• leadership

In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight personnel moves in the mountain resort industry. From resort hires, promotions, and retirements to awards, obits, and supplier news, we celebrate the people that make this industry thrive. PEOPLE KARA FINLEY, TAMARACK RESORT, ID Tamarack Resort chief financial officer Kara Finley is now also the resort’s ...

SAM Magazine—L’Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec, and Enfield, N.H., Dec. 31, 2024—Two community-owned ski areas have forged a unique partnership. Starting this winter, season pass holders from Mont Edouard in Quebec and Whaleback Mountain in New Hampshire have unlimited reciprocal access at no additional cost. “As community-owned ski areas, we shar...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Dec. 31, 2024—Park City ski patrollers went on strike Friday, Dec. 27, after a breakdown in mediated contract negotiations with Park City Mountain-owner Vail Resorts. In a statement shared online, the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) cited “Vail’s bad faith tactics” in a Thursday, Dec. ...

• leadership

SAM Magazine—Brighton, Mich., Dec. 30, 2024—Vail Resorts has promoted Megan Greenlee from senior manager of food and beverage at Afton Alps, Minn., to general manager of Mt. Brighton in Michigan, effective January 13.Credit to Mt. Brighton  She succeeds Mike Giorgio, who took over as general manager of Stowe Mountain Resort, Vt., in November....

SAM Magazine—Dresser, Wis., Dec. 20, 2024—Photo credit: Krista HoldenSeventeen female terrain park builders gathered Dec. 8-14 at Trollhaugen Ski Area for the 4th annual Take the Rake—a weeklong event where female diggers and snowcat operators attend shop clinics and on-hill workshops to learn about topics ranging from rail setting and park m...

• leadership

SAM Magazine—Cheyenne, Wyo., Dec. 20, 2024—Grand America Hotels & Resorts has promoted Pete Sonntag to chief operating officer of Sun Valley Resort, Idaho, and Davy Ratchford to chief operating officer of Snowbasin Resort, Utah. Both will also continue in their current capacity as general managers of their respective resorts. Davy Ratchfo...

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Dec. 18, 2024—Vail Resorts and union representatives for the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) have agreed to mediation following a Dec. 16 bargaining session. Courtesy of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association Members of PCPSPA unanimously voted Dec. 14 to authorize the union to d...

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo. Dec. 16, 2024—Bookings for the winter months surged during November at Western resorts, according to the monthly Market Briefing from DestiMetrics, the business intelligence division of Inntopia. For participating properties in 17 mountain destinations across seven western U.S. states the combination of occupancy...

• Grooming

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Dec. 16, 2024—More than 1,700 votes were cast in the 18th annual SAM Terrain Park Contest in which a total of 60 resort-submitted entries from ski areas around the globe competed for the top spot in one of four categories: features, events, edits, and park crews.  A selection of entries was shared in the November 2...

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 11, 2024—Vail Resorts (VR) has reported results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 ended Oct. 31 and provided season pass sales results for the 2024-25 season. For the quarter, financial results were similar to the prior-year period. Total net revenue increased $1.7 million, or 0.7 percent, to $260.3 ...

• leadership

SAM Magazine—West Dover, Vt., Dec. 4, 2024—Lea Gabrielle Potts is the new vice president and general manager of Mount Snow, Vt., effective Dec. 19. A newcomer to the ski industry, Potts fills a seat that’s been vacant since late July when former Mount Snow VP and GM Brian Suhadolc departed for Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia.  Accord...

SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., Dec. 4, 2024—The annual Stifel Killington Cup, a women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup race, drew more than 39,000 visitors to Killington Resort over Thanksgiving weekend, with a record 21,500 in attendance for Saturday’s giant slalom race featuring Mikaela Shiffrin, who was racing for a historic 100th win. This is t...

• leadership

SAM Magazine—Twin Bridges, Calif., Dec. 4, 2024—Dan Healy is returning to Sierra-at-Tahoe, this time as the resort’s vice president and general manager, effective early January 2025. Healy previously served as director of snowsports at Sierra for more than three years until 2021, when he moved to his current role as vice president, recreation...

• leadership

SAM Magazine—Gorham, N.H., Dec. 3, 2024—Vail Resorts has appointed Brandon Swartz general manager of Wildcat Resort, effective immediately. Swartz, who currently serves as general manager of Attitash Mountain, will now oversee operations at both resorts, fostering greater collaboration between the neighboring properties.Credit Wildcat Mountain ...

SAM Magazine—Boston, Mass., Nov. 25, 2024—Snowbound Boston returned to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Nov. 15-17. Attendance was flat year-over-year, with the event drawing more than 21,000 visitors across three days of sunny and mild weather in the city. Event organizer Racoon Media Group reported having more than 200 brands an...