SAM Magazine--August 17, 2011--Vail Resorts announced a worldwide multi-year partnership with Olympic gold medalist Shaun White. White will represent all six of Vail's ski areas (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe), with Northstar acting as his home mountain and primary training venue. In fact, White will de...

SAM Magazine--August 15, 2011--The Whistler Mountain Bike Park hosted the millionth unique rider Friday, August 12. In its twelfth season of operation, Whistler's park is the first lift-accessed mountain bike park to reach this number. The lucky guest, Ryan Domm, was greeted by confetti guns and walked away with a season pass for the remainder o...

SAM Magazine--August 11, 2011--Whistler-Blackcomb released its third quarter results yesterday and the news was good and bad. The first thing to note about the numbers is that on November 9, 2010, Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. (the corporation) completed an initial public offering and concurrently acquired a 75% interest in both Whistler and Bla...

SAM Magazine-Burlington, Vt., Aug. 5, 2011-Members of the ASTM F27 Committee on Snow Skiing met in mid-July to consider expanding the committee's scope to include terrain park jumping features (ASTM stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials). The move, which is expected to be approved, would put ASTM in the business of considering s...

SAM Magazine--August 5, 2011--Some big names are behind the auction of Powderhorn yesterday: Former Vail exec Andy Daly, along with Ken and Tom Gart (formerly of Gart Bros.), were behind the new corporation that bought Powderhorn Resort and a 700-acre parcel for $1.4 million. The new company is called Powderhorn Partners. We will report more det...

SAM Magazine visited Highland Mountain Bike Park in Northfield, N.H., for another installment of the SAM CAM series. Highland Mountain Bike Park, formally Highland Ski Area, was purchased by businessman Mark Hayes in 2003. He transformed the 200-acre area into a state-of-the-art, lift-serviced mountain biking facility with a 9,100-square-foot indoo...

SAM Magazine-Windham, N.Y., Aug. 4, 2011-Windham Mountain has named David "Chip" Seamans general manager and chief operating officer, effective Sept. 1. Seamans replaces president and general manager Tim Woods, who is assuming ownership of Woods Valley, a ski area in central New York that was created by his late father. Woods will continue to wo...

SAM Magazine--August 4, 2011--According to published reports, Powderhorn Resort, Colo., was sold at a live auction today for $2,083,950. The auction consisted of six lots--two sold to one bidder and the other four to separate buyers. The first lot was the ski area, including lifts, day lodge, parking areas, office, two maintenance shops, rolling st...

SAM Magazine--August 3, 2011-- Spirit Mountain, Minn., was set to debut its latest addition to the area's Adventure Park, the "Timber Flyer" zipline, but the weather had different plans. Thanks to a lightning strike on August 1 during severe storms, the August 4 grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 700-foot ride will be delayed. The...

SAM Magazine--August 1, 2011--Telluride Ski Resort is inviting fans to be a part of the area's marketing effort. The resort has created a survey whereby participants will view a compilation of ads targeted to different demographic groups with different images, styles and text, and choose their favorites. Once the results are in, Telluride will adju...

SAM Magazine--August 1, 2011--The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a federal judge's ruling in favor of Copper Mountain, Colo., which dismissed a lawsuit brought against the ski area after a 2006 accident. According to the AP, the lawsuit was filed by Dr. Rajeev Kumar and claimed the resort was negligent in not expressly labeling a corni...

SAM Magazine-Bozeman, Mont., July 27, 2011-Lehman Brothers will take ownership of Moonlight Basin under a plan the bank and the resort submitted Friday to U.S. bankruptcy court. The agreement calls for Lehman to supply funds sufficient to satisfy in full the claims of Moonlight Basin's administrative creditors and provide a recovery for Moonligh...

SAM Magazine-Aspen, Colo., July 27, 2011-Aspen Skiing Company has appointed Christian Knapp as vice president of marketing. Knapp received a SAMMY Award last May as one of the future leaders of the ski industry, and has held a variety of marketing positions within Vail Resorts since 1998. Knapp got his start in the ski/snowboard industry in 199...

SAM Magazine-Salt Lake City, July 27, 2011-Olympic silver medalist Jeret "Speedy" Peterson was found dead on Monday from what police are calling a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police found a suicide note near Peterson's car, but refused to reveal its contents. Peterson's "Hurricane," a five-twist, three-flip aerial maneuver, propelled him to se...

SAM Magazine-Squaw Valley, July 27, 2011-Squaw Valley USA has detailed the first two years of a five-year, $50 million capital improvement plan that will impact the on-mountain and base village experience. Plans include everything from new food and hospitality offerings to new beginner and advanced high-speed chairlifts, trail improvements and a st...

