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  • Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. Submits Top Bid for Jay Peak at $76 Million

    PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco shares his thoughts on the acquisition with SAM. SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Sept. 8, 2022—Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI) made the highest and best final bid to buy Jay Peak, $76 million, following an auction with multiple bidders. PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco told SAM that after three years spent pursuing the acquisition, PGRI is poised to bring renewed stability to the resort and its staff, and tap into its passion and energy. The prevailing bid remains subject to approval by the United States District Court in Southern Florida during a final hearing scheduled for Sept. 16. Judge Darrin P. Gayles, who has presided over the receivership in federal...

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Inside Vail Resorts’ 2021-22 Zero Net Operating Report

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Nov. 22, 2022—Vail Resorts released its 2021-22 EpicProgress report last week, detailing strides the company made last year towards its goal of a zero net operating footprint by 2030.  The company is “ahead of schedule,” according to the report, achieving 100 percent renewable electricity across its North A...

Mont Glen Sold to Unnamed Buyer After Former Owner’s Bid Falls Through

SAM Magazine—West Bolton, Quebec, Nov. 22, 2022—Former Mont Glen owner Peter White and his company Optikinvest Inc. could not secure the financing to re-acquire the ski area, and it has been purchased by another unnamed buyer who reportedly plans to keep Mont Glen private as it has been for the last 15 years. White entered into an agreement to ...

Kevin Mitchell Named GM of Powder Mountain

SAM Magazine—Eden, Utah, Nov. 17, 2022—Utah’s Powder Mountain has appointed Kevin Mitchell as its new general manager. Mitchell assumed the role Nov. 7, after serving as GM of California’s Homewood Mountain Resort for a decade. He replaces former GM Mark Schroetel, who moved to the tech industry after eight years at Powder Mountain.  “O...

Ski California Debuts Updated Digital Mountain Safety Guide

SAM Magazine—Petaluma, Calif., Nov. 17 2022—Ski California debuted an updated digital version of its Mountain Safety Guide earlier this week, Nov. 15. Designed by the association and its member resorts in California and Nevada, the new version is a play off the group's existing Mountain Safety Guide, and will serve as a comprehensive tool to ed...

A Mixed Bag, Summer and Winter, at Western Mountain Destinations

SAM Magazine—Stowe, Vt., Nov. 16, 2022—Lodging in Western mountain destinations wrapped up the summer season with mixed results, and on-the-books occupancy for November through April is down 4.8 percent year-over-year, according to the latest Market Briefing by DestiMetrics, part of the Business Intelligence division of Inntopia.  But the aver...

Andrew Gast Hired as Mt. Ashland General Manager

SAM Magazine—Ashland, Ore., Nov. 16, 2022—Andrew Gast will join Mt. Ashland, Ore., as the nonprofit ski area’s new general manager beginning Dec. 21. Gast currently serves as the chief business officer for Southern Oregon University in Ashland. He succeeds Hiram Towle, who led Mt. Ashland for eight years and is now the GM of another nonprofit...

Indy Expands Colorado Foothold with Echo Mountain, Granby Ranch

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Nov. 15, 2022—The Indy Pass has added Colorado resorts Echo Mountain and Granby Ranch to its roster for the 2022-23 season. The coalition now has four partner areas in Colorado, including Sunlight Mountain and Bluebird Backcountry, and is up to 121 downhill and Nordic resorts total across the U.S., Canada, and Japan...

Mt. Bachelor Biomass Boiler to Provide Cleaner Heat, Reduce Wildfire Risk

SAM Magazine—Bend, Ore., Nov. 10, 2022—Powdr-owned Mt. Bachelor in Oregon will install a new wood energy facility to provide heat for four of its base area buildings using a modern biomass boiler fueled by the byproducts of NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act)-approved forest management and wildfire fuel reduction activities within the surr...

