Tom Wallisch vs Me or Kobe Bryant vs Me: Where’s the Bigger Gap in Skill?

A couple months ago I wrote about what I’m starting to call “the gap” in skiing: the different between a beginner (or even intermediate) skier and the best of the best. The concept that after a week playing football, I can feel more like a pro than I could after a decade of skiing. I [...]

Breaking Down Sandy: Is There a Time When You Shouldn’t Brag About Snow?

Sandy came. Sandy went. It was one storm with two tales. On the North, rain fell in sheets. On the South, especially in the mountains, the snow was measured in feet. Normally, the fact that resorts in West Virginia and North Carolina were getting buried in snow would give a PR crew massive bragging rights. [...]

Race to Open Rules: Either Way Wolf Creek Steals Show & PR

This year, for the first time, I’ve come across the idea of “rules” for the “Race to Open.” Perhaps the origins are as recent as this article published in the wake of Sunday River’s opening day last year that claimed Loveland was the official winner because they were the first resort to open and stay [...]

Let the Million Dollar Ski Resort Marketing Race Begin

Last year I did a quick interview with John Sellers, Marketing Director of Loveland Ski Area, about the drama that is the race to open each year. This media coverage from winning this race, according to John, “is in excess of a million dollars and that is the biggest perk of being the first to [...]

Snowmaking as a Marketing Tool

Cold air is covering much of the country. My windshield this morning can attest to that. And with that, snowguns at resorts from coast-to-coast have already fired up the guns. I love snowmaking. There is something magical about, in a small way, taking control over mother nature’s choice of weather for the day. And I’m [...]

An Insider’s Perspective on Canyon’s Big 2010-2011 Changes (Interview)

Canyons, UT announced a huge list of changes recently to their mountain, uphill capacity, and, most intriguing, the comfort of their skiers’ derrieres. Hannah Bowling, Canyons’ Communication Coordinator, took some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few of my questions about they whys and how of the resort’s latest upgrade, including some [...]

The Million Dollar Ski Resort PR Race

When October rolls around it means a few things. For a few American soccer fans like myself, it means the MLS Cup Playoffs. However, for millions of skiers across the country, it means the annual race to open. True, folks have been skiing on Mt Hood all summer, but there’s something about early season snowmaking, [...]