While those learning opportunities are important, the CCSAA’s executive director says it’s the connections and relationships the convention helps foster that are the most lasting impact of the annual event. “So much work gets done when you’re in a session, but so much more gets done just talking over a beer or a coffee or on the trails or walking on a snowmaking tour,” said Reese Brown.

“Any of those things is an opportunity for our members to meet new members or reconnect with members they haven’t seen in a year or two … so that when they’re back in their ski area next January they’re like, ‘Hey, I was talking to so and so from Sun Valley (at the conference) and now I’ve got the issue we were talking about. I know who he is. I’m just going to call him up.’ That’s a really big part of our conference.”

This year’s CCSAA Annual Conference was held April 8–10 at the Canmore Nordic Centre in Alberta, Canada, a world-class facility that has hosted Olympic and World Cup cross country and biathlon events. It was the first time a Canadian venue hosted the event in nearly a decade. More than 75 Nordic ski area managers, groomers and suppliers took in this year’s conference, which covered a host of subjects including snowmaking, snow farming, grooming, risk management and landowner relations.

Brown says Canmore was chosen as this year’s host site for a number of reasons. First, it was Canada’s turn to host the event, which draws CCSAA members from across Canada and the U.S. It’s also a picturesque venue and its staff are experts on the subject of snow storage, an increasingly important subject for many ski areas in these times of climate change.

“It’s beautiful up there,” Brown said.

The three-day event kicked off with a snowmaking workshop during which participants took part in a walking tour of the Canmore Nordic Centre and got a first-hand look at the facility’s snowmaking system including its pump house, snow gun placement and supporting infrastructure. They also learned about Canmore’s vegetation management strategies and canopy considerations.

“We try and get outside for the snowmaking workshops,” Brown said. “We love to walk the trails of the ski area wherever we are and look at what they’ve done. It’s very much a look and-see opportunity to learn.”

That workshop was followed by another devoted to grooming. The hands-on session was an opportunity to share real-world grooming knowledge. Following a shop tour, participants were broken into four small groups that were paired with a lead, an operator and a grooming machine, and guided through a demonstration of various grooming situations. They addressed a number of topics including pushing, blading, tilling and tiller floating. Participants also got to tour Canmore’s facilities and learn how staff address many of the day-today challenges.

“We always spend time looking at the (host) facility, which is a big part of what we did there,” Brown said. “We looked at World Cup grooming since they’re a World Cup venue. We also looked at their rentals shops, how they operated, how they utilize the buildings they have. A big part of it is looking at the host site because it’s always interesting for our skiers to see how other people do the same thing.”

A second grooming session was held on Day 2. The instructional session offered a right seat/left seat experience and discussion in which experienced groomers took turns operating a snowcat and shared knowledge with each other.

The remainder of the conference was filled with a number of panel discussions and breakout groups on a range of topics including community connections, maximizing the use of the Nordic Pulse trail grooming platform, risk management and how to determine if tracking snow depth is right for you. One of the subjects that was on the minds of many in attendance at the conference was snow storage.

The CCSAA couldn’t have picked a more fitting location for this year’s conference in that regard since Canmore is the host site for Frozen Thunder, an early season cross country and biathlon competition that uses stored snow from the previous season.

“For so many years we’ve relied on our ability to make snow. Now we’re finding that we can’t necessarily rely on that because if the temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark or above, snow cannot be made and as a result people are turning to other things,” Brown said. “If you’ve got a snow storage system, you’re that much more ahead of the game. That’s why we feel it’s so important. But it’s expensive. It does not work for every ski area at this point. If you barely have enough snow to make it through the winter, you probably don’t have enough snow to make that work for you.”

Climate change and the increasing need for snow storage was one of the main reasons Shawn Leamon chose to attend this year’s CCSAA conference. Leamon is the general manager of Blow Me Down Trails, a not-for-profit, community-based cross country ski club located just outside of Corner Brook, N.L.

“We’re just coming off the heels of two extremely low snow accumulations for our region and that drastically affects business. It’s kind of hard to have a ski resort if you don’t have snow,” he said. “Typically we had 16 feet of snow… from January to January. There was plenty of snow to work with. We didn’t really worry too much about shaping our turns and our trails and that kind of stuff. But now with low snow years, we can’t do that anymore. Even the quality of our trails is not what the normal standard is because we have less material to work with."

Mike Hussey is the general manager of Oak Hill Outdoor Center, a not for-profit cross country ski facility in Hanover, N.H. He’s also on the CCSAA board of directors and has attended more of its annual conferences than he can remember. He says what he enjoys most about the conference is making connections with other members of the cross country ski community and the spirit of cooperation that is an integral part of the event.

“I never come back from a conference without a whole bunch of new ideas and different ways of doing things,” he said. “We’re all cross-country ski centers. We’re all trying to basically do the same things, but there’s so many different ways to do it. Even with areas right nearby, there’s never really a sense of competition. I think we’re all trying to make skiing better and get more people involved. That’s the biggest thing we get out of it.”

The post Making Connections appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

Such was the case with the tragic event that occurred February 11 at Centre Vorlage, a ski hill located in the village of Wakefield in the Outaouais region of Quebec. A 13-year-old girl was critically injured after her clothing became tangled in a ski lift as she was about to discount the chairlift at the top of the hill. First responders and doctors treated the girl at the scene, but she later succumbed to her injuries after being rushed to hospital.

The young girl’s death is being mourned by ski enthusiasts around the world including Stan Gale, the owner and founder of Rocky Mountain Ski and Snow Sports Consulting. Gale has 58 years of safety training experience in the ski and snow sports industry including almost four decades as a ski patroller. He has also skied and inspected approximately 400 ski areas in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Europe, and has reviewed dozens of employee safety manuals for ski patrol and lift operations.

“My feeling is it’s a tragedy. It’s very sad because it should have never happened,” said Gale, who is based out of Golden, Colo. “I think generally ski areas do an excellent job in terms of safety for their customers, from the minute they get there to the minute they leave. But sometimes things happen that should not have happened and could have been prevented through reasonable, customary and ordinary care.”

Gale hopes the incident in Quebec prompts ski areas and the people who work in the industry to re-examine their practices, policies and procedures to reduce the chances of such an incident from happening again.

One of the most important things ski area operators should do is ensure they provide lift operators and lift supervisors with the proper training to carry out their duties correctly, he says. That includes maintaining surveillance of lift users at all times and ensuring the employees follow all of the correct and established procedures when a person is being loaded onto a chairlift and unloaded.

Most loading incidents can be prevented if the lift operator is paying attention to things such as a skier being ready and properly balanced when being loaded, positioned correctly in the loading zone, and they aren’t wearing any loose items of clothing or a backpack that can get caught on the chairlift seat. “Lift personnel are what I term in my work as lift lifeguards. They’re there for one reason: to keep people safe while they are loading and unloading chairlifts,” he said.

Lift operators should also be encouraged to use hand signals or gestures, and to communicate with users since audible instructions can sometimes be drowned out by chatter or other loud noises. Maintaining eye contact with the public is always a good policy. Operators need to be completely focused at all times. That means that they should not be on their cell phones and loud music should be a no-no in the loading area, according to Gale.

“Lift operators should not be playing loud music or have earbuds in because then they can’t hear screams. It’s not uncommon that the lift operator will miss something after loading passengers and not look up the line, and when people in the queue are screaming ‘Stop the lift,’ but they may not hear them if there’s loud music,” he said.

Gale also recommends that lift supervisors conduct regular spot checks of lifts and ride the lifts themselves to ensure lift operators are doing their job properly and are focused on their responsibilities.

“You can load 1,000 or 10,000 chairlifts, but if you’re not looking up the line when you need to for every single customer, then you substantially increase the possibility of things happening that can and do endanger the public,” he said.

“It’s important for the lift operators to be looking uphill to make sure that people are properly loaded because in most cases, you can identify an improper load right away, you can sense it, stop or slow the lift, and make a ‘save’ well before a person is dangling or being held onto the chairlift by another person.”

Gale says it’s also important for lift operators to have their “boots on the snow” instead of being seated in the lift shack. This means that a minimum of two bottom lift operators are typically needed. If an operator isn’t present, sometimes skiers in the “wait here” area may figure it’s OK to load themselves rather than wait for the operator. Posting a sign instructing users to wait until an operator can assist in loading them is also a good idea.

He suggests that operators should be in constant communication with people using the lift. Encouraging the lift attendants at the top to regularly be outside of the lift shack to observe guests unloading while being within arm’s reach of the lift controls is a good safety policy. When the top attendant is in any doubt of a safe unloading, they should always slow or stop the lift. This can mitigate unloading injuries and customer confusion, especially if there is a pile up on or near the unloading area.

