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ADMINISTRATION President / Publisher Olivia Rowan
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V.P./Admin Donna Jacobs
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EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Dave Meeker dave@saminfo.com Senior Editor Katie Brinton katie@saminfo.com Art Director Sarah Wojcik sarahw@saminfo.com Graphic Design Consultant Joerg Dressler joerg@dressler-design.com Production Manager Donna Jacobs donna@saminfo.com Production Assistant Jordyn Ossanna jordyn@saminfo.com
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR Rick Kahl
CONTRIBUTORS
Mark Aiken Iseult Devlin April Darrow Scott Hannah Marsha Hovey
Peter Landsman Josh Laskin Moira McCarthy Peter Oliver Ryan Schramm
ADVERTISING/MARKETING OFFICE 70 Pond Street • Natick, MA 01760 Tel. (508) 655-6408 Advertising Director Sharon Walsh sharon@saminfo.com Marketing, Events & Digital Karolyn Towle Partnerships Director karolyn@saminfo.com Marketing & Social Media Mgr. Jordyn Ossanna jordyn@saminfo.com CIRCULATION / SUBSCRIPTIONS P.O. Box 1776 • McCormick, SC 29835 Audience Development Karolyn Towle karolyn@saminfo.com Subscription rates: One year (6 issues), $65; two years $110 (12 issues). Offer good in U.S. only. In- ternational subscriptions include additional cost for shipping. Discounts available on group orders from the same organization. Back issues: $8.00 plus postage. Subscribe at www.saminfo.com/subscribe. SKI AREA MANAGEMENT — (ISSN No. 0037-6175) — Vol. 64, No. 4, July 2025. Published bi-monthly by Beardsley Publishing Corp., P.O. Box 644, Wood- bury, CT 06798. Copyright 2025 Beardsley Publish- ing Corp. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage PAID at Woodbury, CT, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Beard- sley Publishing, P.O. Box 1776, McCormick, SC 29835.
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HALF A CENTURY MAKING WINTER WONDERFUL From our humble beginnings in 1974 to partnering with thousands of ski resorts worldwide, our journey over five decades has been nothing short of extraordinary, thanks to customers like you. Join us as we celebrate 50 years of dedication, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of crafting the perfect snow.
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VOL. 64, NO. 4, JULY 2025
40
ON THE COVER This year’s ”10 Under 30”: Camille Belletete, Taos Ski Valley, N.M.; Shelby Bowins, Blue Mountain, Ontario; Jamie Grimston, Brund- age, Idaho; Katie Kuzmeski, Mount Snow, Vt.; Dempsey Mendryzcki, Big Snow, N.J.; Ricky Nash, Showdown, Mont.; Hannah Roth, Mt. Sima, Yukon; Tommy Royther, Wisp, Md.; Zach Staker, Winterplace, W.Va.; Brandon Wagner, Little Swizterland, Wis.
Cover design: Joerg Dressler
40 10 UNDER 30 These next-gen leaders bring fresh thinking, heart, and hustle to every corner of the mountain resort industry. By April Darrow
45 GETTING TRAILS READY FOR WINTER
58 MOUNTAIN BLUEPRINTS
52
Ecosign’s Paul Mathews reflects on 50 years of mountain resort planning and design in this
Trail work in the summer pays off when the snow, manmade or natural, starts flying. By Peter Oliver
SAM Trailblazers Q&A. By Moira McCarthy
48 TECH UPLIFT
Modernizing your tech stack requires planning, good communication, and, sometimes, pushing past resistance to create a more friction-free experience, as these four resorts found. By Mark Aiken
58
52 GREASING THE GEARS
When the elements align, mountain bike parks can take off. Here are the make-or-breaks to help decide, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” By Josh Laskin
56 CONSTRUCTION SITE
45
These ski areas got an early start on their major construction projects, including new lodges and lifts. By Peter Landsman
DEPARTMENTS
PUBLISHER’S MEMO Lessons from the Road It’s been a busy few months, with SAM ’s team members going from desk jockeys to road warriors. In May alone, we were at Mt. Hood building terrain parks with Cutter’s Camp one week and on Marco Island building sandcastles with NSAA the next. We had team members at Interalpin in Innsbruck, Austria, and at the Eastern Canada Ski Areas (ECSA) Conference in Gatineau, Quebec, not to mention state and regional association meetings. As much as being on the road can cause the emails to pile up, there is no better way for us to gather stories than being on the ground with you, hearing your operational successes and challenges, your leadership insights, your thoughts on trends, and your clever ideas. Our storyboard is chock full, and we look forward to sharing your stories in the coming issues. Here’s a preview of some of what we heard in our travels. 1. AI is Here to Stay—and Expanding Artificial intelligence continues to weave itself into nearly every aspect of mountain resort operations. At Interalpin, several presentations highlighted how AI is being used not just to personalize guest experiences but also as a strategic tool in broader public–private tourism initiatives. From dynamic pricing and guest flow modeling to predictive maintenance and destination-level marketing optimization, AI is no longer a buzzword—it’s infrastructure. 2. Audience Growth a Renewed Priority At the ECSA conference, a strong thread of discussion centered on audience growth. There was a clear push toward capturing more diverse audiences, including historically underrepresented groups. DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) wasn’t a sidebar—it was part of the mainstage conversation. Resorts and destination marketers alike are still recognizing the need to broaden the tent if they want sustainable growth. 3. The Four-Season Push Continues The idea of creating a “true four-season operation” came up frequently at multiple events. Resorts are placing greater focus on shoulder-season strategy—spring and fall are no longer downtime, they’re a growth opportunity. Whether it’s via festivals, wellness retreats, or adventure tourism, the shift toward year-round relevance is intensifying. 4. Hometown Vibes = High Impact Small ski areas are having (another) moment. Local hills packed a big punch during the pandemic, providing an outlet for Zoom-bound adults and children alike and setting us up for a few banner visitation years. Now, they are once again proving that size doesn’t matter when it comes to providing a guest experience that brings visitors back again and again. The U.S. ski industry took notice at NSAA’s national convention, where we saw quite a bit of energy around protecting and nurturing a healthy funnel of new skiers through these heartbeat hills. That’s just the surface of a deep well. Thank you for sharing your joy, concerns, and expertise with us. We hope to see many of you on our next road trip.
