#1: COO of Whistler Blackcomb Stepping Down from Roll:

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Let's kick off this week's news with a headline out of British Columbia where Whistler Blackcomb's COO Dave Brownlie announced his resignation this week. To those unaware, this might not seem like big news, but those acquainted with Brownlie realize how large of a role he's played in shaping Whistler Blackcomb into what it is today. Starting at Whistler in 1989 as the director of finance, Brownlie played major parts in numerous monumental projects at the resort, including the merging of Whistler and Blackcomb resorts, the ideation and implementation of the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, launching the resort' IPO, and most recently he worked with the Vancouver Provincial Government and local Squamish and Lil'wat Nations to come to an agreement on Whistler's 60 year master plan. In other word, Brownlie's influence on the resort could be relevant in the year 2077, giving the man nearly 90 years of sway in one of the biggest ski resorts in North America. Pretty impressive.

Of course, there is an elephant in the room that should be addressed. Those who stay current with ski news probably realize that Brownlie's resignation comes just one ski season (and 7 months) after Vail's purchase of the resort. While we don't know whether or not these two events were related, we can say that both Brownlie and Vail management appear to be separating amicably, as each provided quotes expressing gratitude in one another. For more information, give this article from Pique News Magazine a read.

#2: Arapahoe Basin Volunteer Ski Patrol Unit to Disband:

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While we're on the topic of saying goodbye, let's swing down to Colorado where there's a different type of farewell occurring at Arapahoe Basin. No, we're not talking about the ski season (that's somehow still going on). We're talking about the Arapahoe Basin volunteer ski patrol who are calling it quits this year after over 40 years of service. Much like the Dave Brownlie and Vail situation, this split also appears to be amicable as volunteer ski patrollers recognize the reasons behind their dismissal. In short, it's a growth problem. Over the course of this summer, A-Basin will expand it's footprint by 468 acres. As such, it puts even more pressure on a topic that's been bubbling under the service: synchronicity. Or, as longtime volunteer ski patroller Darla Winston put it, "They really need to have everybody on the same level… as volunteers, no one is putting (us) on an explosives license. We can't go out on control routes with explosives and we're not certified climbers, so we can't climb for lift evacuations." It makes sense, and yet it's still hard to accept for some at the resort. In the end though, it's simply a result of growth. For more on this story, check out the full article from Vail Daily.

#3: Federal Judge Overturns Wolf Creek Land Swap Decision:

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Speaking of ski resorts in Colorado and expansion plans, a federal judge put the kibosh on a land swap agreement that would give a wealthy Texan named B.J. "Red" McCombs the rights to a swath of land atop Wolf Creek pass, enabling him to develop a ski resort on land that he initially purchased back in 1986. It's a pretty convoluted story, and one that we covered back in 2015 when it first broke.

At the time, the land swap was approved by the Rio Grande Forest Service, who cited the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act of 1980 as a legal precedent that requires the Forest Service to provide public access to any private land that's owned within National Forest Land. In other words, Mr. McCombs purchased land in 1986 that was inaccessible via public routes, and this land swap would give McCombs a new plot of land that's accessible and also the viable home for a ski resort.

This week's news derails that decision as a Federal Judge has overruled it, citing a lack of attention paid to environmental concerns, particularly those expressed by the local community. All in all, it's a pretty complicated situation with different legal precedents overlapping each other. Only time will tell how it'll all play out, but for now you can read more on the latest decision over at the Durango Herald.

#4: SIA and Outdoor Retailer Tradeshows Merge:

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Finally, we bring you arguably the biggest news of the week: the Snowsports Industries America (SIA) Snow Show has been sold to Emerald Expositions, the parent company of the Outdoor Retailer (OR) Show, for $16.7 million. The result of this acquisition, of course, will have an immediate impact on the ski industry's trade show landscape. For over 50 years, SIA has been the go-to ski and snowboard trade show, demanding everyone's attention for a week in late January. On the other hand, the OR show has also become a significant aspect of the ski industry as it's annual trade show in Salt Lake City catered to both the ski industry, as well as the outdoor industry on the whole. Of course those who follow our blog already know that the OR show hit a bit of a speed bump this past season as they decided to take a stand against politicians in the state of Utah who don't seem to value land conservation. As a result, OR announced their departure from Utah this season, bringing uncertainty to where the trade show would pop up next. This week's news brings us closure with this ordeal as the acquisition of SIA by Emerald Expositions eliminates the red tape (specifically, a non-compete clause with the city of Denver) that was preventing the OR show from exhibiting in Denver. While it's not all 100% quite yet, we fully expect this week's news to solidify Denver, CO as the new home for the OR show. For more on this, take a look at the full writeup in the Denver Post.

#5: And Now, Your Edits of the Week:

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No Helicopters Were Used in the Making of This Film:

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Skiing the Coors Light Mountain:

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Lastly, R.I.P. to Roger Moore, and Thanks for This:

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Written by Matt McGinnis on 5/26/17