• Lifts

SAM Magazine—Sandia Park, N.M., Oct. 16, 2023—Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) and Sandia Peak Ski Company have entered a joint venture agreement for the operation of Sandia Peak Ski Area, located 35 miles northeast of Albuquerque, N.M. This is MCP’s third New Mexico ski area, bringing the company’s total portfolio to 14 ski, bike, and golf ...

• Environment
• Ski Patrol

SAM Magazine—Stowe, Vt., Oct. 12, 2023—Plans for a proposed gondola connecting Smugglers’ Notch Resort and Stowe Mountain Resort have been withdrawn following initial disapproval from the Agency of Natural Resources, according to reporting by the News & Citizen.  Stowe, owned by Vail Resorts, and privately-held Smugglers’ Notch have r...

• Environment
• Ski Patrol

SAM Magazine—Breckenridge, Colo., Oct. 12, 2023—Breckenridge Ski Resort has promoted Jon Copeland, current vice president of mountain operations, to vice president and COO.  Copeland will lead mountain and base area operations, food and beverage, ski and snowboard school, summer operations, and other areas of business, while driving partnersh...

• Summer
• Grooming
• Trail Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Oct. 11, 2023—Alterra Mountain Company has initiated the purchaseof Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (MWHS) in Blue River, BC, Canada. Officials at Alterra said the addition will complement the company’s BC-based CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures operation, and is expected to be completed late this year, pending...

• Summer
• Ski School

SAM Magazine—New York City, Oct. 11, 2023—Ski Utah held its annual media event in Soho on Oct. 5, taking the opportunity to share in-person details of last year’s record winter in Utah and the latest news, including Powder Mountain’s announcement on Oct. 2 that it pulled all available lots as it moves forward on its rebranding process.  ...

• Rental
• Ski Area Profiles

SAM Magazine—Stratton, Vt., Oct. 11, 2023—Alterra Mountain Company has named Matt Jones president and COO of Vermont’s Stratton Mountain Resort. He most recently served as the VP and general manager of Kirkwood Mountain Resort in California. Jones will report to Alterra’s regional COO, Patrice Malo, and will be responsible for overseeing...

• Rental
• Ski Area Profiles

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 10, 2023—Out of a strong field of more than 75 nominations,10 talented mountain resort industry up-and-comers have been selected to participate in the sixth annual SAM Summit Series, a mentorship program aimed at developing future mountain resort industry leaders. The 10 mentees hail from areas of all sizes loca...

• Grooming
• Trail Maintenance
• Summer

SAM Magazine—Edmonton, Alberta, Oct. 10, 2023—Rabbit Hill Snow Resort, founded in 1955, has transitioned to new ownership—business partners Chuck and Lara Amerongen and Derek and Anna Look. The independently owned ski area is located about 20 miles southwest of Edmonton.  Rabbit Hill was purchased from former owner Jim Sutherland whose fath...

• Marketing
• Lifts

SAM Magazine—Granby, Colo., Oct. 10, 2023—The Indy Pass has added more than 50 new alpine and Nordic resorts in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan for the 2023-24 season. Sales of the pass have also reopened with limited supply available after sales were halted in April due to “overwhelming demand.” Would-be purchasers must join a waitlis...

• Marketing
• Environment

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 9, 2023—Ski areas across North America are invited to nominate their snowmaking teams to participate in the ninth annual “I AM a Snowmaker” contest, presented by HKD Snowmakers. The “I AM” contest highlights the importance of snowmakers and their unique role in mountain operations and the success of the ...

• Rental

SAM Magazine—Lake Placid, N.Y., Oct. 6, 2023—The New York Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) has named Ashley Walden its new CEO. Walden assumed the role in September, and replaced Mike Pratt, who retired after 38 years with the organization. The first woman to fill the top spot at ORDA, Walden will oversee all entities under the OR...

• Marketing
• Grooming
• Trail Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Oct. 5, 2023—Breckenridge Ski Resort (Colo.) vice president and COO Jody Churich has been promoted to the role of senior vice president and COO of Vail Resorts West Region, effective Oct. 16. She succeeds Doug Pierini, who is leaving the company as of Oct. 6. Courtesy of Sarah McLear, Breckenridge Ski Resort In...

• Rental
• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Windham, N.Y., Oct. 2, 2023—Today, the Windham Mountain Club, formerly known as Windham Mountain, unveiled its rebranding and capital upgrades for the 2023-24 winter season and beyond. The mountain will continue to be open to the public, with season passes and ticket products available, but will also offer private club memberships...

• Marketing
• Ski Area Profiles

SAM Magazine—Lake Placid, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2023—The Ski Areas of New York and Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association held their annual joint SKI NY-SKIPA Expo in Lake Placid, Sept. 25-27, with more than 350 ski area personnel, supplier partners, and experts on hand to learn, network, and have a little fun at the site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olym...

• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 29, 2023—Vail Resorts (VR) reported a drop in full-year net income for fiscal 2023, EBITDA that was essentially flat, and an increase in season-to-date pass sales for the 2023-24 season. VR's fiscal year ended on July 31. Key info in the year-end report, for the fiscal year ended July 31: Net income was d...