SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Jan. 20, 2026—Online voting for the videos produced by six chosen ski areas competing in the 2026 “I AM a Snowmaker” contest, sponsored by HKD Snowmakers, is now open. Voting ends Monday, Feb. 2, at 11:59 p.m. EST. 

Since it debuted in winter 2013-14, the annual I AM contest has served as an important recognition of North American resort snowmaking teams and their critical role in the success of the mountain resort industry. 

This season, six ski areas vie for the I AM title with videos highlighting their snowmaking crews—with a fun twist. Each team received a deck of cards from HKD featuring timeless words of wisdom from co-founder Herman K. Dupré—sayings like, “Do you know what happens when you do nothing?” and, “Every time you flush the toilet, you should fill the snowmaking pond.” Each team was tasked with creatively weaving those Dupré-isms into their videos.

Each video is unique, and all are testaments to the grit and dedication of crews across North America.

The competitors are:

Boyne Mountain, Mich.

Burke Mountain, Vt.

Killington Resort, Vt.

Poley Mountain, New Brunswick

Seven Springs, Pa.

Steamboat, Colo.

"The heart of I AM remains honoring the passion of the people who make winter happen," said HKD Snowmakers president Charles Santry. "For 2026, our six competing teams will highlight how they live out the legacy of HKD co-founder Herman K. Dupré on the mountain every day. I look forward to seeing the industry unite behind these videos. Watch them all and remember to vote early and often!"

The winning team will earn an HKD Viper table and the title of 2026 I AM a Snowmaker Champion.

“Being a snowmaker is hard work, but it’s also rewarding in so many ways, which are two aspects of the job that I AM has always tried to highlight,” said SAM publisher Olivia Rowan. “It takes a lot of work to produce the I AM videos, too, and we hope that effort is also rewarding because the videos help more people appreciate what snowmakers do.”

Each finalist submitted a profile and short video for the contest. To view the profiles, videos—and most importantly, vote—visit: www.saminfo.com/i-am-a-snowmaker.