8 NEWS AND VIEWS What “Big Glisse” gets wrong; a letter to the editors; and people and supplier news. 14 ON THE ROAD Snaps from the NSAA National Convention, Cutter’s Camp, the ECSA Conference, Interalpin, and more. 16 SMALL SKI AREAS A Colorado GM talks to the owner/operator of the Pennsylvania hill where he learned to ski about what makes small areas special.
22 MOUNTAIN SPY
The Spy asks: “I have an infant. Can I bring her on the chairlift?”
24 SUMMER OPS
What NPS tells us about why guests who love summer don’t return.
30 MARKETING
The do’s and don’ts of the FOMO-inducing, urgency-creating, revenue-driving sales and marketing tactic, flash sales.
34 RENTAL
Outerwear rentals can improve the guest experience and the bottom line—and appear to be a growing market.
61 IDEA FILES
A portable mock control panel for training lift operators.
62 CLASSIFIEDS
Industry job listings and equipment for sale.
RYAN SCHRAMM is the GM of Powderhorn Ski Resort, Colo. He is a longtime champion of small ski areas. Schramm is a current member of the NSAA board of directors and has served on the growth committee since 2018. He is also vice chair of the CSCUSA board. A Pennsylvania native, Schramm holds a culinary degree from Penn State. » 16 APRIL DARROW is a freelance writer and editor, and longstanding SAM contributor. She was communications director for the National Ski Patrol, where she captained Ski Patrol Magazine and other publications, and is a former editor of the NSAA Journal. » 40 MARK AIKEN is an award-winning writer and professional ski instructor from Richmond, Vt., where he lives with his wife and children. He is the co-author of “Hiking the Green Mountains” and PSIA-AASI’s children’s manual, “Teaching Children Snowsports.” He has written for SKI, Backpacker, Trail Runner, and the New York Times. » 48
Olivia Rowan, Publisher olivia@saminfo.com
[News & Views]
of industrialized skiing feels quaint today, as so many of the big destination resorts—I’ve dubbed them “Big Glisse”— have abandoned workaday skiers in the search for more money. What follows are some of the other boneheaded moves Big Glisse makes. But first a prologue: Before you write me off as just another whining bro, know that I have spent much of my career as a writer and editor experiencing ski areas as customers do. Think of this story as the equivalent of a secret shopper giv- ing feedback to a retailer, or a restaurant reviewer appraising chefs. Discount it at your peril. Big Glisse forgot that mountain capacity matters more than lift capacity. At Berkshire East—where my brother and I skied as kids in the 1970s—when the lift lines got long, they sent out hot dog vendors to appease folks. And when the lines got really long, they tapped a keg in the snow and said, “free beer!” No more lines. The base was as alive as the endzone seats at Foxboro. Today, when lines form in the morn- ing, customers take pictures of the queue and post them. Big Glisse, which wor- ships volume over all else, doesn’t want anyone to know they have lift lines, so it buys more lifts. Great, except the skiable terrain has barely budged. Big Glisse misreads lift-line posts on Instagram as bad press. When I see lift
lines on Instagram they are often associ- ated with big storms and fresh snow and delayed openings for avalanche control. I think, “Wow, looks like the powder day of the season. Wish I was there.” But when I see shots of runs so crowded they look like protest marches—a trail capacity problem—I think, “I would not partake of that 30-mph scrum.” SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS LOVE THE WORD “FREE”— FREESTYLE, FREESKIING, FREERIDE—BECAUSE THAT’S HOW SKIING AND SNOW- BOARDING MAKE YOU FEEL. Warming huts became luxury dining. It gets cold when you’re skiing and snow- boarding. It’s nice to duck inside a shack with a wood stove to warm up. But at Big Glisse, if you pop into what was once a warming hut, they will ask for reserva- tions. There’s a locker room with fuzzy slippers, a maître d’, and there are gran- ite countertops (yawn) in the shitter, but none of that is for you. Freedom has been canceled. Throughout history, skiers booted up in slopeside parking lots, walked to the lifts, and seared moose steaks on tailgate hibachi grills for lunch. Warren Miller, remember, lived in a tag-along trailer in ski area parking lots. Each spring during the ’80s, my Plymouth State College classmates and I took over the Cannon tram lot for après—because you can’t throw footballs and frisbees in the bar. When it’s warm enough, a parking lot is to skiers what a beach is to surfers. But then, inspired by Vegas and theme parks, Big Glisse said, “We too shall funnel and fleece our customers.” Now, with the slopeside lots turned into condotels, you park too far away to walk, ride an open-air shuttle like it’s Santa Land, and get deposited in some faux
