Monday, December 11, 2023

EP 97 Skiing Legend Dan Egan takes Over at Tenney Mountain



Extreme Skiing Legend Dan Egan Takes the Reins as General Manager Of a "Reimagined" Tenney Mountain


Show notes:



https://www.skitenney.com/story

Many people from the central New Hampshire area will speak fondly, often wistfully, of Tenney Mountain.  As if it's time had passed. Yet, there is a reason why Tenney has been resurrected time and again over the years. It is because many of the fundamentals of a great family ski area are there, it's just that the formula for its resurrection have not been quite right.

Today, a lot of folks believe that formula may finally have been found and - once again - optimism is bubbling up in the heart of New Hampshire. A combination of local knowledge, ski industry savvy and the financial "juice" needed to confront the dual challenges of restoring Tenney's infrastructure and dreaming big about its future seems to have coalesced with the team of Dan Egan and Steven Kelley - two folks with "just enough crazy in them" to make it happen.

Founded by NH icon Sam Hall - a veteran of the famed 10th Mountain Division during WWII (and division mate with his friend Senator Bob Dole), Sam founded Tenney on a wing and a prayer beginning when he was a Timber Cruiser for the Draper Corporation. The story of those early days are the stuff of legend.  Luckily for us, those early days are preserved in an interview with his two sons by the Plymouth Historical Society.

Memories of Plymouth - The History of Tenney Mountain

Steven Kelley, who purchased Tenney Mountain, is not a skier. Some would see that as a disadvantage but not Kelley, and not Dan Egan

They point to Kelley's successful track record as a builder of high-tech centers along the Rte 128 corridor in Massachusetts and his expertise in the development of cell towers, throughout the region, as evidence that Kelley has the financial wherewithal and the vision to create something very special here, just seven short minutes from I93.

His selection of Egan to serve as General Manager is the proof of his serious-minded approach to the challenge. Likewise, Dan Egan has reached deep into the community to build a team with unmatched institutional memory. And they are hitting the ground running heading into the 23-24 season. The chairlifts will be fully operational, 80 new fan tower guns will provide substantial snowmaking and inspirational innovations like guided headlamp night skiing promise to capture the imagination of skiers from all over the northeast. Looking ahead, Egan discusses other plans like a recently approved preliminary plan for a new  $30 million dollar base lodge.

Additionally, Dan has developed a relationship with  world-renowned mountain biking company Gravity 
Magic of Whistler BC. , and plans are underway for lift-access Mountain biking adventures soon.  Summer activities that are planned in the future include disc golf(expected to be introduced this fall), mountain biking, and ziplining.

Dan Egan’s list of accomplishments reads like that of three or more powerhouses combined into one. Inducted into the US Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2016, The Pioneer of Extreme Skiing has appeared in thirteen Warren Miller films over the years. He’s also an author and producer. He authored All-Terrain Skiing I & II and co-authored " 30 Years In A White Haze"  with Eric Wilbur.

As a producer he’s helped create sports films and not all of them are about skiing. His most recent endeavor in filmmaking is "Transforming the Beautiful Game: The Clyde Best Story"  a documentary currently in production, analyzing racism in soccer.




As a ski ambassador, coach, and guide, Dan Egan can also be found on the snow at Big Sky, Montana, Valle Nevado, Chile and Val D Isere, France, sharing his knowledge and passion for the sport. He is sponsored by Leki, Big Sky, Elan, and Alps & Meters.



Gravity Logic

Gravity Logic was created in 2007 by the team who helped build the Whistler Mountain Bike Park – the World’s #1 Bike Park. Ever since, GL’s team has assisted other resorts and organizations with creating unique bike park experiences by building trails and infrastructure that attracts riders of all ages, skills, and interests. More info.



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