The Blade Dive

“The Real Deal”  - The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 13 we are joined by Joshua “Yosh” Heydorn,  a local to Flagstaff, Arizona. Heydorn immersed himself in the culture of his community early on in life and has grown to graciously appreciate the town and its surrounding landscape.  Heydorn has helped build Arizona Snow Bowl’s Terrain Park Program and has also been a part of large scale projects at Mammoth Mountain, California.

• Raised by a single parent who wanted the best in life for her son, Heydorn’s mom borrowed their neighbor’s car in order to make the trek to the mountains, and introduce the family to snow. No stranger to hard work, Heydorn would later receive a scholarship to University, but would never relinquish a passion for the snow and the potential for a career in the snow industry. 

• Once employed by Arizona Snow Bowl as a Snowboard Instructor... a Bombardier Plus ME Snowcat rolls by, before morning lessons begin, and catches the attention of Heydorn. That day,  Heydorn approached Dale Haglin, Director of Mountain Operations and eventually earned an opportunity to jump onboard with the summer trail grooming crew, in an effort to prove he was more than just “all talk”.  All in at this point, Heydorn met Matt Rowan before the Winter began, was given an opportunity to groom by Dale Haglin, and in his spare time, road along with Rowan.  

• Joshua Heydorn has since contributed to capital projects, such as the installation of the  Telemix  Gondola at Arizona Snowbowl and Snowmaking installation projects throughout the United States and Canada, thanks to his knowledge gained at Arizona Snow Bowl. Heydorn was also one of the original contributors to the Sunset Terrain Parks program and has since seen that program grow through the help of amazing people. Heydorn’s experience at Mammoth Mountain, as a contributor to large scale push projects for events like Snowboarder Magazines Superpark, is proof that knowledge and skill scope can be attained, no matter what push road you’re in. 

Operators are people just like you and I, with 'extra curricular' interests outside of the cab and beyond the ropes and boundaries and Joshua Heydorn’s love for Photography and his home town is humbling to learn and listen to. We discuss what the relationship can be between day crew and night crew, stepping away from his Management position, the future, and whether or not 'just operating equipment' is enough of a motivator in life.

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!

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“The People’s Champ”  - The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 12 we are joined by Kevin Soller.  A local to Breckinridge who’s passion for the outdoors is derived from being a product of his environment... Summit County, Colorado. A Professional cyclist and mountain biker at one point, Kevin’s need for speed transcends to snow with Alpine & Nordic racing. Sollers  obsession with machines and operating equipment on dirt and snow had manifested a curiosity that took over and landed Kevin in the operator seat at events like Dew Tour Breckinridge, CO,  US Open Vail CO,  X Games Aspen, CO.

• Born in Frisco, CO and having access to Colorado as his back yard, Soller explored skiing at an early age, but developed a love for biking that grew into a pro cyclist career and took him all over the world. His professional cycling career spanned 10 years, but unfortunately pivoted when Soller was badly injured in Europe and was hospitalized. After nearly 100 stitches, a head injury and thoughts of no longer racing, Soller returned to the states to recoup. 

• Seeing a sustainable career in equipment, Kevin Soller began to ask himself all the right questions and sought the help of operators such as Nicholas Symon & Mark Daigler in order to gain the proper perspective of what a good operator skill set should look like. Soller didn’t want to sit in a machine to accomplish solely the completion of the task at hand, Soller wanted to retain knowledge and figure out which machine he enjoyed operating the most. Currently his machine of choice is the spider excavator and preferred locations are steep embankments at 30 degrees or steeper. 

• Getting an opportunity to work on swing shift with the Alpine crew at Breckinridge, CO specifically in a winch cat....Soller developed an understanding for what maintaining skier access should look like. Becoming efficient at moving bulk amounts of snow, Kevin saw that every role within a team of operators is key. Kevin Soller will tell you that that he did not get where he is today without help and that learning from your mistakes is more important than making them. 

Operators are sometimes painted as uneducated, almost as if the machine was a last resort career choice. Kevin Soller has proved that theory incorrect.... he believes not  everyone can operate a machine but asking yourself the right questions and seeking help that increases your knowledge is the best foot you can put forward. Episode 12 is a deep dive into the life and career of Soller, and we discuss planning ahead, being yourself, coming to the job prepared and remembering that if you’re perspective is open and if you surround yourself with positive people... good things happen.

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!

