The Interviews Blog

Shawn Dempsey of Hickory Ski Center

Posted on by Harvey

I drove to Hickory Ski Center last weekend to check on progress at New York’s most recent New England Lost Ski Area Project (NELSAP) alumnus. The recently reopened ski hill is five miles from Warrensburg, New York. The terrain of the area is unique — round, steep hills are separated by a beautiful, broad valley.

Hickory Ski Center

Shawn Dempsey, the General Manager of Hickory, met me at the hill early Saturday morning. Before we went exploring we spent some time in the Base Lodge chatting. It is in nice shape both outside and in.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Hickory Ski Center, Interviews16 Comments

Interview with Bruce McCulley, Whiteface GM

Posted on by NYSkiBlog

Bruce McCulley is the General Manager of the king of New York State ski mountains: Whiteface. We had a chance to catch up with him this past week, just before the opening of the 2010-2011 season.

NYSkiBlog: When and where did you start to ski?

Bruce McCulley: I started skiing here at Whiteface when I was 19. I was hired in July 1981, one year after I graduated from high school.

NYSB: What were your positions at Whiteface before you became GM?

Bruce: I started as a lift attendant. I’ve been a snowmaker, on the trail crew, the night snowmaking foreman, lift supervisor and the assistant General Manager.

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Tagged: Interviews, ORDA, Whiteface14 Comments

Interview with Avant Skis

Posted on by NYSkiBlog

Avant Skis Aviator

We recently had an opportunity to interview Ben Callaghan and Joel Nashett of Avant Skis. Both are avid outdoorsmen from the Northern Adirondacks. Joel, originally from Saranac Lake, is a former ski racer, involved with ski cross, cycling, canoeing, hunting and fishing. Ben, from Tupper Lake, is an artist, a long-distance runner, and loves being in the woods, where he skis, camps, hikes, canoes and kayaks. Both are within a handful of summits of completing the 46 High Peaks.

How did Avant begin?

Ben: Avant began on the slopes of Big Tupper. Both Joel and I are inventors. As kids, instead of playing video games, we were out building two-story camps in the woods, making air pressured potato guns out of bike pumps and constantly testing our knowledge of combustion. After we got some proper education in design and engineering, we began researching how to make skis in 2005, and pressed our first pair in 2006.

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Tagged: Interviews, Ski Gear16 Comments