National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat
October 2018
First to Open: Wolf Creek (CO) Leads the Pack. After a storm this week deposited 18 to 20 inches of snow at Wolf Creek, the ski area will open for business at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13, making it the first area in North America to open to the public for the season. The resort will open the rental shop, ski school, main lodge and three lifts. More. SAM
New Powder Chair for Big White. What Big White resort staff claims to have been “Canada’s oldest and most popular triple chair,” the Powder Chair, is being upgraded to a quad in time for the coming ski season. The previous lift was installed nearly 40 years ago in 1979. The $3.9m lift is part of a $10m spend this summer on upgrades at the BC ski area, the biggest single-season spend in the last decade. More. InTheSnow
Magic Mountain (VT) Debuts Holiday-Only Pass. Magic Mountain has created an unusual, peak-season pass product specifically for Christmas-New Year’s, MLK weekend, and President’s week. Called the White Out holiday pass ($239-$279), it’s aimed at skiers and riders who want a deal over the holidays, as well as those who may have bought a discounted “value” pass somewhere else and are blacked out from skiing their regular resort during the holidays. More. SAM
Peak Resorts to Acquire Snow Time, Inc. Peak Resorts has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Snow Time, Inc., which owns and operates Roundtop, Liberty, and Whitetail in Pennsylvania, for $76 million in total consideration. The transaction is expected to be completed prior to the start of the 2018-19 ski season, subject to closing conditions. Upon closing, Peak Resorts’ portfolio will include 17 ski areas in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast. More. SAM
$400 Million Montage Big Sky Resort Breaks Ground in Montana. Montage International and CrossHarbor Capital Partners LLC announced the groundbreaking of Montage Big Sky, which is set to open in 2021. Montage Big Sky will be the first ultra-luxury resort in the Big Sky, Montana market. More. Hotel News Resource via Destimetrics
Colorado Ski Areas Offer Seniors Free and Discounted Skiing, Group Lesson Programs and More. Senior skiers and snowboarders are celebrated on the slopes in Colorado, where Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) member ski areas welcome seniors to take advantage of dozens of deals, discounts and special events. Ed. Note: The article outlines lift ticket discounts and programs for seniors at various Colorado ski areas. More. SIA
U.S. Ski Hall of Fame Names Eight to the Class of 2018. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame introduced the Class of 2018 last Friday in Ishpeming, Mich. Inductees include resort veteran Bill Jensen, longtime U.S. Ski & Snowboard spokesman Tom Kelly, Olympians Bode Miller and Andrew Weibrecht, two high-profile women athletes—moguls champion Hilary Engisch-Klein and extreme skier Kristen Ulmer—along with the late Tom Sims, one of the founders of snowboarding, and the late Don Henderson, a pioneer of ski racing. A formal induction will be held April 6, 2019, in Salt Lake City, Utah. More. SAM
NSAA Hires National Marketing and Communications Director. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has named Adrienne Saia Isaac to the newly formed position of marketing and communications director. Isaac most recently served as marketing and communications manager at Arapahoe Basin, Colo., for the past six years. More. SAM
Ski Area Ownership Timeline. Welcome to SAM’s interactive ski area ownership timeline! This interactive on-line ownership chart goes back almost 30 years and delivers all the background information on the sales, purchases, closures and auctions of North American winter resorts. It’s an historical and living document that provides a unique perspective on the evolution of our industry. More. SAM
L.L. Bean Teams Up with 5 Maine Breweries. L.L. Bean knows how to party. The Maine-based outdoor retailer is celebrating the launch of its Small Batch Bean Boots by partnering with five craft brewers in Maine. More. SNEWS Ed Note: The short imbedded video in this article is a hoot.
