Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast

Last Chair S7 EP13 - Tristen & Piper: New Royalty

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Corb...

LastChair S7 EP12: Meg Wandishin - Bringing The World To Utah

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Meg WandishinLast Chair guest Meg Wandishin grew up skiing the slopes of Shawnee Peak (now Pleasant Mountain), a Maine ski area that dates back to 193...

S7 EP11: Re Wickstrom - Through The Lens Of Re Wickstrom

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A tear came to Utah photographer Re Wickstrom’s eyes as she paged through Backcountry Magazine. There she was, her career splashed over the pages of...

S7 EP10: Marcus Caston - It's About The Fundamentals

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

S7 EP9: Lauren Macuga

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

S7 EP8: Chad Linebaugh - An Intimate Inn At Sundance

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

S7 EP7: Emily Fisher - Bringing Kids Into The Sport

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

EMILY FISHER: BRINGING KIDS TO THE SPORTThe 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games left a legacy of venues across Utah. But they also left a culture...

S7 EP 6: Skijoring - Charging Hooves and Ski Racing

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

shorten it a bitSkis, speed, and charging horses collide in Skijoring, a winter sport rooted in Scandinavian tradition and reborn in the American West...

S7 EP 5: Colin Hilton - Building Legacy For The Future

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 yea...

S7 EP 4: Chase Thomason - From Twisters To Powder

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

S7 EP3 - Chris Cushing: Legendary Ski Resort Designer

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Legendary resort designer Chris Cushing joins Last Chair to share stories from a lifetime spent shaping ski areas around the world, including Deer Val...

SE7EP2 - Ski Utah: 50th Anniversary

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Nat...

SE7EP1 - Deer Valley: Evolving Into The Future

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

SE6EP11 - Marge: Beaver Mountain Legend

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 wh...

SE6EP10 - Ski Utah Looks to 2034

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From their favorite Utah ski runs to their 2002 Olympic memories, Fraser Bullock and Nathan Rafferty provide great insights about Utah's 2034 Winter O...

SE6EP9 - Michael Rueckert: Story Behind America's Number One Ski Resort

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

SE6EP8 - Raelene Davis: Celebrating 40 Years at Ski Utah

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This April, Raelene Davis will celebrate 40 years with the organization. She has served in her current role as Vice President of Marketing and Operati...

SE6EP7 - A New Era of Skiing Begins at Deer Valley East Village

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The lifts are spinning now at Deer Valley East Village! The first major destination ski resort to be built in America in over 40 years is taking shape...

SE6EP6- Express Route to Resorts with the UTA Ski Bus

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Last Chair grabbed veteran UTA ski bus driver Doug Malmborg for a ride on the 972 line up to Solitude and Brighton. Malmborg shared ...

SE6EP5 - David Miller: Sustainable Approach to Brewing Beer

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

David Miller, director of operations at Ski Utah partner Wasatch Squatters Brewing, has long had a passion for brewing beer. But also for doing it in ...

SE6EP4 - Steven Clark: Avalanche Safety on Cottonwood Highways

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Steven Clark enjoyed the ideal skier’s lifestyle as a young boy living at the mouth of the Cottonwood Canyons. Today, he’s the avalanche safety pr...

SE6EP3: Tetraski

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Dr. Jeffrey Rosenbluth left med school for his first job at the University of Utah in 2001, he already had a vision in mind. A skier himself, he ...

SE6EP2 - Whiskey & Chocolate

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to the lifestyle of a ski town, Utah is a real pioneer. When High West began distilling in Utah nearly 20 years ago, it was the first sk...

SE6EP1 - Bill Rock: An Epic Career on the Mountain

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Bill Rock is at home on the mountain. He skis. He snowboards. He remembers that first day his kids passed him on a ski run. He counts his blessings fo...

SE5:EP11 - Winter Games Returning to Utah in 2034

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s now official! The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are returning to Utah in 2034. The International Olympic Committee made the call on July ...

SE5EP10 - Devin Logan & Caroline Claire: Kindred Spirits

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Olympians Devin Logan and Caroline Claire are kindred spirits, finishing each other’s sentences and sharing a common passion for hucking themselves ...

SE5:EP9 - Junior Bounous: Living the History of Skiing

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The red tram pulled out of the station, heading up to Hidden Peak on its seven-minute run. Perched along the front left window was the legendary Junio...

SE5:EP8 - OurSundays: Finding the Joy in Skiing

24 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A big part of the history of skiing is the fellowship of ski clubs. And before you write it off as a thing of the past, meet the OurSundays Ski & ...