WHAT OVER INDUSTRIALIZED SKIING GETS WRONG
By Marc Peruzzi Former Executive Editor, Skiing
I first realized industrialized skiing was in trouble when the ink on my business cards as a Skiing magazine “Executive Editor” was still wet. This was 2003, and I was driving one of the best ski cars ever built: a Saab 900 hatchback. I’d picked up mine with 180K on the broken odometer. The studded snows cost twice as much as the car. It was in this vehicle that I arrived at the luxurious Sonnenalp resort at Vail, and handed the keys to a valet I’m sure was about to tell me to get my beater out of there. I was in town to meet with the executive team of Vail Resorts, back when that company kept offices in the mountains where they operated. I was as out of place as my car. In the meeting, I mentioned that Skiing readers would ski through lunch and eat Pop-Tarts on the chair. Stupid editor: That class of customer was why Vail got rid of the base lodges where day skiers once stashed bootbags and salami sandwiches, instituted pay parking, and raised day-ticket pricing high enough to drive season pass sales instead. That education in the business
ICYMI: Headline News (from saminfo.com)
Mount Southington Introduces Sport and Sustainability Program May 1 U.S. Ski Areas Report 61.5M Skier Visits for 2024-25, Second-Best Season on Record May 12 A Handful of North American Resorts Target June Skiing May 28
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[News & Views]
Tyrolean village to window shop before you are quite literally corralled into the lift maze and again in the cafeteria. Skiers and snowboarders love the word “free”—freestyle, freeskiing, and freeride—because that’s how skiing and snowboarding make you feel. But Big Glisse frowns on free. Big Glisse does not grow new skiers— it repels them. My brother and I learned to ski at King Ridge, N.H. (RIP), which offered the LLL package: Lifts, Lessons and Lunch for $7.50. But when we were still too young for lessons, my parents put us in the ski area daycare for what my moth- er remembers was $2. Ski area daycare kept my parents skiing, which ultimate- ly meant they raised skiers. At Big Glisse destinations, afford- able daycare is over. Even if it wasn’t, the ski schools are overrun, kiddo class sizes are way too big for learning, and you might find yourself five drainages away from your children. This, plus the cost of rentals, lodging, dining, parking, and the rest, is no way to try to bring new skiers into the sport—except for the children of your wealthiest guests. The interactions are often negative. Every December for 20 years, I head- ed to Vail for Product Intro Week to ski with hardgoods people on next year’s skis. And every year for 20 years, resort employees in yellow jackets screamed at everyone at the event to SLOW DOWN! The ski testers who appeared to be going too fast were making controlled turns. Yet the Yellow Jackets say nothing to folks who are going slower but skiing faster than is safe for their skill level.
LETTER TO THE EDITORS
IN RESPONSE TO “THE CHILD CARE GAP,” MAY 2025, SAM
ple: a welcoming space that supports both powder hounds and parents serv- ing up Cheerios between runs. Their lift upgrades show that it’s possible to invest in performance and people. An informal follow-up to our 2024 Ski Moms Happiness Survey revealed that families would ski up to 30 more days per year—30!—if they had access to reliable child care. We’d love to dig deeper into this research, but funding for our survey dried up, another sign that this conversa- tion still isn’t a priority for many in the industry. So, thank you—for covering this topic and keeping ski moms and dads in focus. It matters. Let’s make sure families stay front and center, not pushed to the back burner.