Trevor Maring Named GM of Afton Alps

SAM Magazine—Hastings, Minn., Nov. 7, 2022—Vail Resorts has appointed Trevor Maring as general manager of Afton Alps. The move is a homecoming for Maring, who is returning to the area where he grew up after spending several years working at Vail Resorts-owned Breckenridge Resort, Colo., most recently as the director of operations. “This is a...

Early Western Snow Spurs Openings, Banff Sunshine First in Canada

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Nov. 4, 2022—North American ski areas are starting to open for the season after a second autumn snowstorm pummeled the West this week, with more snow expected over the weekend and early next week.Opening Day at Banff Sunshine The new snow allowed Banff Sunshine in Alberta to be the first resort in Canada to open whe...

Vail Resorts Hires First Chief Public Affairs Officer

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Nov. 4, 2022—Vail Resorts has hired Kenny Thompson Jr. to serve as the company’s first chief public affairs officer, effective Dec. 5, 2022. In the newly created role, Thompson will oversee government relations, community relations, communications, sustainability, and the company’s social responsibility platf...

Meet the 2022-23 Summit Series Mentees

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Nov. 3, 2022—Out of a strong field of 100 nominations, 10 talented mountain resort industry up-and-comers have been selected to participate in the fifth annual SAM Summit Series, a mentorship program aimed at developing future mountain resort industry leaders. The 10 mentees hail from areas of all sizes located all ...

PGRI Closes on Jay Peak Acquisition

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Nov. 1, 2022—Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI) has completed its purchase of Jay Peak, Vt., from court-appointed receiver Michael Goldberg. PGRI’s prevailing bid of $76 million was approved by the United States District Court in Southern Florida on Sept. 16, and the State of Vermont approved the assignment of leases fo...

Palisades Tahoe Base to Base Gondola Nears Opening

SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., Oct. 28, 2022—The Base to Base Gondola at Palisades Tahoe, connecting the Village at Palisades Tahoe to the Alpine Lodge base area at the former Alpine Meadows, is set to open for the upcoming season. By tying together the two mountains, the gondola provides access to 6,000 acres of terrain, creating the lar...

New York AG Files Antitrust Lawsuit Over Toggenburg Closure

SAM Magazine—Fabius, N.Y., Oct. 27, 2022—New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Intermountain Management Inc. over Intermountain’s purchase and closure of Toggenburg Ski Area in 2021. James claims that Intermountain bought Toggenburg in August 2021 with the explicit intent to shutter the business and e...

Crystal Mountain (Mich.) Names Karyn Thorr COO

SAM Magazine—Thompsonville, Mich., Oct. 27, 2022—Crystal Mountain named Karyn Thorr as its new chief operating officer, effective Oct. 26, 2022. She succeeds John Melcher, who was elevated to CEO in December 2021. As COO, Thorr will oversee on-mountain operations including lifts, grooming, maintenance, resort safety, and snowsports at the Michi...

Trollhaugen Third Ski Area, First Chairlift to Open

SAM Magazine—Dresser, Wis., Oct. 19, 2022—Wisconsin’s Trollhaugen Recreation Area has joined the early-opening game as the third ski area to open for the season, and the first to offer chairlift served skiing and riding. Photo courtesy of Matthew Zabransky The area opened today, Oct. 19, and is operating from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. with future oper...

Towle Assumes Role as GM at Bridger Bowl

SAM Magazine—Bozeman, Mont., Oct. 19, 2022—Hiram Towle assumed his new role as GM of the non-profit Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Mont., this week. A 20-year industry veteran, Towle most recently served as GM of another non-profit area, Mt. Ashland, Ore., for the past eight years.  “Step one is lots of meetings with the team and getting caught up ...

Wild Mountain Edges Out Andes Tower Hills as First to Open

SAM Magazine—Taylors Falls, Minn., Oct. 18, 2022—While a handful of resorts in the East and West began making snow in earnest last week, it was two Minnesota ski areas that jumped ahead in the race to open, with perennial contender Wild Mountain opening its Front Stage rope tow at noon CDT today. Wild edged out Andes Tower Hills, which yesterda...

