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VOL. 63, NO. 6, NOVEMBER 2024
42
ON THE COVER One of the many “Events” entries in this year’s SAM Terrain Park Contest, the Boulder Hill Jam was put on by Eldora on a city street near the University of Colorado. Terrain park events seemed to come back in a big way in 2023-24; the category had about twice as many entries as any of the other three.
Photo credit: Cullen McHale Cover design: Joerg Dressler 42
TERRAIN PARK CONTEST 2024 Our annual contest shows how park builders flexed their creativity and ambition during the 2023-24 winter season. By the Editors and Jess Goucher
52
63
48
48 STAYING UNIFORM
56 FINDING BALANCE
63 MAKING SNOW THE CROSS-COUNTRY WAY Fickle snowfall has some cross-country ski areas investing in snowmaking systems of all sizes. Is the investment worth it? By Peter Oliver
From major manufacturers and wholesale suppliers to smaller brands and accessory makers, ski areas have a lot of options to keep staff comfortable, warm, and looking good. By Helen Olsson
How do residents and homeowners in Colorado mountain communities feel about their quality of life and the tourism economy? In summary: there’s work to be done. By Tom Foley
52 REV YOUR ENGINES!
60 CONSTRUCTION SITE
Why it’s important for your new or renovated building to be a revenue-generating engine, and
Boots-on-the-ground details from several capital improvement projects in North America. By Peter Landsman
how to make it so. By John Ashworth
60
DEPARTMENTS
PUBLISHER’S MEMO
8 NEWS AND VIEWS An interview with Killington GM Mike Solimano and new owner Phill Gross; thoughts from the MT2030 summit; a call to elevate safety on the slopes, and more. 20 NEW PRODUCTS A variety of new products and services for ski area operators to consider—from software to hardware and staffing help to safety.
No Time for Hibernation There is something poetic about the fact that just as the leaves start dying, our industry surges back to life. The natural world goes dormant as the weather cools, and ski area operators take on the mantle of Dr. Frankenstein, reanimating idle snow guns, lifts, and lodges with a spark of electricity. I know, I know, many of you have summer operations (something we’ve been championing for years), so perhaps that image of the dormant ski hill is a bit labored, but stick with me. While others succumb to the siren song of hibernation, we plug our ears against it. With the arrival of crisp autumn air, we slough off the molasses of summer and begin the sprint toward the first turns of winter. And autumn is most certainly a sprint. So much to do, so little time, as the idiom goes. At least, that’s how it has felt in the SAM offices this season. We’ve been on the road a lot—at regional shows for MSAA, NES, and SANY/PSAA, and at the Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Solutions Summit in Jackson Hole, Wyo., where we co-hosted a meet-and-greet for ski resort sustainability leaders (more on that on p. 14). We also kicked off our annual Summit Series leadership development program, with a bright crop of new mentees and seasoned mentors. And we launched a brand- new Ski Resort AI Bootcamp in partnership with self-admitted AI geek Mike Lannen from Eternity. And, of course, we’ve produced this issue of SAM , which reflects the general tenor of autumn in the ski industry— there’s a little looking back (at rad park builds and events from last season in the annual “Terrain Park Contest” on p. 42, and major capital projects from the off-season in “Construction Site” on p. 60), and there is a lot of looking ahead (at the impact of AI on the ski industry, p. 36; at uniform buying on p. 48; and at shifting attitudes toward the tourism economy in mountain towns on p. 56, to name but a few). Our industry is riddled with unpredictabilities, which is perhaps why we must be so future focused in our thinking. Like snowdrops, we are determined to bloom in, well, snow. But faced with the realities of changing communities, climate, and consumer expectations, it is imperative for us to put our heads together to envision solutions that will sustain the ski industry in the busy months and long years ahead. Speaking of busy months
26 MOUNTAIN SPY
The Spy asks: “We want to come ski for Thanksgiving. If condi- tions aren’t good, is there anything else to do?”
28 GUEST EXPERIENCE
Manage NPS by the numbers: increase promoters or decrease detractors?
30 ROUNDUP
Optimism reigns as ski areas plan for the 2024-25 winter season.
36 TECHNOLOGY
What does the growth of AI mean for the winter sports industry?
