Mountain Department
Grooming
Grooming shapes the guest experience every day. The Grooming Department covers snowcat fleet management, operator techniques, terrain-building strategies, equipment, and surface-quality best practices that support consistent, high-quality conditions across the mountain.
Cover Story
2026 Groomer Report
Snowcat manufacturers continue to refine their machines and after-sale support.
Grooming Articles
Over-Snow Vehicles
How the SAM “Groomer Report” began.
Terrain Park Contest 2025
Commitment to the craft rings clear in SAM's 20th Terrain Park Contest.
Getting Trails Ready for Winter
It pays to do work during the summer so trails can open with less snow come winter.
2025 Groomer Report
New technology plays an increasingly large role in modern snowcat development and operation.
SAM Terrain Park Contest 2024
Our annual contest shows how park builders flexed their creativity and ambition during the 2023-24 winter season.
Sponsored Content
Prinoth
The Prinoth Bison X Winch, with its park-specific capabilities, delivered the precision, agility, and power needed to shape the complex mogul profile and steep transitions the Waterville Valley World Cup demanded.
Latest News
Andrew Nicolas Appointed CEO of Prinoth U.S. Snow Grooming Division
The 2025 SAM Terrain Park Contest Winners
Registration Opens for the 21st Gathering of Cutter’s Camp
Winners of the 2024 SAM Terrain Park Contest Revealed
New All-Electric Snow Cat Debuts at Dutch Indoor Ski Dome
2024 “I AM A SNOWMAKER” VOTING IS NOW OPEN
Mechanical Issue Closes Hesperus for the Season
Late October Snow Primes the Pump for More Ski Area Openings
Through the Decades
1960sSteep Slopes Under FireSeptember 1965
1970sFertilize Your SnowDecember 1974
1980sVehicle InteriorsMarch 1981
1990sHalfpipes Made EasyNovember 19932000sMountain High Doubles Park InvestmentOctober 2008
2010sSpeak Out :: May 2007August 2017
2020sVail Resorts Visits, Revenue Up Season-to-DateJanuary 2023Cards show digitized stories tagged to this department. Decades without tagged articles are omitted; the chips below still search every decade from the 1960s on.
Community
On the calendar
Parts & Resource Board
Sponsored Content
PistenBully
For many who work in slope maintenance, the KFX (Kässbohrer Fast Exchange) tiller is long-awaited. KFX will enhance terrain park builds, push projects, and more, saving users hundreds of hours over the course of a season.
Supplier Guide
Hestra ProHestra Pro builds winter work gloves designed to perform in harsh, cold-weather conditions. Combining warmth, durability, and dexterity, the line supports hands-on work such as mountain operations, snowmaking, plowing, and shoveling—anywhere reliable hand protection is essential for getting the job done outdoors. 
PistenBullyPistenBully, a brand of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, is a globally recognized manufacturer of snow groomers with decades of experience supporting ski resorts of every size. Known for precision engineering, fuel efficiency, and operator-focused cab design, PistenBully machines deliver reliable, high-quality slope preparation—from groomed corduroy to terrain park shaping—backed by a worldwide network of service and support.
PrinothPrinoth designs and builds premium snow groomers for alpine, cross-country, and snowmobile trail maintenance. Backed by regional distribution centers offering new and used equipment, parts, and service, we support customers across North America. Our innovative, sustainable technologies deliver top performance in tough conditions while maximizing efficiency. Prinoth is proud to be the official grooming partner of U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Canada Snowboard.Department Sponsorship
Become the partner this department’s 23,000 readers recommend.
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