SAM Magazine-Flagstaff, Ariz., April 4, 2007-The battle over snowmaking continues at Arizona Snowbowl, where resort operators have proposed to use reclaimed water to make snow. A recent 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling overturned a previous decision that would have allowed Snowbowl to move forward with its upgrade proposal. The Court's decision ...

SAM Magazine-Breckenridge, Colo., Apr. 3, 2007-Roger McCarthy, chief operating officer of Vail Resorts' Breckenridge mountain resort and co-president of VR's mountain division, has resigned effective May 4, 2007. McCarthy will be joining the Russian private investment company, Interros, to develop a new ski resort, Rosa Khutor, located near the cit...

SAM Magazine-Whistler, B.C., Mar. 30, 2007-The Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) has named Patrick O'Donnell, former president of Aspen Skiing Company, the winner of its first Mountain Travel Industry Achievement Award for his long-time activism and leadership in environmental protection in the ski industry and his "unique and especially meaningful c...

SAM Magazine - Copper Mountain, CO., March 23, 2007 - Three local conservation groups have been chosen by Copper Mountain and the National Forest Foundation (NFF) as the first ever recipients of the Ski Area Contribution Program (SCP) grants. The program raises funds through a partnership with Copper's lodging guests and matching donations from the...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Mar. 23, 2007-Snowsports retail sales at specialty stores declined 3 percent for the August through January period this year compared to the prior season, according to the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) Retail Audit. Sales totaled $1.37 billion compared to $1.41 billion in 2006 as an 8 percent gain in apparel sales he...

SAM Magazine-Killington, Vt., Mar. 20, 2007-What a difference a month or two can make. With consistent late spring snowstorms coating the East Coast, conditions are finally up to par after a miserable early and middle of the season. In fact, conditions are so good that some resorts are extending the season. One of these is Pico Mountain. "With s...

SAM Magazine - Perisher Valley, Australia, March 20, 2007 - Australian ski resort Perisher Blue has pumped $6.6 million (AUD) into improvements for the 2007-2008 season. Highlights include a $3.6 million (AUD) investment in snowmaking and water supply infrastructure and the purchase additional grooming equipment including a Kassbohrer Pisten Bully ...

SAM Magazine-Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Mar. 20, 2007-Not much has changed at Colorado's Arapahoe Basin since the resort opened in 1946. A few runs cut, some new lifts, a revamped base lodge. But the Basin is about to become a lot bigger. Last week the resort received approval for a 400-acre expansion that will substantially improve the intermediate te...

SAM Magazine -Vail, Colo., Mar. 20, 2007-As local bumpers will no doubt lament, Vail Resorts is replacing yet another vestige of the past, Vail's fixed-grip Chair 10, with a high-speed quad this summer. The new lift will provide a faster way to reach China Bowl and thus increase traffic in what has been a mogul skier's paradise. The old chair, w...

SAM Magazine - Broomfield, CO, March 13, 2007 - Vail Resorts has posed a strong second quarter, with a 23% gain in net income and a 21% increase per earnings per diluted share over their 2006 numbers. The company racked up a second quarter net income of $53.0 million ($1.35 per diluted share) to post those gains. "We are very pleased with our...

SAM Magazine - Lee Canyon, NV, March 14, 2007 - Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort has announced that the mountain will be temporary closed as of Sunday, March 18 due to record high temperatures and a below average snowpack. The small resort, which features three chairlifts and is a mere 45 minutes from the strip is a Las Vegas anomaly. Situa...

SAM Magazine - Denver, Co., March 14, 2007 - Colorado Ski Country USA has announced that statewide skier visits are on pace to meet or exceed last winter's record breaking year. Last season, Colorado's resorts set an all-time record for visitation with more than 12.53 million skier visits, representing more than 21 percent of the nation's 58.9 mi...

SAM Magazine, Sella Ronda, Italy, March 12, 2007 - It's a bet that most ski areas would shy away from: guarantee your opening and closing dates for the next three years. Even with snowmaking, most Eastern resorts in North America missed scheduled opening dates this year, and while Rocky Mountain resorts like Vail have announced that they are extend...

SAM Magazine - Queenstown, New Zealand, March 12, 2007 - American park and pipe jauggernaught Snow Park Technologies has been tapped to redesign the park and pipe offerings at New Zealand's The Remarkables resort. The company, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of Booth Creek Ski Holdings in 2003, is one of the premiere park builders and co...

SAM Magazine - Ragged Mountain, NH, March 11, 2007 - With Bankruptcy looming, the owners of Ragged Mountain, NH got a some breathing room as the seek to sell the resort. The mountain, owned by Al and Walter Endriunas was on the brink of filing for Bankruptcy last week after defaulting on a $4.75 million loan from Endeavor Financial Services LLC las...