SAM Magazine—Gatlinburg, Tenn., Sept. 8, 2026—A total of 115 ski area personnel and industry suppliers from around the world gathered in Gatlinburg, Sept. 1-3, for the 2026 SAM Summer Ops Camp to share a bustling, and hot, few days together across three mountaintop venues for a vendor showcase, classroom sessions, and hands-on experiences at the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Camp kicked off with an education session from SE Group’s Claire Humber on the psychology of compelling outdoor design. The session framed many of the design principles on display throughout the hands-on in-park sessions, including the use of views, scale, balance, landscaping and other sensory elements to make visitors feel at home—and in awe of the natural environment.
Speaking of those venues, a welcome-night cocktail hour and vendor showcase was followed by an evening tour of Boyne Resorts’ recently expanded Gatlinburg SkyPark, replete with landscaped boardwalks, a new Tulip Tower, and the iconic SkyBridge. Key operations leaders, including SkyPark GM Randy Watson and Boyne Resorts COO of day area operations Jay Scambio, took campers on behind-the-scenes tours. Later, the whole group enjoyed a barbecue dinner, bluegrass music and a talk from SkyBridge designers Mandy Stewart and Todd Domeck, owners of ERi.
Open-sided Ridge Ramblers picked campers up the next morning for breakfast at Anakeesta, which is undergoing a $100 million upgrade that includes a new glass-bottom Leitner-Poma of America (LPOA) gondola and an immersive nighttime canopy experience. Owners Bob and Karen Bentz, along with members of their leadership team, guided campers through the park to explore attractions such as a new Wiegand mountain coaster, the slides and nets of BirdVenture, and AnaVista tower. Intentional design details were noted throughout, including a central water feature and thoughtful landscaping.
Later, an LPOA-sponsored mountaintop dinner at Anakeesta allowed for a chance to take in the park’s nighttime activations, including the Astra Lumina lighted night walk and new Fireflies canopy walk experience.
In between stops at Anakeesta, the crew rode the aerial tram to Tennessee’s only ski area, Ober Gatlinburg, for hands-on workshops focused on its new summer tubing operation, zip line, and mountain bike park. The group then gathered inside for lunch where GM Todd Clarke explained changes made under the new ownership and plans for further evolving Ober into a thriving four-season resort.
Two on-site education sessions followed, starting with “The Future is Bright—and Full of Bike Parks.” SE Group’s Humber and Patrick Olstad and Gravity Logic’s Tom Prochazka and Paul Mutch explored the evolving bike market and considerations for mountain operators. “Selling Summer: The Discoverability Problem Ski Resorts Can’t Ignore,” with David Kenworthy from MMGY Global, shared data from a new Centium study conducted for SAM.
Cody Greene, Outdoor Ventures, receives an Arc’teryx backpack at check-in from SAM helper Jake Elder, also of Catamount, N.Y.
SE Group’s Patrick Olstad and Claire Humber joined Gravity Logic’s Tom Prochazka and Paul Mutch to discuss the future of bike parks during an afternoon session at Ober Gatlinburg.
Attendees joined ZipRider’s Eric Cylvick for a tour of the MegaZip at WildSide in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., before camp.
Ober Gatlinburg’s rental team gears up the group for a tour of the bike park.
Lexi Kagan and Raven Overman, Eldora, Colo., enjoy the trails at Ober Gatlinburg.
Campers test out the Cloud Catcher zip line during an afternoon demo at Ober Gatlinburg.
Ober Gatlinburg general manager Todd Clarke welcomes the group to Tennessee’s only ski area for an afternoon of learning and fun.
Matt Reale of Arc’teryx PRO with Noah Smith and Shea Dacus of Skyline Ziplines and Dixie Reed and Jacob Watabe of Anakeesta.
Claire Humber of SE Group, Claire Thornthwaite of Gravity Logic, MJ Legault and Deanna Dougan of MMGY Global, and David Kenworthy of MMGY Origin take in the views at Anakeesta.