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“For The Love Of The Game”  - The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 11 we are joined by Jeremy Cooper.  A giant in the snow industry, Cooper has always been passionate about progression. Whether it’s people, Terrain Parks or his own life... the current local to Utah from Lovettesville, Virginia is not afraid to step outside of the box in order to advance programs and brands that he has led such as June Mountain Terrain Parks, I Ride Park City, Snowbasin Terrain Parks and Boyne Resorts. 

• Growing up, taking childhood family ski trips to places like Seven Springs, Pennsylvania or Snowshoe, West Virginia, Jeremy Cooper was seeing first hand just how captivating the mountains can be. Off the snow, Coopers passion for Baseball developed, right along side an interest in skiing.  Coopers weekend warrior vibe for skiing continued at White Tail Resort, Pennsylvania, during High School, and from there the passion for skiing only grew . As a last minute adventure across country, in 1998, Cooper applied  for a job as an Alpine Groomer with Vail, Colorado and was hired as a rookie operator. Not totally in love with the job, but absolutely hooked on operating heavy equipment, Cooper moved back to Virginia that Spring, to run dump trucks and rock crusher units. 

• Fast forward to 2002  and a Marketing / Print Ad for Mammoth Mountain, California.... this sparks for Jeremy Cooper, his next idea for a trip across country with his brother, mapping out not only the road, but housing and a job. Cooper’s season at Vail helped him land an opportunity  grooming at Mammoth Mountain, under Clifford Mann and Oren Tanzer as a co-managed, Snow Surfaces Department. During Cooper’s time at Mammoth,  he contributed to projects like Superpark and the Orage Masters, amongst big name operators such as Peter Colombo, Joe Genovese & Mike Gerstner. Cooper went on to spend time operating at Falls Creek, Australia, and while down under, would help build the then signature event in the country, Style Wars. 

• June Mountain, California and then Park City Mountain Resort, Utah would eventually become Terrain Park canvases for Jeremy Cooper, not only for building features, but for the recruitment and development of employees who would go on to pursue passions of their own, within the snow industry. With events such as Women’s Superpark, Grenade Games, Holy Bowly and The Launch, as well as managing the Park City All Star team, the caliber of athlete and quality of people around Cooper would eventually help him rebound after his position was made redundant during the Vail acquisition of Park City Mountain Resort. 

Jeremy Cooper is currently the Vice President of Mountain Sports Development for Boyne Resorts but that heavy hitter title doesn’t mean he won’t pick up a rake or install snowmaking pipe, in fact it’s quite the opposite. Episode 11 is a deep dive into the journey of Coopers awe inspiring career. An incredible storyteller, Cooper discusses his time in Mammoth, living in mountain towns, detailed memories of Australia, his passion for Baseball as well as what it’s like to surround yourself with like minded positive people. A believer and straight up advocate for team work, Cooper is currently most excited about mentoring the next generation of operators.

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!

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“The White Tiger” - The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 10  we are joined by Elia Hamilton.  A native of western Massachusetts, Hamilton is a highly respected contributor to the Snow Industry and has made significant impacts to both the overarching business that is Terrain Park programs and its operators... through multiple channels and platforms, such as Peak Resorts, Cutters Camp, Carinthia Parks out of Mt. Snow, Somerset, VT, USA.

• Growing up in New England, Elia Hamilton found adventure by exploring his local landscape with his dog and building jumps for his tonka trucks in the dirt. Being given the freedom to figure out what his interests were, Hamilton quickly found Snowboarding, by way of Skateboarding. Elia gets his savvy business practices from growing up, working in the family owned Restaurant. 

• Visiting and spending time at Mt. Hood, Oregon, USA, as much as possible, Elia Hamilton’s passion for Snowboarding continued  to grow. With a shift of Mountain structure and the local Terrain Park program moving from Patrol to Mountain Operations management, with just one phone call, the potential for a sustainable career within the Snow industry was realized and Hamilton seized this opportunity to venture into the world of Terrain Parks.

• Constantly on the pursuit to perfect his craft, Elia Hamilton once again saw a chance to broaden, level up and hone his skill set by venturing into the Construction industry. Hamilton’s ability to advocate for the industry by making contributions to an ASTM committee, and being on panels at Cutters Camp is a testament to how deep his passion and performance for a product and the industry’s operators, truly does go!

