Shows
Mountain WorksSnowbound Soldiers: Bridging Military Service and Ski Area CareersPNSAA sits down with Vince Arthur, whose inspiring journey from the Marine Corps to the ski industry showcases the unique parallels between military service and ski area operations. Vince shares his story, from enlisting in the United States Marine Corps to finding his passion in the ski industry as a ski patroller and eventually leading mountain operations at Stevens Pass, WA
Learn some components of the WWII 10th Mountain Division and its foundational impact on the US ski industry. Vince and PNSAA president Jordan Elliott explore the gap between the military and the ski industry workforce, discussing...
2024-06-0337 min
Mountain WorksCareer Choices Choices ChoicesA ski area general manager, a mid-level manager, a ski patroller, and an industry rookie walk into...... a room full of 450 people. Origin stories unfold. Greg Pack, Cody Howe, Hannah Besso, and Megan Keating talk about their career paths in the US ski industry.
Collaboration episode with Ski Area Management's podcast, PodSAM. SAM editor, Dave Meeker, leads this panel discussion at the 2022 Mountain Works Conference.
2022-12-0955 min
PodSAMCareer Choices, Choices, ChoicesA ski area general manager, a mid-level manager, a ski patroller, and an industry newcomer walk into...a room full of 450 people. Origin stories unfold. SAM editor Dave Meeker leads this panel discussion at the 2022 PNSAA Mountain Works Conference with Greg Pack, Cody Howe, Hannah Besso, and Megan Keating, who talk about their career paths in the U.S. ski industry. Enjoy this collaboration episode with the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Associations's podcast, Mountain Works.
2022-12-0950 min
Mountain WorksProtect Our PlanktonClimate scientists Dr. Sarah Myhre and Dr. Nick Siler are joined by Gwyn Howat, CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area, and Adrienne Saia Isaac from the National Ski Areas Association to talk about ocean health and the ski industry's risk management efforts in regard to climate change. Accompanied by PNSAA president, Jordan Elliott, and emcee extraordinaire, SHANAN KELLEY. Recorded LIVE at the 2022 Mountain Works Conference.
Supplemental Graph: Earth Temperature Timeline.
NSAA's Sustainable Slopes program info > HERE
2022-10-031h 15Mountain WorksShared Stewardship = Public Lands + Ski AreasChris Hagar (Backcountry Hunters & Anglers) presents the history of public lands in the US. Shawnee Hinman (USFS Region 6) presents a history of how ski areas came to be part of the public land system. Finally, Kent Sharpe (SE Group) joins Shawnee and PNSAA President Jordan Elliott on the couch to talk about how ski area special use permits are administered within the national forest system. Recorded Live at the 2022 Mountain Works Conference.
Chris Hagar's Slide Deck HERE
Shawnee Hinman's Slide Deck HERE
Skijoring Storyboard HERE
2022-09-011h 00
Mountain WorksThe Water Workforce: Frozen and FlowingThe Oregon employment department's Damon Runberg details the vocational makeup of the region's ski industry workforce. He provides data on what COVID-19 did to the macro hospitality workforce and then follows us through industry type, time, and space while highlighting the "other season" jobs that also rely on water. Recorded live in front of nearly 500 PNW ski area staff members at the 2022 Mountain Works Conference. Special emcee shoutout to Shanan Kelley.
Damon's slide deck is here
2022-08-0149 min
Mountain WorksReclaiming Palmer Pt. 2Part 2 of the rebuild story from Timberline's 2020 icing event. Mt. Hood and industry veteran Tom Scully talks about extreme weather impacts on ski area operations and provides key tips on how to perform line work safely, whether you are de-icing or performing regular maintenance. Special guest Augie Eischen of the Sandia Peak Tramway.
Slide Deck Here -Scroll down for Tom's slides.
New Zealand De-icing Incident Learning Video Here
2022-07-0544 min
Mountain WorksReclaiming Palmer Pt. 1In 2020 Timberline Oregon's Palmer ski lift stood up to a planetary weather event and lost. In 2022, Timberline's Mt. Ops crew told this story to a room full of ski area operators and maintenance experts and detailed what the rebuild process was like. This is their story. A black diamond episode to be sure.
Timberline GM, Rose Phillips. Timberline Ops team- Mike Fair, Sean Keeran, Logan Stewart. As well as industry veterans Augie Eischen and Tom Scully.
Slide Deck Here
Video from Timberline Here
2022-06-2140 min
Mountain WorksTiny Crystals, Global ImpactTiny Crystals, Global Impact is a touring museum exhibit about snow and the vital role it plays in the global climate system. Dr. Matthew Sturm presents at OMSI's Science Pub, and speaks with PNSAA President, Jordan Elliott.
Follow along with this slide deck.
A virtual tour of the exhibit is here: Ourwinterworld.org
How Much Water Comes From Snow and What is it Worth?
