Juneau, Alaska — A new General Manager has been announced at one of the most underrated ski areas in North America.
Last week, the Eaglecrest Board of Directors announced that Craig Cimmons had been hired as the new General Manager of Eaglecrest Ski Area. Cimmons has been the Director of the Ski & Ride School & Community Engagement at Jay Peak since 2012 and has also worked other positions in the ski industry. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Adventure Recreation from Green Mountain College.
“The Eaglecrest Board is very excited to welcome Craig to the position of General Manager,” said Mike Satre, the Eaglecrest Board President, in the press release. “We had two well qualified finalists for the position and the board feels that Craig will be a welcome addition to the ski area. We all look forward to the contributions Craig will bring to Eaglecrest and the community.”
As referenced in the quote above, the other final contender was Julie Jackson Piper. Since 2018, Piper has been the Recreation Manager for the City of Richland, Washington. She has a background in Juneau and Eaglecrest life. She worked as the Aquatics Manager for the City and Borough of Juneau, along with being the Youth & Community Outreach Coordinator and Snowsports School Supervisor at Eaglecrest.
The future of Eaglecrest Ski Area seemed clear a couple of months ago. Led by General Manager Dave Scanlan, the ski area became one of the most well-regarded remote skiing destinations in the United States due to its ample snowfall. Starting this summer, a used gondola acquired by a ski resort in Austria will begin being constructed. Once completed, Eaglecrest’s lift-serviced skiable acreage will grow. In addition, the Alaska ski area will become a four-season destination due to the amount of tourists that come through via cruises.
At least, that’s the rosy way of looking at it. The used gondola has exceeded the initial budget, and its opening date has been moved back several times. In addition, the ski area had a deficit of $415,000 as of May 2024.
Juneau’s municipal government owns and operates the Alaska ski area. The Eaglecrest Board oversees the mountain’s operations, which have begun to look towards the future. Ultimately, they didn’t like the direction that the ski area was going in.
For still unspecified reasons, the Eaglecrest Board asked for Dave Scanlan’s resignation. Dave obliged, although he admitted that it came as a shock. It came as a stunning plot twist to the local community, too, as Dave was beloved for his friendliness and his intense work ethic. A petition was even started to demand more answers from the board, along with reinstating Dave as General Manager. Erin Lupro, the Director of Snowsports School, Rental, Retail & Repair, will serve as General Manager until Craig takes over on September 30th.
The big challenge for their new General Manager is figuring out what to do about the gondola. The Juneau Empire reported that in a July 15th meeting, local leaders believe the project can still be completed and open by 2026. To open by 2026, they’ll need to build access roads and do some pre-assembly gondola projects before this upcoming ski season. 35% of the design was completed as of July 15th, but they’ll need to find a company to submit a projection within the city’s budget to stay on schedule. The design process is expected to be completed by mid-March 2025.
City Manager Katie Koester said the following to the Assembly Committee on July 15th:
“It’s definitely aggressive and ambitious. But what Eaglecrest staff has pointed out is it’s all well and good to turn a gondola by 2026. But you have to know that the gondola works, you have to work out the kinks, you have to have staff training, you have to have safety measures in place, you have to have sold those tickets. You have to have done all of those things in advance and a full season might not be more realistic until 2027.”
However, this viewpoint contradicts what Goldbelt, Inc., which is providing $10 million for the project in exchange for a share of the gondola revenue, believes. In a June meeting, Goldbelt CEO McHugh Pierre said that they didn’t think a 2026 opening was going to happen and that it was more likely that it would open in 2027. If the gondola isn’t open by May 31st, 2028, Goldbelt can back out of the financing.
The new plan is for the additional infrastructure, like the bathrooms at the top, would be added after the gondola begins to turn a profit. In the early years of operation, they would have some port-a-potties up top instead.
For Craig, this is a tricky situation to walk into. He’ll inherit a messy gondola situation that will likely drag on for a few more years. and the ski area has a decently-sized deficit. It’s not all bad, though, as Craig will also be leading a ski area with a passionate fanbase, deep powder, and some excellent terrain.
Image/Video Credits: Eaglecrest Ski Area, City and Borough of Juneau