“It’s important that lift operators, if they sense something, talk to the people that they are loading,” he said. “Ask them, ‘Is that a backpack on your back?’ If so, tell them they can take it off and hold it while you’re loading them. If there’s a scarf that’s dangling, give them a minute to secure it. If a jacket is tied around the waist, talk to the customer about it. If all those things are done, it would be very unlikely an improper lift load would result.”

Lift operators have a very important job at any ski area. They are often dealing with hundreds or thousands of customers on any given day. Gale says it’s critical that they are focused at all times. They should be well paid and relieved every hour or so, he adds.

“It’s a tiring and sometimes monotonous, yet critical job. It takes a lot of focus. Lift operators need to be respected by the management,” he said.

Some ski areas have older ski lifts that were installed prior to the 1970s. Many of these often consist of only the seat and no safety bar to pull down. In such cases, Gale says management should consider contacting the lift manufacturer and retrofit those chairs with a safety bar or some kind of restraint to bring them up to today’s safety standards.

Ski areas may also want to consider installing a loudspeaker system near their lift so that if an operator sees people are not using the safety bar right away, they can get on the microphone quickly and inform them to lower it. Some of those older ski lifts, which are not detachable may also require a bit of added supervision, he adds.

In some cases, that means having an operator “bump” the chair and in doing so tip the chair slightly when it comes around the pole wheel to ensure its properly aligned so it doesn’t hit the user in the back or knees. Doing so is essential because this essentially scoops up a person.

Gale also recommends ski areas that don’t already have one near their loading area add a large foam cushion or large bag filled with Styrofoam peanuts. Another type of device can be a round type of fireman’s net to catch a skier who can be instructed to drop onto it. That way if a skier is found to be dangling, they can more safely drop to the ground and start over.

While most skiers have been educated about the proper use of a lift through some form of observation or instruction, it’s never a bad idea for ski hills to offer a bit of a refresher course, especially to unaccompanied children who can benefit from special attention, Gale says. This is especially true when it comes to beginners and novices, he adds. Operators need to remind them about where they should be lining up prior to loading and to be vigilant about what is going on as part of the loading process.

Being proactive and having the lift controls within arm’s reach are essential. After all, an ounce of prevention is often worth a pound of cure.

“Skiing is a beautiful sport. It’s a wonderful sport. Anything we can do to make it safer, I think is better for everybody,” Gale said.

The post Deadly Incident Puts Focus on Lift Safety appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

“This location combines Club Med’s signature all-inclusive mountain vacation experience,” said Nicolas Cutter, chef de village (general manager) of Club Med Québec Charlevoix, “with one of North America’s most spectacular and stunning landscapes. Guests have year-round access to the region’s natural beauty and outdoor experiences.”

As the corporate entity’s first Club Med resort in Canada, the resort drew on the local culture and the region’s four distinct seasons to guide the design and construction of the facility. Stone, wood and cladding reflect traditional Québec architecture, while expansive windows and the building’s orientation maximize views of the St. Lawrence River.

“The result is a resort that blends into the surrounding landscape rather than competing with it,” said Cutter. “We’re located in the heart of the Charlevoix region, with trails and glades spanning 400 acres of Le Massif.”

According to Club Med, the resort was designed to provide direct access to those experiences. “The resort offers direct ski-in/ski-out access to Le Massif de Charlevoix, one of Eastern Canada’s premier ski destinations,” said Cutter. “Guests get to enjoy an all-inclusive stay that eliminates much of the planning typically associated with mountain vacations.”

Rather than requiring guests to coordinate accommodations, lift tickets, equipment rentals and lessons separately, the all-inclusive format packages those elements together, with perks such as sports and wellness, childcare, and gourmet food and premium drinks included.

“Le Massif has the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies, so winter at Club Med revolves around creating an incredible, hassle-free experience for snow sport enthusiasts,” Cutter said.

The emphasis on programming has become a defining feature of the resort. While skiing remains the primary attraction during the winter season, guests also have access to a variety of recreational and wellness experiences that encourage spending time together out of the slopes.

“Unlike a traditional ski vacation, we offer packages that involve après-ski experiences, children’s programming, daily entertainment, and dining options in addition to accommodations and typical resort amenities,” said Cutter.

He says this includes a Nordic-inspired spa featuring hot tubs, sauna and steam room alongside a heated indoor pool and activities, such as fitness and yoga classes, guided winter hikes, snowshoeing and luge sledding. Meanwhile, children of all ages have access to dedicated programming spaces, including circus classes.

“The resort celebrates Québec’s culture through locally inspired cuisine, regional design and authentic destination experiences,” Cutter said. “Our restaurants showcase Charlevoix dining at its finest, incorporating regional ingredients to Québec-inspired dishes alongside international cuisine.”

He says the resort also offers an Exclusive Collection space featuring premium accommodations, a private concierge service, a ski room and a lounge, with outdoor hot tubs overlooking the St. Lawrence River. “Club Med is as much a cultural getaway as it is an outdoor adventure.”

Rather than focusing exclusively on skiing, many guests now expect opportunities to learn about local food, culture and landscapes during their stay. Cutter says this shift is one of the company’s greatest successes. “Club Med is Canada’s first four-season mountain resort,” he said. “Since opening in 2021, Club Med has focused on developing compelling experiences year round and continuously evolving into a destination that transcends winter,” he said.

With demand for mountain vacations extending throughout the calendar year, it has prompted Club Med to invest in programming that encourages guests to visit the resort at any time, no matter the season. “There are a whole range of staff who make maintaining a year-round resort possible,” said Cutter. “Not to mention, an all-inclusive experience, where every department can influence guest satisfaction.”

Operating throughout the year presents its own challenges. Facilities must transition between seasons, recreational programming changes significantly, and maintenance schedules shift to accommodate changing weather conditions and guest expectations. Yet those transitions are largely invisible to visitors, thanks to coordinated planning across multiple departments.

“We have 200 great employees, who comprise of housekeeping, waitstaff, chefs and maintenance, and 130 gentile organizers who work at the front desk, concierge, entertainment, kids club and the resort’s other programming,” Cutter said.

Ensuring guests are taken care of from Day 1 requires a careful balance of safety training, guest service and operational efficiency. Cutter says that collaboration allows every department to contribute to the overall guest experience, regardless of whether employees work behind the scenes or interact directly with visitors.

“Most recently, Club Med’s Summer Reimagined program has positioned the resort around something deeper than the expected seasonal activities,” said Cutter. “And a chance to expand on what Club Med could offer guests in regards to summer experiences.”

According to Club Med, Summer Reimagined is built around a series of guided outdoor activities, wellness sessions, creative workshops and expert-led experiences that encourage guests to reconnect with nature.

“The Summer Reimagined program encourages guests to disconnect from busy routines,” said Cutter. “It aims to reconnect humans with nature and loved ones, and rediscover the simple joys and nostalgia of summer.” He says the growing demand for experiential and meaningful vacations has allowed Club Med to broaden its offerings well beyond traditional outdoor recreation. “It also aligns with the company’s global Happy to Care program and our day-to-day operations,” he said.

With travelers increasingly seeking deeper connections to the places they visit, Happy to Care is the company’s global commitment to responsible tourism, focusing on operating greener resorts and more sustainable travel experiences that lend to positive impacts on the surrounding communities.

“Sustainability has been central to Club Med Québec Charlevoix since its development,” said Cutter. “At the resort level, Club Med has received the Green Globes Building Certification for environmentally responsible construction.”

The resort has also earned certification through the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, an internationally recognized system that evaluates the sustainability performance of buildings and infrastructure. “The natural setting is one of the property’s defining features,” he said, “making the long-term health of the Charlevoix region an important consideration for operations and guest experiences.”

For a resort with an identity rooted in its surrounding landscape, environmental stewardship extends beyond meeting certification standards.

“Protecting the natural environment is essential to the guest experience,” said Cutter. “We’re surrounded by the mountains of Charlevoix and the St. Lawrence River. So, preserving these landscapes helps ensure they can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

He says the resort sources more than 65 percent of its fresh ingredients locally through short supply chains with regional producers and partners, allowing guests to experience regional ingredients while helping strengthen the local agricultural economy.

“We compost and work with Solucycle in Québec City to divert food waste and transform it into renewable energy, including biogas,” he said, “in addition to donating surplus food through La Tablée des Chefs, an organization that helps reduce food waste and support local communities.”

Other resort initiatives include on-site beekeeping and biodiversity conservation through the Charlevoix Biosphere Region’s Biodiversity Engagement Fund, along with welcoming local school groups annually and supporting community events in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.

“For Club Med, these initiatives reflect an effort to integrate the resort into the surrounding community rather than operate independently of it,” said Cutter. “By investing in local producers, celebrating Québec culture and showcasing regional traditions, Club Med helps ensure tourism benefits visitors and the surrounding community. It creates a richer, more authentic guest experience while strengthening the destination itself.”