>> CHECK OUT OUR UNIQUE ONLINE CONTENT : WWW.SAMINFO.COM
TOM FOLEY is currently SVP of Business Intelligence at Inntopia. In 2005, he co-founded DestiMetrics (then MTRiP), and more recently served as president of the Insights Collective, a tourism think tank. Foley has spent the last 28 years researching and analyzing the destination travel industry and brings a macro-contextual angle to his work. » 52 JESS GOUCHER grew up in New England. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English, she headed west to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyo., where she started on the park crew in 2017. Goucher then moved to Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore., as lead park groomer and is currently a terrain park groomer at The Summit at Snoqualmie, Wash. » 42 HELEN OLSSON is the editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury’s Peak magazine and author of “The Down & Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids.” Based in Boulder, Colo., Olsson has been an editor at Skiing , Snow Show Daily , Outdoor Retailer Daily , and Vail Resorts’ Epic Life. Her stories have appeared in the New York Times , SKI , and Elevation Outdoors , among others. » 48
and long years—our very own Jordyn Ossanna, née Bremer, got married at the end of September. Please join us in wishing her and her husband, Brett, many long years of happiness and a well- deserved respite from the busy months of wedding planning. Congratulations, you two!
Olivia Rowan, Publisher olivia@saminfo.com
[News & Views] 1
AN INDEPENDENT BEAST
By Katie Brinton, Senior Editor, SAM
In late August, news circulated that Powdr was selling Killington Resort / Pico Mountain in Vermont to a group of local investors. By late September, “The Beast of the East,” which had been owned by a conglomerate since the mid-’80s (first S-K-I, then American Skiing Company, and most recently Powdr), was official- ly “fiercely independent,” as the media release to passholders put it. The investors. There was a certain ele- ment of kismet to the deal. Phill Gross, one of the lead investors in the new own- ership group and the co-founder of Adage Capital Management, knew Powdr found- er John Cumming from their shared work on the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Founda- tion board of trustees. When Powdr pur- chased Killington / Pico in 2007 and toyed with the idea of shutting down the resort’s Skyeship Gondola, Gross, whose home is served by the gondola, was instrumen- tal in working with Cumming to keep the lift spinning. Seventeen years later, when Cumming was considering selling the resort to an independent group, Gross was the person he called. “He reached out to me and said, ‘I think it’s the right time, and you’re the right person to put something togeth- er.’ And I said, ‘Well, I’ll try,’” says Gross. Gross’s first phone call was to Michael Ferri, vice president of the Killington Mountain School (KMS) board of trust- ees and the co-owner of Valvoline Oil. “Although I was a little uncertain about whether we could do this, [Ferri] was like, ‘We have to do this, whatever it takes.’” That’s how it all started, says Gross. The appetite for involvement was significant, he says. “When the publicity came out in August, we did have more people interested than we could accom- modate. … Everybody wanted to be part
Two of Killington / Pico’s new owners, Phill Gross (L) and Michael Ferri (R), with president and GM Mike Solimano.
