SAM Magazine—Nov. 5, 2015—While Killington Resort, Vt., was the first ski resort to open in the U.S. this season on Oct. 18, and Loveland and Arapahoe Basin, Colo., were the first to begin daily operations Oct. 29, several additional ski areas have opened or plan to kick-start their 2015-16 winter operations in the coming days. The f...

SAM Magazine—Donnelly, Idaho, Nov. 5, 2015—In a sign of Tamarack’s return to normal resort operations, the resort is launching Tamarack Lodging Co., the official reservation and property management company for Tamarack Resort, according to resort operator Replay Resorts. Tamarack is also resuming operation of all food and beverage...

SAM Magazine—Comox, B.C., Nov. 4, 2015—A Canadian subsidiary of Pacific Group Resorts Inc. (PGRI) has purchased Mount Washington Alpine Resort located on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. According to Vern Greco, PGRI president and the CEO, the transition had been in the works for a few years. PGRI owns all 81 alpine runs and 22 ...

SAM Magazine—Las Vegas, Nev., Nov. 4, 2015—After more than a decade of trying to rebrand itself as Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, the area is switching back to its original name, Lee Canyon, as of Nov. 9. “Despite changing our name to Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort in 2003, locals and longtime guests still refer to u...

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Nov. 3, 2015—After nominations were collected last month for the I Am a Snowmaker competition, sponsored by SAM Magazine and HKD Snowmakers, six resorts were named 2016 finalists: Copper Mountain, Colo.; Okemo, Vt.; Sunday River, Maine; Whistler, B.C; Cataloochee, N.C.; and Stowe, Vt.

SAM Magazine—Auburn, Maine, Nov. 2, 2015—Scott Shanaman, a New Hampshire-based tramway inspector, is the new owner of Maine’s Lost Valley Ski Area. Home to 15 trails, two chairlifts and one lodge, the ski hill plans to open for the 2015-16 season on Dec. 18. The ski resort and banquet facility, located 35 miles southwest of Aug...

SAM Magazine—Avon, Colo., Oct. 30, 2016—A group of ski and snowboard instructors at Beaver Creek resort are looking to form a union, as early as this winter. If they are successful, the union would be the first of its kind in the United States. The instructors have asked the Communication Workers of American (CWA) in Denver to help them...

SAM Magazine—McCall, Idaho, Oct. 28, 2015—Brundage Mountain Resort is offering free lift tickets for its beginner chairlift this season in hopes of attracting newcomers of all ages. “We want to give people a free sample of the Brundage Mountain experience because we’re confident that they’ll fall in love with the sp...

SAM Magazine—Garden Valley, Idaho, Oct. 28, 2015—Idaho’s X-Sports Tubing Hill is now under the ownership of Jason and Kelly Sawin. X-Sports is home to 900-foot long tubing lanes ranging from beginner to advanced. The facility also has 15 miles of Nordic ski trails. The couple, who also own CHS Snowmakers, will be moving to Garden ...

SAM Magazine—Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Oct. 28, 2015—Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin will open for the 2015-16 winter season Oct. 29, matching the plan of neighbor Loveland Ski Area. “The recent cold weather and currently snowy conditions allow for a tremendous start to the season,” said Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe’s CEO....

SAM Magazine—Georgetown, Colo., Oct. 27, 2015—Loveland Ski Area will be the first resort in Colorado to open for the 2015-16 season on Thursday. That is, unless Arapahoe Basin gets open before then. “A winter storm delivered 17.5 inches of natural snow last week and brought the cold temperatures our snowmakers had been waiting ...

Jiminy's 12-acre installation can produce 2.3 megawatts. Photo courtesy of jiminypeak.com. The 12-acre installation located near the base Jiminy Peak encompasses 7,500 solar panels, making it the largest of its kind in the Northeast. The solar panels can produce 2.3 megawatts; combined with the resort’s 1.5 MW wind turbine,...

SAM Magazine—Boise, Idaho, Oct. 27, 2015—The board of directors at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area has chosen Brad Wilson to be the resort’s new general manager. Wilson has worked in a variety of management, marketing, sales and master planning roles over the past 30-plus yeas in the ski resort and hospitality industries. He ...

SAM Magazine—Ishpeming, Mich., Oct 26, 2015—The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame has chosen seven pioneers to join the Hall as part of the Class of 2015. They are: freestyle skiing world champions Genia Fuller and Bob Salerno; David Ingemie, president and CEO of Snowsports Industries America (SIA); former Skiing magazine publisher He...

The annual Toronto Snow Show, Oct. 15-18, 2015, at the International Centre, helped kick-start the upcoming Canadian winter ski season—as well as the North American consumer show season. Featuring a mix of vendors, local retailers and 40+ resorts from across North America, thousands of consumers flooded the trade show floor looking to purchas...