Letter from the GM- Olympic Weekend.

I have just returned from Milan and Cortina, where the 25th Olympic Games are approaching their halfway point. With light duties as an ambassador for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Foundation, I had lots of time to experience the sport and culture of skiing at the highest level.

The opening ceremonies in Milan’s San Sio Stadium were a captivating spectacle of celebration, performance, and a powerful message that the athletes and the 93 countries they represent have much more in common than apart. An Italian version of “thanks for being here” was constantly used by staff and volunteers.

The woman’s downhill was as much of an emotional roller coaster as the Olimpia delle Tofane course demanded that it be a physical one. Lindsey Vonn’s spectacular crash instantly silenced a rowdy stadium to the point where one could hear a pin drop for what seemed like hours. Breezy Johnson’s much-needed gold medal run held out, and our national anthem ended up being played in the end. Breezy’s next run in the super G concluded with a tearfully accepted engagement ring.  Jessie Diggins is adding to her medal count despite broken ribs. Ben Ogden ended a 50-year US men’s medal drought in cross-country skiing. The Olympics are magical, and the US Team is in the hunt to top the medal count, showing the world our passion for winter sports. 

Back at Black we are streaming every Olympic event that we can get our hands on and gearing up for our own magical weekend. Perfect conditions lead us into a winter vacation week that is jammed packed with events and perfect conditions. Highlighting those conditions; Black continues to have the best snow in recent memory and it just keeps getting better. We finally have a meaningful break from the arctic temperatures, Friday through Sunday are all sunny with highs in the 30s. 100% of our terrain is open, including our new hike to extreme summit pod. Expect more snow mid-week. All lifts will be running, and the double runs till 5 PM on the weekends. 

We will run Friday Night Lights with our Downhill Cat Skiing Product, EVERY NIGHT through Saturday February 21st. That includes live music at the Base Lodge from 2 to 8 and at the cabin from 5-8.  Uphill equipment is available for rent, or use your downhill gear and the snowcat for uphill transportation. Snow cat seats are also bookable for folks who do not want to ski or ride and just enjoy the food, drink, and campfires at the cabin. We have added some additional trip times for this extremely popular product.

On Saturday, the 14th, we host the Vertical Challenge, a casual family-friendly race event that will feature lots of turns, prizes, and giveaways. Expect the competition and event vibe at Black Mountain to go to the next level this weekend. 

Over the next 10 days, we have no less than 28 amazing music acts. Live music in the Base Lodge starts in the afternoon and goes late each night. Our full dinner menu is available till 9PM each night, and we will run the handle tow for free skiing till 7pm for the kids that want to keep going while mom and dad get some time at the bar.

We have a few spots remaining in our Holiday Ski and Ride School programs. While many learning products are close to selling out in the mornings, we are opening up additional capacity in the afternoons. Tickets are beginning to sell out, book online ahead of time for the best price and experience. I do expect that we will again need to cut off ticket sales on our busiest days. We will be offering overflow parking at the Christmas Farm Inn with a free constant all day shuttle to connect the ski area with this significant amount of additional parking. 

Finally, we are officially kicking off the Apres at the Alpine. That famous little cabin will be bumping with DJs on both Saturdays, and we have doubled our service ability by completing the outdoor bar. This Sunday, starting at 2 we will have a special holiday weekend DJ session with myself at the controls and our resident saxophonist accompanying. It is going to be warm, sunny, and the biggest party of the season (so far).

Thanks for being here.

Erik Mogensen

President and General Manager

Black Mountain Community Corporation