of something really exciting and histor- ic.” Despite the fact that the investment returns in the ski industry “aren’t necessar- ily the greatest,” says Gross, folks loved the idea of having a stake in their home hill. Gross and Ferri found the sweet spot with a group of 16 investors: 14 different Killington families, as well as Powdr and the developer of the forthcoming Killing- ton village, Great Gulf, which both have minority stakes. “ALTHOUGH I WAS A LITTLE UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHETHER WE COULD DO THIS, [FERRI] WAS LIKE, ‘WE HAVE TO DO THIS, WHATEVER IT TAKES.’” Closing the deal. Unlike, say, Alterra’s acquisition of Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin, which has been held up since February by a routine but cumbersome Department of Justice review, the Killington / Pico deal closed quickly. Notably, the sale was completed with zero net debt. (While the group did bor- row some funds for added flexibility, says Gross, “The key is we raised the entire purchase price with 100 percent equity, so that debt is more than offset with equity from the investors.”) “The fact that we got to the point where [they] bought it with no debt is real-
ly, really remarkable,” says Killington / Pico president and general manager Mike Solimano. “We’re starting from a point where we’re borrowing some money to do capital investment as opposed to bor- rowing money to pay for the resort, which is usually where it goes south.” Capital plans. The new owners have earmarked $30 million for capital improvements over the next two years. Most of the money will support snow- making and lift upgrades: 1,000 new low-energy HKD tower and fan guns (500 ahead of this season, and 500 ahead of 2025-26); a redesign of the learning area at Pico, which will include a new cov- ered surface lift; new Leitner-Poma cab- ins for the Skyeship Gondola; and the ski area’s first Doppelmayr lift, a detachable six-seater to replace the existing Super- star Express Quad. New mountain bike trails are also on the docket. It’s to Killington / Pico’s benefit that the new investors aren’t looking for an immediate return, Solimano says. “They’re not really doing this to make money par- ticularly. That’s why I think it works.” The new owners have committed to reinvesting all profits back into the oper- ation over the next 10 years, but that’s not to say Killington / Pico is transforming into a nonprofit or co-op. “When I say that, it’s not that they don’t want to make money,” Solimano explains. “We have a bunch of aging infra-
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[News & Views]
structure, and they want to see that invest- ment made. And the belief is that we can keep growing, [although] not growing in terms of that many more people on busy days. As you invest in it, we can hopefully make better returns. And the more money we make every year, then we have more to put back in the resort. So, it becomes kind of a self-funding machine.” “‘THIS IS AMONG THE BEST TEAMS IN THE BUSINESS. IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO THIS, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE TEAM ON BOARD.’” It was clear to Gross and the other investors that Powdr’s investments in the resort’s facilities and infrastructure have paid off. “When they built the Peak Lodge and the K-1 [lodge] and put in the Snowden six-pack, the customer experi- ence was much better, but so were the operations. So that got us down the path of, ‘Let’s just reinvest as much of the cap- ital as they need into growing the moun- tain,’” says Gross. Growth strategy. Solimano holds up the K-1 lodge, completed in late 2022, as an example of the strategy going forward. “We charge more for food in K-1 than we do at Bear [Mountain] or Snowshed, but last year, 50 percent of our [food and bev- erage] revenue ended up at K-1. It shows, as you improve, that people are willing to pay, and the value proposition changes.” “We’re not going crazy upscale,” he says, adding that improvements to the resort don’t mean the season pass price is going to, say, double. But, “we’re not going for volume,” he says. The resort is already plenty busy—too busy—on a Saturday. The goal of the investments, he says: to make the operation more profit- able and deliver a better experience, without making it more crowded. Integral to that growth strategy is Great Gulf’s development of a new slo- peside village. Initial elements of the project, such as the installation of new municipal water infrastructure and the reconstruction of the resort access road, are already underway. Its centerpiece will be a new 85,000-square-foot base lodge, which will be complemented by