This philosophy aligns with a broader commitment to ensuring tourism generates benefits beyond the resort itself. “Together, these initiatives reflect the resort’s commitment to creating lasting impacts on the people and nature of the Charlevoix region,” he said. “It helps the resort minimize its environmental footprint while creating a more sustainable travel experience for guests.”

As the Charlevoix resort has matured, the property has become an important part of the company’s North American mountain portfolio, reinforcing Club Med’s continued investment in Canadian destinations. “Club Med is expanding its Québec portfolio,” said Cutter. “Located southwest of Charlevoix, Club Med Tremblant will open in 2028, helping the brand increase its presence even further in the area.”

Looking ahead, Cutter says Club Med Québec Charlevoix will continue operating its outdoor adventure, wellness, family activities, regional cuisine and seasonal programming, and maintain its signature all-inclusive ski experience during the winter months.

“Similar packages are offered during other seasons,” he said. “Like our winter packages, our summer packages offer spectacular views on the river with gourmet dining, expert childcare, unlimited opportunities for recreation and wellness.”

With Club Med’s emphasis on year-round programming, sustainability initiatives and community partnerships, the resort is primed to respond to those changing expectations while safeguarding one of Québec’s most distinct landscapes. “Club Med Québec Charlevoix is stunning,” said Cutter. “And we will continue strengthening its position as a premier four-season destination.”

The post A Getaway For Every Season appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

“We started with a single chairlift and two rope tows in South Lake Tahoe when we first opened in 1955,” said Peter Disch, vice president of mountain operations for Heavenly Mountain Resort. “We’ve expanded significantly since then with 27 lifts, including two gondolas, one aerial tramway, two high-speed six-packs and seven high-speed quads, 111 trails and 4,800 skiable acres across four base stations in two states. We’ve also become a year-round destination, with a reputation for blending skiing with high-energy guest experiences.”

Heavenly Mountain Resort marked its 70th anniversary with a long lineup of events, concerts and on-mountain activities during the 2025-2026 ski season. A long-time favorite of celebrities like Clint Eastwood and John Denver, Heavenly Mountain has become a major recreational destination, and its decades of success offer useful ideas for snow operators worldwide.

Managing across two states and four base areas

As a bi-state resort with four base areas, two in California and two in Nevada, Heavenly Mountain deals with a range of unique regulatory and community challenges. “We manage them by starting with a really strong team of employees who know the rules,” Disch said. “We also engage with community stakeholders to make sure that we are good partners with them.”

Being a bi-state, multiple-base operation has its advantages. “Each base offers a totally different variety of terrain,” he said. “Our California side has some of our most advanced terrain, while our Boulder, Nev., base has some of the best beginner runs.”

Evolution of lift systems and uphill capacity

Heavenly Mountain has continually modernized its lift systems and uphill capacity to improve guest transportation, growing from double chairs in the 1950s to modern high-speed quads, six-packs, gondolas and an aerial tramway. “Previously, the ride time out of the Boulder base to the top of North Bowl was almost 30 minutes across two different chairs, which led to low utilization of that terrain,” Disch said. “By upgrading North Bowl to a high-speed quad, ride time is now under six minutes. We’re seeing more guests going there as a result.”

Managing old and new infrastructure

Seventy years of operations means that there is a mix of new and old technology being used at Heavenly Mountain. The resort keeps this mix harmonious through extensive and proactive maintenance. “We’ve got a really talented team maintaining this equipment who are also ready for those unexpected things that do occur,” said Disch. “They get us back up and running as quickly and safely as possible.”

Choosing capital investments to enhance guest experiences

Heavenly Mountain chooses its capital investments “through the lens of the guest experience,” Disch says. “What’s going to have the greatest and most positive impact on our guests?” he said.

In doing so, Heavenly Mountain has expanded its criteria beyond skiing and snowboarding to include the entire guest experience while dining and enjoying entertainment off the slopes. This includes the Rockstar Energy Drink DJ Cat, which is a branded, mobile DJ booth that turns parts of the resort into an outdoor dance floor. “We approach entertainment and fine dining as being fully complementary to the skiing and snowboarding experience,” Disch said. Heavenly Mountain also considers the year-round impact of its capital investments, in a bid to serve guests during the summer and other off-season months.

Operational metrics that matter most

Heavenly Mountain tracks its guests’ attitudes using more than 30 specific metrics via post-visit surveys and uses AI to summarize and assess this feedback. The resort also puts its leaders on the slopes to hear from guests in person and holds community open houses to stay in touch with the community. “We want to know: What’s working well? Where can we improve? And what have guests seen elsewhere that maybe we should try out?” said Disch.

Expanding into summer and non-winter operations

Heavenly Mountain has expanded into summer and non-winter operations by deploying mountain coasters and zip lines. This move to a year-round schedule has been good for cash flow, business health and employee retention. “It’s been great to be able to expand into the off-season and provide stability for the business and our employees,” said Disch.

We’ve got automation that allows us to turn on a bunch of snow guns from a cell phone anywhere on the mountain. The benefits to our resort and our guests are significant.

Peter Disch, Heavenly Mountain Resort

Moving to a year-round operation means that off-season maintenance has to be balanced with continuing site use. “There’s definitely a lot of planning that goes into it,” Disch said. “Our maintenance teams and I spend a lot of time planning which off-season projects we are tackling this year.

The role of technology in mountain operations

Technology has been a driving force of Heavenly’s success. It started with lifts, but has moved into other areas of the operation, such as snowmaking.

“There was a time when a person would need to go out to every single snow gun and open the air and water valves to get the system going,” said Disch. “Now we’ve got automation that allows us to turn on a bunch of snow guns from a cell phone anywhere on the mountain. The benefits to our resort and our guests are significant.

Operational challenges lacking technical solutions

Even with all the advances offered by technology, there are still some operational challenges that defy such solutions. “Ultimately, we still operate in high alpine environments that have extreme weather,” Disch said. “So when we look at aerial ski lifts in the context of high winds, lightning and intense snowfalls, these are challenges without a real technical solution outside of building a tunnel around the lift, which is obviously not practical or feasible.”

What Heavenly Mountain would do differently if starting today

If he had access to a time machine, Disch says he would go back and do some things differently at Heavenly Mountain. “One would be to commit to summer operations earlier, due to the level of success we’ve seen with them to date. The other would be to embrace snowmaking automation earlier. When we have those short, cold windows, it makes it so much more productive to turn on our snow guns so much faster,” he said.

“Moving to parking reservations has totally changed that arrival experience. It’s taken a lot of the stress and anxiety out of it, and vastly reduced traffic jams at opening time because people know they have a parking spot before they ever get to the resort.”

The post From a Lone Tow Rope To Bi-State Operation appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

For decades, the ski industry has asked one question above all others: How do we increase skier visits?

There is a better question, one that quietly reframes the entire economics of a mountain: How do we maximize the utilization of a fixed asset worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars? That single shift changes everything. A ski area is not merely a place to ski; it is one of the most capital-intensive assets in all of tourism – mountain, lodge, lifts, parking, snowmaking plant – and today it sits largely idle after 4 p.m.

What follows is a blueprint for the hours between dusk and 10 p.m.: not as extended lift operations, but as a platform for recreation, education, entertainment, wellness and community. It is the mountain reconceived as a community campus; the region’s winter “third place,” in which lighting, far from being the strategy, becomes one enabling technology among many.

Part I: The 14-hour mountain

Northern-hemisphere winter daylight yields only seven to eight operational hours, roughly 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Every fixed cost of the mountain, from the capital sunk into lifts and snowmaking to the debt service on the lodge, is amortized across that narrow window.

It is an extraordinary underuse of capital. No hotel would rent rooms only in the morning, no arena would sell seats only until mid-afternoon. Yet the ski area, one of the most capital-intensive assets in all of tourism, routinely goes dark exactly when its surrounding community becomes free to visit.

The proposal at the heart of this article is simple to state and transformative in effect: extend the operating model to a 14-hour day, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and program the evening hours deliberately. In that expanded day, the mountain becomes five things at once:

• Recreation: night skiing, riding, tubing and snowshoeing for the general public.
• Education: after-school academies that turn the lodge into a classroom.
• Entertainment: concerts, rail jams, carnivals and social events.
• Wellness: active-aging programs, adaptive skiing and winter fitness.
• Community: a standing gathering place for scouts, veterans, schools and civic groups.

Adding four to five evening hours expands potential access by 40 to 60 percent over the daytime baseline, and does so against a fixed-cost base that has already been paid. The marginal economics of the 14th hour are fundamentally more favorable than the economics of the eighth because the capital is already in the ground.

Part II: What the trends show

The evening opportunity is not a hunch, it sits on top of a decade of industry data. Successive NSAA Economic Analysis and Kottke End-of-Season reports point in a consistent direction, and it is worth reading the trends as a pattern rather than a list of isolated statistics.

Night skiing is already mature where the population math demands it, a core strategy for the substantial majority of southeast and Midwest areas, and adoption has accelerated among large and destination resorts seeking to stretch fixed assets across a longer day.