Snowriver to Install the U.P.’s Only High-Speed Chairlift

SAM Magazine—Wakefield, Mich., Oct. 17, 2022—Snowriver Mountain Resort plans to install a new Doppelmayr six-passenger detachable chairlift for the 2023-24 season at the Jackson Creek Summit area of the resort. The new lift will replace three of the original chairs installed in the 1960s: the Chippewa Double, the Leelinaw Triple, and the Voyage...

No-Frills Resorts Rise to the Top in SKI Reader Survey

SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Oct. 17, 2022—SKI Magazine's 2023 “Top 50 Resort Reader Survey” has been released with some noteworthy trends, albeit not totally surprising to anyone who's been following ski industry news, even loosely.  The survey “points to the overall trend of people seeking out the non-corporate ski areas after a coup...

SAM Summit Series Opens, Nominate a Mentee

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 12, 2022—SAM has launched its fifth annual Summit Series leadership development program and is calling for ski areas to nominate emerging leaders to participate as mentees. Mentees will engage with respected industry leaders in dialogue around key topics, gaining tangible takeaways to apply to their careers, o...

Booking Pace Slows, Rates Remain High at Western Mountain Destinations

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., Oct. 12, 2022—Summer occupancy is likely to be down at the end of October, compared to both last summer and the pre-pandemic, benchmark-setting summer of 2019, as the booking pace remains slow. Lodging at Mammoth, Calif.However, the average daily rate (ADR) has continued to soar, allowing lodging properties to i...

Ober Gatlinburg Under New Ownership

SAM Magazine—Gatlinburg, Tenn., Oct. 12, 2022—Local entrepreneur and former Sevier County attorney Joe Baker has acquired Ober Gatlinburg and all its assets—including the aerial tramway and employee housing properties—from longtime owners, the Anders family.  The property is held under a long-term lease from the city of Gatlinburg, dati...

Park City Lift Mechanics File Petition to Unionize

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Oct. 12, 2022—A group of lift mechanics and electricians at Vail Resorts-owned Park City Mountain, Utah, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to form the Park City Lift Maintenance Professional Union.  The workers are seeking to organize under the United Professional Ski Patrols of America, a ...

Indy Pass Adds Twelve Ski Areas, Including First in Eastern Canada

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Oct. 11, 2022—The Indy Pass has added 12 ski areas to its 2022-23 roster, including its first in eastern Canada, as well as three other Alpine partners, four cross-country resorts, and four Allied resorts.  The additions bring the total number of participating resorts to 133.Calabogie Peaks Resort in Ontario is eas...

I AM a Snowmaker Contest 2023 Nominations Now Open

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Oct. 10, 2022—Ski areas across North America are invited to nominate their snowmaking teams to participate in the eighth annual “I AM a Snowmaker” contest, presented by HKD Snowmakers. The “I AM” contest highlights the hard work and camaraderie of snowmakers, and recognizes how critical they are to the succes...

Salt Lake City and County Governments Vote Against Proposed Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 10, 2022—On Oct. 4, the Salt Lake City Council became the latest government group to formally oppose the Little CottonwoodImage credit: Gondola Works Canyon gondola, Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) proposed solution to traffic congestion on the route that leads to Alta and Snowbird. Hours ear...

Chris Blackwell Named GM of Liberty

SAM Magazine—Fairfield, Pa., Oct. 6, 2022—Vail Resorts appointed Chris Blackwell as the new general manager of Liberty Mountain Resort. Blackwell assumed the role in September. He succeeds Jeff Lifgren, former GM of Liberty and VP of Vail Resorts’ Mid-Atlantic region; Lifgren will continue in his role as vice president of the Mid-Atlantic reg...

