In This Issue
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Record Crowds: High Points and Headaches
The first sign that something different was happening came in mid-November. It was the weekend of the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo…
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Best and Worst in Marketing 2018-19
We offer opinionated, fun, occasionally contentious reviews of the season’s marketing initiatives, to inform and inspire future efforts. What does the word…
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Not What, But Why?
Emotive marketing—tapping into why people do the things they do—can be just the thing for a resort’s marketing plan. Research on advertising…
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Controlling Costs
A big-picture look at the NSAA Economic Analysis of United States Ski Areas. As revenues rise, can resorts do more to get…
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Humble Beginnings
Resort industry leaders and personalities share personal stories of their first time on skis in this third installment of #MyFirstMountain. We always…
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Summer Rising: Part 3
Summer business has been booming, but it’s now bumping up against some of the same constraints as winter business. Mountain towns and…
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Set Up for Success in Gatlinburg
This resort town on the edge of the Great Smokey Mountains can teach winter resorts a great deal about summer business. Nestled…
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Eat Here
Guest expectations for food and beverage at resorts have long gone unmet. Here are several resorts that are changing that story for…
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SAM Summit Series 2019—Part 3: Sustainability
Resort leaders speak frankly about the essentials for sustainable resorts: commitment, culture, collaboration, and a champion. This story is from the SAM…
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Publisher’s Memo :: May 2019
Follow the Leaders; How to Follow Up on a Great Season. Follow the LeadersIt will take a wide range of talents to…
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News and Views :: May 2019
Season’s Pass Fallout, Summer Survey, People and Suppliers News The first sign that something different was happening came in mid-November. It was…
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Trailblazers :: May 2019
Bill Irwin :: Champion of developing the best possible gear for beginners. For more than 40 years, Bill Irwin has been on…
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A Peak, Even Epic, Year to Remember
The best snow in years and the explosion of multi-area passes push visits to new highs. Multi-area passes collided with massive snow…
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Tenants for Turns
Incentivizing homeowners to house employees is one answer to the employee housing squeeze. Affordable employee housing. For many resorts, the concept presents…
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Electronic Controls: To Upgrade, or not?
A B77 “interpretation” encourages resorts to upgrade electronic controls on older chairlifts. This dive into the ANSI B77.1 Standard deals with Annex…
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New Products :: May 2019
A collection of the latest technology and tools aimed at refining opertions and improving the guest experience. Walltopia Ninja Course The Walltopia…
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Mountain Spy :: May 2019
The Question: I’m thinking about buying a season pass for next year, but I’ve heard it’s been really crowded this year. Are…
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What Do Guests Really Want?
Yes, guests want great snow, quality food, and cheap tickets. But these aren’t necessarily what drives their likelihood to return or recommend.…
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Indemnification Clauses
A brisk, clear-eyed look at the most important, boring aspect of risk management. Most people’s eyes glaze over whenever the topic of…
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Top Prospects :: May 2019
Profiles of CSU ski area management program graduates. Now more than ever, attracting and retaining good talent is a significant challenge. The…
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Deep Roots
The Treehouse at Snowmass weaves nature with convenience to provide year-round programming for children. The Treehouse Kid’s Adventure Center in the base…
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Doing Well by Doing Right
Berkshire East Mountain Resort, Mass., may become the first ski area in North America, and perhaps the world, to be powered 100…
