SAM Magazine—Ellicottville, N.Y., Sept. 18, 2025—The annual joint conference and expo hosted by Ski NY and the newly rebranded and reorganized Pennsylvania Outdoor Recreation Association (PORA, formerly Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association) was held Sept. 15-17 at Holiday Valley, N.Y. Attendance was up a bit over last year with more than 350 registered ski area personnel from New York and Pennsylvania and supplier representatives from all over North America.
As always, the Expo was as much about networking and connection as it was about education and business. Monday afternoon offered a variety of activities for attendees, including a golf scramble at Holiday Valley’s Double Black Diamond Golf Course, downhill mountain biking at nearby Holimont, a guided road bike ride, and a wine tasting and stroll around the village of Ellicottville. Then it was time for business at the evening’s trade show—the first of four trade-show sessions—where dozens of vendors shared their latest and greatest with hundreds of attendees.
About 30 different educational sessions covered everything from state-specific topics, including workshops led by representatives from the New York Department of Labor to technical tracks such as “Pump Basics for Operators,” and broader discussions about risk management, marketing, technology, leadership, and more.
SAM editor Dave Meeker moderated the “General Managers Roundtable” Tuesday afternoon with a panel that included Holiday Valley’s Dennis Eshbaugh, Bear Creek (Pa.) GM Erin Visco-Chapman, Ski Big Bear (Pa.) GM Lori Phillips, and Holiday Mountain (N.Y.) owner Mike Taylor. The group shared insights about leadership, culture, growing the sport, and more.
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The typically animated “Snowmaking Tech Update” led by Greek Peak’s (N.Y.) Ayden Wilber was more subdued this year, yet still informative. A panel of manufacturer reps discussed the future of snowmaking, including AI’s potential role in snowmaking operations moving forward (which, as of now, appears to be in the distant future).
Some awards were given out during the event. Attorneys Steve and Maryjo Zweig were recognized with the Stafford Safety in Skiing Award, and Windham Mountain Club chairman Chip Seamans was honored with the Ski NY Hall of Fame Award.
The Tuesday night banquet featured an ’80s-themed party at Holiday Valley’s Yodeler Lodge, complete with snap bracelets, plenty of neon, and an ’80s cover band.
Next year’s Expo will be held in Lake Placid, N.Y., Sept. 21-23, 2026.