Thumbs up for Anakeesta’s evening multimedia experience from the SAM and Yellowstone Club, Wyo., teams: (bottom, left to right) Jake Elder, Sharon Walsh, Dan Lakatos, and Olivia Rowan; and (top, left to right) Geoff Unger and Katie Brinton.
Boyne Resorts’ Jay Scambio and Dan Cockerell join Matt Davies, Cypress Mountain, B.C., and Paul Mutch, Gravity Logic, for breakfast.
Rich McCoy, Pico Mountain, Vt., asks a question during the Summer Playbook session.
Justin Woodruff, Sandy Creek Mining, with Nate Lupuliak, Vista Ridge, Alberta, at the Vendor Showcase Cocktail Hour.
Boyne Resorts’ Jay Scambio leads Steve Simpson, Ryan Fiechtner, and James Skelton of Blue Mountain, Ontario, and others through Gatlinburg SkyPark.
Mandy Stewart of ERi leads campers along Gatlinburg SkyPark’s SkyTrail and discusses their ERi’s involvement with the installation of the SkyBridge.
SkyPark general manager Randy Watson joins the Grammy-nominated Misty River Band on his banjo during dinner.
The group gathered on Clayton’s Landing, a recently developed area at the Boyne Resorts SkyPark with food & beverage outlets and views of the Smoky Mountains, for dinner.
Anakeesta owner Bob Bentz welcomed the group to breakfast at the park’s Smokehouse restaurant.
Operators and suppliers gear up to ride Wiegand’s Hell Bender mountain coaster at Anakeesta during the morning’s tour.
Simon Pagé and Simon Lemieux of Les Sommets, Quebec, take in the view of Anakeesta’s new all-glass Leitner-Poma gondola from the canopy walk.
mSnow’s Amy and Luke Schrab arrive at the SkyPark for dinner.
Simon Pagé of Les Sommets, Quebec, and others tune in for Bob Bentz’s welcome remarks at Anakeesta.
SE Group’s Claire Humber delivers one of Summer Ops Camp’s signature pop-up talks to the group before they explore the park.
MMGY Origin’s David Kenworthy presents research by Centium and SAM on resorts’ AI discoverability in summer.
Attendees got to test out Ober Gatlinburg’s new mSnow tubing lanes.
Steve Simpson, Ryan Fiechtner, and James Skelton of Blue Mountain Resort, Ontario.
Michael Hammes, Rachel Meadows, and Adam Mahaffey of Massanutten Resort, Va., with David Stanley of Ullr Mountain Ops.
Jon Walters of Leitner-Poma of America and Nick Dean of Grouse Mountain, B.C., socialize at a cocktail hour.
SAM senior editor Katie Brinton moderates the Summer Playbook panel, featuring Ecosign’s Adam Schroyen, MMGY Global’s MJ Legault, Hatley Pointe’s Deb Hatley, and Blue Mountain Resort’s Ryan Fiechtner.
Andrew Way of Wild by G7 dives into how ski areas can drive visitation through events.
MountainGuard’s Ben Botelho and Safehold Sports’ Mistica Walker lead a discussion on risk management.
Jonathan Lumb and Keith Jacobs of Experiential Systems rides the SkyLift.
Simon Lemieux of Les Sommets, Adam Schroyen of Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd., Florian Tabelander of Mt. Buller, Australia, and Raven Overman of Eldora, Colo. walk the suspension bridge from the Tulip Tower.
Campers pose with Anakeesta’s Willow, a 20-foot-tall personified tree sculpture.
Campers experience the new Firefly Experience, meant to mimic the area’s annual synchronous firefly phenomenon.
Barbora Kejvalova of Cape Smokey, Clayton LaPrees of Smoky Mountain Guides, and Gabe Chausse of Wiegand Sports.