SE5:EP7 - 2034 Winter Games: Will the Olympics Return to Utah?

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The spirit of the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City still resonates across the state. This July, there will be more cause for...

SE5:EP6 - Craig Gordon: Helping Others Understand the Danger

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Christmas blizzard of 2003 still ranks as one of the biggest winter storms in Utah’s history – legendary enough to have its own Wikipedia page...

SE5:EP5 - Evan Thayer: Bringing Us Utah Powder

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s early season at Alta. OpenSnow forecaster Evan Thayer has left his meteorological screens in the hotel and is bashing his way down some fresh p...

SE5:EP4 - James Coleman: The Freedom to Ski

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

SE5:EP3 - Chris 'Gunny' Gunnarson: Building on Progression

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Head to any Woodward Mountain Center and you’ll immediately be drawn to the kids in the Jib Park and Peace Park pushing themselves to new heights. S...

SE5:EP2 - Alex Schlopy: Rollercoaster Ride of X Games Champion

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Thinking back on it today, X Games champion Alex Schlopy still shakes his head. A homegrown product of Park City, Utah, in a month-long span in 2011 h...

SE5:EP1 - Sophie Goldschmidt: America's Best in Utah

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It was a typical day at the USANA Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah as Olympic and Paralympic athletes were sweating it out on the training cent...

SE4:EP13 - Big Snow: Jim Steenburgh & Chase Thomason

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The 2022-23 ski season was the biggest on record in Utah! So, just how big was the snowfall? And what’s the science behind it all? Last Chair got to...

SE4:EP12 - Sandy Flint: Stio on Sustainability

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past few years you’ve probably noticed the brand Stio on the slopes. Born in the Mountain West, the company has become known for its extens...

SE4EP11 (Bonus) - Cottonwoods Plow Team: Ride-along with Shawn Wright

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Ski Utah Last Chair podcast takes a ride all the way up to Solitude and Brighton in Big Cottonwood Canyon with UDOT Cottonwood plow driver Shawn W...

SE4EP11 - Cottonwoods Plow Team: Keeping Our Canyons Open

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Utah gets a lot of snow! And as skiers and riders, our objective is to get up to the resorts as quickly as possible. But who takes care of that 30 inc...

SE4:EP10 - Dr. McKenzie Skiles: Science of Snowmelt

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As skiers and riders, we hate to think of melting snow. But to Dr. McKenzie Skiles, snow melt is the lifeblood of existence in the mountain west. Last...

SE4:EP9 - Henri Rivers: Diversity in the Mountains

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since the day he found an old pair of skis in his family’s hotel attic, Henri Rivers has found a special joy in skiing. It didn’t matter to him th...

SE4:EP8 - Drew Hardesty: Conversation in a Snow Pit

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With each successive two-foot snowfall, skiers and riders at resorts rejoice. But in the Utah backcountry with no avalanche mitigation, that fresh sno...

SE4:EP7 - Special Snowfall Edition

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In October it started snowing in Utah. And it really hasn’t stopped, with over 225 inches in Little Cottonwood Canyon by mid-December. So, what’s ...

SE4:EP6 - Bill Wyatt: Gateway to Utah - The New SLC

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The new Salt Lake City International airport provides the closest gateway in the world to such a diversity of skiing and riding. Opened in September 2...

SE4:EP5 - Tim Hawkes: Saving the Great Salt Lake

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you fly into Salt Lake City from the north, you get a poignant view of the vanishing water in the Great Salt Lake. The problem is real. So what i...

SE4:EP4 - America's Ski Town

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With two world class resorts boasting nearly 10,000 lift-served skiable acres, all nestled around an historic old mining town, Utah’s ski town of Pa...

SE4:EP3 - Peter Landsman: Our Love of Lifts

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As skiers, we love ski lifts. They get us quickly to the top of mountains so we can slide back down. But what would you think about visiting every sin...

SE4:EP2 - Nick Sargent: Industry Focused on Change

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Across an industry that is rapidly changing, Utah-based Snowsports Industries America is leading the way. Nick Sargent, a former ski racer, World Cup ...

SE4:EP1 - Snowbird Tram: Taking an Icon into the Future

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It was an early autumn day in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the new futuristic Snowbird tram, we could see all the...

SE3:EP15 - Ruby Forsyth: Finding Joy in Skiing

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Utah nurse Melody Forsyth learned her baby-to-be had Down syndrome, she and her family thought it would change their lives. And it did - for the ...

SE3:EP14 - SOS Outreach: Diversity and Inclusion in Sport

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Visit any western resort town and you’ll find a robust LatinX community, sometimes making up 30% of the population. It’s a robust part of communit...

