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The Blade Dive - Episode 49, we are joined by Ken Gaitor who was Brighton Resort's Terrain Park Manager in 1997, and just like every other park builder in that era, was responsible for carving out a reputation for his program through failures and successes as the golden era of park riding took off.
In the early 2000s, he headed east to join the team at Mt. Snow and was the
Terrain Park Manager as well as the Project Manager that spearheaded the planning and launch of Mt. Snow's all mountain park portion of the resort, Carinthia. In 2010, he returned to his home state of West Virginia to over see the the Terrain Park, Grooming and Snowmaking department and would eventually assume the role of VP of Operations at Snowshoe. Not only has Gaitor been impactful in operations and terrain parks, but he has worked on sustainability initiatives and has been an instructor at Cutter’s Camp since it began.
Episode 49 is a really fun dive into the life and career of Gaitor through a long list of special guest questions from Elia Hamilton who knows Gaitor incredibly well. We discuss what it’s like to involve conflict within your management style, the power that your co-workers have to influence you as a leader and that you should allow them to remind you of why you started on this journey. We discuss the biggest career mistakes as well as best career decisions, the value in being able to talk professionally about money when it comes time to budget for your department, and yes, there are some great stories and big laughs in this one!
Enjoy... and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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The Blade Dive Episode 48- We are joined by Day Franzen, Charles Beckinsale, Marsha Hovey & Landon Taylor at SAM Magazine's Cutters Camp, Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood Oregon!
The Fireside Chat is sponsored by Prinoth
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive Episode 47 - We are joined by Chloe Butel, Matt Dunn, Braden Keitzman, Charles Beckinsale, Ben Finn, Adam Mahler, Steve Petrie, Brandon Dodds, Nick Boggs & Lucas Ouellette at SAM Magazine's Cutters Camp, Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood Oregon!
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
Big Sky Resort Jobs:
https://bigskyresort.com/employment
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The Blade Dive Episode 46 - We are joined by Mary Walsh & Chloe Butel at SAM Magazine's Cutters Camp, Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood Oregon!
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive Episode 44 - Take The Rake! We are joined by Mary Walsh, Laura Rogoski, Chloe Butel, Abby Lewis & Adam Mahler at SAM Magazine's Cutters Camp, Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood Oregon!
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
Take The Rake at Trollhaugen:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IX_lMBiLI_Q
Meet the builders of Take The Rake:
https://snowboardmag.com/stories/take-the-rake-at-trollhaugen-meet-the-builders
Sun Valley jobs
https://www.sunvalley.com/jobs
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The Blade Dive Episode 44 - We are joined by Lane Knaack & Brandon Dodds at SAM Magazine's Cutters Camp, Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood Oregon!
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
Diamond Peak Slope Maintenance Manager Application:
https://www.diamondpeak.com/events/details/now-hiring-slope-maintenance-manager
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The Blade Dive Episode43 - We are joined by Laura Rogoski & Drew Petersen in the Blue Ox Bar at Timberline Lodge during SAM Magazine's Cutters Camp. The conversation is all about mental health within the ski and snowboard industry.
Laura is the creator of wereallfuckingmental.com and its a resource for all. Be sure to check the website and find the zoom link to the mental meet ups that happen every Monday at 3pm CST.
Drew Petersen is a professional skier but that's not what defines him. Drew has created a film called "UP's & Downs's" which is presented by Salomon TV in association with Hestra, The Mountain Gazette & Sweet Water Productions. The film focuses entirely on Drew's battle with mental health.
Drew most recently interviewed with SAM Magazine covering the topic of mental health in an article titled "Breaking Point". Within the article are many resources for people in need.
www.wereallfuckingmental.com
www.drew-petersen.com -
The Blade Dive Episode 42 - We are joined by Harmonee Johnson, Charles Beckinsale, Lucas Ouellette & Adam Mahler for the first in person Blade Dive conversation......SAM Magazine's Cutters Camp Fireside Chat at Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood Oregon!
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
The Fireside Chat is sponsored by: Prinoth
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The Blade Dive Episode 41 - We are joined by Matt Rowan. The Oklahoma native who called Mammoth Mountain home for years has contributed to mountain operations teams all over North America and has even spent time in Australia perfecting his craft. Matt is not only passionate about the ski industry, but has loved heavy equipment and running it since he was a kid. Through the highs and lows of his career, Matt Rowan has been surrounded by some of the best snowboarders and operators in the world.