Anakeesta’s new Firefly Experience reactivates its Canopy Walk at night with lights and sound.
Dan Lakatos of Yellowstone Club, Wyo., hits the Ober Gatlinburg bike park.
Attendees were encouraged to explore Anakeesta’s sister park, WildSide, on arrival and departure days.
Tom Prochazka and Paul Mutch, Gravity Logic, lead a discussion on the future of bike parks with SE Group.
Mike Manley of Leitner-Poma of America, Bob Bentz of Anakeesta, Deb Hatley of Hatley Pointe, N.C., and Karen Bentz of Anakeesta.
Andrew Way, Wild by G7; Tom Prochazka and Claire Thornthwaite, Gravity Logic; and Deanna Dougan, MMGY Global.
Attendees ride the new all glass LPOA Crystal Express gondola at Anakeesta.
Boyne’s SkyBridge was lit in pink to honor Dolly Parton during Camp.
Sunset in the Smoky Mountains. Photo credit: Ben Botelho, MountainGuard
Gatlinburg SkyPark’s John McKay leads ZipRider’s Eric Cylvick, Yellowstone Club’s (Wyo.) Geoff Unger, Dan Lakatos, and Monte Hanson, Vista Ridge’s (Alberta) Nate Lupuliak, Outdoor Venture’s Cody Greene, and Canyon Ski Resort’s (Alberta) David Martel along the SkyTrail.
Golden hour from Anakeesta’s Canopy Walk. Photo credit: Ben Botelho, MountainGuard
Matt Clos of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyo., (right) and other campers on a tour of the kids’ BirdVenture netted play area.
Behind the scenes tours provided many takeaways.
Zach Miller, Brundage Mountain Resort, Andrew Way of Wild by G7, and Matt Clos of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort on a scenic chairlift ride.
Hot weather didn’t dampen campers’ enthusiasm—and helped demonstrate some of the practical considerations discussed throughout camp. Shaded seating, hydration stations, misters and other seemingly small touches at the mountaintop destinations underscored the importance of designing not just attractions, but comfortable spaces where guests want to linger.
Those hands-on observations were reinforced Thursday with another round of classroom sessions. After a final chance to connect with suppliers over breakfast, “The Summer Playbook” panelists Ryan Fiechtner of Blue Mountain, Ont.; Deb Hatley of Hatley Point, N.C.; MMGY’s MJ Legault; and Adam Schroyen of Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners, kicked things off with observations on how to build purposeful, true-to-brand summer operations for the long term.
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Andrew Way of Wild by G7 then shared how cultural experiences can become signature events that give visitors a reason to book—and return year after year.
Mistica Walker of Safehold Sports and Ben Botelho of MountainGuard closed out camp with “Summer Bummers,” a reminder of the critical risk management considerations operators may be overlooking in summer.
Optional activities bookended camp on arrival and departure days, with campers exploring the Mega Zip at the new WildSide adventure park, taking guided Great Smoky Mountains National Park tours with Smoky Mountain Guides, and joining a behind-the-scenes Wiegand mountain coaster tour.
The mix of site visits, hands-on learning, classroom education, and ample networking time earned positive reviews from resort personnel and suppliers alike.
“Thank you so much to you and your team for this marvelous camp this week, the opportunity to discover amazing attractions, and the great time to exchange with other campers. Lots of learning,” said returning camper Simon Pagé, EVP of Les Sommets.
His sentiments were echoed by first-time camper David Kenworthy of MMGY, who said, “It was honestly one of the best conferences I have ever been a part of. The format is very special and allows so much time for sharing and connection.”
The 2026 Summer Ops Camp wrapped after three packed days that put its central lesson into practice: the most successful summer operations embrace thoughtful planning, attention to the guest experience, and a clear sense of what fits the mountain and its market.
The Summer Ops Camp Supplier Guide along with the program and related articles on summer operations can be found in our Summer Ops Mountain Department here.
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