• Lifts
• Safety

SAM Magazine—Washington D.C., June 23, 2020—President Trump issued a proclamation Monday that extends a freeze on several types of immigration visas—including J-1 cultural exchange visas and H-2B temporary worker visas, both vital to the mountain resort industry—through December. The administration cites the pandemic and resulting high unem...

• Lifts
• Ski School

SAM Magazine—Denver, June 22, 2020—As stay-at-home restrictions ease, and lodging properties throughout the western mountain region are gradually opening up more capacity, demand has ticked up slightly. However, according to the monthly DestiMetrics* Market Briefing from Inntopia, aggregated summer occupancy is still limping along, down 85.4 pe...

• Ski School

In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. For even more updates on industry people, be sure to read News & Views in the upcoming July issue of SAM. Resorts Don Finn, Crystal Mountain, Wash. Don Finn started as Crystal Mountain’s director of sales on March 15...

• Summer

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., June 17, 2020—Skier visits in the U.S. totaled 51.1 million in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). That represents a 13.9 percent decline from 2018-19, which was the fourth-best season on record. NSAA projected that 2019-20 would have topped the previous ye...

• Summer

SAM Magazine—Aspen Snowmass, Colo., June 12, 2020—The Mountain Collective pass now includes Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia, bringing the total number of resorts on the pass to 23. Passholders get two days access to each resort on the pass, and 50 percent off daily lift tickets on all additional days, plus a bonus third day at one destinat...

• Summer

Snowsports Organizations Commit to Diversity, Inclusivity and Equity SAM Magazine—Denver, June 12, 2020—Snowsports organizations continue to rally in support of the global call to end racial injustice and inequity. Schone Malliet, CEO and president of Winter4Kids, which introduces thousands of people of color to snowsports each winter at its ...

• Summer

SAM Magazine—Queenstown, New Zealand, June 10, 2020—Ski Areas Association New Zealand (SAANZ) has shared its coronavirus-mitigating operations protocols with resorts worldwide so that they can benefit from the group's work. Paul Anderson, CEO of NZSki, which owns The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, and Mt. Hutt, provided the document to SAM followi...

• Rental
• Summer

SAM Magazine—Aspen, Colo., June 10, 2020—The leaders of two of the biggest players in the mountain resort industry have responded to the worldwide movement to end racial inequality and injustice. Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz published an open letter titled ,“We Are Part of the Problem,” and Aspen Skiing Company CEO Mike Kaplan and Skico owner...

• Summer

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., June 4, 2020—Vail Resorts' third-quarter report showed the impact of the pandemic shutdown on business at its 37 resorts worldwide, including 34 in North America. Overall mountain division revenues for the first nine months of VR's fiscal year, through April 30, fell by 7.6 percent. Third-quarter results, which w...

• Rental
• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., June 4, 2020—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) presented awards in sustainability, safety, growth and marketing during the association’s virtual awards ceremony June 3. The online fête was Halley O'Brienhosted by “The Snow Report Show” and “SnoCountry Snapshot” star Halley O'Brien.   On t...

• Marketing
• Lift Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Pittsfield, Mass., June 1, 2020—Bousquet Mountain ski area in western Massachusetts has been acquired by Mill Town community impact fund, a local Pittsfield-based private investment group. Mill Town bought the ski area from the Tamarack Ski Nominee Trust and owners Sherry and PJ Roberts for an undisclosed amount. Sherry Roberts ac...

• Miscellaneous
• Lift Maintenance

SAM Magazine—May 29, 2020—Multi-phase opening plans abound as resorts across the nation aim to get summer operations rolling. Memorial Day weekend saw a smattering of ski areas opening a limited range of activities, all with state approval and strict new guidelines. As stay-at-home orders continue to be rolled back, many resorts are looking at ...

• Ski Area Profiles
• Lift Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., May 29, 2020—The National Ski Patrol (NSP), in partnership with Jones & Bartlett Learning (JBL), published its sixth edition of Outdoor Emergency Care: A Patroller’s Guide to Medical Care (OEC). The latest edition has been reformatted for greater accessibility, includes updates on new medical best practices a...

• Lifts
• Lift Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Dillon, Colo., May 26, 2020—Arapahoe Basin’s variance request to partially reopen for skiing and snowboarding was approved by the state of Colorado, so the ski area will restart limited operations on Wednesday, May 27. A-Basin will host a maximum of 600 guests per day, all of whom must register online in advance. The demand for ...

• Ski Area Profiles

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., May 21, 2020—The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is working with a national coalition of nonprofits, outdoor businesses, and land managers to launch the Recreate Responsibly campaign. The program presents guidelines and best practices for enjoying the outdoors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With stay-at-home restri...