Mt. Washington Valley, New Hampshire — Attitash and Wildcat were put in a peculiar position earlier this summer following the departure of Brandon Swartz to the under-new-ownership Smugglers’ Notch. They’ve found their new person for this unconventional role, and it’s someone with plenty of experience at one of these mountains.
Yesterday, Vail Resorts announced that Deirdre Riley has been appointed General Manager of Attitash and Wildcat. It’s not the easiest role, as the ski resorts are about 16 miles apart by car, but the two have been treated as partners for years.
Deirdre Riley has over 25 years of ski industry experience. This includes work at The Canyons, Park City Mountain Resort, Crested Butte, Attitash, and Crotched Mountain.
“Deirdre’s experience spans nearly every facet of mountain operations, from ski patrol and lift operations to health and safety and resort leadership,” said Tim Harris, Chief Operating Officer of Vail Resorts’ Local Resorts. “She is a highly respected and visible leader who is passionate about supporting employees, fostering strong teams, and creating exceptional experiences for guests. We are excited to welcome her to Wildcat and welcome her back to Attitash, the team, and the community.”
In the early 2020s, Deidre was the Director of Mountain Operations. Attitash was in a transitional period, as it replaced the long-hated Summit Triple chairlift with a high-speed quad and the less-hated East-West Double-Double with a fixed-grip quad. This modernized Attitash’s lift network.
Her most recent position was as General Manager of Crotched Mountain. During her two years there, she helped build up a positive community and strengthen Crotched’s space-themed brand.
“I am incredibly grateful to the team, the community, and our guests for all they have shown me during my time at Crotched,” said Riley. “There is truly no mountain quite like Crotched. The people, energy, and sense of community make it a place unlike any other, and I will always be thankful for my experience here. As difficult as it is to say goodbye, I am excited to return to the Mount Washington Valley and begin my next chapter as General Manager of Attitash Mountain and Wildcat Mountain.”
Deirdre is set to assume the position on September 7th (Labor Day).
About Attitash
Attitash features 76 trails across over 300 skiable acres, with 8 lifts and a vertical drop of 1,750 feet. Attitash used to offer many summer attractions, but they haven’t been open in recent years. Offseason projects include upgrading the snowmaking on Saco and adding a new glade in the beginner area.
About Wildcat
Arguably home to the best views out of any ski area in the Northeast, Wildcat is basically across the street from Tuckerman Ravine and Mt. Washington. Wildcat features 48 trails across 225 skiable acres, with 5 lifts and a vertical drop of 2,112 feet. In the summer, Wildcat has scenic chairlift rides and disc golf. This offseason, Wildcat is working to improve its snowmaking network following criticism in recent years. This includes over 50 new snowguns, a new air transducer, and pipe replacements.
Image/Video Credits: Vail Resorts, Attitash Mountain Resort, Wildcat Mountain