Growing up in Northern Arizona, Matt Rowan learned to snowboard in the 5th grade and never looked back. Moving to Mammoth the year he graduated high school, Matt worked multiple jobs to keep the dream of living in a ski town alive. Treasuring his time at June Mountain, but having built a reputation as being a talented operator, Rowan understands the power of being held accountable for the product your offering to the public.
Episode 41 is a genuine conversation about change. We discuss addiction, substance abuse and the hard work it takes to recover. Matt weighs in on whether or not dirt world operators would ever consider pushing snow. We discuss the differences of working for smaller ski resorts compared to larger resorts. Which machine is better? Matt has his thoughts. We talk about inspiration and what it’s like to live your life to the fullest.
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive Episode 40 - We are joined by Jeff “Doorhole” Doran. The Pennsylvania native who’s obsessed with Ford 7.3 OBS trucks and Sushi Yoshi, stops by along with Episode 40 Co-Host Corey Tredtin. There’s a lot to talk about. Jeff Doran is the Owner/Operator of JDB Slopeworx in Heber City, Utah and in his first year of business has landed some massive ski resort clients….Woodward Park City, Eagle Point, Park City, Utah & Sleeping Giant, Wyoming!
Growing up near Pennsylvania coal country, Jeff Doran describes his childhood as a “wanna be” farm kid and outlines the best method for changing a tire on a truck is with a forklift. After high school Jeff Doran funded all of his job fair trips to ski resorts with the money he earned working at his uncles farm & some hotshot towing gigs. After landing a job at Killington Resort, Jeff Doran credits Killington and his time there around operators such as Corey Tredtin, as his training ground for mountain operations.
Episode 40 is such a mellow conversation filled with tangents, insight and operating techniques & tips. We discuss Jeff’s latest adventure with Slopeworx and Jeff expands on what it’s really like to own a business, build a brand and have ski resort clients. We discuss how social media helps your business, but also it’s adverse effects on your health. We talk about What it’s like to work at Park City & Killington, why networking within the ski industry is vital and of course….why the bell peppers.
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive Episode 39 - We are joined by Kurt Eppler, the Director of Mountain Operations at Angel Fire Resort, New Mexico. Born in Del Rio, Texas…Eppler would eventually move to New Mexico, where his father would contribute to the final stages of interstate twenty five construction. Kurt Eppler claims he developed a desire to see what was over the next hill from his fathers sense adventure. Eppler skied for the first time when he was 9 years old at Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico with the help of the school ski club. Fast forward and at 22 years old, Kurt Eppler is operating an LMC 3700 at Angel Fire. Eppler has travelled the world operating equipment, but knows that there is no other place like your home mountain.
Xgames, working for SPT, working for Prinoth, The Olympics, USASA Nationals….. Kurt Eppler has a long list of projects he’s been a part of, but realizes that lost time away from family is difficult to get back. Having just met Kurt Eppler for the first time while preparing to record this episode, I know we just scratched the surface of wisdom Eppler contributes to the Snow Industry. However Kurt Eppler realizes he can use his voice to make a difference for young operators so they don’t have to deal with the same struggle that he overcame.
Episode 39 is a conversation that I wish could’ve happened face to face, selfishly because I’d love to visit Angel Fire, but also because I did a lot of listening. We discuss some very cool industry history, the origin of how USASA nationals came to Angel Fire, how to motivate the youth and what department culture should really look like. We discuss making difficult family decisions while having a career in the Snow Industry, how resorts can retain great operators, operator/driver wages, Eppler’s time with SPT and more.
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive Episode 38 - We are joined by the man who has zero stage fright and thrives on the mic when the music is loud and the vibes are elevated. All jokes aside, Pat Morgan is in the Virtual Booth and we’re talking about all things him. Morgan is currently the Marketing & Brand Manager for Mountain Creek, New Jersey and is responsible for curating ideas that support his brand and benefit the snow industry as a whole. Now before you say “WTF”, as an industry that sells an experience, name the department that seldom interacts with Mountain Operations… and which department always has ideas they’d like to make happen…. You get my point…! Morgan is one of the few dudes that gets it and can help Marketing worlds speak the operations language. Yes, we open that can of worms!