I’m not trying to single out Vail. But this is an example of how Big Glisse for- gets it’s selling freedom. If you feel like you need to police skiers, then train your mall cops to rec- ognize who is increasing risk and who is not. Just because someone is arcing a turn doesn’t mean they are going too fast. As someone who has witnessed at least a dozen collisions, bad skiers moving at moderate speeds are the greater threat. was impressed by the state’s commit- ment to infrastructure that serves every- one in the community—not just those chasing vertical. Brundage’s gorgeous new child-care center is a perfect exam- I’m so grateful to writer Annie Fast for taking the time to research and spot- light on-mountain child care trends. As someone who’s often felt like a lone voice advocating for families in the ski industry, it’s incredibly heartening to know these concerns are being heard and shared. While I watch resorts race to build faster, flashier lifts (is a 10-pack bubble lift coming next?), I can’t help but sigh at the shortsightedness. All the high- speed lifts in the world won’t save the industry if we’re not also investing in the next generation of skiers and riders. As Annie’s article points out, there’s a lot to learn from looking across state lines. This past winter, I visited Idaho and
Warmly, Nicole Feliciano Founder, Ski Moms
They forgot about the lifers. Big Glisse is now part of the American caste system, which has pushed employ- ees and less-than-wealthy residents out of town and down valley—and some- times out of the valley entirely. The people that make the Big Glisse ski areas go don’t live there anymore. The folks teaching skiing, running groomers, bumping chairs, and heading out with headlamps on avalanche routes can no longer afford to live near their work. Other lifelong skiers and ski bums were forced out, too. This segregation resulted from a de facto privatization by pricing strategy that began with tearing down public base lodges, charging for parking, and jacking day ticket prices. And it’s killing the culture and the experience. I was chatting about this the other day with a colleague in the ski media. I’ll leave you with his question: “What if the NFL took the same position that ‘core is poor,’ and actively worked to exclude its most loyal customers? » continued
sam industry calendar Find more events and details at saminfo.com/industry-calendar
Aug. 10-13
MSAA Summer Meeting & Tradeshow
Grand Geneva, WI
msaaevents.org
Sept. 2-4
SAM Summer Ops Camp
Whistler, BC
saminfo.com
Sept. 8-9
New England Summit
Portland, ME
nesummit.com
Sept. 15-17
SKI NY-SKIPA EXPO
Ellicottville, NY
iskinyexpo.com
Sept. 23-26
Mountain Technology Symposium
Camelback, PA
nsaa.org
Oct. 7-8
Mountain Towns 2030
Breckenridge, CO
mt2030.org
Nov. 14-16
Snowbound Expo
Boston, MA
snowboundexpo.com
AMERICAN MADE BY AMERICAN CRAFTSMEN
SUBLETTE JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT TETON VILLAGE, WY
[News & Views]
former director of membership Kristen Leach was promoted to president. At Burke Mountain, Vt., Tom Day is serving as interim GM, Kevin Mack is now the VP of transition services, Keith Fortier joined as CFO, Victor Waryas is assisting with business development, Matt Arrants is overseeing the Burke Mountain Hotel, Howard Wein is advis- ing F&B, and Melissa Gullotti is manag- ing communications and publicity. Killington Resort, Vt., promoted Josh Reed to communications manag- er, Laura Kruse to child care manager, Robbie Cohen to lift operations man- ager, Tracy Kelly to lodging front office manager, and Matt McAlary to creative services manager. Aspen One, Colo., promoted John Rigney to chief business development officer, Susan Cross to VP of mountain operations, Steve Stout to VP of rental and retail, Ian Stuart to senior director of strategic initiatives, and Trip Riggs to
SUPPLier News Swiss AI-powered ticketing solution E-LIBERTY launched in North America; Patrick Menard was appointed GM. FLAIK promoted Kelly Frey to COO. AI customer service solution GET SKI BOTS partnered with Mountain Creek and Big Snow American Dream, N.J. DOPPELMAYR USA promoted VP of operations Keith Johns to CEO. MAMMUT became the official outer- wear partner of PSIA-AASI. PEOPLE Ethan Austin was hired as director of marketing at Saddleback, Maine. … David Ulbrich was named mountain opera- tions director of Gunstock Mountain Resort, N.H. … Windham Mountain Club, N.Y., president Chip Seamans will retire;
Ethan Austin
Kelly Frey
senior vice president of finance.
Kirsten Lynch has stepped down as CEO of Vail Resorts, and Rob Katz has returned to the position. Gogebic Community College, Mich., promoted Josh Bremer to assistant direc- tor of Ski Area Management. … The Snow Angel Foundation appointed John Siew- ierski director of resource development. AWARDS The National Ski Areas Association named Kari Brandt of Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Nev., its 2025 Safety Champion
25+ Total Educational Seminars NSAA Fall Eduction Series September 8-9, 2025 Holiday Inn By The Bay 2025 New England Summit Portland, ME Casco Bay Cocktail Cruise Cruise Boat Tour of Casco Bay with Live Music, Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres
INFO Registration Online at NEsummit.com
The New England Summit is organized and managed by Ski Maine Association
[News & Views]
and Hunter Wright of Eldora Mountain, Colo., its 2025 Hero of Sustainability. Boreal Mountain , Calif., was awarded the Conversion Cup. Former NSAA president and CEO and Mount Snow GM Kelly Pawlak was honored with the 2025 Ski Vermont Industry Achievement Award. The Ski NH Lifetime Achievement Award went to the Peabody family , hon- oring their legacy at Cannon Mountain. The Quebec Ski Areas Association honored Claude Péloquin , Bromont executive vice president and former ASSQ general manager, with the Réal Boulanger Award; the Young Leader Award went to Mont-Blanc’s Nicolas For- tier ; and Mont Tremblant and Routes to Rootz were recognized with the Best Skier/Rider Development Award. The Ontario Snow Resorts Associa- tion recognized Judy Gougeon , Broker- link Insurance, with the Elfriede Huter Woman of Influence award; Shelby
Bowins , Blue Mountain, with the Trail- Blazer award; and Glen “Butch” Tinkler, Leitner-Poma Canada, with the Industry Appreciation Award. The Midwest Ski Areas Association honored its former executive direc- tor Amy Reents with a 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. Ski California recognized Mike Ban- delin , Diamond Peak, Nev., with the Dave McCoy Lifetime Achievement Award; Jer- emiah Ferguson , Tahoe Donner, Calif., as the Paul Beran Lift Maintenance Person of the Year; and Nichole Graham , Palisades Tahoe, Calif., as the Don Lowder Lift Operations Person of the Year. Al Raine , Roger McCarthy , and Peter Schumann , were all posthumous- ly honored with the Canada West Ski Areas Association Jimmie Spencer Life- time Achievement Award; Andy Cohen of Fernie Alpine Resort, B.C., received the Jim Marshall Leadership Award; Paul Harkins of Grouse Mountain, B.C.,
Charles Ferries
Amy Reents
received the Rod Chisholm Operations & Maintenance Award; and Christy Allan of the Sea to Sky Gondola, B.C., recieved the Lars Fossberg Excellence Award.
