The Voice of the Mountain Resort Industry  |  Est. 1962

Mountains Don't Move Themselves

SAM Coverage

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  • A Teachable Season

    A look at the lessons learned from a winter tht humbled even some of the best snow management teams. SMI Super PoleCat at Snowshoe,…

  • Buy Now and Save

    Online ticket sales give customers a means to find bargains and buy in advance. Are resorts reaping any benefits, too? Third party partnerships are…

  • The Challenge of Being Small

    Six small-area leaders join a wide-ranging roundtable discussion.   A number of smaller ski areas struggle to find employees to fill roles that require…

  • Gateway to Happiness (and Profitability)

    Gateway to Happiness (and Profitability)

    RFID access gates are a convenience to guests and a surprisingly cost-effective tool for operators. Almost every guest at a ski area has a…

  • More Than Just Looks

    Landscaping has long been a low priority for winter resorts, but summer operations are giving many a new perspective. The natural landscape of most…

  • Going Downhill

    Going Downhill

    The prospects for mountain bike parks are looking up. Mountain resorts offer the ideal environment for a downhill mountain bike park. Still, a successful…

  • Publisher’s Memo :: SAM’s Very Own Trailblazers

    Publisher’s Memo :: SAM’s Very Own Trailblazers

    A year ago we kicked off a new series in SAM, called Trailblazers. It highlights those who have had the courage and creativity to…

  • Industry Reports May 2016

    Industry Reports May 2016

    WILMOT’S $13 MILLION OVERHAUL… WHISTLER BLACKCOMB RENAISSANCE… KILLINGTON INVESTING IN SUMMER… PEOPLE… AWARDS… OBITUARIES… SUPPLIER NEWS WILMOT’S $13 MILLION OVERHAUL After more than 75…

  • An El Niño Year

    Thanks for everything, or nothing. A monster El Niño wreaked havoc on the 2015-16 ski season, restoring normal snowfall and visitation to the Pacific…

  • Safety is Job #1

    Safety is Job #1

    As workers’ comp costs rise, it’s time to establish a culture of safety.   The cost of insuring employees due to workplace injuries continues…

  • Mountain Spy :: Nudist Wedding Ceremony?

    Mountain Spy :: Nudist Wedding Ceremony?

    This month’s Mountain Spy asks a rather unusual but not implausible question. It does more than simply test how broad-minded a resort is though—it…

  • Being a Good Host to Yourself

    Being a Good Host to Yourself

    Managing and shifting risk when hosting third-party events. Hosting a third-party event provides ample opportunities for financial and marketing gain. But those benefits can…

  • What Never-Evers Want

    What Never-Evers Want

    The NSAA Beginner Conversion Study delves deep into the learn-to process. At the close of a skier or snowboarder’s very first day on the…

  • Idea Files :: May 2016

    Idea Files :: May 2016

    Tissue boxes, recycled dispensers, and the many uses of Trex  DIY TISSUE BOXES “Mike Rumrill, our lift ops supervisor, made five of these for…

  • Blue Pages :: May 2016

    JAY AND BURKE: GOOD INTENTIONS GONE BAD When Jay Peak, Vt., owner Bill Stenger championed the EB-5 foreign investor program as a way to…

  • Grooming Vehicles 2016

    Grooming Vehicles 2016

    Both PRINOTH and PistenBully continue the transition to Tier 4, the emission control technology mandated by the Enivronmental Protection Agency. Yes, after years of…

  • Why Don’t More People Like Us?

    Why Don’t More People Like Us?

    Here it comes again, hurtling toward you like that old double chair that whips into the back of your legs no matter how prepared…

  • Reaching New Markets

    Reaching New Markets

    Mountain resorts have their share of challenging winters. Last year, the Pacific West barely eked by, and this year the East had to use…