Underneath that headline, several currents reinforce one another: ancillary (non-ticket) revenue has climbed to record levels per visit, driven by a deepening dependence on food and beverage, tubing has emerged as a powerful non-ski draw that often justifies early-season snowmaking on its own and the broader tourism market has tilted decisively toward experiential travel, where guests buy an evening out rather than merely a lift ticket.

Demographics are shifting too, toward multigenerational visitation, active-aging participants and regional guests who can reach a mountain on a weeknight, but not a workday morning. Read together, these trends describe a market that is ready for exactly what the evening offers: higher-margin, experience-driven, community-anchored programming that does not compete with the daytime skier for prime terrain.

Part III: The mountain as a community campus

This is the centerpiece. The reframe is to stop thinking ‘ski area’ and start thinking ‘community asset’ that’s open seven days a week, every evening, each night anchored by a program matched to a distinct audience, margin profile and civic purpose. A representative week:

No single night carries the model. Their combination does. Where a passive “lights-on” operation offers the same night skiing every evening and hopes for volume, the community-campus calendar gives every segment of the region a reason to come, and a different reason each night. That is what converts a mountain from a weekend recreation destination into a winter institution.

Part IV: Out-of-school mountain academy

If one section captures the whole idea, it is this one. The lodge becomes an extension of the classroom. Winter’s short school day ends early, parents work until evening, and the gap between the final bell and dinner is precisely the window a mountain sits empty. The Mountain Academy fills it with a structured after-school program that pairs academics with the slopes.

Parents arrive after work to collect children who have finished their homework and spent two hours on snow. Instead of paying for babysitting, the family gains an educational partner and the mountain gains steady weekday-evening visitation from a demographic that rarely skis midday. The concept knits together a region’s schools, its families and its winter recreation asset into a single relationship that recurs all season.

Funding is where discipline matters. Several public and philanthropic programs are designed to support exactly this kind of out-of-school academic enrichment, and they are worth exploring in partnership with school districts, which are typically the eligible applicants rather than the mountain itself:

• 21st century community learning centers ( federal, administered by states)
• State-administered after-school and expanded-learning grants
• STEM-education and environmental-education grant programs
• Local education foundations and community-foundation partnerships

The honest framing for any operator is that these are potential funding pathways to investigate with district and foundation partners, not entitlements; eligibility rules are specific and most flow through schools serving defined populations. Presented that way, the Mountain Academy becomes a credible community-education proposal rather than an overreaching grant claim.

Part V: Active aging on the mountain

At the other end of the demographic curve lies an underserved and rapidly growing market. The frame is not “older skiers” but active aging, a wellness and social category that treats the winter mountain as a setting for health, connection and gentle recreation. It is one of the fastest-emerging trends in the broader tourism economy and the evening is its natural home. A Senior Snow Night program can span a wide range of activity levels and interests:

• Adaptive skiing and guided snowshoe hikes
• Wellness lectures, balance training and winter fitness sessions
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation partnerships
• Social dinners, music and intergenerational “grandparents and grandchildren” nights

The partnership ecosystem is ready-made. Hospitals and physical therapy practices supply expertise and referrals; Area Agencies on Aging, YMCAs and municipal recreation departments supply participants and often program funding, community foundations supply grants. Senior Snow Nights convert quiet weeknights into community goodwill and steady ancillary spend, and they diversify the guest base against the volatility of weather-dependent skier visits.

Part VI: Community partnerships

A community campus is defined by the breadth of its partners. Beyond schools and senior organizations, a deliberately programmed mountain becomes a natural venue for a wide range of civic, youth and service groups, each bringing its own members, its own occasions and often its own funding. The evening calendar has room for all of them:

• Youth organizations: Scout troops (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts), church youth groups, 4-H, STEM clubs
• Service and first responder groups: veterans’ organizations, police, fire departments, EMS appreciation nights
• Education partners: high schools, colleges and universities for club programs, physical education credit and research
• Adaptive and inclusive sport: Special Olympics, adaptive sports associations, therapeutic recreation programs
• Environmental and STEM organizations: conservation groups, nature centers and science education non-profits

Each partnership does triple duty: it fills an evening, it broadens the base of people who consider the mountain “theirs” and it frequently arrives with grant funding, sponsorship or in-kind support attached. The cumulative effect is a mountain woven into the civic life of its region: far more durable than any single marketing campaign and far harder for a competitor to replicate.

Part VII: The revenue model

A community campus strategy requires explicit cost-revenue modeling rather than “lights on, tickets sold” assumptions. The cost drivers are familiar: lift operations, snowmaking and grooming (including interim grooming between day and night sessions), lighting energy and maintenance, food and beverage staffing, security and incremental management overhead.

What changes on the revenue side is the sheer number of streams. Where a traditional night operation sells tickets and food, the community campus layers program fees, lane rentals, community and education partnerships, sponsorships and grant support on top. The most useful way to picture the model is as a revenue waterfall with each layer stacking onto the last, and the later, community-driven layers carrying the highest margins and the greatest durability:

The illustrative model below carries the same three-scenario structure a mid-size area should build with its own numbers, now with a community and education line reflecting the expanded strategy. Even under conservative assumptions, the evening clears a positive contribution margin; under the base case, it becomes a meaningful profit center.

Part VIII: The enabler, not the strategy

Only now, near the end, does lighting enter and that placement is the point. Lighting is not the strategy. Lighting enables the strategy. None of the programming above exists without safe, uniform, comfortable illumination of the slopes, and the quality of that light shapes both the cost line and the guest experience.

Modern magnetic-induction systems, such as the Snow-Bright class, deliver superior uniformity, reduced glare, lower energy consumption, and markedly longer lamp life than legacy metal-halide or high-pressure-sodium installations. As induction lamps render the slope evenly and with less flat-light fatigue, the evening product simply looks and skis better, which matters when guests are deciding whether the night session is worth the trip. In the revenue model, lighting sits on the cost side, but the right lighting lowers that cost while raising the experience quality on which every program depends.

Two operational realities deserve early attention. First, the fully loaded cost of keeping selected lifts and lighting running for four to five evening hours must be modeled honestly. It is the denominator against which every night-revenue scenario is judged. Second, environmental and permitting constraints such as U.S. Forest Service requirements, local zoning, homeowner associations and dark-sky considerations, must be evaluated early, since areas near sensitive habitats or residential zones face higher hurdles and longer timelines.

Efficient, well-directed, low-spill lighting is frequently what makes the permit achievable in the first place. In that sense, lighting is not merely an operating-cost decision, it is often the gating technology that determines whether the community campus can be built at all.

The clearest evidence that the technology can carry an evening strategy comes not from a manufacturer’s brochure, but from the trade press and the operators themselves. Two industry publications – the NSAA Journal and Ski Area Management (SAM) – independently documented the same installation in the winter of 2014, and the operator has since reported the revenue results.

The winter “third place”

Sociologists describe a “third place” as the space beyond home and work, or home and school, where a community gathers, connects and belongs. For a winter region, the mountain is uniquely suited to become that place. Not a ski area open until 4 p.m., but a community campus running until 10 p.m.: a classroom on Wednesday, a wellness center on Thursday, a concert hall on Friday, a stadium on Saturday, a family carnival on Sunday.

The industry has spent decades asking how to sell more lift tickets. The larger, more compelling question is what business the mountain can become after sunset, and the answer is a community-centered, multi-use destination that serves recreation, education, entertainment, wellness and civic life across a 14-hour day.

Night skiing was never the destination. It was the first hint of what the mountain could be once the sun goes down. The operators who see that will not merely add evening hours, they will transform a seasonal recreation asset into the enduring center of their community’s winter.

Philip Gotthelf is managing director of Ultra-Tech Lighting LLC, a manufacturer of modernized magnetic induction lighting whose Snow-Bright line is engineered for ski and snow venues. He has worked on energy conservation since 1978, and on lighting specifically since the early 1980s. Gotthelf also founded EQUIDEX Energy, LLC, an energy auditing firm with snow sports venue experience. He is a Lehigh-trained economist and the author of Precious Metals Trading and Currency Trading (John Wiley & Sons), and has commented on energy markets for Bloomberg, CNBC and FOX Business, a background that informs this article’s asset-utilization analysis.

The post Beyond Night Skiing appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

International Snowmobile Hall of Fame

Meet the ISHOF Class of 2026 inductees.

Fred Bailey from Helena, Mont. – Volunteer and Club Organizer

Fred Bailey started snowmobiling at a young age with his grandpa in Avon, Mont. He and his wife Julie have been snowmobiling for over 30 years, and Bailey has been an advocate of the sport at least that long. He loved the sport and had no idea at the time that his passion would lead to a lifetime of commitment to organized snowmobiling on a local, state and national level. As a young adult, it wasn’t long until he became an officer of his local club, the Helena Snow Drifters (HSD).