2022-04-011h 01
Mountain WorksLost Oregon Ski AreasSteven Stenkamp talks about his research into Lost Oregon Ski Areas.
2022-03-141h 02
Mountain WorksThat Whole SituationJeff Kohnstamm, of Timberline, OR, takes the PNSAA board of directors on a tour of the ski area and goes over the expansion plan to connect Government Camp with a gondola. Palmer Storm Recovery. Show and tell of several historical buildings on Mt. Hood. Wind affected audio edit, best listened to with earphones. "A" for effort?
2022-03-0329 min
Mountain WorksSweeeeeepThis is the last run of The Mountain Podcast. It will be rebranded as, Mountain Works. We are not going back into previous episodes to change titles/edits. Consider them the archive. More episodes will be coming in 2022 on the same feed. Just with a new name now, and a little more integration into the ski area staff scene in the Upper Left.
www.pnsaa.org
2022-02-0109 min
Mountain WorksSlope Maintenance Round TableParker Bohon (The Blade Dive Podcast), and Connor Lyons (Crystal Mountain Resort, WA) - Moderate this roundtable discussion with Alpine and Terrain Park Grooming Leaders throughout the US. It's long. It's worth it.
2021-08-191h 51
Mountain WorksInstructional Design - The Future of Workforce Technical TrainingInstructional Designer, Daniel Powers, goes deep on how he built the next generation of Ski Lift Technician Technical Trainings. Partner Episode with The Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy at Oregon State University - Cascades.
Promo Video of the training program here: https://vimeo.com/557877984
Training Brochure here: https://pace.oregonstate.edu/content/orei_main/skilift_21b/story.html
FREE demo of course a module here: https://outdooreconomy.oregonstate.edu/ski-lift-technician-training-landing-page
Register to take the course here: https://outdooreconomy.oregonstate.edu/level-1-lift-maintenance-training-course-outdoor-recreation-economy-oregon-state-university
2021-06-021h 09
Mountain WorksThe Future Of Lift Maintenance Technical TrainingThe Next Generation of Lift Technician Training. Partner episode with Oregon State University.
Course brochure HERE
Follow along with THIS SLIDE DECK
Sign up for the course HERE
2021-05-2553 min
Mountain WorksBusiness Card Roulette Pt. 2Hundreds of business cards put to use. Random surprise guests show up in the zoom room for a quick chat.
- Dr. Anders Carlson, Carlson Climate Consulting
- Roz Reynolds, Wyssen Avalance Control
2021-03-0826 min
Mountain WorksBusiness Card Roulette - pt. 1Hundreds of business cards put to use. Random surprise guests show up in The Mountain's zoom room for a quick chat.
- Land Tawney, President & CEO, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
- Bill Barron, Citizens' Climate Lobby.
2021-02-1430 min
Mountain Works49.2 Inches of Sad - Mental Health at Ski AreasThe Mountain talks staff mental health with Matt Troskey, VP of People and Learning @Mt. Hood Meadows.
Why Deaths by Suicide Are So High in Ski and Snowboard Towns (nationalgeographic.com)
Seattle was the saddest metro area in the nation last month, survey shows | The Seattle Times
For Some, Suicide May Be The Price Of Living In A Ski Town Paradise | Colorado Public Radio (cpr.org)
Episode Sponsor: Betterhelp.com/themountain
2020-12-241h 01
Mountain WorksCovid Pod SurvivalPNW ski industry adjusts to covid-19. Mt. Baker CEO, Gwyn Howat. Wear your mask.
2020-12-0624 min
Mountain WorksGround Up: WA State Ski and Snowboard MuseumThe Ground Up Series tells the stories of how each ski area in the northwest came to be. This episode walks through The Washington State Ski and Snowboard Museum with John Sutherland. The WSSSM will serve as a knowledge resource for the Ground Up Series of the pod. Also, what day of the week is it?
2020-03-0729 min
Mountain WorksDivisions of LaborMountain Operations. Company Structures. Career path conversations with Mountain Ops Leaders; Scott Bowen, Crystal Mountain Resort and Jake Smith, Hoodoo. Chair lift talks at Mt. Baker.
2020-02-1759 min
Mountain WorksPre-Season Time TravelA peek at how pre-season happens, requires traveling back in time. Job Fairs. Snowvana 2019. Ramping up for 2020. Chats with Timberline Lodge. Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Bachelor, Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Silver Mountain Resort, Hoodoo.
2020-01-2056 min
Mountain WorksIntroducing The Mountain PodcastInsider intel on how ski areas happen. By and for ski area employees in the Northwest. Interview with Annie Fast of Ski Oregon, former editor of Transworld Snowboarding Magazine. Chair Lift thoughts inspired by Goggy Foggles. Lift Ops. Ski Patrol. Lift Maintenance. Grooming. Rentals. Retail. Ski and Ride School. Food and Beverage. Hospitality. Parking lots. Accounting. Human Resources. Marketing. The list goes on.
2020-01-0738 min