SE3:EP13 - Bill Jensen: New Look at Sundance

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Visitors to Sundance Mountain Resort this winter have found a wonderful new experience at one of Utah’s great hidden gems. Working with the experien...

SE3:EP12 - Lexi Dowdall: Utah Snow in Watercolors

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Utah’s 15 resorts paint a majestic portrait amidst the winter landscape. So what if someone painted them all, with watercolors based in snow melt fr...

SE3:EP11 - Lee Cohen: Utah's Ski Photographer

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cohen grew up in the east, hopping around small New York ski hills like Stony Point and Silver Mine. His father took him on trips to Vermont, skiing S...

SE3:EP10 - Utah's Olympians - Utah Goes to the Olympics

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“I'm so thankful for the people in town who founded the Youth Sports Alliance after the 2002 games,” said Fisher. “It was a community effort to ...

SE3:EP9 - Fraser Bullock: Utah's Olympic Legacy

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The 2002 Olympics transformed Salt Lake City and its neighboring venue communities into a stage that welcomed the world. For 17 days, the Games captiv...

SE3:EP8 - Alf Engen: Legend of Alta

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The legend of Alf Engen goes back to the 1920s when Alf brought his brothers to America from Norway. In the midwest and later out in the mountains, th...

SE3:EP7 - Katharina Schmitz - Future of Ski Lifts

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What do ski lifts mean to skiers? Ask Doppelmayr USA President Katharina Schmitz and she’ll tell you ‘freedom.’ In this episode, Last Chair host...

SE3:EP6 - Kristen Ulmer: Embracing Fear

15 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A New Hampshire native, Ulmer discovered skiing as a young girl, skipping school to hit the slopes at lunch time. Friends told her about skiing in Uta...

SE3:EP5 - Tony Gill: Joy of the Backcountry

06 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Cruising through knee deep powder in the peace and solitude of the Utah backcountry is  pure joy. It’s alluring. It can also be dangerous if you ar...

SE3:EP4 - James Niehues: Man Behind the Maps

28 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all fantasized about our trips to the mountain by poring over detailed trail maps, plotting out each run of our ski vacation. The man behind t...

SE3:EP3 - Zane Holmquist: Active Lifestyle Chef

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From wild game chili to Stein Burgers and Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes, Chef Zane Holmquist has served it all. The Stein Eriksen Lodge VP of...

SE3:EP2 - Jeremy Jones: Passion for Protecting Winter

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up on Cape Cod, it may seem unusual that young Jeremy Jones gravitated towards sliding on snow. But family ski outings led to his passion for ...

S3:EP1 - Ted Ligety: Back Home in Utah

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past two decades, Utah native Ted Ligety has hopscotched across five continents every year, collecting World Cup crystal globes and Olympic g...

S2:EP16 - David Perry: A Sustainable Future

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As skiers, we all have a responsibility to be good stewards of the mountains we ride. Sustainability is vital for our future. David Perry, one the ski...

S2:EP15 - Kym Buttschardt: Ogden’s Ski Town Renaissance

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A group of skiers sat at the bar in the Rooster's B Street Brewery and Taproom, exchanging war stories about their big pow day up at Powder Mountain. ...

S2:Ep 14 -Sandy Melville: Silver to Slopes

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A century and a half ago, Utah's mountains were the home of boomtowns as silver mining flourished across the Wasatch from Little Cottonwood to Big Cot...

S2:Ep13 - Steve Sullivan: Stio - A Brand for the Mountain West

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The outdoor adventure clothing brand Stio has been showing up more and more at Utah ski resorts. Founder Steve ‘Sulli' Sullivan grew up in neighbori...

S2:Ep12 - Jeremy Jones: Progressing Sport at Woodward

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up in the Salt Lake Valley in the '80s, Jeremy Jones developed a knack for searching out urban skate and snowboard venues to feed his passion....

S2:Ep11 - Chris McCandless: Little Cottonwood Via Gondola

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chris McCandless grew up in Little Cottonwood Canyon, dropping powder lines as a kid and hiking Superior in the summertime. It's a place near and dear...

S2:Ep10 - The Seeholzers: Family Story of Beaver Mountain

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mountain manager Travis Seeholzer and I slid off the Harry's Dream Lift at Beaver Mountain, looking out on the vast expanse of state and national fore...

S2:Ep9. Greg Schirf: Evolution of Ski Town Breweries

29 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a skier or snowboarder, there's a pretty good chance you've been in a brew pub be it for a draft beer, hamburger or a pizza. Today we take s...