Bailey was instrumental in acquiring the property where the HSD groomer shed is located. He also helped secure the truck and trailer to transport the groomer. Bailey helped achieve and maintain the club’s non-profit status. He was at every work party, trail maintenance day, including building a bridge and relocating the groomer shed. He served as district representative, four years as vice president and four years as president of the Montana Snowmobile Association (MSA).

Bailey has attended many Washington, D.C., fly-ins, representing the MSA. He understands this event is very important as it facilitates opportunities to speak with senators and representatives. He has been trails coordinator for many years working with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Bailey has formed a lot of partnerships over the years and is well respected by all recreationalists who know him. These contacts proved to be great resources when working on a winter travel plan or new legislation.

He is a state and nationally certified snowmobile safety instructor, and an instructor with the ATV Safety Institute. Bailey has spent many hours at the Montana Legislature testifying on bills to protect snowmobilers’ interests in funding, trail access and snowmobile safety. Recreation, safety, education, trails, economics, legislation, access and land use issues are among his top priorities.

He has the ability to relate with the youth and make certain they feel included. What sets Bailey apart is his lifelong commitment and the consistency of his service. He has never sought recognition, never stepped away from responsibility and never hesitated to dedicate his time when the snowmobiling community needed him. Individuals with his level of expertise, passion and willingness to give so much of themselves for the benefit of others are rare. Bailey’s dedication and contributions to organized snowmobiling earned him his place as an inductee into the ISHOF, Class of 2026.

José Boisjoli from Valcourt, Que. – Inventors, Designers and Manufacturers

José Boisjoli’s personal passion for snowmobiles arises from living in Wickham, Que., where he was just 10 years old when he got his first Ski-Doo. The town he grew up in as a child was only 30 minutes from what would become the BRP World Headquarters in Valcourt.

Throughout his unrivaled career as president and CEO of Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Boisjoli directed a worldwide and multi-faceted impact on every aspect of powersports. Boisjoli has earned the well-deserved respect of his peers due to his countless accomplishments related to the snowmobile industry and reshaping recreational snowmobiling as it is today.

Snowmobile legend, J. Armand Bombardier founded the company and invented Ski-Doo snowmobiles. Boisjoli built on that legacy by leading Ski-Doo to become the No. 1 selling snowmobile brand worldwide. This remarkable growth led Bombardier Inc. to the global leading powersports original equipment manufacturer (OEM) BRP is today.

In January Boisjoli retired after a total of 36 years, 14 years with Bombardier Inc. and then 22 years as the first president and CEO of BRP, which employs approximately 17,000 people worldwide, operates manufacturing facilities in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Finland (Lynx snowmobiles), Austria (Rotax engines), Australia and Germany, earning revenue in 110 countries.

It is estimated that one out of every three motorized recreational products sold worldwide carries the BRP logo. It started when Boisjoli launched his BRP career with perhaps the most significant innovation in all of snowmobiling, the game changing, “rider-forward” concept adopted on the 2003 Ski-Doo REV platform.

This major revolution, which changed the position of the rider in relation to the snowmobile, was soon to be used by every other snowmobile OEM. This is just one of many prime examples of the major innovations BRP developed and patented on their Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobile lines. They demonstrate Boisjoli’s pivotal role in shaping recreational snowmobiling to the benefit of the entire snowmobiling community.

BRP has received numerous awards under Boisjoli’s leadership, but he personally has received recognition as the 2005 Executive of the Year (PowerSports Business magazine), 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year (EY), 2017 CEO of the Year (Les Affaires) and 2023 Global Visionary of the Year (The Globe and Mail). As the longest serving CEO among the powersports OEMs and by continuing the historic legacy of J. Armand Bombardier, Boisjoli qualifies as an excellent choice for induction into the ISHOF, Class of 2026.

Mike and Cheryl Clevenger from Morristown, Minn. – Volunteers and Club Organizers

The Clevengers’ commitment to the sport of snowmobiling began when Mike was 14 years old. He started working outside the home to earn enough money to purchase his own sled. Little did he know this would become the foundation of his involvement in snowmobiling throughout his adult life. When Mike and Cheryl began dating, she had little experience with snowmobiles.

She started out riding with Mike on the back of his sled and eventually purchased a snowmobile of her own so she could ride independently. After they married, they became involved with their local snowmobile club that needed rejuvenation.

The Waseca SnoSeekers was the only club in the Waseca area. Mike wanted to restart the club and Cheryl was there organizing meetings and club events. He became president, and within two years there were over 100 family memberships attending meetings and enjoying club outings. This was the start of the Waseca County Trail Association, as well as the county becoming the sponsor and owner of trail equipment. Under the leadership of Mike and Cheryl, many weekends were spent brushing, marking and maintaining these snowmobile trails. Soon thereafter, the Clevengers became involved in several clubs around the area and continued their quest for the advancement of snowmobiling.

For quite some time, the clubs they were a part of got very involved in snowmobile drag racing venues. These were key fundraisers and as these events grew, they jelled into the Minnesota Snowmobile Drag Racing Series of which Mike took on the role of race director. Mike became Region 5 director for the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association (MnUSA) in the late 1990s. Eventually the Region 5 involvement led to Mike taking on responsibilities of vice president and president of MnUSA. Cheryl became involved as secretary/treasurer and publicity chair.

For 15 years Mike and Cheryl spent many hours arranging events and fundraisers. They were the watchdogs informing all 46 clubs in the region of pertinent information and legislation taking place within the state and region. The Clevengers saw the need for snowmobile safety instructors and in 2013, they both took the course to become state certified instructors. Since then, they have taught a minimum of three classes each year at their local clubs.

They were selected as MnUSA’s “2026 Family of the Year.” Snowmobiling has become a way of life and a year-round adventure for the Clevengers. It is this unwavering commitment that distinguishes Mike and Cheryl as deserving inductees into the ISHOF, Class of 2026.

Greg and Diane Hiles from De Smet, S.D. – Volunteers and Club Organizers

Greg and Diane Hiles embody the very best in organized snowmobiling. Through decades of leadership, their presence has reached every level of the sport. On a local level they have been active members of the Town and Country Riders since 1995. They never hesitate to volunteer their time for fundraisers, safety courses, governor’s rides and any other functions that support their club.

Greg has served as vice president and trails coordinator for various terms. Both Greg and Diane help maintain and mark trails. Greg and Diane attend the South Dakota Snow-mobile Association (SDSA) Convention every year, and have volunteered countless hours on a state level supporting SDSA. Greg and Diane are legacy members of the SDSA, and were inducted into the SDSA Hall of Fame in 2019.

In 2003 Greg became an SDSA director, soon moving to a leadership role serving as president for 2011-2013. As SDSA president, Greg also served as a delegate for the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA). In that capacity Greg initiated a fundraiser for the ACSA Legal Defense Fund, raising over $18,000 at the International Snowmobile Congress (ISC) and growing the funds raised to over $40,000. Greg went on to be elected vice president of ACSA in 2015 and then president in 2017. He was named ACSA Snowmobiler of the Year in 2019 and continues to be a trusted advisor to ACSA.

Diane has also been very involved in organized snowmobiling, serving as club secretary for 10 years. She did everything from processing memberships to writing grants. Multi-tasking is one of Diane’s greatest qualities often put to the test when coordinating and organizing events from state conventions, governor’s rides, fundraisers and safety courses. Diane went on to serve 10 years as treasurer for the SDSA, serving on committees such as charity, bylaws, government relations and many others.

Diane was named SDSA Snowmobiler of the Year in 2007. She has been a valued volunteer to ACSA, serving in many positions. She currently sits on the ACSA Board of Directors and chairs numerous committees. Diane served as chairperson for the 2016 ISC held in South Dakota. Over 400 attendees made this a very successful event.

Snowmobiling is a family activity for the Hiles clan. They were named SDSA Family of the Year in 2009. Greg and Diane are both known for their integrity, their tireless work ethic, their ability to inspire others and their unwavering commitment to promoting the fun of snowmobiling for future generations. They are a welcome addition into the Class of 2026, ISHOF.

Lowell and Ila Morton from New Holland, Pa. – Volunteers and Club Organizers

In 1973, Lowell and Ila bought their first machine and the whole family went snowmobiling. In the mid-’70s, they joined their local Blue Mountain Snowmobile Club. It was not long until they became very active in club fundraisers and were elected president and secretary. Also, in the mid-’70s, the Mortons grew into a three-snowmobile family and in 1975 became active members of the Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association (PSSA) where they sponsored trail rides with their four children. In the late-’80s, the Mortons became members of the Dutch Trail Cutters Snowmobile Club.

Over the years they each served as president, vice president and secretary for this club. Lowell and Ila were regular attendees of the ISC, and they served as delegates of PSSA. They also participated in meetings at the state capitol.

