Pappas visits with Attitash's Swartz, takes a run

U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) paid a visit to Attitash Mountain Resort on Wednesday to get an overview from first-year general manager Brandon Swartz on how the ski season has been going so far as well as hearing  updates on lift expansion and employee recruitment projects.

Afterward, Pappas, who said he learned to ski at McIntyre Ski Area in his hometown of Manchester, took to the slopes for a few runs.

“This is my first time out skiing this year. I’m looking forward to it,” said Pappas, who was elected a third term in November and who also met with local small-business leaders during his visit to the valley.

Swartz, who was named Attitash GM last February by Vail Resorts Inc., said despite some weather challenges, Attitash’s groomers and snowmakers have done a yeoman’s job in creating good conditions for skiers.

“After COVID, a lot of people are really excited to get back out there,” Swartz told Pappas.

Despite spells of warm weather, the mountain has been able to keep open a good amount of terrain, he said.

Vail, Swartz said, replaced Attitash’s outdated East/West Double-Double with a brand-new Progression Quad, revamping access to key intermediate terrain.

“With the holiday rush, it actually helped to disperse the crowd across the entire resort so we didn’t see lift lines,” he said, noting, “It’s great to have that lift back.”

He also touted the big news that Attitash will be replacing the Summit Triple with a new lift for the 2023-24 winter season.

The CTEC Triple was installed in 1986 and has suffered many mechanical problems in recent years. It also was the target of much criticism for being slow.

“The new lift will be a high-speed detachable quad. It’s going to be fondly called the ‘Mountaineer,’ after the historic train that operated in the area,” said Swartz.

“We’re going to be moving the base terminal uphill a little bit, and we’re going to regrade the whole base area to kind of create a better flow-through,” he said adding, “It’s absolutely going to transform this place by improving the ability to ski across the resort and get multiple runs in a short period of time.”

Swartz said Broomfield, Colo.-based Vail Resorts, which purchased Attitash and Wildcat with other Peak Resorts in 2019, has worked hard to upgrade the resort. It opted not to open the area for summer operations last year, concentrating instead on maintenance and improvement projects, including the new Progression Quad.

During the congressman’s visit Wednesday, Swartz told Pappas it was a team effort over the past year to get Attitash back in shape.

Looking ahead, he said Attitash will bring back summer operations to the Bear Peak side of the resort with lift-serviced mountain biking and scenic chairlift rides. Oktoberfest will also return in October.

But with the construction for the new detachable Mountaineer summit lift at the base of Attitash, he said operations such as the Alpine Slide will not be open there though it remains to be seen when other Attitash summer attractions would return.

Swartz also said Vail’s new wage scale and benefit packages have led to better staffing of resort jobs.

Pappas was pleased to hear that Attitash has a full compliment of 60 J-1 foreign workers who are housed at the Quality Inn in North Conway and the Villager Motel in Bartlett.

Pappas noted that communities throughout the state need to work on providing incentives for housing through zoning and other programs.

“Communities are starting to get it across the state about how they need to reposition zoning local ordinances. And I think the valley has kind of helped lead the way in that conversation. I’m hopeful people will continue to stay engaged in a conversation. It’s private and public sector working together that’s going to solve this,” said Pappas.

Asked how the change in leadership  with Republicans now having the majority in the House will impact his role, Pappas said, ”Hopefully next week, we’ll get committee assignments, I hope to be back on the Transportation Committee and the Veterans Committee, which is where I’ve been the last two terms. So we’ll see. Things are always tough politically, getting people to work together with disparate points of view.

“But I think we showed the last two years that you can do things in a bipartisan fashion. That’s what the country needs. That’s what our economy needs. The solutions are found somewhere in the middle,” Pappas said.

He also said support for Ukraine must remain unwavering, noting, “The people of Ukraine need us and the United States and the American people ... Things are going to continue to be difficult. But I think the humanitarian, economic and military supports making a difference. It’s moving the needle. And as Ukraine shows resolve, we can’t back down. We need to continue to push Western allies and the democracies from around the world to stand by their side.”