Pat Morgan is originally from Ellicottville, New York, grew up riding Holiday Valley, New York and landed a job washing dishes at 15 years of age. Morgan also worked as a Snowboard Instructor at HoliMont, New York. Morgan’s personal investment in the snow industry culture is best described as “time well spent”. He has landed jobs at Red Bull, Forum Snowboards, Big Boulder, Pennsylvania and as afore mentioned, currently is at Mountain Creek, New Jersey….all I might add, while being authentic and being himself.
Episode 38 is a fun chat! It is really an effort to cross pollinate and expand on previous conversations. I’d never met Pat Morgan until we connected to create this episode. We discuss the Marketing language and whether Mountain Operations teams will ever be able to speak a language that seems to have an endless amount of dialects. We unpack what the core ideals of the snow industry culture needs to thrive. We talk about what it’s like to have something you’ve built be stripped from you. We dive into having boots on the ground and that this is the best way to effectively communicate as well as empathize with co workers, especially in this digital world we live in now, with emailing, text messaging, Zoom and the likes!
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine… Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive - Episode 37, we are joined by the “Silver Nail” Andreas Silbernagl.
Growing up in the southwest end of the Italian Dolomite Alps, Andreas Silbernagl spent much of his time skiing and figured out quickly that after 8 years of school, that he wasn’t interested in the classroom. Eventually, Silbernagl would earn several technician certifications and excavator/truck licenses, however, working outside and learning outside is still a priority to him. After enduring a period of life in the army as a member of the special forces airborne unit, Silbernagl spent time becoming familiar with ski resort operations and would land at Prinoth as the manager of all snow grooming equipment demo operations. Silbernagl has built world class ski racing venues, terrain parks and demoed equipment all over the world!
Even though the most difficult thing for Andreas Silbernagl is being in the office, the customer contacts as well as the feedback is how Silbernagl justifies tackling any desk work. It’s fair to say that the machine is the office space Silbernagl prefers, seeing as he is traveling 200 days a year. That being said, Silbernagl's choice of resort to visit or operate a machine is Whistler, Canada. Most recently Silbernagl has been building the World Cup race course at Cortina ISTA Ski Area, Italy.
Episode 37 was such a fun conversation! We discuss the industry interpretation of the terms “operator” & “driver”, hand throttle usage compared to foot throttle usage while grooming. That nothing can replace seat time. The Leica Geosystems and just how helpful new technology can be, but that familiarizing yourself with any type of equipment is the first step. Again, I felt as if I was just catching up with a friend. Andreas Silbernagl believes in building trust amongst the crews of people he works with and values the transparency within conversation, as Silbernagl says, “there’s no safe space, especially if you claim to be good, you’ll be held accountable”.
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine, Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive, Episode 36 - We are joined by Douglas Graham! A local to Jindabyne, Australia…”Dougie” labels himself as a machine nerd. Skilled at operating equipment, Graham has contributed to Mountain Operations at Perisher Resort in Oz, and has adventured over to North America to run equipment in Whistler, Canada and Park City (formerly known as The Canyons), Utah. Graham is also Owner/Operator of DIG CIVIL Earth Moving and has been excited to learn the real aspects of running a business.
Chucked on a snowboard at an early age, Douglas Graham’s obsession with the sport took off and he eventually picked up a few sponsors. Fast forward and enter Matt Klemm, Grooming Manager at Perisher Resort who would chuck “Dougie” the keys to an LMC 260 and the rest is history. Irrespective, Graham is still a shredder and has a famous backside air photo in the Halfpipe at Perisher that is still used in Marketing material today.
Episode 36 is a real conversation with someone who understands the value in being able to see the positive in everything that revolves around the Mountain Operations world and sometimes that means not taking things too serious. We discuss what it’s like to make positive, lasting impressions on people... and that doesn’t mean you’ve made them laugh, it’s that you’ve taken the time respect their goals in life. Graham may claim being the larrikin, but knows the value in lifting up others.
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine, Turn up the volume!
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The Blade Dive, Episode 35 - We are joined by Canadian native, Oren Tanzer. Aside from holding high level positions at multiple big brands such as Red Bull, Quicksilver and Volcom, Tanzer is a human whose passion for both Snowboarding and his family runs very deep. Tanzer left his mark on the Snow Industry with the Mammoth Mountain crown logo, but he knows that his successes came from a collective effort.
