Assuming ski is required, and suits is required, the following results were found.
Jon Copeland Named Breckenridge VP, COO
SAM Magazine—Breckenridge, Colo., Oct. 12, 2023—Breckenridge Ski Resort has promoted Jon Copeland, current vice president of mountain operations, to vice president and COO. Copeland will lead mountain and base area operations, food and beverage, ski and snowboard school, summer operations, and other areas of business, while driving partnership and engagement with the Town of Breckenridge and the broader community. “I can’t think of anyone better suited to take on this leadership role at Breck...
Jury Clears Mt. Bachelor in Wrongful Death Suit
SAM Magazine—Bend, Ore., July 26, 2022—A Deschutes County jury ruled in favor of POWDR-owned Mt. Bachelor in a $15 million wrongful death lawsuit on Friday. The suit was brought against the resort by the father of a 24-year-old Bend snowboarder, Alfonso Braun, who suffocated and died after falling into a tree well within the resort’s boundary on March 2, 2018. The suit alleged that Mt. Bachelor failed to adequately monitor and warn of the risks that recent heavy snowfall posed to skiers and...
Vail Resorts Q2 Earnings Down, Skier Visits Up
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., March 9, 2023—Vail Resorts reported a decrease in its second quarter earnings (EBITDA) of approximately 1 percent from the prior year for the November through January period, with the company’s profitability impacted primarily by increased operating costs from abnormal weather conditions. However, skier visits, ancillary revenue, and guest satisfaction were all up for the season-to-date period, through March 5. The company is lowering its guidance for fiscal...
Vail Resorts Increases Epic Pass Pricing 8%, Expands European Partners
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., March 7, 2023—Vail Resorts has released pricing for the 2023-24 Epic Pass suite. The restricted Epic Local Pass will retail for $676 and the unlimited Epic Pass will go for $909, increases of roughly 8 percent year-over-year but still below the price for the 2020-21 Epic Pass. The company slashed prices 20 percent for 2021-22. There will be several new passholder benefits for the 2023-24 season. As previously reported, guests will be able to activate and store...
Tale of Two Winters
By LINDA GOODSPEED East and West. The two sides of the country are experiencing two very different winters: In the West, consistent cold and snow since November. In the East, warm and below average snowfall. And in the middle, both extremes at the same time. West Mountain High, CA & Wintergreen, VAUtah is having quite possibly its snowiest winter ever. Alta hit 500 inches on Valentine’s Day, the earliest it ever reached that mark in its long-recorded history. Brighton and Snowbird are also...
No-Frills Resorts Rise to the Top in SKI Reader Survey
SAM Magazine—Boulder, Colo., Oct. 17, 2022—SKI Magazine's 2023 “Top 50 Resort Reader Survey” has been released with some noteworthy trends, albeit not totally surprising to anyone who's been following ski industry news, even loosely. The survey “points to the overall trend of people seeking out the non-corporate ski areas after a couple rough seasons at the mega resorts,“ wrote SKI. Winners in both the East and West remained the same, but further down the list notable shifts indicated the...
Indy Rebrands Core Pass Product, Reduces Blackout Dates
SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., April 27, 2022—Indy has rebranded its primary pass product as the Indy Base Pass. The Indy Base Pass—not to be confused with the similar-sounding Ikon Base Pass—will continue to provide two days at Indy’s roster of independent partner resorts, subject to newly reduced blackout dates. The Indy+ Pass will remain unrestricted at all resorts. For the 2022-23 season, Indy has reduced blackout dates at partner resorts by 7 percent compared to last season, with 16...
MCP Adds New Power Pass Product for 2022-23, Prices Flat
SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., March 23, 2022—Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) has rolled out its 2022-23 Power Pass lineup, which provides access to MCP’s Spider Mountain bike park in Texas and its seven Southwest ski areas: Purgatory and Hesperus, Colo., Arizona Snowbowl, Ariz., Brian Head and Nordic Valley, Utah, and Pajarito and Sipapu, N.M. Prices for the top two tiers of the pass remain flat from 2021-22, but MCP has replaced its Power Pass Local with the new, less-restricted Power Pass...
Epic Pass Adds Options for 2022-23, Nominal Price Increase
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., March 21, 2022—Vail Resorts (VR) unveiled its 2022-23 Epic Pass lineup today, increasing prices slightly over its significantly reduced 2021-22 offerings. New this year, the company also introduced a monthly payment plan and a cheaper tier of the Epic Day pass, with location-restricted access. On a quarterly earnings call last week, CEO Kirsten Lynch said the company would continue to be tactical in its pricing decisions following the “strategic reset” in pass...
