SAM Coverage
Activities
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Summer Ops 2.0: The Adventure Continues
When everyone has “stuff,” how can a resort offer a unique experience? Differentiation through programming and branding are key. Mountain bike flow trails, aerial…
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Electric Bikes: Fad or Future?
Like fat skis for powder, e-bikes are revolutionizing mountain biking. Surprisingly, some MTB hotbeds are on board. So is the Forest Service. Janelle Walker…
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Taking It to The Streets
Quebec’s Mysnow Experience brings the mountain right into the city. In order to lure skiers and snowboarders to ski areas, sometimes you first need…
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Finding Lost Forest
Aspen Snowmass put a great deal of thought, and plenty of investment, into its broadly appealing summer business attractions. Back in 2013, a team…
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Life in the Fast Lane
Tubing can be spectacularly profitable. Night tubing turns the dial to 11. Ski areas of all sizes agree that adding a snow-tubing park is…
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Frozen Assets
Ice—yes, ice—can be a winter resort’s year-round best friend. Just keep it confined to an ice rink. If you build it, they will come.…
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Seeing the Light
LED and Snow-Bright systems are changing the game in night skiing. Ski areas with night skiing are coming out of the shadows with new…
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Move Over, Adrenaline
Cross-country, mountain biking’s relaxed cousin, hits the resort trail. Over the last few years there’s been a resurgence of lift-served downhill mountain biking, and…
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Going Big on Mini Golf
Really? Yes. Mini golf demonstrates the truism that anything worth doing is worth doing well—even extremely well. Years ago, Diane Mueller had a dream:…
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Artificial Surfaces: Endless Winter
Synthetic slopes are growing in number. Will operators reap the benefits of longer seasons or year-round operation? The idea of year-round fun for a…
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Roughing It?
Glamping—glamorous camping—is a hot new trend, and winter resorts are the perfect spot to implement it. Blessed with abundant beauty and space, but…
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Mountain Spy :: September 2017
SAM goes undercover to ask, “What is Glamping?” THE QUESTION: WHAT IS GLAMPING? We mixed things up a bit this time around. Instead…
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Water Games
As summer business continues to grow, here’s a look at affordable water play options. Water and summertime go together like Mom and apple pie.…
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Mountain Spy :: January 2013
With the industry focus squarely on families, in this Mountain Spy, Liz Eren played Mom (we mean, decision-maker) and called around to see what…
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Women Going Downhill
Move over, boys. Women-only programs at downhill bike parks are taking off. During the summer at many ski resorts, when the wildflowers abound and…
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Learning the Ropes
Organization certifies inspectors for the new ASTM standard. The Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) conference in Nevada, Feb. 7-10, hosted a first-ever certification…
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Raising the Bar
When it comes to looking after our littlest guests, there are many ways to keep them, and the parents, happy. One small hour of…
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In the Bag
Air bags are providing year-round entertainment at resorts. Are they right for you? First they were a competition tool: a new and better way…