• Ski Area Profiles
• Legal

SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Feb. 10, 2022—In a $6.6 billion deal expected to close in the second half of 2022, Spirit Airlines will merge with Frontier, giving Denver-based Frontier Airlines the controlling stake in the combined entity. The merger of these two major discount airlines will form the fifth largest airline in the United States and ...

• Area Management
• Legal

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Feb. 3, 2022—Registration is open for the 18th spring session of Cutter's Camp, May 16-20, 2022, at Timberline, Mt. Hood, Ore. The five-day program for terrain park professionals features on-hill and classroom workshops, including the return of one-on-one customized operator coaching. The program will cover all ...

• Marketing
• Ski School

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Feb. 4, 2022—Nearly 2,500 votes were cast in the 15th annual SAM Terrain Park Contest, in which a total of 40 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 Feature, and, new this year, Park Edit. Some of the resort-submit...

• Miscellaneous
• Legal

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Feb. 4, 2022—There are leadership changes in the works at Vail Resorts’ (VR) eastern properties: Mount Snow, Vt., general manager Tracy Bartels will become vice president of maintenance, planning and project management this Tracy Bartelsspring, joining VR’s mountain division senior leadership team; and Roundt...

• Racing
• Legal

SAM Magazine—Bartlett, N.H., Feb. 3, 2022—Brandon Swartz is moving back east to become the new general manager at Vail Resorts-owned Attitash, N.H., starting Feb. 7. Swartz is a New England native, but his ski industry career has taken him all over the country. Most recently, he had served as the GM at Hidden Valley, Mo., since November 2020. ...

• Marketing
• Personnel Issues

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Jan. 28, 2022—A record 16,000 votes were cast during the 11-day voting period in the 2022 HKD I AM a Snowmaker contest. This year’s contest showcased seven regionally diverse snowmaking teams from across North America: Boler Mountain, Ontario; Crystal Mountain, Mich.; Camelback Mountain, Pa.; Mountain High, Calif.;...

• Area Management
• Miscellaneous

SAM Magazine—Providence, R.I., Jan. 28, 2022—In an effort to improve snowsports accessibility, Share Winter Foundation has partnered with Motel 6 to provide mountain access and bring awareness to skiing and riding cost-barriers and the affordable options that exist to minimize them. “With Motel 6 as our very first lodging partner, we are tea...

• Marketing
• Racing

SAM Magazine—Woodstock, Vt., Jan. 27, 2022—Season pass sales, demand for rental equipment, and lesson sales are all up at a majority of North American cross country ski areas as of Jan. 15, according to the results of a survey conducted in early-January by the Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) and Snow Sports Insights.  The survey w...

• Personnel Issues
• Grooming
• Trail Maintenance

SAM Magazine—North Creek, N.Y., Jan. 27, 2022—Plans were unveiled this week for a new base lodge, a unique aerial attraction, a new chairlift, and additional ski terrain for the North Creek Ski Bowl area of New York’s Gore Mountain, which is owned and operated by the state-run Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). Officials are seeki...

• Marketing

SAM Magazine—Tannersville, Pa., Jan. 25, 2022—Camelback Resort and Winter4Kids have partnered on a new initiative to support skiers and snowboarders from diverse economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. A beginner lesson at Winter4KidsThe initiative will provide three years of season passes, and other opportunities, to graduates of the Winter4...

• Ski Area Profiles
• Grooming
• Trail Maintenance

SAM Magazine—Cambridge, Vt., Jan. 21, 2022—After a break following the busy Christmas period, ski areas are again reporting strong business over the MLK holiday weekend, partially due to favorable weather and continued pent-up demand for outdoor activity. Although resorts still faced a mixed bag of challenges due to staffing shortages, cold tem...

• Snowmaking

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 GREG GAVRILETS, MT. ROSE SKI TAHOE, NV Greg Gavrilets will take over as gener...

• Area Management

SAM Magazine—Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Quebec, Jan. 21, 2022—Club Med’s first North American property at a mountain resort since the early 2000s is up and running slopeside at Canada’s Le Massif ski area. A Club Med group warms up with their ski guide slope side outside the base area building. With plans for a second North American...

• Racing

SAM Magazine—Whistler, B.C., Jan. 20, 2022—Outsiders Network is a new online marketplace designed to connect brands with a diverse pool of outdoor talent and support, including athletes, models, actors, photographers, cinematographers, hair/makeup, and wardrobe crew who all specialize in shooting for media outside. The vetted talent is compris...

• Area Management

SAM Magazine—Taylors Falls, Minn., Jan. 20, 2022—Wild Mountain is installing a 40-kilowatt solar array this spring. In 2021, Wild Mountain became the first CarbonNeutral Certified ski area in North America, and this solar investment aims to help the mountain continue to drive down its overall carbon usage. Wild will work with Cedar Creek Energ...