In 1979 Lowell became a regional director for PSSA. In 1987 the association experienced serious financial trouble. With not enough funding to pay the rent for an office, Lowell and Ila offered to host PSSA daily operations in their home at no charge. Members of the association elected Lowell as president and Ila served as an unpaid volunteer executive secretary. PSSA was at the brink of extinction. The combined efforts of Lowell and Ila, countless PSSA members, inspired by the Mortons’ leadership, participated in fundraising events and the organization was again back “in the black” in a few years.

During the 15 years that Lowell served as PSSA president, membership grew to record levels. Ila continued to serve as the executive secretary, handling most of the day-to-day activities including membership records and renewals, correspondence with member clubs and much more. Ila was typically the “go-to person” when it came to fundraising activities to keep PSSA in good fiscal condition.

Lowell passed away in 2019 and is inducted in the ISHOF posthumously. Ila remains an active member of both local snowmobile clubs they have been with since their humble beginnings and with the PSSA. Lowell and Ila, together, actively promoted, supported and lived the snowmobiling lifestyle for more than 50 years. It is this extraordinary dedication to the sport of snowmobiling that makes Lowell and Ila deserving of induction into the ISHOF, Class of 2026.

Other Special Award Recipients of 2026

2026 International Snowmobile Club of the Year – sponsored by Woody’s, ACSA, Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO) and ISC: Driftrunners Snowmobile Club from Cresco, Iowa

The Driftrunners Snowmobile Club of Cresco, Iowa, was founded in 1969. They average 124 members annually, the highest club membership in the state of Iowa. The Driftrunners maintain 200 miles of trails located in Howard, Winneshiek and Chickasaw counties, covering a variety of trail terrain from road ditches to private landowner farm fields and along fence lines. The groomer operators work hard to claim some of the best signed and groomed trails in the state, typically 800 to 900 miles per season.

Each year the club’s two biggest fundraisers are their Snowfest event in January and their Chili Feed in February. They also host several smaller fundraisers such as a Vintage Sled Show, Poker Run, Torchlight Parade and Snowball Dance.

Each year, the club donates to the Spina Bifida Association of Iowa, the Howard County Cancer Association and the Community Action Corporation for toys for kids at Christmas. They also partner with the local American Legion to host bingo at the Snowfest. More volunteer time and donations are provided to other local and state organizations.

The Driftrunners are always promoting a positive image of snowmobiling by having multiple events annually to attract both snowmobilers and non-snowmobilers. This club’s outstanding dedication to their community is what makes them the choice for the 2026 International Snowmobile Club of the Year.

2026 International Snowmobile Dealer of the Year – sponsored by Snow Goer, ACSA, CCSO and ISC: Chudds PowerSports from Gimli, Man.

Chudds PowerSports is a family-owned business established in 1997. This family business dates back 88 years, originally a blacksmith shop, transitioning to a tractor dealership, then a Chrysler dealership and eventually took on the Arctic Cat and Polaris lines of snowmobiles. The Chudd family prides itself on providing customers with a friendly and comfortable buying experience and top-notch aftersales service.

Chudds PowerSports has a reputation for strongly supporting the Interlake Snow Trackers Snowmobile Club (IST), promoting the sport of snowmobiling in the Interlake region and throughout Manitoba as it is an important part of their business. Mike Chudd and his wife Corrine participate in many IST activities such as trail rides and club fundraisers, and Mike currently serves as club vice president. Chudds has been a long-time supporter of the IST and the Manitoba Snowmobile Association Inc., always eager to contribute financially and with in-kind donations.

The 2024-2025 snowmobile season was a challenging one for the IST with major equipment setbacks rendering one of their groomers side-lined with expensive parts and repairs needed. Mike and his parts team were able to source what was required to get all equipment, including the groomer, up and running again at a savings of over $40,000 in a single year. This is just one of many examples of Chudds PowerSports investing their time and resources, fostering their genuine passion for the sport and its future which makes them an outstanding choice for 2026 International Snowmobile Dealer of the Year.

2026 International Groomer of the Year – sponsored by Arrowhead Groomers, Track Inc., Pisten Bully, and Prinoth, Ltd.: Larry Traxler from Corbett, Ore.

Larry Traxler began grooming in 1978 when the Mt. Hood Snowmobile Club started its grooming program. For nearly five decades, Traxler has quietly been one of the most dependable, hardworking and influential volunteers the Mt. Hood Snowmobile Club has ever known.

Traxler began grooming in his mid-20s and still grooms today. He is known for always making it back to the groomer shed even if he had to make temporary repairs on the trail to limp it home. Traxler’s contributions extend far beyond operating the grooming equipment. He consistently supported maintaining, training, mentoring and encouraging new groomer operators. His decades of dedication, behind the scenes work and unwavering commitment have made him a cornerstone of the grooming program.

Forty-seven years of continuous volunteer service to trail grooming and equipment maintenance, and more than 50 years of involvement with the Mt. Hood Snowmobile Club make Traxler truly the heart of their grooming program. He received the Oregon State Snowmobile Association Groomer of the Year Award for 2026. Traxler never seeks recognition, but he has certainly earned it and is the International Snowmobile Groomer of the Year for 2026.

2026 Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit – sponsored by Elmer Cone Family and the Iron Dog Brigade: Rob Bick from Brewerton, N.Y.

Rob Bick is a knowledgeable, passionate and devoted snowmobile enthusiast with a 55-year history of snowmobile volunteerism. Bick’s dedication to the sport is very evident. He was an original member of the Polaris PRO Consumer Council in 1996, published numerous articles on snowmobiling and volunteerism and has dozens of published snowmobiling photos including four cover shots for the New York State Snowmobile Association magazine.

Among Bick’s most significant contributions to the snowmobile industry is his creation and management of an event known as, “Snowmobile Rides for Children with Special Needs.” He has organized this event annually for 22 years in four different counties throughout the state of New York.

The event gives special needs kids a chance to experience snowmobiling, something they would never have had an opportunity to do. It is a highlight of what can be a long, cold winter for dozens of children and their families. Bick’s knowledge of the sport has been shared in many ways, through his published work and community endeavors. Some families that Bick introduced to winter outdoor recreation have purchased a snowmobile or ATV of their own. Bick has made a very significant impact through work and play, sharing and promoting his knowledge of snowmobiling at a grassroots level to local communities and beyond.

It is these caring contributions of volunteerism that make Bick so deserving of the 2026 Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit.

The inductees and award recipients were honored at the ISHOF Induction Weekend held in Eagle River, Wisc., on Sept. 18 and 19.

The post A Cut Above appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

Crews at Ski Martock, located near Windsor Forks, N.S., pushed together as much snow as they could at the end of last season. The giant heap measured about 125 meters long, 35 meters wide and nearly 11 meters high, and contained an estimated 18,000 cubic meters of snow.

Once all that snow was gathered, workers then covered it with a white breathable cover made entirely from polypropylene, a fully recyclable synthetic polymer that boasts high thermal insulation properties. The high-tech blanket allows the snow pile to cool itself and reduce the melting of the snow from the pile. It was supplied by Snow Support, a company based in Czechia.

Preserving snow under thermal covers is sometimes referred to as snow farming and has been practiced in Europe for decades. That includes Levi, a ski resort in Finland. The resort has hosted multiple World Cup events over the years, but its ability to continue to do so was threatened by an ongoing lack of early season snow. It’s been a non-issue since they started using snow storage several winters ago.

Ski Martock owner Martin Kejval hopes that’s the case at his ski area. However, this is the first time a snow preservation project on this scale has been attempted on Canada’s East Coast. Kejval says he first learned about the technology about five years ago and was eager to try it after seeing it in use last summer at Sun Peaks ski resort, located near Kamloops, B.C.

Following a March 6 “Tim Bits” breakfast meeting with staff, he and operations manager Andy MacLean got in touch with Snow Support owner and CEO Michal Ritter about installing one of the company’s Cover ICE covers at Ski Martock. Ritter quickly agreed and Kejval says he was happy for his ski area to serve as a “guinea pig” for the project.

A few weeks later, the ski hill ran its groomers for five straight days to gather up any remaining snow it had, shape it and then cover it with the textile covering. Some of the snow, including any that might be protruding from the white blanket, was covered with 30 centimeters of wood chips that will act as an additional layer of insulation. Kejval and MacLean hope that between 40 and 50 percent of the leftover snow will remain by the time they uncover it and begin preparing the ski area for next season.

The primary reason Kejval says he was open to trying something different was the unpredictable weather the East Coast has been struggling with for the past decade which has reduced the length of the ski season. Last season was the first time in a decade that Ski Martock was open for more than 100 days of skiing.

“We always have snow at the end of the season. So we thought, ‘What can we do with that snow instead of watching it painfully melt so we can open earlier next year and make those ambitions of our clients materialize?’” he said.

As a result of that unpredictable weather, Ski Martock has struggled to begin its season by its usual mid-December start for the last several years. The hope is that by preserving snow from last season it will ensure they can start welcoming guests before the Christmas holidays this winter.

