We experienced some technical difficulties in publishing my previous article, which must have made for a puzzling read. So I’m going to do what I have always done after a good old fashioned face plant; Check for broken bones, get back up, dust off the snow, click back in, take a deep breath and go after it again.
Ready?

Here we go!

Autumn greetings from your snowboard VP here. Err … Ski VP … yeah, that’s right! I do still remember skiing, albeit a few decades back. I still can’t decide what I like more – skiing or snowboarding. But they both involve cruising down fun slopes with close friends in beautiful mountains, and the rest is in the noise, so I’m officially calling it a tie.

Fall has brought a nip in the air like that cold, dry mountain air at the top of Lincoln Mountain. Well, not THAT cold. But with luck, it won’t be long before we are back up there cruising through the trees again. A big THANK YOU to all who had the faith to sign up early and secure us a bus for the January Mammoth trip. Prices are now finalized, and there are plenty of seats left on the bus, so others are encouraged to join us. The February midweek trip also has slots left, so all you retirees who said we need mid-week trips – it’s time to get signed up! Finally, a giant event at Mammoth Mountain has been rescheduled and will be included in our March trip. So we are considering moving that trip to avoid the crowds and price hikes that come with giant events. Stay tuned for our 2026 Mammoth spring skiing opportunity.

The 2026 super trip to Snowmass is full with 39 people. Thanks to all who signed up! I have never been to Aspen or Snowmass, but I hear Ric Agardy has been more than a few times. So I’m looking for Ric to point me to some uncrowded blue runs to carve up. I even hear some talk of 2027, but if I say anything, I’m sure I will get my security clearance revoked. I know it will be awesome, though.

Finally, I’d like to show you the incredibly cool birthday gift my wonderful wife (and former Ski VP extraordinaire) Rose bought me. What do you get the boy who has everything?

Yep, that’s triple chair 16 from the decommissioned Snow Valley lift #2. It’s one of the chairs our children rode when we first brought them skiing. Lots of sentimental value, plus a conversation piece once I get it restored and mounted in the back yard. If you’d like a cool chair like this for yourself (and who wouldn’t?) let me know, and I’ll hook you up with Louis, director of lift operations at Big Bear Mountain Resorts. He’s got a boneyard full of old double, triple and even quad chairs, rusted bull-wheels and cables the diameter of your arm. You will need a truck to haul a chair down the mountain, but he’ll help you load it. And he’ll tell you some funny stories about the snowboarders he catches goofing off in the boneyard at Bear Mountain. One involves them riding a picnic table down the slopes into the boneyard. Well, they’re snowboarders, so what could possibly go wrong?

See you on the slopes!

Keith Leavitt
AEA Ski VP