National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
August 2021
Airlines May Have to Refund Fliers for Delayed Bags. A new DOT rule proposes airlines refund fliers for delayed bags, and other services they fail to deliver on. More. Condé Nast Traveler
IOC approves ski mountaineering for 2026 Winter Games. The sport, which combines ascents and descents of mountain trails on or while carrying skis, will have five events at the Olympics. More. Reuters
Indy Pass Adds Four Resorts, Founder Outlines Growth Strategy. Snow Valley, Calif., Ski Marmot Basin, Alberta, Titus Mountain, N.Y., and Montage Mountain, Pa., have all joined the Indy Pass roster for winter 2021-22, bringing the Indy Pass coalition up to 72 resort partners in 27 states and provinces. Snow Valley is Indy Pass’s first resort partner in Southern California. More. SAM via Intopia | Destimetrics
Indy Pass Adds Japanese Resorts. Indy Pass is expanding beyond North America with the addition of four Japanese resort partners: Geto Kogan, Tazawako, Okunakayama Kogen, and Shimokura/Panorama.
Indy Pass holders will now have up to eight days of skiing and riding in the Tohoku region of Japan’s main island, Honshu. More. SAM
US Ski & Snowboard Unveils Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan. The objective of the three-year action plan is to achieve a higher-performing organization with an inclusive culture, equitable systems, and a team that will benefit from a more diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, and views. More. Snowbrains
PSIA-AASI and Women of Winter Partner on BIPOC Initiative. The Professional Ski Instructors of America and American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) has partnered with grassroots organization Women of Winter to host three education events specifically for women in snowsports who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). The three instructor certification events, slated for the 2021-22 winter season, aim to encourage BIPOC women to pursue opportunities to teach skiing or snowboarding. All participants will be provided scholarships to attend. More. SAM
Blue Mountain (PA) Resort to be managed by Camelback (PA) Operator. Blue Mountain Resort, which has been locally run for more than four decades, is now — or soon to be — under the management of the private equity-backed company that operates Camelback Resort in the Poconos. More. Morning Call
Mayflower Resort Developers Hopeful for Deer Valley Skiing Partnership. The developer of the Mayflower Mountain Resort says it could have skiers on the slopes in less than three years. Whether those slopes access Deer Valley Resort remains to be seen. More. KPCW.org
Toggenburg Sold, New Owner to Close It, Sell Assets. Toggenburg Mountain in upstate New York was acquired by Peter Harris, president of Intermountain Management, which owns nearby Song Mountain and Labrador Mountain. More. SAM
Ski Areas Focus on Fighting Fires. North American ski areas have been fortunate not to be in the direct path of any fires thus far, but indirect impacts from smoke and closures are still being felt and many operators are focused on mitigating their fire risk. More. SAM
Will The Euro-Style All-Inclusive Ski Vacation Finally Catch on In North America? This winter, the Paris-based brand returns to North America, debuting its first Canadian resort, Club Med Québec, scheduled to open on Dec. 3. More. Ski Magazine
Kirsten Lynch to Succeed Rob Katz as Vail Resorts CEO. Vail Resorts has named Rob Katz’s successor: Kirsten Lynch, currently the company’s chief marketing officer, will be appointed chief executive officer and elected to the Vail Resorts’ board of directors, effective Nov. 1, 2021. At that time, Katz, CEO since 2006, will move into an executive chairperson role. More. SAM
Dee Byrne Named President and COO of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Alterra Mountain Company has promoted industry veteran Dee Byrne to the role of president and COO of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows (SVAM), effective immediately. Byrne has served as SVAM vice president of skier services since 2017. More. SAM
Seven of the Scariest Runs in North America. Things like rock outcroppings, narrow chutes, and other natural obstacles are other key ingredients to a crazy-hard run. These are some of the scariest runs in North America – in no particular order. More. Snowbrains
Top 10 Small Ski Resorts in North America for Powder Hounds. There are numerous ski resorts in North America offering great options for skiing, but this list below is reserved exclusively for the Top 10 Small Ski Resorts for Powder Hounds. Escape from the crowds and grab some fresh tracks. More. Snowbrains
Affordable Ski Helmets That Don’t Skimp on Protection. You don’t have to fork over $300 for a new helmet. Some well-known brands are now making more budget-friendly helmets that still feature industry-leading impact protection like MIPS for under $160. More. Ski Magazine