upwards of 110,000 square feet of retail and dining space and some 650 ski-in / ski-out condos and townhomes. “When you put that together with what Powdr has done … you can get pret- ty excited about what Killington’s going to be like when [the village is] all done in 5, 7, 8, 10 years,” says Gross. (The first phase of occupancy for the village is slat- ed for some time between Q4 of 2027 and Q2 of 2028.) The additional real estate represents a real opportunity for Killington. “When the village gets built out, it’s going to be a different mountain,” says Gross. “It’s going to be one that probably has a good chance of gaining a lot of market share if we can spread the [skier visits] out to weekdays. And that’s what ski-on, ski- off real estate will do.” Gross anticipates a robust rental market. Board oversight. As for growing the business while managing the crowds, Gross says the how is up to Solimano and his team. “They’re the experts. They’re going to decide how to deal with that.” The new owners intend to leave the operation of Killington / Pico to the existing management team. A nine-per- son board will meet twice a year, once to approve the budget and once to approve capital spending for the following year. “The board’s definitely going to have some input,” says Gross, “but we’re let- ting them run the mountain.” Gross and the other investors were assured by SE Group during due dili- gence that the operation was in good hands. “[SE Group] came back to us and said, ‘This is among the best teams in the business. If you’re going to do this, make sure you keep the team on board.’ That’s a very comforting thing to know for somebody who knows nothing about running a ski area,” says Gross. “All we’re really going to do is keep the capital in the Killington region and let Mike run the mountain the way they always have.” Pros and cons. The shift to indepen- dent ownership brings risks and oppor- tunities, says Solimano: “There are always pluses and minuses.” On the upside, there is an increase in nimbleness. “I think [among] the piec- es that are the positives for us is we can move quicker,” he says. “So I think that, to me, it’s a more entrepreneurial envi-
ronment, which I think is really fun.” Killington / Pico was also already largely a standalone operation, he says, in that it had a robust team and wasn’t overly reliant on consolidated Powdr ser- vices prior to the sale. So, there will be no scramble to bring things in-house that had previously been outsourced. But the operation has lost a safety net, so to speak, in the transition. As an inde- pendent, says Solimano, “You live and die off your own cash flow, and if you have a couple bad years, you’ve got to make sure you can balance that. … There’s always a little more security as you get bigger that you can weather some of those things.” That the new owners acquired the resort without debt and are prepared to rein- vest in it certainly alleviates some of the financial pressure. Unique? It is for these reasons that Killington / Pico is, perhaps, uniquely well-equipped to transition from con- glomerate to independent. And that makes it less likely that Killington’s tra- jectory will be replicated in the sale of Powdr’s other resort assets currently on the market: Eldora, Colo., Mt. Bachelor, Ore., and SilverStar, B.C. For one thing, it appears Powdr sold Killington / Pico at a discount. “It’s clear they could have sold it for more,” says Solimano. “Everybody wanted this resort.” “I’M REASONABLY SURE THAT THERE WAS A FINANCIAL SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF LETTING THE LOCALS OWN THE MOUNTAIN.” In an open market bidding system, he says, “my impression is it would be harder for some of the other resorts to figure out a local deal. I just think it’s very hard to compete with some of those big groups.” “I’m reasonably sure that there was a financial sacrifice for the sake of let- ting the locals own the mountain,” says Gross. But Powdr was ready to sell, and Gross and Ferri were able to move quick- ly to put together a deal. In the end, “It was the right thing to do,” says Gross, for Killington / Pico and for Powdr. » continued
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[News & Views]
speak-out
Why We Must Elevate Safety in the Ski Industry
from individuals and organizations hailing from across North America and Europe. All are asking: what can be implemented to reduce fear of other skiers’ and riders’ reckless behavior? This level of fear should not exist, and it indicates that more must be done to improve the on-hill environment. Fortunately, we can accomplish this through concentrated efforts. Too many of us, guests and employees alike, tolerate disrespectful, dangerous behavior—and shouldn’t. We all love the thrill of skiing and riding, and that keeps us coming back. However, ask anyone that skis or rides regularly if there is anything that they dislike about it, and you will hear some variation of “other skiers and riders skiing too close to me when passing” or “I’m being used as a human slalom gate.” The only reason these behaviors persist is because we tolerate them and don’t intervene when they happen. This is understandable, to a point. It’s hard to intervene after the other skier or rider flies by; we might not see them again. Still, collision risks can be mitigated with appropriate inter- vention strategies when they are reported or observed by moun- tain staff. Education prior to this behavior occurring is even more powerful, and there are several mediums that could be used to provide it. Our organization is happy to help in this regard. That perfect day, where skiers and riders are looking out for each other’s safety and the mountain experience is more enjoyable, is very possible. The day that avoidable collisions are a thing of the past is attainable. Let’s make sure that everyone feels like the mountain is theirs to enjoy, no matter their skill level or background. Let’s make it more inviting to come back to the mountain day after day, by improving the safety culture. Let’s all work together to elevate safety in the industry.