OBITUARIES Charles “Chuck” Ferries died April 17, 2025. Ferries worked for Head Ski Com- pany, helping design the K2 ski and later becoming president of K2. He also acquired Scott USA, turning it into a suc- cessful company. Ferries was inducted into the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1989.
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SMALL SKI AREAS COMING HOME
A Colorado GM looks back at the Pennsylvania mom-and-pop where it all began, sees what’s changed, and appreciates what hasn’t.
I take the last bend in the road, and see the spot where I first winter-camped when I was 12, the lot where I learned how to do a donut in an old RWD car, the A-frame silhouette of the lodge where I spent every evening after school completing homework, eating sandwiches prepared and delivered by my grandmother in between endless laps of the T-bar while training slalom under the lights. New dorm-style family lodging stands on the site of the original motel, where I worked in the restaurant through college from 1996 to 1999. The old motel burned down in 2000.
Speeding down the dirt lane to Ski Sawmill, I’m struck by the realization that the Norway spruce trees lining the access road are much taller than I remember. In fact, I can recall the year they were planted to help mitigate snow drifts. 1998. How did that happen so fast? I’m visiting my home ski area for the first time since 2007. I round the snowmaking pond, a mod- est two acres, letting the rear end of the vehicle drift just a touch like I did back in high school, my buddies begging me to peg the throttle and risk certain drowning. Plumes of dust follow me.
By Ryan Schramm, General Manager, Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Colo.
Down Memory Lane Everyone has a home hill—some big, some small, and all a launching point for core memories and a tether to win- ter sports. Mine falls squarely into the small category: just 515 feet of vertical and 12 runs. A few T-bars, a double, and a new-ish triple lift installed in 2011—the first new lift in 40 years. My grandfather always joked that 50 feet of the vertical only appeared when the snowmaking pond was fully drained. Ski Sawmill began in 1969 as Oregon Hill, named after the ridge down which it cascades on the northern side. Located in the far reaches of Lycoming County in north-central Pennsylvania, it attracts
Yesterday and Today I see Mike Knefley, the owner, operator, lift mechanic, snowmaker, and groomer, during my visit. Mike is also a ski-patrol- ler and instructor, and gives the lifties their breaks. He is a true owner-operator with a remarkable work ethic. His family bought the resort in 2001, after it had experienced a few tumultuous years on the brink of financial collapse. Twenty-five years in, they are still carv- ing out a niche for an important commu- nity activity. It’s the home mountain for generations of skiers and riders from the surrounding area, including my family. Like many small ski area operators, one of the biggest challenges Mike faces is staffing. Attracting industry-trained experts is not feasible, due to both loca- tion and cost, so he almost always grows his own workforce. The cost adds up over time, and despite good year-to-year reten- tion, training demands a large portion of a modest payroll. Yet, it remains para- mount for Mike. “Our employees are a reflection of us, of the owners, the resort, and our culture. Fostering them is key to make it all work,” he says. I know that well. My personal ski industry journey started here, teaching lessons, running the NASTAR program, and even working nights in the restaurant kitchen. This experience was my first taste of the many hats folks must wear for small ski areas like Sawmill to succeed. »
many of its visitors from Williamsport and the surrounding areas. My dad and uncle both started skiing here with a school program that began the same year as the ski area in 1969. They would constantly beg my grand- parents to take them skiing. My grand- father capitulated and began driving the 45 minutes or so a few times a week. He would sit in the lodge and watch them take lessons and lap the T-bar until, one day, he grew tired of waiting for them and decided at age 42 to learn to ski, too. It was at that moment a skiing family was born—one that continues to this day, with my dad, my cousins, and all the kids.
Ski Sawmill’s A-frame lodge is still just how author Ryan Schramm remembers it from childhood.
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SMALL SKI AREAS_>>
Small Area Culture Every day is different at a small area. For Mike, one day might be spent building the terrain park, another making snow or repairing the spring on a T-bar. I remem- ber a busy kids-ski-free day at Sawmill when he shepherded one family as they moved through the resort, from issuing their tickets, to the rental shop, to teach- ing a lesson, and even passing out a few T’s at the T-bar later that afternoon. Mike was like the butler in Mr. Deeds , the fam- ily remarked, appearing from thin air, exactly when needed, at every turn. They had no idea he was the owner. Mike manages a small, stellar team of dedicated individuals, including my dad, who has been the ski school director, patrol director, and head coach, some- times simultaneously. Just a handful work year-round. Everyone at the resort is expected to be task-flexible, and they excel during the busiest days. Mike always finds time to listen to his employees’ ideas about how to make things easier, better, or more efficient. “It is impossible to manage a ski resort well from a desk and a radio in one hand. You need to be out and about, supporting the staff wherever they need help most on any given day,” he says. “It builds connections with each team member and allows them to feel supported,” he adds. “In turn, they take more pride in the work they accomplish each day, knowing I would jump in to help them whenever needed.”