New England Pass 2022-23 Adds Multi-Day Products
SAM Magazine—Carrabassett Valley, Maine, March 8, 2022—Boyne Resorts has unveiled pricing for the 2022-23 New England Pass products, which provide access to Sunday River and Sugarloaf, Maine, and Loon Mountain, N.H., and also introduced the new N.E. Day ticket pack products, available for two to five days of access to the three resorts. Three days of access to the recently acquired Shawnee Peak, Maine, are included in the two top-tier pass options, but Shawnee Peak will maintain its own...
Snow People — Winter 2022
In SAM’s Snow People, we highlight recent personnel moves that have been made in the mountain resort industry. From resort hires, promotions, and retirements to supplier news, awards and obits. We celebrate the people that make this industry thrive. People GREG GAVRILETS, MT. ROSE SKI TAHOE, NV Greg Gavrilets will take over as general manager of Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Nev., April 18. Gavrilets resigned Jan. 17 from his role as GM of Attitash, N.H. He previously served as the general manager of...
Robust Holiday Business Ahead, But Covid Looms
SAM Magazine—Ludlow, Vt., Dec. 20, 2021—Snowstorms in the East and West have arrived just in time for ski areas to expand open terrain ahead of what is shaping up to be a robust holiday period. Snow falling at Palisades Tahoe, December 14 But with Covid cases surging and the Canadian border tightening, January business is looking less secure. For those areas that are open, this holiday period is likely to be a win, even with the uptick in Covid cases. “The numbers are staggering,” said Tom...
Resorts Roll Out 2021-22 Pass Programs
SAM Magazine—Ludlow, Vt., March 11, 2021—It’s March, which means next season’s passes are going on sale. Many are offering financing options and carrying over Covid-related assurances. Prices seem to be holding steady and even rising, although a number of resorts are adding value, like spring access and reciprocal tickets, and offering discounts to renewing passholders. Here's a look at some of the deals we've seen so far. Alterra’s Ikon Pass products drop today, March 11. The price of the...
Covid-19 Insurance Coverage and Liability Update
This report is excerpted from a longer report by Gfeller Laurie LLP. We thank Charles Gfeller for sharing it with SAM. SAM Magazine—West Hartford, Conn., Feb. 5, 2021—Many ski areas and ski industry vendors have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated shutdowns. In the business world generally, this has led to a wave of business interruption insurance claims and resultant insurance coverage litigation. While these claims have been mostly denied, and courts have sided...
Varied Conditions and Operating Plans as More Resorts Open
SAM Magazine—Ludlow, Vt., Nov. 12, 2020—The 2020-21 ski season has begun, with more resorts confirming opening dates even as COVID-19 cases surge across the U.S. SAM has been tracking the virus. This week, we spoke to several operators, and all are confident in the operating plans they've developed in accordance with local, state, and federal guidance. The plans aim to keep staff and guests as safe as possible. It's a team effort, though. The success of these operating plans relies heavily on...
COVID Insights: Tracking the Virus, and Combatting It
The pandemic is on the march in many local resort communities and in the larger market areas from which they draw their customers. State and local governments are taking measures to stop the advance of COVID-19, hoping to avoid the need for a broad economic shutdown. And both public and private entities are seeking to boost tourism. For details, see the Weekly Briefing and the Virus Tracker compiled by the Insights Collective (links below). Ski Towns, States Extending Mask Requirements Just...
Snow People—October 2020
RESORTS Bobby Johnson, Jr., Magic Mountain, Vt. Magic Mountain has hired Robert “Bobby” Johnson, Jr. as director of the Snowsports Learning Center, starting Dec. 5. Johnson is reported to be the first Black leader of a ski school in Vermont, and possibly the country. He began his teaching career at Smuggler’s Notch, Vt., in 1983, and joined the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) in 1988. He is a PSIA Level 3 instructor for alpine and telemark skiing, and Level 2 for snowboarding....
SAM Summer Ops Camp 2019: Business Laid Bare
The essentials for summer business success showed clear and strong as moonshine during SAM's Summer Ops Camp in Gatlinburg, Tenn., Sept. 3-5. Add a comment From marketing and branding to the wide range of activities and attractions so prominently on display, Camp put the essentials in stark relief. The Camp program—which mixed hands-on site visits, classroom sessions, and networking events—suited the Gatlinburg experience perfectly. And the nearly 150 attendees, hailing from all over the...
Ski California LMOE Conference, June 5-7, 2018
Lift Maintenance and Operations Education Conference Brings Consortium of Experience to Squaw Valley By Dave Zook Interest in progressing lift safety is sky high, if the attendance at the 2018 Lift Maintenance and Operations Education Conference (LMOE) at Squaw Valley, Calif., June 5-7, was any indication. Event planner and Ski California president Michael Reitzell expected 150-175 people to register—and ended up with 340 attendees, creating packed lectures and lively debate. Spanning three...