Elia Hamilton’s list of accomplishments is long and he has held titles like Mountain Manager, at Mt.Snow as well as Director of Freestyle Terrain and VP of Terrain Park Development for Peak Resorts. This is the first time we’ve had the opportunity to chat at length with Hamilton and we cover the industry stigma of ‘the boys club’ and his advocacy for a shift in this mentality and structure... his vision for training and development of employees, the emphasis and value he places on people and their worth as well as his opinion and influence on what the future holds for the snow industry. 

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!

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"The Gentleman" - The Blade Dive, Episode 9. Charles Beckinsale, an incredibly humble individual, yet one of the most influential leaders and talented masterminds of the industry who, worth noting, is truly in it for the right reasons! Beckinsale joins us to discuss what it’s like growing up in Australia, his career as a professional Snowboarder as well as how those skills transitioned over to the successes he has seen in Snow Industry management and operations today.

• A world renowned Terrain Park builder and business owner, Charles Beckinsale came from humble beginnings - Growing up on the coast of Australia. As a young grom, along with his Mum and sister, Beckinsale moved to a small country town (now the ‘place to be’ for the Snow industry in Australia) - Jindabyne, New South Wales. Quickly familiarizing himself with his new ‘Snowy Mountains’ playground and obtaining his setup through swap meets and discount sales, Beckinsale was equipped ...and he hit the slopes as any first timer would, absolutely frothing. Beckinsale continued to pursue his interest in Snowboarding, investing time around those that were associated with the Terrain Park program at Thredbo Resort.

• With his scope of interest expanding, Charles Beckinsale was keen to get behind the sticks and delve into Snowcat operations, whilst still riding pro. Beckinsale earned an opportunity to grow his skill set, venturing across the pond to operate at Squaw Valley, California, USA, ironically before even getting the opportunity in Australia and from there, the rest is history. Beckinsale was and continues to be instrumental in putting Australian Snowboarding and Terrain Parks on the map, managing and evolving programs such as Thredbo Resort and Perisher, Snowy Mountains, NSW, Australia.

• Highs don’t come without lows and Charles Beckinsale discusses the dramatic side of the industry - the operator social circles and the need to surround yourself with like minded positive people. Beckinsale opens up about the risks of starting “The Stomping Grounds”, the time and tolls it took and quite frankly... how much he has sacrificed to be where he is, today.

In true ‘Charles Beckinsale’ form, Beckinsale would be the first person to tell you that none of his successes came without the help from others and credits people like Torstein Horgmo, Jason “NINJA” Isaacs, Brandon Dodds and others, as some of his biggest supporters. A husband and father, Beckinsale views time by his family’s side as precious and it’s rare that his family does not join him as he travels the globe. This episode is full of laughs, yet the blade does dive deep into being true to oneself and not sacrificing authenticity, operator pay, time management and various other, often shied away from, topics. 

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!

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“Rosie - We can do it!” ....The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 8. Jess Richitelli joins us, and shares the untracked path she and many like her have and continue to pave, as successful and impactful leaders within the Snowsport industry! 

• A highly regarded industry leader, Jess Richitelli has overseen prominent Terrain Park Programs at both Cranmore Mountain Resort, New Hampshire, USA & Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California, USA, and has spent many years at the top in this sector of the business. Richitelli, however, was not always met with such admiration and respect and she knows first hand what it means to be a woman in the the Snow Industry, what the grind to climb looks like and all that comes with being a female in operations.

• Jess Richitelli has East Coast of the United States roots, spending her childhood in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Raised by a strong ‘biker type’ single mom, Richitelli was taught to be herself, believe in her dreams and never let anyone tell her that they weren’t achievable. It’s this strong foundation and idealistic mentality that was emphasized to Richitelli throughout her upbringing, that has propelled her throughout both her life and career endeavors and successes. 

• Exploring Snowboarding in her 20’s, Jess Richitelli quickly found herself moving to New Hampshire, hanging around local Snowboard shops and getting in on trips with friends to her ‘local’, Cranmore Mountain Resort. Taking an interest in Terrain Park operations, Richitelli joined the Hand/Day Crew at Cranmore and never looked back. 

• A male dominated sector of the industry; mountain operations, Jess Richitelli was met with resistance from individuals simply not understanding why a ‘woman’ held a Terrain Park Manager title. Eyes forward, Richitelli found inspiration from other female leaders, such as Isabelle Falardeau and forged forward. In an endeavor to be and continue to be the best, to break down the barriers, influence change and bring her talent to everything she does, Richitelli was and to this day, is not afraid to ask questions, seek help or guidance and is still a believer in what it means to give and honor ones word. 

