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
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