National Ski Patrol Hires Stephanie Cox as New Executive Director

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Oct. 6, 2022—Stephanie Cox has been named as the new executive director of the National Ski Patrol (NSP). Cox brings extensive experience leading nonprofits, technology, and consumer goods companies around the world. She succeeds Chris Castilian, who resigned as the NSP CEO in August.  “The search committee,...

Snow People — October 2022

In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. From resort hires, promotions, and retirements to supplier news, awards and obits. We celebrate the people that make this industry thrive.   PEOPLE PAUL MUNDY, DODGE RIDGE,  CA Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort hired Paul Mundy as its ...

Mountain Capital Partners to Operate Willamette Pass Resort

SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Oct. 4, 2022—Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) has entered a joint venture with the Wiper family to operate and manage Willamette Pass Resort, Ore. The partnership will begin immediately with Willamette Pass being added to MCP’s Power Pass family of season pass products, joining the nine other ski/ride and mountain ...

Ikon Pass Adds Sun Peaks, Grandvalira Resorts Andorra

SAM Magazine— Denver, Oct. 4, 2022—Ikon Pass has added Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia and Grandvalira Resorts Andorra in Andorra for the 2022–23 season.  With five other partners added earlier this year—Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley, France, Sun Valley, Idaho, Snowbasin, Utah, Lotte Arai Resort, Japan, and Panorama, B.C.—Ikon Pass ho...

Vail Resorts Plans Mobile Access Feature for 2023-24

SAM Magazine—Oct. 4, 2022, Broomfield, Colo.—Vail Resorts plans to utilize technology that will allow guests to store and use their season pass or lift ticket directly on their phone. The new feature will be tested during the 2022-23 North American winter season, with roll-out to guests expected for the 2023-24 season.  “We are excited for ...

Vail Resorts Reports Year-End Results and 2023 Outlook

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 28, 2022—Vail Resorts (VR) reported that for its fiscal 2022 year, ended July 31, 2022, overall revenues were up 34 percent and EBITDA rose 54 percent, thanks to fewer Covid restrictions in 2022 than in the prior year. The same story held true for individual departments, with major increases in revenue from...

Bridget Legnavsky Named President & CEO of Sugar Bowl Resort

SAM Magazine—Norden, Calif., Sept. 23, 2022—Bridget Legnavsky has been named as the new president and CEO of Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge, Calif., effective Oct. 17. She will work alongside current president and CEO Greg Dallas as he transitions to a vice chairman role focused on execution of the resort’s master plan. Legnavsky has 30 years ...

Scott Jones Named GM of Prinoth Grooming, North America

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 23, 2022—Prinoth has appointed Scott Jones as general manager of its North American snow grooming division. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jones will be working closely with customers, developing the new strategic direction for the division, and building upon the Prinoth brand. “The U.S. and Canada ar...

David Dziuban Becomes Sole Owner of Whitecap Mountains

SAM Magazine—Upson, Wis., Sept. 22, 2022—Co-owner and general manager David Dziuban has acquired sole ownership of Whitecap Mountains Resort, Wis. Dziuban will continue as general manager; new support roles and infrastructure upgrades are planned for the 2022-23 season.  “[Whitecap] is such a vibrant recreational resource for the surroundin...

No Immediate Changes Planned for Jay Peak

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Sept. 22, 2022—Pacific Group Resorts Inc. (PGRI) does not plan to make any immediate changes to Jay Peak’s pass products, management, or infrastructure for the 2022-23 season. PGRI made the winning bid to purchase Jay Peak for $76 million in a Sept. 8 auction with multiple bidders. The acquisition is expected to close ...

U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Class of 2022

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Sept. 20, 2022—The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame has selected nine individuals for induction next March. The athletes and sport builders in the class of 2022 were selected by a national panel of voters. The inductees include X Games gold medalist, U.S. Open champion and Boarding for Breast Cancer pioneer T...

