Interesting development: MRA to partner with Mt Abram

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MRA and Mt. Abram Officially Bromantic

Ski The East

Mountain Rider’s Alliance Announces Partnership with Maine’s Mt. Abram
 
Mt. Abram Aligns with MRA to Launch Crowdfunding Campaign in Support of a Sustainable Ski Industry
 
JACKSON, WY – August 23, 2012. Mountain Rider’s Alliance (MRA) has partnered with Mt. Abram to promote a cooperative business model and convert Maine’s authentic ski area into an MRA Mountain Playground. The joint effort aims to boost regional visitation, increase sustainability awareness, and create a business model for other community-oriented ski areas worldwide.
 
MRA is dedicated to creating and supporting a sustainable ski industry model, which focuses on keeping environmental, community, and rider concerns ahead of short-sighted decision making. This partnership with Mt. Abram represents MRA’s first conversion of an existing ski area. Mt. Abram will remain open to the public without significant changes to its operating plan. As part of this partnership, membership shares will be available via MRA, which will offer a variety of benefits and privileges, reciprocation at other Mountain Playgrounds, as well as allow for elections to represent membership in dialog with ski area management.
 
“We started this movement in 2009,” said MRA co-founder Jamie Schectman. “Since then, we’ve seen thousands of passionate folks around the world support the preservation of our sport. It’s about the local communities, generating our own energy, reducing our carbon footprint, and most importantly sliding downhill on snow. With Mt. Abram’s dedication to the community and environment, we couldn’t ask for a better partner. Supporting this mission is just the beginning. We’re building a replicative model to save what we love about skiing, and offer a new direction for ski areas around the world.”
 
Mt. Abram is a 560-acre privately owned and operated ski area that recently won the 2012 Golden Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence by the National Ski Areas Association. Mt. Abram is located 90 minutes from Portland, Maine, and offers 1,150 feet of vertical drop, affordable access, and an alternatively laid-back vibe to nearby mega-resorts. Mt. Abram is owned and operated by Maine businessman and recent Maine Sports Hall of Fame inductee Matt Hancock.
 
“Mt. Abram’s greatness doesn’t have to be restricted to Maine,” said Hancock. “There are a number of other independent ski areas that would fit well into this model. Mt. Abram’s collaboration with MRA is about skiing, plain and simple: a thriving business model away from the commercialized, overpriced, factory outdoor experience at the mega-resorts. Mt Abram's niche – soulfulness, great terrain, skier-centricity, and enjoying the outdoors with family and friends – is what attracts people to the sport. MRA was founded to instill and promote these same characteristics in an industry that is moving away from what we love about skiing.”
 
About Mountain Rider’s Alliance:
Mountain Rider’s Alliance (www.MountainRidersAlliance.com) is a group of like-minded people dedicated to making a positive change in the ski area industry. The mission of MRA is to develop values-based, environmentally friendly, rider-centric Mountain Playgrounds that encourage alternative energy creation while reducing their carbon footprint. It is MRA’s priority to develop sustainable Mountain Playgrounds that offer an authentic riding experience, help the environment thrive, and promote prosperity in our local ski towns.
 
In addition to Mt. Abram, MRA has entered into the permitting process to restore Manitoba Mountain, a ski area that last operated in 1960 on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Manitoba Mountain would offer terrain for all ability levels via three surface lifts and access to 10,000 acres of world-class terrain (www.skimanitobamountain.com).
 
MRA has recently launched “Support the Future of Skiing”, skiers and riders who wish to support this crowdfunding campaign are invited to visit: http://www.indiegogo.com/SupportTheFutureOfSkiing.          
 
All media inquiries, please contact Jamie Schectman of Mountain Rider’s Alliance at shecky@mountainridersalliance.com.
 

Alternate vision for ski industry manifests in Maine

Summit County Citizens Voice

New Thinking for Small Hills

Powder Magazine

Hi everyone,

Peak 38 has invited me to do a live video chat Monday night at 9pm EST at http://p38mtn.com/LiveChat.aspx.

I cordially invite you guys to participate and join us.

Mount Abram is a kick ass mountain. Only been there once but I want to get back there. I'd certainly pick Mount A over Sunday River on a powder day. Here is my write up from a few years ago:

http://www.thesnowway.com/2010/01/03/mount-abram-powder-day

Also, crappy video but gives you the general idea:

http://youtu.be/W7rNEGvOeCo

The mountain certainly jives with what MSA is all about. It is a locals mountain and alternative to the big resorts. Abram already has made strides in sustainability. Heck, it even has a surface lift on backup duty. With a little more tree skiing, Abram could really be put onto the map as a tree skiing powder day destination kinda like Magic has been recently (the tree options are nice right now but not extensive enough to handle more than "in the know" traffic -- which is to say that you can still ski open to close powder on a mid-week powder day right now). Abram also has one of the best lower intermediate trail pods I have ever skied... absolutely sensational option for terminal intermediates.

What is the status of the base lodge that got zapped in the lightning strike?

Fresh off the press

Small ski areas form an alliance

Boston Globe, December 5, 2012

Mt Abram Announces Mountain Rider’s Alliance Co-founder as New General Manager

Work continues towards a community-owned ski area

GREENWOOD, ME – September 30, 2013. Building on an existing partnership, Mt Abram has hired Mountain Rider’s Alliance (MRA) to manage the ski area. MRA is a grassroots organization whose mission is to create sustainable Mountain Playgrounds. Led by General Manager Dave Scanlan, MRA personnel will fill other key positions of Mt Abram’s leadership team.

“I’m very excited to lead the dedicated team of Mt Abram employees into a new era of the Mountain’s fabled history,” says Dave Scanlan, Co-founder and Project Manager of MRA. “I also look forward to integrating with the community and supporting the goals and ideals that will lead to a bright and prosperous future for all local residents and businesses.”
Mt Abram and MRA began working together during the 2011-12 season and members of MRA formed part of the management team last season.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with MRA’s dedication to our mountain. We align with their values and look forward to a bright future,” said co-owners Rob Lally and Matt Hancock.

Additionally, MRA has outlined a road map forward to convert ownership into a community-owned Mountain Playground. A Co-op steering committee has been formed and the work has begun to create the new entity.

“Building on a collaboration that began three years ago, we look forward to implementing new strategies, continuing Mt Abram’s focus on environmental stewardship, and working towards the end goal of creating a new communal ownership structure that other similar soulful ski areas can follow,”  said MRA’s CEO Jamie Schectman, who will serve as Mt Abram’s Director of Marketing and Community Development.

About Mt Abram:

Located 70 miles from Portland, Mt Abram is a 560-acre ski area that won the 2012 Golden Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence by the National Ski Areas Association. In 2013, it installed 2 E/V charging stations and was recently awarded a $235,000 REAP Grant for the installation of a 869 solar panel project. In operation since 1960, Mt Abram is Maine’s premiere learn-to-ski area.

All media inquiries, please contact Jamie Schectman at marketingdirector@SkiMtAbram.com.
 

Didn't seem like they really said much

Here's a Q and A I did on the recent developments at Mt Abram.

What's New About Mt Abram?

A Family Skiing in Maine

I've always thought the MRA and Big Tupper would be a good match.