War Stories Mike and I trade stories like old friends rekindling after a long hiatus. His tales of war and peace are eerily similar to mine at Powderhorn, where I’ve served as gen- eral manager since 2018. While the scope might be a bit different in Colorado than in Pennsylvania, each of our stories could be told about either ski area—or any ski area across the country. “Why do people forget you exist until it snows, and then they all show up on the same day?” Mike muses. “I have no idea, but that is exactly what happens in Colorado, too!” I reply. Another thing we agree on: “The thing that really makes these small places work is the people. The community,” says Mike. “People are emotionally invested in this place. Not just me, or even the staff. But the guests that come to visit. “I had the thought that the pandemic might have been the end of us for a bit,” he adds. “All our groups canceled. It was tough to pay our bills. People had their fun removed from them. “But then, as we were able to reopen the next season, people came out in force. They wanted to recreate outdoors, locally. No one wanted to get on a plane to go out west. They fell in love with it all over again. I had so many people pull me aside to thank me just for being open to allow them to have fun again. “It saved us, but it saved a part of me, too. I felt like maybe all the hard days were worth it. People cared for us.”
The Joy of Skiing Mike’s dedication to Ski Sawmill as a business is clear after 25 years, and his passion for the sport is a beacon to all those around him. All three of Mike’s children grew up at the resort, working and skiing there just like I did all those years ago. It’s a lifestyle choice I aspire to emulate for my young daughter. I desire to provide those lifelong memories for her to draw upon, experiences that will inspire her to choose a lifetime of sport and health and joy. I ask Mike about skiing at other plac- es. “I prefer the feel and culture of the smaller, independent places these days. It makes me feel like I’m at home, and everyone there is there for the same rea- son,” he says. “If you can’t have fun skiing on 500 vert, you’re doing it wrong!” I quip. It was my grandfather’s twist on a famous War- ren Miller quote: “The best place in the world to ski is where you’re skiing that day.” It’s my favorite one-liner, and we both chuckle at it. “You’re right,” he replies. “Every time we go somewhere else, someone always comments on how my kids rip. They used to get bored, as teenagers do, so they would find ways to entertain them- selves by skiing. Turns out they just built their fundamental skills, and once they learned how to bend a ski, they had it all figured out. “We build great skiers and riders at Sawmill because they can find the time to work on skills and ski everything.” Parting Thoughts I realize that my visit has interrupted Mike’s lodge painting project, and figure Author Ryan Schramm, circa the 1990s, riding the Sawmill T-bar with his uncle, who began skiing there in 1969 when the hill first opened.
Seeing north-central Pennsylvania’s Ski Sawmill, and its 515 feet of vertical, from above.
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SMALL SKI AREAS_>>
it is time to let him get on with his day. The lodge is still exactly how it appears in my childhood memories, the large A-frame to the east and the long two-sto- ry addition jutting abruptly to the west, with a deck all along the front edge. Pic- nic tables are omnipresent. I’ve been swimming all day in mem- ories of this magical place, but Mike has a memory to share with me, too, before I go. “I have a memory of George I want- ed to tell you,” he says. (He remembers my grandfather’s name?) “When George turned 70 and got his free senior pass, he used to come into my office with the cash that it would cost for a regular season pass. He would ask me to distribute it to the lifties as I saw fit, anonymously. He did this every year until he passed. There were years it made all the difference to some of those employees. “It inspired me to be good, make the right decisions. Be helpful. To keep going, because he, and so many others,
The Knefley family, who acquired Ski Sawmill in 2001, in the early days.
cared so deeply for this place.
Ski Sawmill, and all the small hills like it around the country, aren’t just important to manufacture lifelong mem- ories and churn out new skiers and rid- ers. With every lap of the T-bar, every grandmother’s PB&J, every laugh, and every run shared with a loved one, the soul of our sport thrives and permeates our families, friends, and colleagues. And that makes what we all do special.
“He reminded me it was bigger than just me and my business. He wanted to show a small gesture of success, and I’ll never forget it.” I never knew this. My grandfather’s passion for the resort and for the sport, and how much we all desire to see it suc- ceed and thrive, leaves me speechless, holding back tears.
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Where Education Meets Exploration
Whistler Blackcomb | Sept. 2—4, 2025
PLAY.
DISCOVER.
PROFIT.
THE QUESTION: “I have an infant. Can I bring her on the chairlift?” Ski resorts often tout their family-friendliness and multigenerational appeal—and the summer scenic lift ride would seem to be the perfect attrac- tion to capture that market. But what does that look like when one of those generations is still in diapers? The question of whether a baby can ride a chairlift might seem niche at first, but it taps into a broader issue: the summer audience is more var- ied, less experienced, and often less familiar with resort operations than their winter counterparts (although, full disclosure: this winter-lover has no idea what her home hill’s babies-on-lifts policy is). For parents trying to explore the mountains with little ones in tow, answers need to be clear, consistent, and above all, reassuring. So, we posed the question about bringing an infant on the lift. The answers ranged from warm and informative to … let’s just say, nap-inducing. As always, tone matters just as much as content, especially when the person on the line is already nervous about their baby’s safety on an open aerial chair.
