Market Briefing released by DestiMetrics from Inntopia. However, rates continue to creep up, allowing lodging properties to maintain healthy revenue results....

Marquette Mountain Under New Ownership

SAM Magazine—Marquette, Mich., Feb. 20, 2020—A staple of the Upper Michigan ski scene is changing hands. Peter and Lois O’Devero have sold Marquette Mountain and its surrounding 330 acres to Eric and Sarah Jorgensen of Hartland, Wis., owners of transportation company JX Enterprises Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Founded in 1...

Report: Colorado Has a New Ski Area. Or Does It?

by Tom WinterWhat has been billed as “Colorado’s first new ski area in nearly 20 years” looks suspiciously like a backcountry ski guide operation. The “ski area,” Bluebird Backcountry, plans to open approximately 1,500 acres of skiable terrain with 2,200 feet of vertical drop to the general public on Feb. 15. Three hundred acres of this i...

Snow People - February

Snow People is our monthly roundup of happenings to the people of and around the mountain resort industry. Send any personnel news to: news@saminfo.com. CHRIS JARNOT, MAYFLOWER MOUNTAIN VILLAGE, UTAH Industry veteran , and former SAMMY winner, Chris Jarnot has accepted a consulting role with Extell Development Company (EDC), focusing on Extell’...

NSAA Eastern Conference Draws Big Crowd

SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., Feb. 7, 2020—Following a strong western meeting in Squaw Valley, the 2020 National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) Eastern Winter Conference and Trade Show was held at Killington Resort, Feb. 4 and 5. A big crowd of 677 ski area operators, suppliers, and speakers gathered for informative sessions, great skiing and rid...

White Pine Ski Area Up for Sale

SAM apologizes for a previous rendition of this article that had inaccuracies. Please note this was updated on Febuary 9, 2020 to reflect requested changes.  SAM Magazine—Sublette County, Wyo., Feb. 7, 2020—The White Pine Ski Area and Resort outside Pinedale, Wyoming, is being put up for sale by the majority owners of Citizens to Save Whi...

Squaw/Alpine Gondola Lawsuit Dropped, Project Moving Forward

SAM Magazine – Olympic Valley, Calif., Feb. 6, 2020 – The Granite Chief Wilderness Protection League reached an agreement with Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows to dismiss the lawsuit against the approval of the Squaw’s Base-to-Base Gondola. The lawsuit originally challenged the adequacy of the environmental analysis and the County Board ...

Winter Jam NYC Brings Snowsports to Central Park

SAM Magazine—New York City, Feb. 5, 2020—Roughly 15,000 people came out to play on the snow and ice for Winter Jam NYC, held Saturday, Feb. 1 in New York City’s Central Park. Presented by NYC Parks, the Olympic Regional Development Authority, I Love NY, and I Ski NY, the free event featured a variety of winter sports and activities for visito...

Outdoor Participation Report Highlights Alarming Trends

SAM Magazine—Denver, Feb. 4, 2020—The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), released its annual study of participation in outdoor recreation activities, and the results are sobering. According to the 2019 Outdoor Participation Report, Americans are staying inside more and more while engaging less frequ...