Picture a perfect day on the slopes where you can trust that other skiers and riders are looking out for your safety, every- one practices Your Responsibility Code, and avoidable colli- sions are largely a thing of the past. Over the past couple decades, skiing and snowboarding have grown in popularity, steadily bringing more and more people to the mountains, including people from more diverse backgrounds thanks to improved outreach and inclusivity efforts. It is an exciting time, but what training and resources are we providing to help both new and experienced guests exercise good judgment with the inherent risks that they take on? Are we providing a welcoming environment—or one that shouts “get out of my way” as soon as they start down the mountain? As an industry, we must educate skiers and riders new and old with knowledge to reduce the inherent risks of skiing and riding and create a safer environment. There is a lack of educa- tion that the skiing and riding public receives and internalizes before hitting the slopes. Providing effective education, from basic etiquette to the effects of speed on stopping distance and what it means to be in control, is in everyone’s best interest. Some would argue that skiers and riders will figure these things out on their own over time. Well, some do, some don’t. Overall, there is a gap in basic safety understanding. Don’t believe me? Look up ski or snowboard collisions on Instagram or TikTok and read through the comments. For experienced skiers and riders who know the code, prepare to be shocked by the lack of understanding exhibited as skiers and riders chime in on who is at fault. (Hint: not everyone understands respon- sibility lies with the uphill person.) Further, surveys from ski area insurers indicate that a guest’s biggest fear while skiing is being hit by another skier. Inquiries come to our ski safety organization, Snow Angel Foundation,
Chauncy Johnson, Founder/Executive Director, Snow Angel Foundation Inc.
CORRECTION: “CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU REC YOURSELF,” SAM, SEPTEMBER 2024
The September 2024 article “Check Yourself Before You REC Yourself” erroneously stated that National Ski Areas Associ- ation (NSAA) public policy director Geraldine Link agreed with contributor Erika Kazi’s characterization that RECs are “a Band-Aid on sustainability efforts.” Link clarified, “I do not agree with Ms. Kazi’s characterization of RECs as a ‘Band-Aid’ on sustainability efforts. Many ski areas are taking on proj- ects to reduce GHG emissions and electricity consumption in their operations, and they are also purchasing RECs to address
Scope 2 (purchased electricity) emissions and support renew- able energy development. In the 2023-24 season, our Climate Challengers reported that RECs contributed to a 20 percent reduction in Scope 2 emissions, which results in net emissions of 91,701 MT CO2e. This is significant. I would encourage your readers to review NSAA’s 2024 ‘Climate Challenge’ report … to better appreciate the role that RECs play in helping ski areas meet their renewable energy goals.” NSAA’s “Climate Chal- lenge” report is available online at nsaa.org.
» continued
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[News & Views]
mistic and energized vision of the future. A keynote from Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson asked us to imagine, “What If We Get It Right?” (also the name of her book) when it comes to possible climate futures. That reframe of the challenge before us set a positive, bipartisan, and action-oriented tone for the rest of the conference. A community of climate champions will be necessary to collectively move the needle. To help build that community, SAM , NSAA, and Taos Ski Valley, with sup- port from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, SE Group, Brendle Group, and Pepsi gath-
ered ski resort sustainability leaders for a pre-arrival meet and greet at the top of the Jackson Hole tram to ignite a community of diverse resort voices ( pictured ). Many of these sustainability leaders are young and wear other hats at their resorts. They told us about their passion for the mountains, need for connection with fellow leaders, and hopes to bring smart, creative climate solutions to their commu- nities. They want to get it right, we all do— and we left the summit with the feeling that through collaboration a safer future is possible. — Olivia Rowan, Publisher »
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THOUGHTS FROM MT2030
Fellow SAM team member Karolyn Towle and I had the opportunity to attend the Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Solutions Summit in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Oct. 14-16. Launched in 2019, it’s an annual gathering of community leaders, ski resort person- nel, elected officials, climate experts, and stakeholders from in and around moun- tain towns working together to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030. Karolyn and I don’t think of ourselves as environmental activists, although we both love the mountains and worry about the devastating impacts of climate change— and we both felt changed by the summit. Mountain communities, which often rely heavily on outdoor recreation, are feeling the sharp edge of climate change. While facing that reality can be frustrating and daunting, the summit offered an opti-
M ILLER M OUNTAIN S ERVICES O FFERS AV ARIETY OF S ERVICES F OR S KI S LOPE R ESTORATION & R EHABILITATION
• Glade Creation • Ski Trail Clearing • Lift Line Clearing
• Forest Health Projects
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• Hiking & Biking Trail Construction
• Second Growth Clearing & Mastication
• Thin Trees on Steep Terrain With Minimal Soil Impact
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Today’s Parks operating a Bison X, photo credit Dan Mathieu
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[News & Views]
Amy Reents stepped down as ED of the Midwest Ski Areas Association. In Colorado, Steamboat Resort pro- moted Nelson Wingard to the role of vice president of snowsports school and Corey Peterson to vice president of mountain operations. … Eldora hired Meg Ellison as its new human resources director and promoted Elly Orszulak to senior director of base area operations.