• With thoughts of potentially leaving the industry after receiving her welding certification, a skill that she was once mocked for even considering throughout her operations career, Jess Richitelli was presented with an opportunity whereby she saw undeniable success, overseeing and leading the Terrain Park program at Squaw Valley, hosting big name Events and photoshoots like Women’s Superpark.  

In an industry that has often been described as a “boys club” Jess Richitelli has paved the way for women as both an admired leader and successful operations manager, proof that women should be hired based on their talent and not denied employment based on their gender... Richitelli is one of the queens, smashing the glass ceiling of the Snowsports industry for future female generations to come!

Jess Richitelli words to live by:

“Don’t talk, just act. Don’t say, just show. Don’t promise, just prove.

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP

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"The Aspenaut" ....The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 7. We are joined by JP Martin, a passionate industry enthusiast with Mountain roots most would only dream of. 

•  JP Martin, hailing from Aspen, CO, USA, humbly claims to be a jack of all trades, master of none. Growing up in this iconic Mountain town, rich with Snow Industry history, Martin identified with being original, by "carving" out his own trail through life.  

• With Buttermilk Resort, Aspen, CO as his playground, the mountain quickly became a home away from home and influenced the creativity that JP Martin deploys to this day.  Aspen High School, at that time, was was an open campus and if Martin didn't have a class scheduled, he followed Bob Klein, an early Burton Pro rider, and Chris Carroll, an advocate who worked tirelessly to allow Snowboarding in the slopes, at resorts. 

•  JP Martin went on to become a Pro Snowboarder, but credits his upbringing  with the outdoors as to how he came to see equipment operations as a treat. Furthering his skill set, he pursued opportunities at enviable, big name resorts, such as JHMR, Jackson Hole, Wyoming / Sugar Bowl Resort, Norden, CA / Squaw Valley Resort, Olympic Valley, CA and Baldface Lodge, Nelson, BC, CA. Martin even became one of a select few that have completed ‘Railroad Training’ at Donner Summit, Lake Tahoe, CA... allowing him to apply Snowcat operations, in areas one would never even think to.

JP Martin isn't the first person to discuss failures on The Blade Dive, but he really digs into the depth of his... speaking to his life burn-out and quite literally, the implosion of his Terrain Park operations career, in an effort to help the next generation understand that if your "Imagineering Goggles" aren't focused correctly, the industry will chew you up and spit you out.

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!

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The King....The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 6. We are joined by the OG of Halfpipes; both competition circuit and construction, Mr. Frank Wells

• The North Carolina native grew up chasing the surf, up and down the East coast states, making his way as far north as Rhode Island. After finding Snowboarding and becoming absolutely stoked on achieving tricks that evaded him on his skateboard, Frank Wells chose Breckenridge, Colorado, USA over Community College, and was bound for the West.  

• Quickly finding his crew, Frank Wells went full throttle into competitive Snowboarding, seeing it not only as a great way to advance his skillset, but also to network the scene and the industry as a whole. Reaching his ceiling on the competition circuit, Wells took an interest in operating a Snowcat and found himself co-pilot to some of the best operators in the world. 

• His expansive scope, exceptional skills and industry rep found him sharing his expertise; consulting with companies such as Vans & Snow Park Technologies, labelled globally through years of commitment as “THE Halfpipe builder” 

Frank Wells  is a legend, a symbolism of success when considering influence and impact on the industry. A family man and has more time these days to work on his swing and pursue his passion for Golf. In this episode we discuss Wells’ adventures with Snow Park, Cardrona, New Zealand, all that goes into teaching, training and maintaining Halfpipe operators, the current trend of Halfpipes and the future of Halfpipes!

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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Aloha! ... The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 5, we are joined by someone who has and continues to leave a personal mark on the industry, Peter Colombo. 

• The Massachusetts native, Peter Colombo spent his time exploring Snowboarding at the local Golf Course fairways, sliding sideways whenever there was enough snow to do so.  Eventually Colombo found himself shredding locations like Loon Mtn. & Waterville Valley Resort and Stratton Mountain Resort. Colombo found Snowboarding during the golden era of Terrain Parks and witnessed their creation as well as their expansion,  placing his signature style on everything he put his blade to. Boots on the ground, Colombo witnessed events such as the US open at Stratton Mountain Resort and experienced Mt. Hood, OR’s summer camps, as a high school graduation gift from his parents.

