Advertise on podcast: Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast

AFTER THE FIRE: EAGLE POINT LOOKS AHEAD When the Cottonwood Fire and subsequent flood struck Eagle Point Resort this summer, owner Shane Gadbaw watched nearly two decades of work change in a matter of weeks. In this Season 8 premiere of Last Chair, Gadbaw joins host Tom Kelly to share the story of the destruction it left across the mountain community and the Eagle Point ski community's passion to return. A Midwest native, Gadbaw’s path to Eagle Point began far from Utah, spending teenage ski days at Michigan’s Mount Brighton, a career on Wall Street and, eventually, a leap of faith that brought his family to Beaver, Utah. Over the years, they helped build Eagle Point into a small, personal ski area where guests know the owner and employees wear many hats. Then came the fire. Four of five chairlifts were damaged. Canyon Side Lodge was destroyed. Some 145 cabins and condos were lost. Just as cleanup began, monsoon rains sent floodwaters racing through the burn scar and tore apart the state highway from Beaver. But amidst the devastation, Gadbaw sees opportunity in the future. He calls it a “great reset”—a chance to rebuild a more resilient, reimagined Eagle Point. With support pouring in from across the ski industry and the Beaver community, the goal is clear: welcome skiers and riders back in 2027. Mark your calendars now for November, 2027 – the return of Utah’s Eagle Point Resort.

What’s it feel like to drop into Corbet’s Couloir? Alta locals Tristen Lilly and Piper Kunst know. This year, they took home King and Queen of Corbet’s, earning their place on one of skiing’s biggest stages. In the Last Chair Season 7 finale, they sit down with Tom Kelly to talk about their paths to big mountain skiing, meeting in a lift line at Alta, and what goes through your head when you’re staring into that 20-foot drop. From Piper’s first win with no sponsors to Tristen’s viral 720 entry, this is the story of two skiers building a life in the Wasatch and pushing what’s possible. Listen now.

Meg Wandishin Last Chair guest Meg Wandishin grew up skiing the slopes of Shawnee Peak (now Pleasant Mountain), a Maine ski area that dates back to 1938, and then moved up to Sunday River. Today, she serves as recruiting manager for Deer Valley Resort, where, among her tasks, is overseeing the resort’s popular J-1 visa program for international workers. Wandishin’s pathway into recruiting came by chance, tending bar in Maine when a customer saw in her the traits of a charismatic recruiter. After a few years in recruitment for tech companies, she decided to take time to work remotely in Utah. Three months later, she decided to stay – connecting with Deer Valley in 2023. Today, she plays a major role in recruiting more than 3,000 seasonal employees for the resort, with an enthusiastic personality and a pride in helping create the Deer Valley Difference.

A tear came to Utah photographer Re Wikstrom’s eyes as she paged through Backcountry Magazine. There she was, her career splashed over the pages of Heather Hansman’s Opening the Lens story, profiling Wikstrom and how she has singlehandedly elevated the image of women in skiing. Wikstrom joined Last Chair from the High West Studio, reminiscing her start in photography, the love of passion to the Rocky Mountains, and the joy that shooting continues to provide her and all those around her. A Connecticut native, as a young girl, she loved making photographs with her mother’s Ricoh point-and-shoot camera. Soon, she combined her burgeoning love for photography with that of skiing. And at some point, she joined friends in moving west – first to Jackson Hole. But along the way, a big powder season in Utah and the offer of a futon lured her to the Wasatch, where for two decades she has been photographing the Greatest Snow on Earth. Re Wikstrom personifies happiness – something that rubs off on her subjects. As a photographer, she has a knack for managing light and capturing images. But a big part of that is the personality she exudes and the relationships she develops with her subjects. Hands down, Wikstrom is one of the best photographers shooting in the Wasatch. But her work with women is what has elevated her to a special place in her field. It’s her mission! “Part of my personal mission is to put more visuals of women athletes out into the world the way I want to see them portrayed,” she says. In her Last Chair interview, Wikstrom takes us back to her childhood and finding a love for photography. She reminsces on negotiating with her mother, who convinced her to finish school before becoming a ski bum. And she proudly walks us through some of her favorite images. This episode will take you high up into the Cottonwoods, early morning on a powder day, as Re Wikstrom chronicles her life as a ski photographer.

Salt Lake City native Marcus Caston grew up in the Wasatch, developing a passion for ski racing. After a stint as an aspiring alpine ski racer with the Snowbird race team, he found his pathway skiing big mountains around the world, becoming a star of Warren Miller films and beyond. Today, Caston is a professional skier and content creator who promotes appreciation for the art of skiing through his creative expression and athletic performance. On a quest to find the perfect turn, Caston looks for the unique coalescence of light, terrain, and snow. The Return of the Turn series, which he produces and stars in follows him on this journey, finding impeccable turns in every corner of the ski world. Today, you can find Marcus skiing around the Wasatch. His skiing is all about rhythm and flow, and if you’re not sure what that looks like, take a few tram laps at Snowbird, and you’ll probably find out.

A rising star and the next generation of U.S. Ski Team speed skiers, Lauren Macuga is Park City native who rose through the development pipeline on the NorAm tour and is now among the best downhill and super G racers in the world. Her breakthrough 2024-25 season saw her on the downhill podium in Kvitfjell, Norway, and taking her first World Cup victory in a super G at St. Anton. She is known for her fearless, attacking style, as well as her traditional finish line bucket hat. She is one of four children, with three on national teams.