“This could be a game changer for us if this snow storage works as we anticipate it will work. We would like to add two more snow storages next year. The whole thing is about getting open early or on time. If we can guarantee December 10 or somewhere around there every year, then you’ve got winner, winner, chicken dinner,” Kejval said.

He was told by the cover’s distributor that very little melt is likely to occur until early August. That melting should dissipate by the end of September when overnight temperatures start getting close to freezing again and the pile will stabilize. MacLean jokingly says the covering uses “magic” to preserve snow, but it’s actually science. The breathable polypropylene material is resistant to even the strongest UV rays and effectively reduces the amount of heat absorbed by the surface underneath thanks to its porous structure.

“One of the most important things is that it’s white, so it’s reflecting the light that hits it. You can feel that light being reflected when you go near it,” he said.

MacLean and his crew closely monitored the snow pile on a weekly basis throughout the summer to ensure no snow was exposed to the elements and the insulated cover was working as anticipated. They also measured any water draining from the pile to help determine how much melt was occurring. So far, so good the duo noted in early June.

“So far it looks like it’s working fantastically. I think we have almost no visible shrinkage,” Kejval said. “But as Michal said to us, it will look great, great, great until you hit August. He said it will all depend on how quickly you start hitting cold temperatures in September. One night in September where it’s zero [degrees Celsius] or minus one [degree Celsius], it could make a massive difference.”

Kejval and MacLean say they are grateful for the assistance Ritter and his company provided during the installation of the covering. He was on-site twice during the installation to answer questions and provide guidance to the ski area’s staff.

“We knew enough that we knew we didn’t know anything, so we hired a professional who actually sells these tarps and who actually planned the whole nine yards for us. This was not his first rodeo,” Kejval said. “It’s a big learning curve for us. I’m sure that we will make a lot of mistakes the first time which hopefully we will improve on with time. Only time will tell how the cookie crumbles.”

Kejval says the beauty of snow storage is that it can save a ski operation time and money because it doesn’t have to operate costly snowmaking equipment as frequently during the winter. He is optimistic snow storage could become far more commonplace if the trial at Ski Martock is successful.

“Other people have done it and they have done it successfully. We are just doing it on a larger scale,” Kejval said. “I think this is the future for ski hills because … winter is moving to the right a little bit. We now have better conditions in April and not so great conditions in December. This is a fantastic solution to fix the problem. We’re not afraid to try different things at our (operation). I think that’s the only reason not too many places in North America are trying this yet because they’re hesitant of change.”

The post What’s Old Will Be New Again appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

To address these gaps, the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust has announced a $3.2 million investment to support mental health and substance use services across 11 mountain communities in seven U.S. states. The funding will support 12 primary grantees and 33 subgrantees, with a focus on expanding bilingual and culturally responsive care, strengthening prevention and recovery programs and improving data systems to guide local decision-making.

The initiative builds on nearly a decade of investment from the Katz Amsterdam Foundation (KAF), which has contributed close to $30 million toward community-based programs, including more than $22 million dedicated to mental and behavioral health. This latest round of funding emphasizes a community-driven approach, where local organizations identify priorities and design programs tailored to their populations.

To better understand how the funding will be implemented and measured, SnowOps spoke with Beth Ganz, executive director of the KAF, as well as Kelsey Pietraton, senior director of corporate and employee communications at Vail Resorts.

Supporting mental health in mountain communities

How will KAF track and measure success over time for these grants?

BG: Communities track their own strategic efforts via the KAF shared measurement framework data dashboard, a community level measurement tool tracking community, provider, youth and mortality data over time. The goal of this dashboard is to help communities create and maintain impactful mental and behavioral health systems and programs that best serve their residents.

What role do local community organizations and residents play in shaping how the funds are used? Is this a top-down grant, or community-driven?

BG: KAF uses a community-centric approach to grant making, recognizing that communities know best what is needed to support mental behavioral health of their residents. Each year, communities determine their program priorities and request grant funds based on those priorities.

Will there be efforts to share best practices across the more than 11 communities receiving grants, to replicate effective programs elsewhere?

BG: The KAF network regularly participates in shared learning across all communities. This allows for creative and effective programming ideas to spread to support the mental behavioral health needs of people where they live and work. These shared learning opportunities happen through an annual convening in May, a virtual fall forum, community visits and regular webinars and connections of professionals working on similar challenges.

Beyond treatment, how does KAF plan to support prevention, outreach and long-term resilience in mental health, especially for youth and marginalized groups?

BG: Informed by data, KAF network communities are regularly identifying prevention, intervention and treatment needs as part of their strategic mental behavioral health efforts. KAF is pleased to support these efforts.

Is this $3.2 million donation a one-time grant or part of a continuing commitment? What are the long-term plans for supporting mental and behavioral health in these communities?

BG: Since 2016, KAF has provided nearly $30 million to support mountain resort communities, including over $22 million for mental and behavioral health efforts. We are proud of the relationships that we have developed with our partners and value their unique position in providing and supporting wellness. Our list of partners has grown alongside of our commitment to mental behavioral health.

How does this grant initiative intersect with other efforts by Vail Resorts to support housing, employment, or other social determinants of health in mountain towns?

BG: During the 2023-24 winter season, the most recent season for which we have shared data, Vail Resorts awarded $11.2 million to community non-profits supporting shared priorities such as affordable housing, mental health, accessibility and more.

Does KAF plan to expand into other areas besides mental health and substance use, such as broader social services or civic engagement?

BG: KAF is launching a new catalyst grant program in three communities this summer, focused on social servicesthrough direct grant making. We hope these grants will further support the needs of mountain resort communities.

What message would you like to send to community members, local leaders and stakeholders about equitable access to mental health services?

BG: When we speak about supporting mental behavioral health in mountain resort communities, we truly mean supporting the entire community. It is critical to address the barriers of care that exist because of historic and systemic inequality. We are committed to supporting communities as they strive to achieve health equity and eliminate health disparities – so that everyone can truly thrive.

The post Targeting Mental Health Gaps in Mountain Communities appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

Any alpine skier is familiar with snowmaking and knows it is vital for resorts and surrounding communities to sell tickets, meals and beverages, fill beds, provide jobs, generate taxes and much more.

Snowmaking is less common at cross-country (XC) areas in the U.S. and Canada, although it is present at roughly 70 sites, with the number increasing each year. The most extensive XC systems are generally at venues hosting World Cup and Olympic races such as Soldier Hollow in Utah, Canmore in Alberta, Mt. Van Hoevenberg in New York and Whistler Olympic Park in British Columbia.

Other Nordic operations have made major investments in snowmaking, including Ariens Nordic, MadNorSki and the Birkebeiner trails in Wisconsin, Forbush Corner in Michigan, Tahoe Donner in California, several private schools and colleges with XC teams in New England and clubs like Caledonia Nordic in British Columbia, Bridger Ski Foundation in Montana and Nakkertok Nordic in Quebec.

Curiously, few XC operations owned by alpine ski areas have added substantial snowmaking.

Evolution of XC snow farming

Once upon a time, snow farming in the XC ski world meant doing what you could to keep whatever falls from the sky. In the early 1970s, when trail design and maintenance practices were still developing, snow farming often involved simple, logical and ongoing measures that required significant time and labor. These generally included routing trails to optimize snowfall, removing protruding rocks, trimming overhanging conifers and cleaning debris from trails after storms.

A few sophisticated venues improved trail surfaces with grass or wood chips and installed snow fencing to capture wind-created drifts that could later be redistributed. Operators also mitigated wet areas where melting and ice were concerns by rerouting trails, installing culverts and adding fill when possible. Bridges were often built with railings and kickboards to prevent snow from bleeding off edges while allowing meltwater to drain away. Encroaching brush was removed and snow was sometimes shoveled directly onto the trails.

Grooming crews also learned the value of packing and “age-hardening” snow through machine-grooming it from the moment it fell. In the West, the drought winter of 1976–77 and another miserable season in 1980–81 made the industry more conscious of weather vulnerability. By then, Eastern and Midwestern operations in the U.S. and Canada understood once-predictable winters would be interspersed with periods of melt.

XC snowmaking

Over the years, XC snow-saving technology has evolved to include man-made snow. The earliest snowmaking Wiesel recalls was Weston Ski Track in the mid-1970s (they are still going strong), on a golf course near Boston.

There were some additional areas, but Nordic snowmaking has become relatively frequent only in the past dozen years or so. Olympic sites seem to be the primary exception, with Canmore Nordic Centre probably the earliest, around 1988, and Soldier Hollow in 2002.

Several of these sites include professionally designed trails with snowmaking. Trail planner John Morton of Morton Trails in Vermont has often combined the two. Some of Morton’s projects are Ariens Nordic, Rikert Ski Touring Center (Middlebury College), Vt., Dartmouth College in Oak Hill, N.H., Dublin School, N.H., and Kents Hill School, Maine. Snowmaking companies increasingly see XC as a significant, if smaller-than-alpine market.

