Monday, April 30, 2007

Vail execs ski-jump overseas to oversee Vail execs ski-jump overseas to oversee

Denver Post: Vail execs ski-jump overseas to oversee: Roger McCarthy and Chuck Tolton, both former Vail Resorts executives, have been hired to open up ski areas overseas. Roger is going to Russia, and Chuck to China.

It is always interesting seeing people you know, at least somewhat, in the news. Chuck and I grew around Golden, CO. I didn't know him in HS, since he went to a rival school, but met him a couple years later. I met Roger through Chuck while working at Keystone, when Chuck was the Director of Mountain Operations, and Roger was his boss.

My last run two years ago was with the two of them, plus maybe four others. Chuck took us down through his (A51) terrain park, and introduced us to his toilet bowl feature - which was essentially a half pipe with the bottom end filled in. They had cut a drain with chain saws through the closed end (it took three days, and the radio traffic was quite humorous, as they were cutting from both directions, and kept thinking they were ready to hook up - they missed by about a foot, which made exiting through the drain interesting). We then skied down Go Devil, a very steep groomed expert run on the front of the mountain. I was following Chuck on my downhills while he telemarked, until Roger went screaming by. I figured I might was well do that too, since downhills don't turn very well. A great finish for a great season.

I last talked to Roger in late December when he was skiing with the new president of Keystone, Pat Campbell. They were helping a guest with her skis, when I skied up and took over. I last ran into Chuck at the Keystone Ski Patrol headquarters in early March.

I am not the least bit surprised that they have been able to leverage their tenure at Vail into jobs opening up large ski reasorts overseas. Vail Resorts is the premier ski area company in the country, and probably in the world. Both are extremely well qualified for their new roles.

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