Mountain Collective Adds Sugar Bowl

SAM Magazine—Aspen Snowmass, Colo., Sept. 20, 2022—The Mountain Collective Pass has added Sugar Bowl, Calif., to its now 25-destination roster. The Tahoe resort joins Sun Valley, Snowbasin, Marmot Basin, and Le Massif de Charlevoix as new partners for upcoming season.  “We’ve been patiently waiting to join a collection of resorts with an ...

Indy Pass Sales Reflect Growth in Partnerships

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Sept. 16, 2022—After adding 40 partner resorts since the end of the 2021-22 season, the Indy Pass now has 96 alpine ski areas on-board offering two days of access each to Indy Pass holders, plus 14 cross-country ski areas. This dramatic growth has led to a dramatic increase in sales of the product, too. Year-to-date...

SAM Summer Ops Camp Explored Opportunities, Challenges, and Fun

The four-season masterpiece of Quebec’s Tremblant resort was the host site of this year’s SAM Summer Ops Camp—an immersive, multi-day event designed to help ski area operators grow their summer business—Sept. 7-9. More than 80 operators, vendors, and experts were in attendance to experience a variety of unique activities, learn from several...

Bookings Rise at Western Destinations

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., Sept. 15, 2022—Ongoing growth and strength in daily room rates continued to defy expectations at Western mountain destinations in August, while the booking pace reversed eight consecutive months of declines and exceeded the pace set in both August 2019 and 2021, according to the monthly report from DestiMetrics,...

Maine's Shawnee Peak Returns to its Original Name, Pleasant Mountain

SAM Magazine—Bridgton, Maine, Sept. 15, 2022—Maine's Shawnee Peak will return to its original namesake, Pleasant Mountain, a move that honors its 84-year history and the mountain it calls home, said resort officials.  "It gives me great pleasure to return to our original name and to know that this ski area is poised for a great future, so ot...

Rainbow Fire at Brundage Now Under Control

SAM Magazine—McCall, Idaho, Sept. 12, 2022—The Forest Service has declared the Rainbow Fire to be officially under control, five days after lightning sparked the blaze at the top of the mountain.  The Rainbow Fire began on the evening of Sept. 7. Initial attack efforts kept the fire from spreading beyond the upper Hidden Valley area, ungroome...

Firefighters Battle Rainbow Fire at Brundage Mountain

SAM Magazine—McCall, Idaho, Sept. 8, 2022—Forest Service firefighters are working to suppress a fire burning near the top of Brundage Mountain, with multiple crews attacking from the ground and the air. The fire is burning inside the area's permit area, in the Hidden Valley area and the Hidden Valley cliffs, to the north and just outside of Bru...

Bartz Named GM at Rebranded Snowriver Mountain Resort

SAM Magazine—Wakefield, Mich., Sept. 8, 2022—The freshly rebranded Snowriver Mountain Resort (previously known as Big Snow Resort, and including the areas of Blackjack and Indianhead) has hired Benjamin Bartz as general manager. The news follows the completion of the acquisition of Big Snow by Charles Skinner, Jr., and his company, Midwest Fam...

Alterra Acquires Ski Butlers Rental Service

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 8, 2022—Alterra Mountain Company has acquired Ski Butlers, a leading ski equipment rental and delivery service based in Utah. Ski Butlers will remain a standalone business with ongoing operations in 50 worldwide ski destinations while maintaining its current staff and leadership. Alterra hopes to expand the service t...

Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. Submits Top Bid for Jay Peak at $76 Million

PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco shares his thoughts on the acquisition with SAM. SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Sept. 8, 2022—Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI) made the highest and best final bid to buy Jay Peak, $76 million, following an auction with multiple bidders. PGRI president and CEO Vern Greco told SAM that after three years spent pursuing...