The next step: Keeping what you get

The basic principle is that when there’s enough snow (preferably man-made because of its density/longevity), the priority is to coddle it. Rain, sunshine, warm temperatures and especially wind can wreak havoc on piles of snow that could otherwise prolong the ski season.

Roughly 20 years ago, XC operators in Europe – especially those involved with early-season high-level races – started using wood chips and sawdust to preserve snow throughout the summer. This often meant that you could open some trails when your neighbors were still sighing about the weather. Craftsbury Nordic in Vermont, Canmore Nordic Centre in Alberta and Whistler Olympic Park in British Columbia have used wood products to protect piled man-made snow between closing in the spring and opening in the fall.

The three goals of starting operations on an early, predicted date are hosting events, providing on-snow training opportunities for individuals and teams, and drawing recreational skiers. This timing can be vital to both ski operations and their local economies.

Most International Ski and Snowboard Federation and International Biathlon Union XC race venues already use wood chips and/or sawdust. Chips a couple of feet deep insulate very well (summer loss is as little as 12%), but they have several drawbacks – rising cost, limited longevity, disposal, dust and debris rising to the surface, separation from snow in the fall, acidifying soil, leaching runoff, etc.

A Finnish company, Snow Secure, has developed white extruded polystyrene blankets that are now used in Europe for both alpine and XC skiing and that have been heralded for their resilience and sustainability. Snow Secure is being introduced to XC areas in both the U.S. and Canada, with Soldier Hollow in Utah as the first to try it out. Currently, they are working with four alpine resorts in North America, including Sun Peaks in British Columbia and Bogus Basin in Idaho.

Shapes for snow piles are tailored to the site. Ideally, the snow piles are made when temperatures are coldest in winter, providing dramatic savings in water and energy use compared to snowmaking in the fall, which is packed into layers and covered with foam mats. At the XC World Cup venue Ruka in Finland, there are three piles configured like bread loaves, each about the size of a football field – around 220 feet by 110 feet by 25 feet high and formidable looking. That’s about 14,000 cubic meters of snow when produced in the winter.

It generally becomes much denser while stored, approximately 10,000 cubic meters, by the time it’s uncovered in autumn. When spread out in the fall, this can translate into roughly three kilometers of trails covered by one foot of snow by 20 feet wide. These synthetics provide effective insulation even at temperatures as warm as 100 degrees Fahrenheit, even in venues such as Ruka Ski Resort in Finland that have perpetual summer daylight.

Their stored snow is good quality for spreading, grooming and skiing, although the system is not quite as efficient as wood chips for preserving snow. The materials are durable and long-lived (more than a decade). Installation and uncovering the snow is swift and simple, then it’s spread. Unlike wood products, the materials can be collected and routed to recycling or energy recovery.

The future of snow storage

Complexities include cost, finding a convenient summer location for the piled snow and winter storage of the insulating materials. But the word is getting out that there’s an option to losing vital parts of early-season operations. In the next few years, there might be at least a half-dozen more North American XC areas – more and sooner for alpine resorts – that adopt snow storage as a case of “can’t live without it.”

This article was originally published on Jan. 19, 2026 at SeniorsSkiing.com and is reprinted here with permission.

The post First You Make It, Then You Save It appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.

Ski resorts operate in environments where terrain conditions change constantly – from early-season soft ground and thin snow cover to spring melt and summer trail work. In these situations, maintaining access roads, service routes and ski trails can be difficult when conventional graders equipped with pneumatic tires struggle to maintain traction or begin to sink into soft ground.

Mattracks has introduced a breakthrough solution that redefines what road graders can accomplish: the TD300 Tandem Drive heavy-duty rubber track conversion system engineered specifically for road graders operating where tires fail and steel tracks fall short.

Designed for soft, sandy and unstable terrain, the TD300 Tandem Drive grader track system enables full grading capability in environments where wheeled machines typically stall. With a current gross vehicle weight rating of 30,000 pounds (lbs). and engineering capability extending beyond 40,000 lbs for larger platforms, the system opens new operational territory for construction, infrastructure, energy, mining and military support operations.

The TD300 could help address ski areas’ challenges by increasing the grader’s ground contact area and improving flotation on loose or unstable surfaces.

Built because the job couldn’t wait

The TD300 system was developed in response to a real-world challenge. A customer approached Mattracks needing to grade sandy desert terrain where pneumatic tires repeatedly sank, stalled production and compromised surface quality. No viable off-the-shelf solution existed.

Rather than avoid the application, Mattracks engineered one. The result is the TD300 Tandem Drive rubber track conversion, built for road graders, adapting proven industrial track technology to a machine category few manufacturers have attempted.

A Tandem Drive track system engineered differently, on purpose

Unlike conventional track designs, the TD300 Tandem Drive system uses a floating bearing, hub-mounted drive architecture, a configuration rarely used in track systems and not previously applied at this scale for graders.

This design:

• Drives the track from a single axle, eliminating torsional stress and track folding
• Distributes load across both drive axles for improved stability and balance
• Maintains a true hub-mounted, plug-and-play installation
• Preserves grader geometry while dramatically increasing ground contact area

“For grading, flotation and consistency matter more than obstacle clearance,” said Jon Vacura, engineer at Mattracks. “The goal isn’t climbing, it’s staying level, maintaining traction and producing a uniform surface. Increasing the footprint directly supports that.”

Smoother grading by eliminating tire bounce

Beyond flotation and traction, the TD300 addresses another long-standing challenge in grading operations: surface inconsistency caused by pneumatic tire bounce that results in a washboard road. The very condition a grader is designed to eliminate.

Pneumatic tires react to surface depressions by compressing and rebounding. This repeated compression introduces oscillation into the machine, which transfers directly to the blade. The result is uneven grading, reduced surface quality and operators being forced to slow down to maintain acceptable results, ultimately impacting productivity.

Rubber tracks, by contrast, span surface depressions rather than dropping into them. This allows the grader to maintain a more consistent ride height, delivering smoother blade control and a more uniform finished surface.

“In grading, the machine is actively flattening the surface,” said Vacura. “Tracks span depressions instead of reacting to them, which helps maintain a consistent grade and reduces the need to slow down to control bounce.”

Surface quality is also important for ski areas maintaining gravel access roads, service routes and mountain infrastructure corridors. Because rubber tracks span depressions rather than dropping into them like pneumatic tires, graders equipped with a track system can maintain a more consistent ride height and blade control. The result can be a smoother finished surface with less of the washboard effect that often develops when tire bounce transfers vibration to the blade.

Real gains where it matters most

Operators using the TD300 Tandem Drive system can expect immediate advantages, including:

• Substantially improved flotation and traction in sand, loose soil and soft ground
• Reduced surface disturbance compared to tires or steel tracks
• Smoother grading results due to reduced machine bounce
• Extended work windows after rain or in sensitive terrain
• Lower downtime and fewer recovery delays
• Improved access and schedule reliability

Rubber tracks also offer environmental benefits over steel alternatives, delivering controlled compaction and significantly lower ground pressure, critical for solar installations, infrastructure corridors and protected areas.

The increased flotation and traction provided by rubber tracks may also help extend the working window for resort maintenance crews. During shoulder seasons, when thawing ground or wet conditions can limit equipment mobility, a larger footprint and lower ground pressure can help graders continue operating without becoming stuck or causing excessive surface damage.

Lower ground pressure and reduced surface disturbance can also be beneficial in sensitive mountain environments. For resorts managing extensive trail networks and infrastructure corridors for lifts, utilities and summer recreation, equipment that minimizes soil disruption while still providing effective grading performance can support ongoing maintenance that protects the surrounding terrain.

Built to last. Engineered with purpose.

As with all Mattracks systems, durability is engineered into the TD300 design. These industrial track systems are designed for long-term service when properly maintained, with preventive maintenance focused on track tension and storage practices. Safety and reliability are incorporated at every stage of design and production.

“Our focus is on solving the mechanical problem correctly,” said Vacura. “That means designing for the loads involved, choosing materials that hold up in real conditions and making sure the system performs the way operators expect it to.”

Designed for customization, backed by real support

While the TD300 was developed for a midsize grader platform, Mattracks has already quoted solutions for larger graders, including machines exceeding 40,000 lbs.

Customization remains a core capability. If a configuration is feasible, Mattracks will engineer it. If it’s not, the company will say so, clearly and directly. Installation is straightforward thanks to the hub-mounted Tandem Drive design, and Mattracks’ in-house service team is available by phone to support customers during installation and operation.

“After more than three decades in business, we still believe support matters,” Vacura said. “When someone calls, they’re talking to people who understand the product and the application.”

The post Expanding Grader Capability in Soft Terrain appeared first on SnowOps Magazine.