facturer FATZER AG has acquired Can- ada-based ROCKY MOUNTAIN LIFT SERVICES AND SUPPLIES INC. AQUATIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP (ADG) was honored with two Leading Edge awards by the World Waterpark Association. SNOWVANA , a Pacific Northwest consumer ski and snowboard show, expanded to Seattle this fall. It was the first pre-season consumer event held in the city since 2010. INDY PASS and ENTABENI SYSTEMS have purchased Black Mountain, N.H., with plans to transfer ownership of the ski area to a community co-op by 2025-26. Indy Pass also launched a new employee pass program for the 2024-25 season. PEOPLE The National Ski Areas Association has appointed Ski California president Mike Reitzell as its new president and CEO. ...
SUPPLIER NEWS SE GROUP hired industry veteran Michael van Eyck as senior resort analyst. KÄSSBOHRER ALL TERRAIN VEHI- CLES, INC. , has appointed Liz Worgan to the role of marketing manager. Kelly Frey was promoted to the role of senior vice president of operations for FLAIK . The NEW ENGLAND SKI MUSEUM received a Cultural Facilities grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts to cover a portion of the expenses needed for broadband enhancements, website redesign, and digital exhibit upgrades for permanent exhibits. PNP SUPPLY reached a partnership agreement with DEMACLENKO that will support and expand North American distribution of TRM (TIROLER ROHRE GMBH) ductile-iron pipe for snowmak- ing systems. Switzerland-based wire rope manu-
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Jessica Jacobi was promoted to vice president – marketing, digital, and e-commerce for Aspen One. … Monarch Mountain appointed Chris Haggerty as its new general manager. … Shannon Buhler is now vice president and gener-
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[News & Views]
al manager of Keystone Resort. … Cindy Dady is the new CEO of Sunlight Moun- tain Resort. Elsewhere in the West, Craig Cim- mons was selected as the new general manager of Eaglecrest Ski Area, Alaska. … Alterra Mountain Company named Amy Ohran as the new president and COO of Palisades Tahoe, Calif. Longtime Big Sky Resort, Mont., pres-
ident and chief operating officer Taylor Middleton has stepped down to serve in a strategic advisory role for the com- pany. Previous general manager Troy Nedved is the new president and COO. … Paul Barger joined Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah, as marketing operations and content manager. In Canada, Andrew Rusynyk was named as general manager of Pass Pow-
derkeg Ski Hill and the Pass Community Pool in Alberta. … Katherine Seleski was made project manager at Castle Moun- tain, Alberta. … Alterra Mountain Com- pany promoted Elias Ortner to president and COO of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in British Columbia. Out East, Mt. Abram, Maine, hired Shanta Hoff as its new director of moun- tain operations. … Cannon Mountain, N.H., promoted Jeff Collins to moun- tain operations director and named Evan Vomacka as ski school director. … Shawn Taylor is now general manager of King Pine, N.H. … Susan Donnelly was named as the new general manager of Mount Sunapee, N.H. ... Oak Hill Out- door Center, N.H., appointed Mike Hus- sey as its new general manager. Magic Mountain, Vt., has promoted mountain operations director Paul Mait- land to general manager. … Jay Peak, Vt., named Dehlia Wright as its new com- munications manager and elevated Rob Riedl to ski and ride school manager. … Dave Kulis is now the operations man- ager for Bousquet Mountain, Mass. French ski area operators elected Anne Marty as the new president of Domaines Skiables de France, the profes- sional trade organization for French ski areas. She is the first woman to ever be elected to the role. obituaries Daniel “DB” O’Connor died Oct. 7. O’Connor was the owner of Daniel O’Connor & Sons Wire Rope and O’Con- nor Ski Lifts, Inc. He traveled around the globe, splicing and inspecting cables for ski lifts and amusement rides. He also served on the National Ski Areas Associ- ation lift safety committee. Colin Hackworth died in October. Hackworth was the founder of Nihon Harmony Resorts, owner/operator of Hanazono Ski Resort in Niseko, Japan. He also served as the CEO of the Australian Ski Areas Association for two decades, and was previously GM of Mount Hotham and later Falls Creek, Australia. James Fleming Richards Jr. died Aug. 3. He was the co-founder of Maple- lag, Minn., one of the top destination cross-country ski resorts in the U.S.