SAM Magazine-Boise, Idaho, July 26, 2011-Resort founders Alfredo Miguel of Tamarack Resort, Idaho, and Tim Blixseth of the Yellowstone Club, Mont., are hoping to recoup money lost at their failed resorts from lender Credit Suisse Group. The two men hope to join a $2.5 billion suit claiming that Credit Suisse engaged in predatory lending. The ori...

SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., July 26, 2011-A newly revised website for Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM) officially launched today with features that make it easy for consumers to find information on how to get involved in skiing and snowboarding. Built by nxtconcepts.com, the site serves as a key communications tool for the national Janu...

SAM Magazine--July 19, 2011-- The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort (LVSSR), owned by Powdr Corp., announced that the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Service has accepted its Master Development Plan (MDP). The news comes after many years of examining the extensive multiphase project, which will take several years to complete. Included in the MDP ...

SAM Magazine-Augusta, Maine, July 19, 2011-The Maine Elevator and Tramway Safety Board has voted to recommend that the state legislature create licensing standards for ski lift mechanics in the wake of the lift deropement last winter at Sugarloaf USA, in which eight people were injured. The licensing proposal, if acted upon by the legislature, woul...

SAM Magazine-Denver, July 19, 2011-In the most recent data compiled by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP),* analysts found that despite current economic uncertainties, lodging occupancy in western mountain destinations continues to rise while nightly room and lodging rates remain flat, according to the most recent data compiled by the Mou...

SAM Magazine-Washington, D.C., July 15, 2011- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously recommended passage of the Ski Area Recreation Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011, which would amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to explicitly allow a much wider array of winter and summer activities within resort permit ...

SAM Magazine--July 15, 2011--Registration for SAM's Second Annual Summer Ops Camp is officially open. The camp, which will take place at Jiminy Peak, Mass., from October 3-5, 2011, will explore the many benefits of the growing opportunities in summer recreation in the mountains. From ziplines to waterparks, we will cover the wide range of summer at...

SAM Magazine--July 14, 2011--- July 14, 2011 - The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced today that U.S. ski areas set a new all-time record of 60.54 million skier/snowboarder visits during the 2010/11 season, according to the final Kottke End of Season Survey. The association announced preliminary figures in May projecting that, at an es...

SAM Magazine kicks off the 2011 Summer SAM CAM series with a visit to Amesbury Sports Park in Amesbury, MA., on June 26th, 2011 to take part in the resort's first Warrior Dash event. Amesbury is no stranger to large scale events like these, having done the Sparton Race Series the last couple of years, but the Warrior Dash Race attracted off-th...

SAM Magazine-Donner Summit, Calif., July 12, 2011-Boreal Mountain Resort will expand its presence in action sports with the opening of Woodward Tahoe, an action sports freeride and freeski instructional center and camp program, in the summer of 2012. The local planning commission recently approved Boreal's plans for a 33,000 square foot facility...

SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., July 8, 2011-The 11th Sustainable Slopes Annual Report from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) highlights the latest environmental implementations at ski areas including the use of electric vehicles, composting, local purchasing programs, efforts to reduce carbon footprints, water conservation efforts, and emplo...

SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., July 7, 2011-Specialty Sports Venture (SSV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, has acquired the assets of Outdoor Outlet, LLC, which operates O2GearShop.com, an online outdoor/snowsports retailer that drew more than 2 million total visits last year. "The addition of O2GearShop.com is a significant opportu...

SAM Magazine-Greenwood, Maine, July 7, 2011-Fire severely damaged the lodge at Mt. Abram Family Resort Wednesday evening after it was struck by lightning. The fire began on the third floor of the west wing, which housed the administrative offices; the roof collapsed onto the third floor, and parts of some walls collapsed or were consumed by the ...

SAM Magazine-Durban, South Africa, July 6, 2011-The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the 2018 Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang, South Korea, the first time the Winter Olympics has been hosted in the country and the third time for the Winter Games to take place in Asia. Pyeongchang has been campaigning for the honor for a decade. I...

SAM Magazine--July 5, 2011--The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Monday evening that slopestyle skiing and snowboarding would make their Olympic debut at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. Snowboarding parallel slalom was also added, while the proposed Alpine team event was not. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association played a key role i...

SAM Magazine-Boise, Idaho, July 5, 2011-Bank of America (BoA) is proceeding with its plan to remove and sell two Tamarack Resort lifts. The move could make it more difficult to find a buyer for the bankrupt resort. One lift provides access for homeowners, the second serves terrain on the resort's northern boundary. BoA is filing the necessary pa...

