Industry News
There is so much news in the skiing industry this offseason that it seems there are new announcements from different resorts every day. Resorts are investing big money in lift upgrades, infrastructure, and many other areas at the mountain, and that is a good sign for the industry. There are hopes from weather forecasts for this winter that the Northeast is supposed to have a good season for skiing.
There is also hope for Tenney Mountain, New Hampshire, that the hiring of skiing legend Dan Egan as General Manager will bring high expectations for the future. Egan is no stranger to the ski industry and is well-known for his role in extreme skiing. He is also an author and film producer and has appeared in thirteen Warren Miller ski films, such as White Magic, Extreme Skiing, and Steeper and Deeper. Powder Magazine named him one of the most influential skiers of our time in 2001, and he was inducted into the US Skiing & Snowboarding Hall of Fame in 2016.
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The new ownership at Tenney Mountain has plans for the ski resort, which include improving the infrastructure, upgrading the ski lodge, and expansion. Those plans also included the hiring of Egan as General Manager of the mountain, which is a good indication that the future of the resort is bright. This is the second term for Egan as General Manager at Tenney, who was there from 2002 to 2004. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the ski resort that is looking to make big changes in the future.
Those plans call for investing $30 million into the mountain, which was conditionally approved by the Plymouth Planning Board. Large conglomerate resorts have already announced investing hundreds of millions of dollars into upgrades, but $30 million to an independently owned ski resort is a lot of money. Egan, who was born and raised in Boston, is familiar with smaller independently-owned ski resorts.
“I’m a big believer in independently owned resorts, as they had a huge effect on my life as a kid,” said Egan. “Tenney is near and dear to my heart. It has great terrain and a loyal following. We’re revitalizing a treasured resort, and bringing it back online is a viable situation, especially with our new owner.” The true authentic independent ski areas for people to go to seem to be going away, and that is something Tenney is focused on. Taking care of the locals and making them feel wanted, needed, and making Tenney Mountain their place is something Egan is aiming for.
A concern that most ski resorts face is accessibility to the ski resort, and Tenney Mountain is no exception. The roads getting to the ski resort need improvement, and new owner, Steve Kelley understands that. The main roads in question are Tenney Mountain Road, Sam Hall Road, and Davis Road. The traffic, accessibility, and conditions of the roads are what locals and the planning board are concerned about.
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Kelley plans on taking one project at a time, and the first improvement is focusing on upgrading and expanding the ski lodge. Those plans are focused on making it easier for skiers and riders to access the main lift at the mountain. It would involve building a new bridge connection to the lift and a glass elevator tower to provide easier access. Plans for the upgrade and expansion of the lodge are to grow its current size from 14,889 to 22,259 square feet.
Kelley has only owned the mountain for a short time, and Egan understands the need to make improvements to the infrastructure at the resort. “There’s a lot of work to be done, and the place is buzzing,” said Egan. “The owner is making the capital investment so when people come up the road, they see the infrastructure is being cared for. That’s just the beginning.” Kelley also owns Timberline Construction Company which has worked in the past in projects in healthcare, academic, residential, retail, and corporate projects.
Egan said that having an owner who was a builder was a key decision in returning to Tenney. Egan said they can build things, and it comes second nature to the new owner. “This is one of the things that excited me about Tenney this time around, that a builder had bought the property,” said Egan.
Dan Egan wants to ensure Tenney Mountain remains a family-focused resort and provides something that larger conglomerate resorts cannot. The goal is to provide an atmosphere where you can ski, have fun, and relax in a friendly environment. “Skiing has lost a little bit of its soul, but when you come to Tenney, you are going to find personalities; you are going to find people greeting you that are happy to see you and not your standard resort ambassador,” said Egan.
Tenney Mountain is focused on families and staying away from things that are associated with corporate skiing. Egan stated that corporate skiing has taken away from the authentic ski experience that is associated with independent family-focused resorts. In the corporate ski world, skiers and riders pay for everything while on the mountain. They have to rent lockers, pay for parking, pay for ski checks, and the list will only probably get longer in the future. Egan said that you can bring your bags to the lodge, go skiing, and leave your bags there without worrying about anything being stolen. “I have never locked anything up at a ski area, why do I have to lock up my shoes, who is interested in my Pro-Keds,” said Egan with a laugh.
“We are missing the social interactions in skiing, booting up at the base lodge, talking to friends, talking to your neighbors, talking to someone you have never met before, all in the process of getting booting and suiting up, that’s not happening at paid lockers,” said Egan.
Tenney Mountain is located in the heart of the White Mountains and provides people of all different skill levels with a great ski experience. The resort has an elevation of 2,100 feet and a vertical drop of 1,650 feet and offers skiers and riders an authentic New Hampshire mountain experience. It also features some great glade skiing, snow tubing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. “There is an adventure here, it is an old school ski resort, the trails wind, twist, and dip,” said Egan. He said Tenney might not have the big vertical or the elevations that some other mountains might have, but their focus is a base lodge full of happy people
Dan Egan will appear as a guest on The SnowBrains Podcast this November. For more information about Tenney Mountain, visit its website.
I salute Tenney and Dan. He’s right. This is my kind of mountain:
“Tenney Mountain is focused on families and staying away from things that are associated with corporate skiing. Egan stated that corporate skiing has taken away from the authentic ski experience that is associated with independent family-focused resorts. In the corporate ski world, skiers and riders pay for everything while on the mountain. They have to rent lockers, pay for parking, pay for ski checks, and the list will only probably get longer in the future. Egan said that you can bring your bags to the lodge, go skiing, and leave your bags there without worrying about anything being stolen. “I have never locked anything up at a ski area, why do I have to lock up my shoes, who is interested in my Pro-Keds,” said Egan with a laugh.
“We are missing the social interactions in skiing, booting up at the base lodge, talking to friends, talking to your neighbors, talking to someone you have never met before, all in the process of getting booting and suiting up, that’s not happening at paid lockers,” said Egan.