Questions about chairlift lines, expanded beginning skier offerings and even jokes about the price of beer showed that many attending the weekly Rotary Club lunch program are regulars at White Pass Ski Area.
The ski resort on the western edge of Yakima County underwent key changes in ownership and leadership last year, but Kevin McCarthy, the longtime White Pass GM who retired last year, said the skiing experience will remain the same.
"We had a lot of changes this past year and a half — in a way it's been a generational change," McCarthy told Rotary Club members on Thursday. "The changes are substantial, but the ski area you've known and loved the past 70 years or so will more or less stay the same."
The generational change McCathy referred to occurred last December, as White Pass Ski Area shareholders overwhelmingly approved the sale of the ski area.
Yakima-based Andrew Sundquist, David Severn, Dan Plath, Adam Dolsen and Patrick Smith formed a partnership to acquire 100% of White Pass Co. Inc.'s stock, keeping ownership of the ski area in local hands.
Shortly before that, Rikki Cooper was chosen to replace the retiring McCarthy as general manager, although the latter continues to assist in various roles at White Pass.
McCarthy noted that Cooper has been coming to White Pass since the age of 12 as a ski racer, and she never really left, working as a coach and ski patroller after college before moving from mountain operations to the administrative office in 2010.
"The respect Rikki has among the staff ... is complete," said McCarthy, who has worked at the ski area for more than 40 years. "And it was the right time for me (to retire)."
Cooper said becoming the White Pass GM was an easy decision for her, too — despite having a young family.
"I love White Pass; I've been here my entire career," she told the Rotarians. "It's been great working with the new ownership group and seeing the enthusiasm they've brought."
Changes for 2022-23, and beyond
Regulars at White Pass will notice a few changes and improvements this year, with more possible in the near future, Cooper said.
An expanded beginners' area will include a new children's "magic carpet" ski lift, she said, and the nordic ski area continues to add new trails. A new ski patrol building also has been added.
The new owners are working with the SE Group, a ski facility planning consultant firm based in Colorado. Cooper said they are examining issues such as the maximum number of skiers the facilities and parking can accommodate, along with where a new chairlift might go.
While there is no immediate plan for expanding the lodges, a new base area building could be in the works, Cooper said.
Several questions about parking prompted McCarthy to note that the U.S. Forest Service would have to approve a bigger parking area, and more parking would mean more skiers, affecting the ski experience at White Pass.
"When parking is full, the lodges are full, the lifts are full. The capacity of the ski area and parking kind of work together," he said.
Answering another question, Cooper said Vail Resorts had no interest in acquiring White Pass, although the company's acquisition of Stevens Pass Ski Area near Skykomish "sent more skiers our way."
When asked about adding ziplining, mountain biking or other summer activities at White Pass. Cooper said those would require extensive planning. McCarthy added that off-season activities must prove they can be profitable before the ski area could consider the additional staffing and costs they require.