SAM Magazine--July 5, 2011--The Utah Ski & Snowboard Association closed its 202-day 2010-11 winter season July 4 at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort. Utah's 14 ski and snowboard resorts recorded 4,223,064 skier/snowboarder day visits during the season. This marks a 4.23 percent increase over last year's 4,048,153 and is less than a percentage point (...

SAM Magazine-Truckee, Calif., July 1, 2011-A grand total of 12 North American ski areas will be open this weekend for the 4th of July and Canada Day holidays, following what was for many a record-setting winter and spring snowfall. California will have the most ski areas open-a total of six. Mammoth has been open daily, as it has been since last...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., July 1, 2011-SnowSports Industries America (SIA) reports that a total of 31 million Americans say they are winter sports participants. Of that total, 21 million were active winter sports participants in the 2009-10 season, including approximately 18.3 million skiers and snowboarders who visited alpine resorts, according to...

SAM Magazine--June 30, 2011--The stalled multi-billion-dollar shopping complex and entertainment complex that includes an indoor ski slope in the Meadowlands in N.J., is back on. The state's Legislature voted yesterday to make the Meadowlands eligible for the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program, clearing the way for up to $200 million ...

SAM Magazine--June 30, 2011--For the second consecutive season, the seven Ski Lake Tahoe resorts are reporting an increase in skier visitation numbers to 3.6 million, the second best season to date (2004-05 remains the best). The near-record snowfall both early and late in the season, led to one of the longest seasons on the books--in fact, Alpine ...

SAM Magazine-Denver, June 23, 2011-Advanced reservations for the summer season are up at many Western mountain destinations, according to the most recent data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP). For the month of May, occupancy was up 5.6 percent, with the average daily rate (ADR) up 3.2 percent compared to May 2010. The bookin...

SAM Magazine-Bariloche, Argentina, June 21, 2011-A volcano in Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle chain erupted on June 4 after being dormant for decades, sending a cloud of ash into the air and blanketing the ski resorts above Bariloche in several inches of ash. The volcano and its aftermath have postponed the start of the ski season until the coming we...

SAM Magazine-Whitefish, Mont., June 21, 2011-Whitefish Mountain's Chair One, the main lift from the base area used for scenic lift rides and carrying mountain bikes in summer, has been closed indefinitely after a slump caused a tower to move. On Saturday, opening day for summer activities, Whitefish Mountain Resort's lift maintenance crew notice...

SAM Magazine-Jindabyne, Australia, June 21, 2011-The Southern Hemisphere's ski season is off to a slow start: the majority of Australian resorts are open and have just received 10-20 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours, while resorts in New Zealand and South America have postponed their openings due to a widespread lack of snow. Australia ha...

SAM Magazine--June 20, 2011--Two of Mount Snow, Vermont's senior employees have been tapped to manage two other ski areas under the Peak Resorts umbrella. Greg Fisher, formerly marketing and event operations director, will take over the GM position at Mad River Mountain, Ohio. John Lowell, former director of lodging at Mount Snow and Attitash, will...

SAM Magazine--June 16, 2011--Recent plans to lease ski area operations at Cannon Mountain, N.H., will be put on hold for at least a year. Cannon is owned by the State of New Hampshire and many in the state's Senate were pushing to lease the area under a similar model to Mount Sunapee, which is owned by N.H., but the long-term lease is owned by the ...

SAM Magazine-Park City, Utah, June 15, 2011-The USSA has named the first official U.S. Freeskiing national team roster following the recent news that skiing halfpipe will be included in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The Freeskiiing Pro Halfpipe Team for the 2011-12 season includes X Games champions Jen Hudak (Salt Lake City, Utah and Simon ...

SAM Magazine-Bend, Ore. June 16, 2011-The July 4 weekend will see several areas open this year, and some are planning to take the novelty up a notch. Mt. Bachelor will open for skiing and snowboarding July 2-4, and present mid-day live music at the Pine Marten lodge on Saturday and Sunday. And Squaw, which had already planned a full plate of action...

SAM Magazine-Warren, Vt., June 15, 2011-Vermont and New Hampshire resorts posted strong visit totals for the 2010-11 season, according to data released today. Vermont's ski resorts recorded 4,365,906 skier visits for the season, while New Hampshire resorts tallied 2,355,100 skier visits. The season in Vermont was the best since 2004-05 and maint...

SAM Magazine--June 13, 2011--After failing to appear in court for the second time, majority owner of Tamarack, Jean-Pierre Boespflug, was found in contempt by an Idaho judge. According to cnbc.com, Boespflug was ordered to appear in state court after missing a hearing in May and as a result of his second no-show, the judge ordered his arrest and st...