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, VT
MOUNTAIN 2, MI
First Contact: Female. SAM: Stated question.
First Contact: Female. SAM: Stated question. Staff: Absolutely. SAM: Great, should I bring her in her car seat? Or how would she stay secured on the lift? Staff: You’d be able to hold on to her in your lap, or if she’s big enough, she could sit next to you. SAM: She’s only six months, so she wouldn’t be able to sit next to me. I get worried holding her on my lap. Staff: ( nice, but over it ) So yes, you would need a carrier in that case. Otherwise, a car seat is too big to fit on the chairlift so that is not an option, unfortunately. SAM: OK. I think I could just put her in a carrier attached to myself and we would be fine. Staff: Yeah, exactly. ( yawns ) Anything else? SAM: No, that is all. Thank you. Staff: Yep, goodbye. Score: 4 Comment: She started strong, then slowly drifted off into apathy. While I appreciate her explaining the car seat limitation, I left the call feeling like I’d interrupted a nap. Her yawn was kind of the closing statement.
Staff: Unfortunately, no. ( sincere ) For safety reasons and for legal purposes, everybody, including children, need to be able to sit inde- pendently for the full lift ride. SAM: That makes sense. If my family does choose to go on the lift without us, are there things for me and her to do? Staff: Yeah, if you still want to get to the top of the mountain, you are more than welcome to hike up, if that’s something that interests you. If you have a carrier or something, you could definitely do that, and you could see all of the views and everything still. SAM: OK, great. Staff: So that’s a good option. And then depending on when you are coming, on certain evenings we have live music and stuff like that going on. So, it really just would depend on when you are here and what it is specifically that you are looking to do. Do you want something indoors or outdoors? For instance, we have a rec center with a pool ( chuckles ). So, while your family is out, if you want to go for a swim, that is an option as well. SAM: Oh great, my kids would love that. Staff: Yes! ( kind ) Our website does have a lot of details and the sched- ule for live music and events, but please feel free to call us back if you have any additional questions. SAM: Great, thank you for your help. Staff: You’re welcome. Goodbye. Score: 8 Comment: If you’ve been reading Spy, you know I basically have a punch card for being told to “check the website.” This rep broke the streak and actually explained things. A rare win. She even anticipated follow up questions. Warm, helpful, and human.
MOUNTAIN 3, UT
First Contact: Male. SAM: Stated question. Staff: Absolutely! SAM: Oh, great. Staff: You’ll just have to hold them close to you. SAM: OK. So, I can’t bring a car seat or anything like that?
Staff: ( sincere ) No, unfortunately not. SAM: Is it fine if she’s in a carrier strapped to me? Or do I need to hold her in my hands? Staff: Yeah, that is totally fine if she’s strapped. Yeah, that is alright. SAM: Great, thanks for the help. Staff: And she would be free to ride. SAM: Awesome, thank you. Staff: Yeah, ( chipper ) is there anything else I can help you with? SAM: No, that should be all. Thank you. Staff: Great, you take care. Score: 7 Comment: Quick, friendly, and to the point—with a bonus mention that the baby would ride for free. Not a bad experience at all. Would’ve been nice to get a little more guidance up front rather than having to ask the follow-ups, but hey, he didn’t sigh or suggest I just “check the website,” so points for that.
Staff: ( cranky ) Um, you can keep her in your arms on your lap. SAM: OK, I just get worried about that. Staff: Yeah. SAM: Could I put her into a carrier that is strapped to myself? Staff: Yeah, that’s fine.
SAM: Alright, thanks. Staff: Yep, goodbye.
Score: 0.5 Comment: Half-point for picking up the phone, and that’s generous. I hope this half-wit isn’t the one running the lift when we visit because he clearly doesn’t care about being helpful, or attentive, or polite. I was just asking about bringing my unsecured baby onto a chairlift, so why should he be empathetic or give anything other than curt answers? (insert eye roll)
MOUNTAIN 6, ME
MOUNTAIN 4, NY
First Contact: Female. SAM: Stated question. Staff: Yes, it would be free for her. You would probably want to do the cabin where it’s all enclosed. SAM: OK. So, we would take the gondola instead? Staff: Yes, exactly. So the chairs and gondola cabins alternate. So, one would be an enclosed cabin and one is an open chair. You would just want to go in one that includes the cabin. SAM: Great, that makes sense. Staff: Yep. SAM: And if I did the enclosed cabin, do I need to secure her or any- thing? Or should I just keep her in my arms? Staff: ( sincere ) Nope, in your lap or arms is totally fine. I have a five- month-old grandson, and when he went on, they just held him. SAM: Oh, OK, perfect. I have a six month old, so I wasn’t quite sure if I
First Contact: Female. SAM: Stated question. Staff: So, per our rules, children need to be at least 3 years old and meet a minimum height requirement of 36 inches. SAM: Dang it, OK. Staff: ( short ) Yeah. SAM: If my family wants to ride the lift, is there anything her and I could do? Staff: Y eah, I am sure there is. Best bet would be to check our website to see if anything interests you. SAM: Um, OK. Is there anything you recommend? Staff: There are some good hiking trails. And the events are fun. SAM: OK, thanks. I will check out the website then. Staff: ( snarky ) Good idea. SAM: Yeah, I was just looking for recommendations from somebody, as we haven’t visited your resort before. Staff: Yeah, the website should have some good recs. SAM: Alright. Thanks. Staff: Yep, bye. Score: 2 Comment: Look, I don’t expect every call to be a verbal hug—but I also don’t expect, or appreciate, the cold shoulder. And for the record, reading information on a website is not the same as getting a recom- mendation from a human being. Not exactly rolling out the red carpet for first-time visitors here.