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NEW PRODUCTS A wide variety of products and services—from hardware to software, and staffing help to safety—for
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By David Meeker, Editor, SAM
LG&M, LLC: ROPE EYE > Rope Eye is a camera-based scanner designed to automate the inspec- tion of ropeway lifts and funiculars. The Rope Eye scanner uses high-res- olution imaging and advanced AI to detect potential defects in wire ropes and advise operators of potential issues in real time. The system can be permanently mounted or used for periodic inspections. It captures a full recording of the rope’s surface and saves it for review by a qualified inspector, and the AI machine learning provides the inspector with a list of all recognized defect types and locations for the inspector to accept or reject. Every test is digitally documented, including all defects, diameter changes, lay length changes, or other potentially unsafe conditions so any changes can be traced over the rope’s entire life cycle. ropeeye.com
< BARRY: B-NET REPAIR KIT (RKIT) The Barry B-Net Repair Kit (RKIT) is designed for quick, on-site repairs of Barry’s B-Net safety nets. This kit includes several parts and tools needed to repair B-Net, such as metal c-clips, pliers for the c-clips, mesh hooks, zip ties, a spare piece of netting, and more to handle minor damage and wear and tear. Repairs can be made in any weather condition to promptly address issues and reduce downtime. Maintaining B-Net systems by repairing small issues before they become big ones can extend B-Net lifespan, minimize costs associated with replacements, and maintain compliance with safety standards, according to the company. barry.ca
BOLL FILTER: THE AQUABOLL > The aquaBoll by Boll Filter is an automatic, self-cleaning water filter for particle removal from 10 to 5,000 micrometers of suspended solids in snowmaking systems. Finer filtration allows for lower required CFM and improved nucleation, and reduces clogging in snow gun nozzles. AquaBoll features include adjustable backwash, large filtration area, low energy consumption, and high flows, all in a small footprint. It carries a five-year warranty and Boll Filter’s spare parts and service program. The aquaBoll is suitable for all water sources and system capacities, according to the company, and is now available in North America. bollfilter.com
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NEW PRODUCTS_»
SKIKRUMB UNBOUND > Designed for use at ski resorts, skiKrumb Unbound is a small, recharge- able, wearable radio GPS tracker that doesn’t need cellular signal or Wi- Fi connection to function with the mobile app. It requires a small, open frequency radio antenna that uses power over ethernet to be installed on or near the mountain. Partner ski areas that install the hardware can have guests use the skiKrumb devices to track their location and that of others using the skiKrumb mobile app. It also tracks other stats such as number of runs, distance skied, altitude, and more. The app functionality can integrate with existing resort mobile apps as well. There are various revenue share options that involve leasing or purchasing the devices, renting the devices to guests, and co-marketing. Use requires an annual paid subscription. Some ski areas offer them for ski school students so parents can track their kids’ location. skikrumb.ca
< ALPINE MEDIA: SHUTTLE TRACKING One of the various guest communication features offered by Alpine Media is the ability for resorts to track vehicles like buses and shuttles in real time so guests know where their ride is. The system integrates with digital signage, websites, and mobile apps, allowing guests to view the location of transportation options. There is also an option for a shuttle request feature, which enables auto-dispatching of ride requests, delivering an Uber-like experience for guests, according to the company. alpinemedia.com
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workers. With the slogan “Your Office on the Slopes,” it promotes key technical roles in the industry—such as lift mechanics, snowmak- ers, and snow groomers—through skills-based competitions for high school CTE students. These events allow partner resorts to identify and engage with talented students early, building a steady pipeline of future employees. The company also conducts guest presentations at schools, attends student job fairs, coordinates work study opportu- nities, and provides educational STEM-based curriculum through its Career Readiness Kits for younger students, introducing them to the careers available in the ski industry. yourofficeontheslopes.com