Walking through the new Inn at Sundance Mountain Resort feels like stepping into the enduring vision of Robert Redford. In this episode of Last Chair, Ski Utah sits down with Sundance President and General Manager Chad Linebaugh for an intimate conversation at the heart of the Inn. Linebaugh reflects on Redford’s legacy, the resort’s deep connection to nature, and how the new Inn, along with new lifts and terrain, enhances the Sundance experience while staying true to its roots beneath Mount Timpanogos. A story of place, history, and the canyon that continues to draw people back to Sundance.

EMILY FISHER: BRINGING KIDS TO THE SPORT The 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games left a legacy of venues across Utah. But they also left a culture that motivates kids to get into sport. Each winter, the Youth Sports Alliance in Park City leads thousands of boys and girls into winter sport. And today, YSA is bringing its expertise to Ski Utah’s popular 4th Grade School Program. Last Chair sat down with YSA Executive Director Emily Fisher in the High West Studio to talk about the culture of winter sport in Utah, and how more kids than ever before are finding their way into skiing and snowboarding. Today, nearly a quarter century after the 2002 Games, new generations of Utah youth are finding excitement in winter sport – from speed skating to luge to skiing and snowboarding. Sure, it’s the fun and excitement of sport. But it’s also about the life lessons that sport teaches. “Really, it's the smiles and seeing how excited they are about skiing, about the culture, about being active in winter sport,” said Fisher. “I think if you're not exposed to it, it is easy to sit inside in the winter and to see these kids so excited to get outside, even when it's snowing, even when it's really cold, they're excited. They want to be part of this program, and their families want them to be part of this program. But just the smiles and the laughter make everything, all the hustle all year, worth it.” YSA’s longstanding Get Out & Play program introduces kids to myriad different sports. It’s a sampling program to give kids a sense of what they like to do. From there, they can pick a sport and engage in a local club. You never know where it might lead. At the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics, local Utah athlete Casey Dawson will challenge for a speed skating gold, while Ashley Farquharson is a favorite in luge.  This season YSA is taking on a new role, managing Ski Utah’s 4th Grade School Program. In its 30 years, the Ski Utah program has introduced over 100,000 Utah kids to skiing and snowboarding.

shorten it a bit Skis, speed, and charging horses collide in Skijoring, a winter sport rooted in Scandinavian tradition and reborn in the American West. In this episode, lifelong friends and Utah cowboys Joe Loveridge and Brian Gardner share how they turned their passions for skiing, horses, and ranching into Pro Skijor, a new pro tour spanning Utah, Idaho, and Montana. Recorded at the High West Whiskey Library, the conversation dives into Western heritage, big-time energy, and why skijoring has captured crowds across the Mountain West.

Nearly a quarter century after the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Utah’s venues are more active than ever and getting kids into sport year-round. At the center of that legacy is Colin Hilton, President and CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. In this episode of Last Chair by Ski Utah, Colin shares how Utah planned for Olympic legacy long before 2002, why its venues are now four times busier than during the Games, and how that vision is shaping the road to the 2034 Winter Games. Recorded at the High West Whiskey Library. Listen now. Subscribe for more stories from the people shaping Utah’s ski and sport culture.

Growing up at the mouth of the Cottonwood Canyons, Chase Thomason went from deep powder kid to full-blown weather nerd after Twister hit screens. Now he’s a meteorologist at KUTV Channel 2 who still finds time to snowboard powder at Snowbird Ski Resort. In this episode of Last Chair by Ski Utah, Chase explains the science behind the Greatest Snow on Earth including snowflakes, storms and Utah’s wild lake effect magic. Recorded at the High West Whiskey Library.

Legendary resort designer Chris Cushing joins Last Chair to share stories from a lifetime spent shaping ski areas around the world, including Deer Valley’s new East Village. From learning the craft alongside his father to watching families enjoy the terrain he built, Chris offers a rare look into the art and heart behind designing the mountains we love to ski

Celebrate 50 years of Utah skiing with Ski Utah and the Last Chair Podcast presented by High West. Host Tom Kelly sits down with President and CEO Nathan Rafferty and early leader Danny Richardson to share stories about Utah powder, the Interconnect Tour, and what makes skiing in Utah truly legendary. Recorded at the Whiskey Library at High West Distillery in Park City, this episode dives into the evolution of Ski Utah, its 16 world-class resorts, and the people who built the state’s ski culture. From Deer Valley to Snowbird, hear why Utah’s mountains deliver The Greatest Snow on Earth.

What’s happening with America’s largest ski resort expansion in decades? Deer Valley Resort is upping the game with 10 new lifts, 80+ new ski runs, and the debut of the all-new Deer Valley East Village, only 40 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport. In this episode of Last Chair presented by High West, we ride high atop Bald Mountain at Snowshoe Tommy’s Cabin with:- Steve Graff, VP of Mountain Operations, Deer Valley Resort- Garrett Lang, Deer Valley Mountain Operations- Shawn Marquardt, Doppelmayr Ski Lifts Hear how the new East Village Express gondola links Park Peak via Big Dutch, get insider details on cutting-edge lift technology, and find out which new Deer Valley runs should be on your hit list this winter.

If you love skiing, take 30 minutes to listen to this conversation with Marge from family owned, Beaver Mountain. This episode of Last Chair exudes what the lifestyle of skiing is about. It’s something you simply don’t find in other sports. It’s a special place in Utah with some mighty fine skiing and riding, and the most celebrated ticket manager in the state: Marge!