• Initially hesitant, Peter Colombo ended up making the move to Mammoth Mountain, at 19 years old. Joining his hometown buddies, after just one week in town, Colombo landed a job Grooming trails with the Fleet crew. Working on perfecting his new found passion, Colombo was offered an opportunity to bulk push snow for Superpark. At the end of the season, Colombo headed back east, with the thought of attending college... which later fell through. In 2002 Colombo inquired about a job Grooming again with the fleet, but fortunately for him their crew was full and it was this turning point for Colombo that his employment with Mammoth Unbound, under the management of Terrain Park Director, Oren Tanzer, began. Colombo’s operator influences during his early years were Mike Gerstner and Issac Smith. 

• From 2002-2009 Peter Colombo was with Mammoth Mountain, investing his time in others and progressing and pushing the limits on what was possible in the parks. Colombo's list of builds is hefty and long, including projects for brands such as Smith Optics, Snowboarder Magazine and big industry events like Superpark and X Games.  As Colombo transitioned over to work with Snowpark Technologies, he became a key operator and influencer, contributing to Sun Valley Resort, ID. While there, Colombo helped to establish their Terrain Park program, along side Brian Callahan.

Peter Colombo stays with our podcasts trend of individuals who tell it as they see it. Colombo is wise, insanely talented and notably humble; crediting others before himself.  Currently Colombo and his wife reside in Hawaii and manage a charter boat business dedicated to whale watching and snorkel trips. In this "deep dive" We discuss work/life balance, managing the skill sets of individuals, failure and learnings, team work and the autonomy sometimes needed for individuals on the team, operator insecurities with respect to feedback and what leading a team to ground breaking success looks like from someone whose done it best!


Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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He comes from the land down under... The Blade Dive Podcast, Episode 4, we are joined by Reuben “Reubs” Cameron, an iconic Aussie operator that is passionate to the core and does not let anything stand in his way of building and managing large scale Terrain Parks and projects, within the industry.

• Growing up in Brisbane, Australia....Reuben Cameron was hooked on Action Sports at a very young age. While  investing his time BMX  & Surfing, Cameron had his first on snow experience and was immediately obsessed! Learning that his brother purchased a Snowboard, Cameron took the leap and dove into Snowboarding, capitalizing on resorts only a few hours down the road at Falls Creek and Mt. Hotham, New South Wales, Australia. Spending his first season employed as a Lift Operator at Mt. Hotham, Cameron  realized that Falls Creek had the Terrain Parks he wanted to ride and utilized the Helicopter link to access them, until he landed a job on the Park Crew. 

• Once onboard Falls Creek’s Terrain Park program, Reuben Cameron built relationships with highly credited and influential operators such as Jeremy Cooper, Mike Gerstner & Sam Poffley and saw a future in the industry, operating equipment. With inspiration from Poffley, Cameron approached the Mountain Manager and was told to pretty much, walk the talk! Cameron began riding along with operators at Falls Creek and logged a few solo hours behind the sticks. Cameron also realized that many operators had misconceptions regarding the landscape and weather that the Southern Hemisphere had and continues to offer. This presented priceless learning experiences for those committed to investing time operating in Australia. 

• Cameron’s first full season operating a Snowcat was spent in Vail, Colorado, and this experience quickly showed him that in order to gain good experience it required him to start with the basis of a solid foundation. It was his time at Vail that humbled Cameron’s ego and set things in motion for a profound return to Falls Creek, re-joining Poffley, only to dive deeper into his skills as an operator and expanded his knowledge. Cameron has since held Terrain Operating positions at resorts such as June Mountain, CA , Perisher, AUS, Thredbo, AUS and has been a part of build projects like Women’s Superpark, The One Hit Wonder Downunder, Grenade Games, Matchstick Productions photo/video shoots. Cameron  has been fortunate enough to have travelled the world building Terrain Parks, including countries like Norway & China. 

• Because of his appreciation for properly building a solid understanding of Snowcat operations, Cameron is a firm believer in sharing the knowledge and takes great pride in helping others. Currently residing in the coastal surfing mecca that is home to the legendary Bells Beach, Torquay, Victoria, AUS and enjoying the beautiful Australian Summers, Cameron values his time with his 2 children but is always looking forward to Winter and being back on snow.

Enjoy...  and if you're in the machine, go ahead and TURN THE VOLUME UP!
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