A transplant to Venice Beach, CA, Oren Tanzer would eventually trade his dirt bike for a truck and make his way up to Big Bear and land a job as a Lift Operator. Tanzer was very much fixated on the Terrain Park and would be given an opportunity by Keith Pfahler to assist the Park Crew with the USASA Nationals build. His foot in the door, the rest is history… moving on to Mountain High and Mammoth Unbound.
Oren Tanzer would later use what he learned within Mountain Operations to tap into Marketing opportunities. While he could speak both resort languages, the selling of ideas that never saw production became old quickly. Currently, Tanzer is the President of Frankiebird Inc. and gets to skip the selling aspect and instead help companies make a plan, work a plan and then adjust to reality and bring to life!
Episode 35 is a passionate conversation with loads of side stories and tangents that revolve around the topic of ideation. We discuss what it’s like to step outside of resort operations and land a Marketing job. We talk Mammoth, WCI, Red Bull. We discuss the storytelling aspect of events and who the future customer is as well as how they tell you what they’d like to consume or participate in.
Enjoy! And if you’re in the machine, Turn up the volume!
Head over to http://sunvalley.com/jobs and check out the operator positions Corey is seeking to fill.
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Jobs at Dollar Mountain/Sun Valley:
http://sunvalley.com/jobs -
The Blade Dive, Episode 34 - We are joined by New Jersey native, Jay Rydd and Virginia Southerner, Day Franzen. These two are big players in the Snow Industry and have worked for resorts and companies such as Mammoth Mountain, Diamond Peak, Mountain High, Heavenly, Pistenbully and more. As the co-founders and masterminds of the Kingvale Terrain Park Project, Jay Rydd and Day Franzen are no strangers to park programs and they both have an acute awareness of the value of relationships and combining their skills to produce the best possible outcome.
After spending time on snow in New Jersey and Virginia, both Franzen and Rydd left for the West Coast and landed in Lake Tahoe and Southern California. Eventually meeting at a Mammoth Mountain Job Fair, Franzen asked Rydd what he was doing leaving his Slope Manager job at Diamond Peak, to groom at Mammoth Mountain... The two would eventually leave Mammoth and create Kingvale, a then groundbreaking now iconic program in the Terrain Park world, that is best left described by the visionaries and creators themselves.
Episode 34 is an in depth conversation that truly was too broad to be one single episode... we cover so much material that we would be remiss, did we not share. In Part 2 we discuss the East Coast resorts and the positive impact on skiers and riders , how to speak and present to your General Manager, the chronological career journey to Kingvale, losing Kingvale and it’s reincarnation, the Park Pro joystick, The Formatic and more!
Enjoy... and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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Jobs at Mt. Bachelor:
http://www.mtbachelor.com -
The Blade Dive, Episode 34 - We are joined by New Jersey native, Jay Rydd and Virginia Southerner, Day Franzen. These two are big players in the Snow Industry game and have worked for resorts and companies such as Mammoth Mountain, Diamond Peak, Mountain High, Heavenly, Pistenbully and more. As the co-founders and masterminds of the Kingvale Terrain Park Project, Jay Rydd and Day Franzen are no strangers to park programs and they both have an acute awareness of the value in relationships and combining their skills to produce the best possible outcome.
After spending time on snow in New Jersey and Virginia, both Franzen and Rydd left for the West Coast and would land in Lake Tahoe and Southern California. Eventually meeting at a Mammoth Mountain job fair, Franzen asked Rydd what he was doing leaving his Slope Manager job at Diamond Peak, to groom at Mammoth Mountain. The two would eventually leave Mammoth and create Kingvale, a then groundbreaking now iconic program in the Terrain Park world, that is best left described by the visionaries and creators themselves.
Episode 34 is a in depth conversation that truly was too broad to be one single episode... we cover so much material that we would be remiss, did we not share. In Part 1, we discuss training, operating techniques, the history of what it was like to work in the industry 15 years ago compared to now, dream jobs outside of the industry, the tough guy show, asking for help, stories from Kingvale, Cutters Camp, 'The C Box' and much more. Be sure to tune into Part 2, dropping next week. In the meantime...