A
could tag along with my family and still bring her. Staff: ( cheerful ) Yep, you shouldn’t have any problems! SAM: Great, thank you for your help. Staff: Of course, can I help with anything else?
SAM: No, that is all. Thank you again. Staff: You’re welcome. Have a great day.
Score: 9 Comment: She knew the policy, provided useful guidance, and even threw in a personal story about her own grandson. Big points for clari- ty, kindness, and that rarest of things in a Spy call: human connection.
Identity Revealed: Sunday River
MOUNTAIN 5, OR
First Contact: Male. SAM: Stated question. Staff: ( monotoned ) Yes, you can. SAM: OK. Can I bring her in the car seat? Staff: No. SAM: OK, how do I keep her strapped in?
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SUMMER OPS
THE CHALLENGES OF SELLING SUMMER
By Scott Hannah, President, Guest Research, Inc.
Guests really enjoy summer in the mountains. So why don’t they return more often?
The Challenges of Growing Summer Tellingly, summer visitors say they experience a lower “Level of Fun.” This is important, because Fun is highly correlated with both the Likelihood to Recommend and Overall Visit Satisfac- tion. While 75 percent of winter visitors rated their Level of Fun as “Excellent,” a smaller portion of summer visitors—71 percent—said their Level of Fun was “Excellent.” While that’s not a major difference, additional compar- isons of summer to winter data are more revealing. Summer visitors’ Likelihood to Return Net Promoter Score (NPS) was 63, sharply lower than the 74 for winter visitors. And actual visitor behavior is even more convincing: returning summer guests represented one-half of all visitors in 2024, 17 percentage points less than during winter.
Summer operations offer ski areas many benefits, includ- ing a reduced reliance on winter revenues, year-round employment for more staff, an introduction to non-winter sports enthusiasts, resilience against climate change, and absorption of overhead. It takes a careful, strategic ap- proach to take full advantage of these benefits, though. Summer operations at winter resorts have grown signifi- cantly over the past decade. According to the National Ski Areas Association’s 2023-24 Economic Analysis of U.S. Ski Areas , 109 ski areas operated in summer 2023, up from 84 in 2014, with average revenue per area rising 71 percent, from $3.8 million to $6.4 million. However, revenue has stagnated over the last three years, and declined 9 percent from the Covid-bump sum- mer of 2022. This article supplements the Economic Analysis data with feedback from Guest Research’s ski clients’ summer 2024 visi- tors, comparing summer and winter visitor metrics to explore summer’s growth potential. It reveals both positive and chal- lenging insights. The Good News About Summer According to the Economic Analysis , 54 percent of summer 2023 revenue came from existing facilities that support winter oper- ations—namely lodging, food & beverage, groups/weddings/ conferences, retail, and rentals—rather than those dedicated to summer business. Additional income came from moun- tain-based activities like scenic chairlift/gondola rides, moun- tain biking, and alpine slides/mountain coasters. And summer visitors have a great time at winter resorts. As shown below, summer visitors reported higher satisfaction (80 percent “Excellent” rating) than winter visitors (73 percent), with a Likelihood to Recommend Net Promoter Score (NPS) nearly as high as winter’s (69 vs. 72).
Winter 2024-25
Summer 2024
Difference Summer vs. Winter
Attribute
Overall Level of Fun – % Excellent Rating
75% 71% -4%
Likelihood to Return NPS
74
63
-11 pts.
% Returning/Repeat Visitors
68% 51% -17%
In sum, summer visitors are highly satisfied and recom- mend the ski area to others, but they are not as satisfied or moti- vated to return, or return more frequently, as winter guests are. Why is this? Why Summer Is Less “Sticky” One answer is that there is simply a lot more competition in summer. Another reason may be that the summer activities, events, and facilities are not sufficiently sticky anchor activities— there isn’t the same depth of passion for most summer offerings as there is for skiing and riding. An activity such as a chairlift/ gondola scenic ride might be very popular, but it may also be a one-and-done endeavor. How can summer offerings be strengthened? One way is to add additional activities. A second way is to replace any activ- ities that have limited appeal with others that have stronger appeal and are more fun. Either way, we at Guest Research
Winter 2024-25
Summer 2024
Difference Summer vs. Winter
Attribute
Overall Visit Satisfaction - % Excellent Rating
73% 80% +7%
Likelihood to Recommend NPS
72
69
-3 pts.
So why isn’t summer revenue growing? Let’s look deeper into the visitor feedback.
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