SAM Coverage
Category: Uncategorized
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A Big Move for Antelope Butte
Giving season passes to kids jumpstarted the nonprofit ski area’s road to financial viability. The early returns were decent at Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation…
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Strength in Stability
As visitation stabilizes at historic highs, the 2024-25 Economic Analysis shows ski areas strengthening margins, increasing per-visit revenue, and reinforcing balance sheets in a more…
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Positive Friction
So-called frictionless service may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Over the past decade, business consultants have touted the necessity of “frictionless” customer…
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It’s Who You Know
Knowing the key people—internally and externally—is essential in managing emergency communications. Roughly 15 years ago, I was contacted by a Vermont ski area for assistance.…
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Skiing Doesn’t Come in a Box
An argument for what truly makes the skiing experience special. For most of its history, the ski industry was never all that industrialized—or even…
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Betting on Snow?
More snowmaking after a snow drought? By mid-February, winter in the West felt upside down. Rain had fallen at destination resorts in Colorado and…
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Over-Snow Vehicles
How the SAM “Groomer Report” began. Former SAM technical editor Nils Ericksen wrote an article called “Over-Snow Vehicles — a Survey” in the Spring 1979…
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What’s New in Rental Gear for 2026-27
Suppliers balance innovation and consistency in the latest rental gear as rentals claim a bigger share of the market. The rental market for alpine…
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Back Down to Earth
Tariffs and inflation were among the primary causes for a dip in North American lift installations. Lift construction returned to pre-Covid levels in 2025…
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Mountain Spy :: January 2026
The Spy reopens the case files to celebrate 20 years of undercover calls. This year is the 20th anniversary of Mountain Spy, and to…