Enjoy... and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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Jobs at Mt. Bachelor:
http://www.mtbachelor.com -
The Blade Dive Episode 33 - We are joined by the humble, genuine and all round' badass Snowcat operator…Ty Weed! Hailing from Canada, Weed was eventually placed around creditable and highly influential operators such as Charles Beckinsale, Lucas Ouellette and Steve Petrie. Ty Weed has contributed to Whistler Blackcomb, Canada's Terrain Park for almost two decades and in doing ,so landed an awesome opportunity with Arena Snowparks. Ty Weed has built features for brands and companies such as Monster Energy, Redbull, Matchstick Productions and FIS.
Growing up in Pitt Meadows, Canada, Ty Weed took an interest in board sports early on. So much though, that being outside was where Weed was happiest. With a nudge from school leadership, Weed was able to pursue volunteer work at the near by mountain, Mount Seymour, Canada.
Ty Weed, would later adventure towards Whistler. To pay the bills initially, Weed was a door man, checking ID’s at the local watering hole. Eventually Weed would land an interview for Park Crew, and the rest is history. Enter Lucas Ouellette, and a friendship that is treasured and a job with Arena Snowparks. Weed still operates Snowcats, but in recent years has created his own Home Inspection business. Ty Weed is well respected by many and to this day, continues to be sought after for industry insight and advice on building techniques.
Episode 31 is a really interesting listen into the life and career of someone who is so passionate about the Snowboard community but absolutely treasures his family time at home. We discuss “The Stoke” and what it means to each of us, being a parent and operating on swing shift and the sincere value of surrounding yourself with good people. The conversation was so much fun.
Enjoy... and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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Jobs at Crystal Mountain:
http://crystalmountainresort.com -
The Blade Dive, Episode 32 - We are joined by Pennsylvania native , Kristin Lenart. Lenart grew up stoked on exploring everything and anything that was an outdoor activity in the surrounding area and skiing quickly became an obsession. Lenart has built Terrain Parks for Bear Creek, Blue Mountain and June Mountain. Lenart is also a professional Mountain Bike Racer and the excavator is her machine of choice.
Kristin Lenart would take an interest in machines later in life, but prior to that, gravitated towards welding fabrication and would earn her certification. Lenart also pursued structural auto body school and upon graduating worked on cars prior to diving into the Terrain Park world.
Since being a Terrain Park Manager, Kristin has been West and worked in California at June Mountain. From that experience came the realization that you can’t run from your problems. Moving back east and landing at Blue Mountain allowed Lenart to achieve a future she was interested in creating.
Episode 31 is a deep dive conversation. The operator in the Virtual Booth is a professional, authentic and is supported as well as respected by the mountain she works for. We discuss the ratio of male to female park managers, Bike Park trail construction as well as the progression of Bike Park resort guests. We talk about the practice of being pragmatic as well as the fun of June Mountain.
Enjoy... and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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The Blade Dive, Episode 31 - We are Joined by the Colorado native that comes from California roots, Kyle Markman. Growing up Surfing, Skateboarding and snowboarding on the West Coast, on Seal Beach, California… the Markman family would eventually move to Durango, Colorado. Having read Snowboarder Magazine, Kyle Markman took an interest in Snowboarding via the power of print. Markman would later land jobs in a Snowcat at Purgatory Ski Area, CO… Keystone, CO… Eldora Mountain, CO.
Kyle Markman is no stranger to pushing the limits of his own Snowboarding, but he’s also constantly focusing on pushing the limits of what he can do in a Snowcat. Markman gravitated to transition builds and Zaugg operations, in an attempt to separate himself from other operators, Markman claims to have been building Zaugg features when Zaugg operations wasn’t cool.
Pushing the limits doesn’t come without risk. Markman has 26 broken bones and has not only learned how to pick himself up off the ground but knows first hand how much of a commitment it is to be a master builder and put the trade skill above all else. Markman has been a part of Superpark, Women’s Superpark and The Launch, all of which were created by Snowboarder Magazine. Kyle was a part of the legendary A51 park at Keystone and is the previous Manager of the Terrain Park at Eldora.
Episode 31 is an interesting listen. The conversation with Markman is assumed to be filled with ego, based on the Resume bullet points listed above. But the reality is that it’s really not. We talk about real life shit, from mental health to depression and anxiety. We cover what it’s like to be a dad and be a Snowcat operator, that physical health is so important, whether progression is linked to a wide marketing net, is the local valued, how the playlist evolves during the build and as always…the prediction of the future.
Enjoy... and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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Jobs at Loon
http://www.loonmtn.com - Mehr anzeigen