^ THE. PIPELINE PROJECT Founded by former career technical education (CTE) teacher Tiffany Whitcomb, The. Pipeline Project is designed to help mountain resorts and industry partners connect with the next generation of skilled
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7/06 12:56 PM Page 1
As more accessible mountain bike trails are being built to accommodate adaptive bikes, the need to transport these specialized bikes has grown. Deasonbuilt Inc., which manufactures bike carriers for aerial ropeways, worked with Park City Resort and the National Ability Center (NAC) in Utah to come up with a solution for transporting adaptive bikes on Park City’s bike carriers. NAC provided Deasonbuilt with the dimensions of popular adaptive bikes and the company designed an attachment that fits existing Deasonbuilt bike carriers. The adaptive bike attachment will accept wheelbases up to 65 inches and widths up to 40 inches. It weighs 78 lbs. The attachment is designed to handle all adaptive bike weights. deasonbuilt.com
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THE QUESTION: “We want to come ski for Thanksgiving. If conditions aren’t good, is there anything else to do?” Early season demand is real. Once the weather starts cooling down, people want to visit the mountains, even if the skiing isn’t great—or available at all. And a lot of folks enjoy traveling for the holidays, Thanksgiving included. Ski area personnel often wonder why this is. “Just wait a few weeks,” they think. “It’s still stick season.” But guests are ready to travel and need stuff to do, so ski areas should be ready come Thanksgiving, especially those with lodging. Granted, this Spy mission includes a small sample size, but there really wasn’t any mention of Turkey Day events or other offerings that make a holiday at a ski area special. Perhaps there are some fun things on the docket and these staffers didn’t know about them?
Hopefully, other ski areas and their staff are better prepared to handle the calls from anxious guests who just want to get to the mountains—and perhaps have some fun—than most of these were.
Has a guest asked you an interesting question lately? Send it to jordyn@saminfo.com for the Spy to pose to other mountains! We won’t tell anyone the question came from you. Plus, if we use it, your resort will be immune for that issue.
MOUNTAIN 1, PA
ers accessible at that time. And there is not a lot of terrain accessible for upper-level skiers. So, you know, typically its conditions permitting, but if we are open Thanksgiving, typically it’s kind of blue-run skiers. A lot of times there is not a lot of off-trail skiing at that point. SAM: OK, that makes sense. Staff: And if the conditions are poor, there is nothing to do here. [Dif- ferent resort] may have some more options or down in the valley you might be able to do stuff. But I have seen a lot of Thanksgiving ski
First Contact: Male. SAM: Stated question. Staff: We won’t open until mid- to end-December (snarky) .
SAM: OK. Is there anything to do if we decide to come for Thanksgiving? Staff: The resort closes down in November and will reopen in Decem- ber (rude) . SAM: So, there is nothing to do? Staff: No, not really. SAM: Is there anything to do in the area? Staff: Yeah, I guess… Um, there are [lists a few activities]. SAM: OK, thanks. Staff: Yep, is that all? SAM: Yes, goodbye. Score: 2 Comment: Understandably, resorts don’t have activities during their off season, but if the region has a lot to do and a guest wants to stay at your resort, why discourage them?
vacations kind of be pushed based on the conditions. SAM: Yeah, I get that. Well, thank you for your help. Staff: No problem. Goodbye.
Score: 6 Comment: The call started a bit rough, but he eventually lightened up. And his honesty about the conditions was appreciated.
MOUNTAIN 3, MT
First Contact: Female. SAM: Stated question.
Staff: It really just depends on what you guys like to do, (mono-toned) but there are other third-party activities that we offer on the mountain and away from the mountain. There is things like horseback riding, I think they do tours through [specific place], and then a couple other things. SAM: Oh, great. That would be fun. And do you think you will be open in time for Thanksgiving? Of course, weather permitting. Staff: This year our opening date is scheduled for November 27th. SAM: Oh, OK, great! Staff: Yep, is there anything else?
MOUNTAIN 2, UT
First Contact: Male. SAM: Stated question. Staff: Nope (stern) . SAM: OK.
Staff: Not here at [resort]. Thanksgiving skiing is variable. There have been some years where it was pretty good (starting to lighten up) . There is typically not a lot of low-level terrain, good for low-level ski-
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