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  • SAM Taps Whistler Blackcomb to Host 2025 Summer Ops Camp

    SAM Magazine—Whistler, British Columbia, March 18, 2025—SAM’s Summer Ops Camp will be held at Whistler Blackcomb, Sept. 2-4, 2025, offering three days of education, networking, and hands-on learning focused on the future of summer operations at mountain resorts. This year’s camp will also feature a partnership with the Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA), bringing together a dynamic mix of resort professionals from across North America.   Whistler Blackcomb has been at the forefront of year-round recreation development, balancing business innovation with environmental sustainability. With a robust lineup of summer attractions—including the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Peak...

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Michigan’s Norway Mountain to Reopen with New Owners

SAM Magazine—Norway, Mich., Sept. 11, 2023—Norway Mountain, idle since 2017, has been purchased by a local family who plans to reopen the 160-acre ski and snowboard area situated in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the 2024/25 season.  The Norway property, existing infrastructure, and an additional 50 acres outside of the area was purchased b...

Consumer Ski Shows Reporting Record Pre-Registrations

SAM Magazine—Boston, Mass., Sept. 8, 2023—The producers of Snowbound and Snowvana, two of the largest remaining consumer ski shows in the nation, report a record number of ski resorts and exhibitors have signed up to participate in the events this fall.   PowderDaze, a retail sales event in Colorado at which local resorts often sell passes, ...

Netflix CEO Acquires Majority Share of Powder Mountain

SAM Magazine—Eden, Utah, Sept. 6, 2023—Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings became the majority owner of Powder Mountain following a $100 million investment. Hastings acquired a minority stake in the ski area back in April. The new investment will develop the qualities that make Powder special, with a focus on bolstering infrastructure and...

Cleanup is Underway at Lee Canyon

SAM Magazine—Las Vegas, Nev., Sept. 6, 2023—Cleanup is underway at Lee Canyon after Tropical Storm Hilary caused significant flooding with flows of rock and debris settling in the base area that nearly buried lift load stations, forcing the resort to shut down its summer operations for the season.    “Our team is working with heavy machin...

Solitude to Unveil First Phase of New Bike Park

SAM Magazine—Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, Sept. 6, 2023—Just days after it reported its first dusting of snow for the season, Solitude, Utah, will unveil the first phase of its new Solitude Bike Park on Friday, Sept. 8, with four new downhill mountain bike trails—six miles total—that range from easy to difficult.  “With this initial pha...

PGRI Adjusts Executive Roles Amid Company Growth

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 29, 2023—Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI) is making a series of executive changes to accommodate its growth and to align itself for future expansion. PGRI owns five North American mountain resort properties—Jay Peak, Vt.; Mt. Washington Alpine Resort, B.C.; Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Colo.; Wintergreen Re...

B.C. Ski Areas Support Wildfire Evacuees and Emergency Personnel

SAM Magazine—Kelowna, B.C., Aug. 28, 2023— More than 1,000 wildfires have scorched Canada this summer, marking the country’s fourth consecutive year of grappling with severe drought conditions. Courtesy of Panorama Mountain ResortMountain communities in British Columbia have been directly impacted and ski areas have stepped up to help. In a h...

Who is the Winner of the 2023 Rise Up Challenge?

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Aug. 28, 2023—The 2023 Rise Up Challenge, sponsored by Leitner-Poma of America, highlighted up-and-coming lift mechanics and their lift maintenance teams from six ski areas across North America: Arapahoe Basin, Colo.; Deer Valley, Utah; Killington Resort, Vt.; Mansfield Ski Club, Ont.; Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore.; and Pow...

Deer Valley Partners with Mayflower Developer for Major Expansion

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 24, 2023—Alterra-owned Deer Valley has partnered with Extell Development Company to operate the planned skiable terrain that was part of Extell’s adjacent Mayflower Mountain Resort project, adding 3,700 acres of terrain that will connect to Deer Valley’s existing network of trails, nearly tripling the skia...

Lee Canyon Remains Closed After Tropical Storm Hilary

THIS REPORT WAS UPDATED ON AUG. 25. SAM Magazine—Las Vegas, Aug. 23, 2023—Lee Canyon Ski and Snowboard Resort has closed its summer mountain operations for the season after an initial assessment of the damage caused by flash flooding associated with Tropical Storm Hilary led the U.S. Forest Service to indefinitely extend its closure of the ...

Alterra Closes Deal on Schweitzer

SAM Magazine—Denver, Aug. 22, 2023—Alterra Mountain Company closed on the purchase of Schweitzer in Idaho, bringing the company’s total year-round mountain destinations to 17 properties throughout North America.  “With the acquisition of Schweitzer, we are excited to expand our presence within the Pacific Northwest skier market,” said ...

Snow People—August 2023

In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. From resort hires, promotions, and retirements to supplier news, awards and obits, we celebrate the people that make this industry thrive. PEOPLE JAY RYDD, DIAMOND PEAK RESORT Diamond Peak Resort has promoted Jay Rydd to operations ma...

Record Attendance at 2023 MSAA Annual Meeting

SAM Magazine—Lake Geneva, Wis., Aug. 21, 2023—Midwest ski operators and industry suppliers descended on Grand Geneva Resort & Spa for the Midwest Ski Areas Association (MSAA) annual meeting and tradeshow, Aug. 13-16. Attendance for this year’s conference was strong, with Amy Reents, executive director of MSAA, reporting record attendance ...

Summer Travelers Booking Later, but Still Booking

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., Aug. 17, 2023—Data from research firm DestiMetrics, a division of Inntopia, has revealed that travelers to the western United States are booking summer lodging closer to their planned arrival date this year compared to previous years, but they’re still booking.  This was comforting news, after data in March ...

Australian Operators Eye Strong Finish to Lean Season

SAM Magazine—Australia, Aug. 17, 2023—Warm temperatures in July and into August have put a damper on snow conditions at Australian ski areas, but snow earlier this week and cold weather forecasted for the coming days have operators looking optimistically at a strong finish to the season. Hotham Mountain   “The whole of Australia experience...