• Resort Development
• Ski Area Profiles

In SAM’s monthly Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. This report was written by Katie Brinton. JOE HESSION, N.J. Snow Operating CEO Joe Hession was named the keynote speaker for the 2019 Interski Congress at Pamporovo, Bulgaria, this March. Hession was nominated by the ...

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Jan. 21, 2019—Head has named Jon Rucker as president of the Head/Tyrolia USA Winter Sports Division. He has been with the company for nearly a decade, and served as vice president for the past seven years.“Jon’s leadership of our Winter Sports Division has helped drive us to record heights," said Head North Amer...

• Resort Development
• Grooming
• Trail Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Oberhofen, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2019—The eighth annual World Snow Day held Jan. 20 encouraged would-be winter sports participants to try skiing and snowboarding. Word of the Day's 464 events, from South America to China, reached a reported 3.5 million people in 45 countries. World Snow Day was created by the Internationa...

• Safety

SAM Magazine—Denver, Jan. 18, 2019—Strategic rate management coupled with widespread snowfall across the western U.S. helped turn December from a challenging month to a revenue winner for mountain lodging properties. According to Inntopia's monthly DestiMetrics Market Briefing, bookings made in December 2018 for arrivals in that month were up a...

• Snowmaking
• Grooming
• Trail Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Jay Peak, Vt., Jan. 17, 2019—The court-appointed receiver who’s been overseeing Jay Peak since the resort was seized by the SEC nearly three years ago has put Jay up for sale, with the help of financial services firm, Houlihan Lokey. No sale price has been set, but recent news reports speculate it could be anywhere from $60 ...

• Lifts
• Safety

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Jan. 17, 2019—The 2018-19 HKD I AM a Snowmaker contest, showcasing six snowmaking teams from resorts across North America, concluded on Tuesday, Jan. 15. Nearly 4,000 votes were cast over the 12-day voting period, with the Mount Sunapee, N.H., snowmaking crew earning the most votes to emerge as the winner. The crew w...

• Snowmaking

SAM Magazine—Oberhofen, Switzerland, Jan. 14, 2019—The eighth edition of World Snow Day, a FIS (International Ski Federation) initiative aimed at increasing participation in and awareness of winter sports, will take place on Sunday, Jan. 20. The events also promote environmental stewardship, the health benefits of snowsports, and safety. T...

• Marketing
• Lifts

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Jan. 14, 2019‚—Vail Resorts, Inc. (VR), said visits through the holiday period, Jan. 6, were up nearly 17 percent compared to a year ago, and major revenue departments also showed gains. But VR had expected even better results, compared to a relatively poor early season a year ago, and said it now expects resor...

• Environment

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 9, 2019—After more than 40,000 lift rides and 44 years in the business, working at six ski resorts, in five states, and with one Austrian lift manufacturer, F. Scott Pierpont retired from the industry on Dec. 21.“There are many wonderful people who share my passion for skiing in this country, and it has...

• Marketing
• Environment

SAM Magazine—Ludlow, Vt., Jan. 8, 2019—Americans seemed keen to spend their holiday break this winter on the snow, as resorts across most regions saw an upward trend in visitation and revenue. Whitefish Mountain Resort on December 30, 2018 This was particularly true out west where resorts benefited from ample natural snowfall.The Rockies ...

• Environment
• Ski School

SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Jan. 8, 2019—Dave Rathbun, a snowsports vet with more than 30 years of experience in the resort and hospitality industry, has been named the new general manager of Purgatory Resort in Colorado.Rathbun, a 2010 SAMMY Award winner, got his start at Stratton Mountain, Vt., as a lift attendant. He served in management po...

• Snowmaking

        EDITORS' PICKS: As we charge into 2019, we at SAM took a look back at some of our favorite articles from 2018 and selected a top-10 (OK, top 11) list. The list encompasses some of the most important stories that occupied the industry in the past year: • welcoming a new president of NSAA• pursuing market grow...

• Snowmaking

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Jan. 4, 2019—Voting for HKD’s I Am a Snowmaker contest opens today and continues through Monday, Jan. 14. Started in the winter of 2013-14, the contest highlights the hard work, determination and camaraderie of snowmakers, and recognizes how critical they are to the success of our industry.Six teams were chosen in ...

• Snowmaking
• Ski Area Profiles

SAM Magazine—Snowmass, Colo., Jan. 3, 2019—After more than 23 years working in leadership roles for Aspen Skiing Company, Susan Cross now holds the top spot at Snowmass as the resort’s new general manager. Cross succeeds Steve Sewell, who retired Dec. 31 after a 42-year career with SkiCo. He had served as Snowmass GM since 2006. Cross be...

• Snowmaking
• Environment

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., Jan. 3, 2019—Nearly 2,500 votes were cast in the 14thannual SAM Terrain Park Contest, in which a total of 52 entries from ski areas around the world looked to earn the top spot in one of the three contest categories: Bread and Butter, Terrain Park Event, and Terrain Park Feature. The votes have been tallied, and th...