The Echo Valley Project

Marcski wrote

...could you imagine being stuck on a bus and having to listen to it??

Why talk politics on a ski day?

Harvey wrote

Marcski wrote

...could you imagine being stuck on a bus and having to listen to it??

Why talk politics on a ski day?

Harv would toss anyone who strayed into that off the bus. It would be 3500 miles of Kumbaya - over and over again...

I think many of us on this blog have the dream of running a ski area though most of us would not be willing to take the pay cut that would entail

Best of luck on your adventure

PeeTex wrote

Harvey wrote

Marcski wrote

...could you imagine being stuck on a bus and having to listen to it??

Why talk politics on a ski day?

Harv would toss anyone who strayed into that off the bus. It would be 3500 miles of Kumbaya - over and over again...

JasonWx wrote

napa..i guess retirement isn't everything it's cracked up to be?

You said it Jason!!  This is definitely the start of career 2.0

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Also, Harv should fund an NYSkiBlog trip out there to ski it.

NYSB Day at Echo will be declared as soon as the group arrives.  You guys can ski and stay for free.  There's no slope-side accomadations, but if you bring an RV, we have 5 hook-ups in the parking lot.

Z wrote

I think many of us on this blog have the dream of running a ski area though most of us would not be willing to take the pay cut that would entail

Best of luck on your adventure

You should have bought BTC and held on to your GE!!

I'll put together a full post shortly.... yesterday was the ski-swap, and a general orientation for me.  I am super stoked about the learning opportunities that come along with the job.  Next week I start training to become a Marker binding tech....

Today, I learn how to pilot this guy!!

MC2 5678F589 wrote

...Harv should fund...

Um what?

JasonWx wrote

i guess retirement isn't everything it's cracked up to be?

Retirement is having the means to do what you want for the rest of your life.  By my definition, the existence of a paycheck doesn't mean you aren't retired.

If you know what you want, it should be great.

Go nepa!

Harv is picking up the bill for the Echo Valley gathering?

Sick! I’m there.

We'll contribute 100% of forum membership fees towards the event.

raisingarizona wrote

Harv is picking up the bill for the Echo Valley gathering?

Sick! I’m there.

That’s good news. It was the cost of gas holding me back.  I can contribute a truck with a cool sleeping platform and a few cases of half full booze bottles.

Harvey wrote

Retirement is having the means to do what you want for the rest of your life.  By my definition, the existence of a paycheck doesn't mean you aren't retired.

If you know what you want, it should be great.

Absolutely. I retired when I was in High School, I found Physics, Math and Chemistry and never looked back. The only times in my life I had a "job" was when I had to manage people and I quickly got out of those situations as soon as possible.

Running a ski area will be a great challenge, if your wired for that sort of thing you will do great and it will be the time of your life.

I missed something... Echo Valley in Michigan or in Washington?

Peter Minde wrote

I missed something... Echo Valley in Michigan or in Washington?

In Washington... we're going to have an NYSB day.

NYSBers get a free lift ticket and accommodations in the form of parking spot.  There are no hotels near by so you'll need to come prepared to camp in your car.  

nepa wrote

In Washington... we're going to have an NYSB day.

NYSBers get a free lift ticket and accommodations in the form of parking spot.  There are no hotels near by so you'll need to come prepared to camp in your car.

Somewhere Brownski's ears perked up.

D.B. Cooper wrote

nepa wrote

In Washington... we're going to have an NYSB day.

NYSBers get a free lift ticket and accommodations in the form of parking spot.  There are no hotels near by so you'll need to come prepared to camp in your car.

Somewhere Brownski's ears perked up.

Way ahead of you, bro

It's been quite busy at Echo this past week... we open Saturday.  

Everyone is hired and trained.  There are a few loose ends to tie up before we open up on Saturday, but it feels like we're ready.  In general, it's been a lot of work, but very laid back.  I hired 12 new people and have 4 returning from last season.  Including the ski school, the place runs with staff of 40 people.

Currently we have a crusty, windblown 3.5 inch base with about a foot and a half on the way.  Safety inspection for the tows (3 rope and 1 poma) is on Thursday morning...

Having driven across the perimeter of the area in the groomer, I get the feeling, it rides a bit bigger than it appears in the pictures.  Top to bottom vert is just under 700 feet which offers descents on multiple aspects... the terrain is quite undulating... not really optimized for a snowboard.  There are multiple fall lines that drain into a main gully.

I think it's best described with a few pics.

Looking up from the base lodge


Ticket Office, Rental Shop and Ski School... as you can see, with out proper signage, this place is practically indistinguishable from a destination resort such as Vail, or Whistler. We have no PA system so when lessons start, we ring the bell that you see in the photo.




One of our high speed rope tows


The Poma.  This mechanical engineering work of art came from Squilchuck State Park.  It was gifted to Echo in the late 50's.  My property borders the state park... this lift used to be installed in what I call my backyard.



This is a better view from the bottom looking up to the top terminal


This thing is a blast!!


This is what it looked like yesterday at the top terminal



Pre-open Pow day on Friday!!

More to come...

Duck you seeing this.  This place looks like fun.  You have the vehicle to pull this off.  We could put a huge NYSkiBlog decal on the side.  I love Washington State...i’m up for a road with a bunch of sort of like minded people I don’t really know...and i think of politics as entertainment trip