S2:ep8. Lamont Joseph White: Skiing in Color

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past year, our nation has been gripped in a discussion on racism. As skiers and snowboarders, how does that impact us in a sport that's not e...

S2:Ep7. Jim Steenburgh: Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Don't you just love it when you have to pick up your phone to call your boss back home. 'Hey, really sorry, but we just got snowed in with 60 inches o...

COVID-19: Innovating a New Approach to Service

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been skiing or riding this year? If so, you've experienced a new sensation - standing atop a snow-covered ridgeline, soaking in the alpine pe...

S2:Ep5. Jodie Rogers: From Turkey Chili to Gooey Warm Cookies

21 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine feeding thousands of skiers at a dozen locations across five mountains every day? That's the life of Jodie Rogers. An Australian skier who fou...

S2:Ep4. Chris Waddell: Tragedy To Opportunity

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Like many of us, Chris Waddell loves the feeling of being atop Bald Mountain at Deer Valley Resort. The distant peaks of the snow capped High Uintas a...

S2:Ep3. Nikki Champion, Utah Avalanche Center

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine boots on snow for 12 months a year? From the towering peaks of Denali and Rainier, to the powder-filled backcountry of Utah's Wasatch Range, t...

S2:Ep2. Bryn Carey: Innovation for a Better Ski Vacation

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Few would argue that one of the most challenging aspects of a ski vacation can be renting the gear. Bryn Carey, a Sugarloaf, Maine transplant to Utah,...

S2:Ep1. John Cumming: Passion for Utah and Outdoors

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder what happened to the 'E' in POWDR, the owner of Woodward Park City and nearly a dozen resorts nationwide? You'll learn about that in the s...

Ep 13. Season Pause: A Fabulous Snow Season Cut Short

19 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Without doubt, the 2019-20 ski and snowboard season was one for the record books - great snow, guests from around the world enjoying the Greatest Snow...

Ep 12. Mike Caldwell: Ogden’s Ski Town Mayor

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The affable Mike Caldwell bursts into his office, a welcoming smile on his face. Wearing a Salomon vest, he looks a lot different than the portraits o...

Ep 11. Randy Doyle: Keeping the Family Feel at Brighton

25 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Randy Doyle is that guy who always has a happy smile on his face - a fixture on the Ski Utah scene for decades. He literally grew up on the slopes of ...

Ep 10. Ron Baldis: Park City Powder Cats

11 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The bright red PistenBully wound its way up the switchbacks to the top of San Mateo Ridge. Inside, guide Ron Baldis joined the joyous revelry of his g...

E9. Rob Lea and Caroline Gleich: Ultimate Outdoor Couple

04 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine climbing Mount Everest. Then think about swimming the English Channel. If that's not enough, how about riding your bike across America. That w...

E8. Laura Sexton Creating the Perfect Groomer Day at Deer Valley Resort

28 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This was one of those ‘man dreams’ - to be riding in a big piece of machinery, conquering the steeps and sculpting the snow, riding in Prinoth Bis...

E7. Chad Linebaugh: Blending Art, Nature and Skiing at Sundance Mountain Resort

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When you look at Sundance Mountain Resort, you need to view it as much more than a ski area. When Robert Redford moved to this peaceful valley in the ...

E6. Kim Mayhew: Ski Bum to Respected Resort Leader at Solitude

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes you just have to follow your heart. In the early 1980s, Kim Mayhew did just that. Mayhew and her husband reevaluated their lives, deciding t...

E5. David Perkins: Utah’s High West Whiskey Pioneer

07 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Utah may seem like an unlikely spot to pioneer a distillery. But biochemist and lifelong skier David Perkins saw an opportunity. Perkins opened High W...

E4. Shannon Bahrke: Athlete, Entrepreneur, Skiing Mom

24 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There’s never a dull moment in the life of Shannon Bahrke Happe: athlete (two-time Olympic medalist), entrepreneur (her Team Empower Hour brings Oly...

E3. Evan Thayer: Forecasting your Utah Powder Days

18 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Talk about finding your passion - snow forecaster Evan Thayer is living his dream! As a kid growing up in the mountains around Lake Tahoe, young Evan ...

E2. Dave Richards: Getting Alta Ski Area safely ready for the season.

10 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dave Richards is a part of the culture and fabric of Alta, one of Utah’s most beloved ski areas. As snow safety director, he’s your most important...

E1. Dave Fields: The face behind Snowbird

03 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up in Salt Lake City, Dave Fields loved to make turns in Utah's fluffy powder. After an early career as a journalist, he saw how excited his w...