2022 Midwest Ski Areas Association Conference Report

Shanty Creek Resort and Hotel in Bellaire, Mich., became a vibrant scene of excitement for the winter season ahead during the annual Midwest Ski Areas Association Summer Meeting and Tradeshow Aug. 21-24, 2022. The event drew nearly 300 members for educational sessions, networking opportunities, and a tradeshow with 57 exhibitors. The conference ki...

Three More Ski Areas Added to Indy Pass

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Sept. 6, 2022—Bluebird Backcountry, Colo.; Chestnut Mountain, Ill.; and Snowriver, Mich., have joined the Indy Pass starting in winter 2022-23. With the additions, Indy Pass holders will have two days of access to 96 alpine ski areas and 13 Nordic ski areas in North America and Japan. "The addition of Chestnut and ...

Breaking Point: A Special SAM Huddle on Mental Health and the Snowsports Industry

SAM Magazine—Hunter, N.Y., Sept. 6, 2022—Vail Resorts, in partnership with SAM magazine and Ski NY-Ski PA, has invited pro skier Drew Petersen to share the story of his mental health journey on Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. EDT during the Ski NY-Ski PA Expo at Hunter Mountain, N.Y.  The session will also be broadcast on Zoom as part of a special...

Powder Alliance Adds Two New Zealand Destinations

SAM Magazine—Wrightwood, Calif., Sept. 1, 2022—The Powder Alliance has added two New Zealand resorts to its 2022-23 affiliate program lineup. The Tūroa and Whakapapa ski areas, both located on Mt. Ruapehu, the country's largest active volcano, join 19 other destinations in North America, Japan, and Canada as part of the reciprocal pass part...

Ikon Pass Adds Lotte Arai and Panorama

SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 1, 2022—Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass has added Lotte Arai Resort in Japan and Panorama Mountain Resort in British Columbia. With the additions, the pass will provide access to more than 50 destinations in 10 countries for the 2022-23 season. Full Ikon Pass holders will have access to seven days at both reso...

Big Snow, Mich. Acquisition Closed, Renamed Snowriver Mountain Resort

SAM Magazine—Duluth, Minn., Aug. 29, 2022—Charles Skinner Jr. has closed on the acquisition of Big Snow Resort, which includes Indianhead and Blackjack ski areas, all of which will be renamed with new branding. Big Snow will transition to Snowriver Mountain Resort, the Indianhead area will be called Jackson Creek Summit, and Blackjack will be B...

Arizona Snowbowl Wins 2022 Rise Up Challenge

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Aug. 23, 2022—In a tight race, the lift maintenance team from Arizona Snowbowl and its featured lift mechanic Nick Gilbertson have won the 2022 Rise Up Challenge, sponsored by Leitner-Poma of America. Gilbertson and the Snowbowl team will be awarded a $3,500 education grant. More than 4,500 votes were cast in the c...

Peter White to Re-acquire Mont Glen, Reopen It to the Public

SAM Magazine—West Bolton, Quebec, Aug. 24, 2022—Former owner Peter White has entered into an agreement to purchase Mont Glen for CAD $6.1 million and plans to reopen the ski area in southern Quebec to the general public for operations this winter.  According to a report from Le Reflect du Lac, the acquisition is expected to close Oct. 31. W...

More Bidders for Jay Peak Likely to Appear

SAM Magazine—Jay, Vt., Aug. 24, 2022—With the likelihood that another bidder (or more) for Jay Peak will surface in the next few days, the resort’s federal court appointed receiver, Michael Goldberg, filed a motion Aug. 18 proposing a new deadline for the sale of the resort.  The motion states that any bidders must identify themselves and s...

Indy Pass Adds Mountain High and Dodge Ridge

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Aug. 24, 2022—Indy Pass has added two more resorts to its growing list of partners for the 2022-23 season: Mountain High and Dodge Ridge, Calif. Dodge Ridge, Calif.The additions bring Indy Pass’s total alpine and Nordic resort partners to 106.  The partnerships are part of Indy’s strategy for growth in the We...