SAM Magazine-Breckenridge, Colo., June 12, 2011-The U.S. Forest Service has approved Breckenridge Ski Resort's Peak 6 expansion plan despite opposition from some environmental groups. The draft EIS, released on Friday, would allow the area to add 550 acres of lift-served and hike-to terrain, a six-pack detachable chairlift, and a 150-seat lodge at ...

SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., June 12, 2011-According to initial tallies by Vail Resorts (VR), Vail Mountain set a new record for season visits during the 2010-11 season. The ski area saw 1.75 million skier visits, up 9.2 percent from the previous winter. Third quarter profitability also increased, by 5.6 percent, over the prior season, totaling...

SAM Magazine--June 12, 2011--The state of Maine has released a report on the chairlift accident at Sugarloaf citing several factors. The accident, a deropement, occurred at 10:30 a.m. on December 28, 2010 with the lift fully loaded. Eight people sought medical attention as a result. The report stated that while the exact cause of the incident ca...

SAM Magazine-June 7, 2011-The operating partners of Jiminy Peak, Mass., and Cranmore Mountain Resort, N.H., Brian and Tyler Fairbank, have been tapped to run Bromley Mountain in Vermont. The Fairbanks and Bromley owner Joseph O'Donnell have signed a management agreement that places the Fairbanks in charge of all aspects of Bromley resort operations...

SAM Magazine-Hancock, Mass., June 6, 2011-The 2nd Annual SAM Summer Ops Camp, which affords managers and operators a chance to uncover the benefits and pitfalls of other-season activities, will move its dates from September to October 3-5 at Jiminy Peak, Mass. The move to October is to avoid any conflict with the Fall trade shows in September at Su...

SAM Magazine-Windham, N.Y., June 7, 2011-Yes, you can go home again. Windham Mountain president and general manager Tim Woods will assume ownership of the Woods Valley Ski Area in Westernville, NY, about 15 miles northwest of Utica, in early fall 2011. Woods will continue to serve as president and GM at Windham Mountain through the end of the 2011-...

SAM Magazine-Taos, N.M., June 6, 2011-Spiking temperatures over the past week have kicked off the western wildfire season, and ski areas are starting to feel the heat. Last week, the Osha wildfire in northern New Mexico threatened the Sipapu Ski Area, forcing residents to evacuate the area. The fire is blamed on downed power lines from a fallen ...

SAM Magazine-Edwards, Colo., June 6, 2011-Colorado Mountain Express (CME), owned by Vail Resorts, will offer daily shared-ride shuttle service from downtown Denver to both Summit County and Vail.
 Denver visitors and residents can enjoy a daytrip or overnight getaway to the mountains without hassling with I-70 traffic. And residents of Summit...

SAM Magazine-Grand Junction, Colo., June 1, 2011-Western Colorado's Powderhorn Ski Resort will be offered for sale at auction on Aug. 4. The resort, which consists of 44 trails and four lifts on 1,600 acres, is located on the Grand Mesas outside of Grand Junction. The sale is being conducted by J.P. King, a brokerage that specializes in high val...

SAM Magazine-Sandy, Utah, June 1, 2011-It's official, this year is one for the record books. With Snowbird still open, Utah resorts have chalked up a near-record number of approximately 4.2 million skier day visits during the 2010-11 winter season. The number represents four-percent growth over the prior year, making this winter the second best in ...

SAM Magazine-La Parva, Chile, May 26, 2011-La Parva, located 50 kilometers outside of Santiago, Chile has unveiled a comprehensive plan designed to develop the freeride and freeski potential of the resort intended to make it a world-class freeride and freeski destination. Now that men's and women's ski halfpipe are in the 2014 Olympics, "We knew...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., May 26, 2011-SnowSports Industries America (SIA) has retained Reese Brown and his company, RDB Marketing & Event Services, as Nordic program director. Under the agreement, Brown will manage SIA's Winter Trails program and the SIA Snow Show's Nordic On-Snow Demo. The relationship is not a new one. For the past nine years...

SAM Magazine-Girdwood, Alaska, May 26, 2011-The Mountain Rider's Alliance (MRA) and its Manitoba Mountain Ski Area Restoration Project, which aims to restore lift access to a ski area that last operated in 1960, continue to move forward. The plan for the area, located on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, was introduced at a mid-February public forum i...

SAM Magazine-Mead, Wash., May 24, 2011-The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has approved Mt. Spokane's proposal to add a chairlift and seven runs to the northwest quadrant of the ski area at Mt. Spokane. The decision in favor of the not-for-profit ski area was made last Thursday in Spokane, and included a blended land classificat...