SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 8, 2025—Nominations are now open for the 11th annual “I AM a Snowmaker” contest, hosted by SAM magazine and presented by HKD Snowmakers. The contest offers the opportunity for a handful of resorts to showcase their snowmaking teams and the work they do via creative, behind-the-scenes videos. 

Nominations should tell the story of why a resort’s snowmaking crew would be a compelling entry to the contest. The nomination period closes Oct. 22.

“HKD Snowmakers is proud to once again sponsor ‘I AM a Snowmaker’ in 2026, recognizing the incredible work of snowmaking teams who bring our mountains to life each winter,” said HKD Snowmakers co-founder and president Charles Santry.

“Snowmaking crews are the first ones on the hill and the last ones to leave,” Santry continued. “They hit the ground running at the start of the season, ready to take advantage of every snowmaking window, no matter how tough the conditions. Their success comes from preparation, teamwork, determination, and the pride they take in covering the slopes.” 

The teams chosen to compete will be announced on Oct. 29. Each team will then create a short video that will be shared on SAM’s digital channels, and the public will vote for their favorite on saminfo.com. 

The video themes will include a fun twist. HKD will provide each chosen team with a deck of cards with timeless words of wisdom from HKD co-founder Herman K. Dupré, such as, “Do you know what happens when you do nothing?” or “Every time you flush the toilet, you should fill the snowmaking pond.”

The teams will be challenged to creatively incorporate as many of these sayings as possible into their videos, or even make one their video’s overall theme. Videos will be released and voted on in January 2026.

“As snowmaking teams across the Northern Hemisphere get ready to throw the first flakes of the season, there is no better time to hear from those teams about why they should be included in ‘I AM a Snowmaker,’” said SAM publisher Olivia Rowan. “We appreciate every team that throws their hardhat in the ring and look forward to hearing from all of you.”

The winning “I AM a Snowmaker” team will be awarded a Viper table, courtesy of HKD.

To enter, go to: www.saminfo.com/i-am-a-snowmaker.