Waterville Valley, NH – 2024
Nov 12th — Grooming & Snowmaking Workshops
5pm — Social & Evening Activities
Nov 13th — Sessions & Vendor Expo
The CCSAA 2024 Fall Conference will be hosted by the Waterville Valley Nordic Center in Waterville Valley, NH. The Conference will be a 2 day event with snowmaking and grooming workshops and socials on day 1 followed by presentations, breakouts and a vendor expo on day 2.
The Fall Conference is an incredible opportunity for owners, operators, and suppliers from across North America to connect, learn, and share knowledge. Attendees will benefit from engaging educational sessions, live grooming demonstrations, and vibrant social events. Networking remains a cornerstone of CCSAA conferences, and this year’s event will be no exception—offering exceptional value.
With its prime location in the heart of the White Mountains, Waterville Valley provides the perfect backdrop for this event, complemented by the convenience of on-site accommodation at the Black Bear Lodge.
The primary benefit of the CCSAA conference is having time to talk with other industry professionals! The information gleaned from the presentations is fantastic, but secondary to having time to focus on detailed discussions with folks that are doing the same thing I am every day.
Day 1 - Tue
Snowmaking and Grooming Workshop
The snowmaking workshop will kick off at 10 a.m. at the Holderness School Nordic Facility. Over the course of two hours, we’ll dive into a hands-on tour of a real Nordic installation. You’ll walk the trails, explore the pump house, and even activate a fan gun equipped with an onboard compressor. It promises to be a highly informative and engaging session. Location: Holderness School, #7 on Map . Meet in the ice rink parking lot.
Afterward, the group will head to the Waterville Valley base lodge, where lunch will be available for purchase. Following lunch, we’ll hop on the Tecumseh Express alpine lift and ride up to the Schwendi Hütte, where a special 1-2K ski track will be prepped. With ideal temperatures, you’ll get to participate in hands-on snowmaking, followed by an in-depth grooming discussion. Topics will include blading, snow pushing, track setting, grooming intersections, and much more. Location: 1 Ski Area Road, Waterville Valley Alpine Ski Area, Waterville Valley, NH – Base Lodge 2nd floor. We will gather and ride the lift together.
Both workshops are designed to be interactive, encouraging participants to ask questions and share insights for a more collaborative learning experience.
Please dress appropriately for the conditions, and be sure to check the agenda for the complete schedule.
Day 2 - Wed
Indoor Sessions & Vendor Expo
Location: Waterville Valley Convention Center – 56 Packard’s Rd, Waterville Valley, NH 03215
Day 2 will be comprised of indoor sessions with relevant content for all ski areas and will also include a vendor expo, and silent auction. A few highlights include:
KEYNOTE – Interpreting the Forecast to Make the Right Decisions For Your
Ski Area – Mallory Brooke, Owner and Chief Meteorologist of Nor’easter Weather Consulting
Snowmaking, Can You Afford Not to Have It? – Ian Jarrett, Executive VP, HKD
Meet Your Guests Where They Are – Digitally – Ryan Triffitt, Owner of Dirigo
Growing Your Business (Workshop) – Your boss has challenged you to increase revenue by $50,000 in the next two year, what will you do! Here is your opportunity to think ‘outside of the box’ and brainstorm in small groups.
The Conference Begins!
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Event Highlights
Book Lodging
Black Bear Lodge – $139++
Please call 603.236.4501 and mention CCSAA Conference for that discounted rate.
Snowmaking and Grooming Workshops
Note: there has been a schedule change, plesae refer to the Agenda link on this page for details!!
The snowmaking workshop will kick off at 10 a.m. at the Holderness School Nordic Facility. Over the course of two hours, we’ll dive into a hands-on tour of a real Nordic installation. You’ll walk the trails, explore the pump house, and even activate a fan gun equipped with an onboard compressor. It promises to be a highly informative and engaging session.
Afterward, the group will head to the Waterville Valley base lodge, where we will meet in the Middle level of the base lodge. You must provide your own lunch as the cafeteria will not be open. Following lunch, we’ll hop on the Tecumseh Express alpine lift and ride up to the Schwendi Hütte, where a special 1-2K ski track will be prepped. With ideal temperatures, you’ll get to participate in hands-on snowmaking, followed by an in-depth grooming discussion. Topics will include blading, snow pushing, track setting, grooming intersections, and much more.
Both workshops are designed to be interactive, encouraging participants to ask questions and share insights for a more collaborative learning experience.
Please dress appropriately for the conditions, and be sure to check the agenda for the complete schedule.
Climate Session
KEYNOTE – Interpreting the Forecast to Make the Right Decisions For Your Ski Area – Mallory Brooke, Owner and Chief Meteorologist of Nor’easter Weather Consulting – Mallory will delve into the evolving weather patterns in the Northeast and explore recent non-traditional temperature patterns during the winter season. She’ll also shed light on the region’s diverse microclimates and the importance of understanding where your weather data originates to accurately track storm timelines. Her insights will be invaluable for all Northeast ski areas.
Session 3
Meet Your Guests Where They Are – Digitally – Ryan Triffitt, Owner of Dirigo – Bring your ski area into the digital world and meet your customers where they are. Do your offerings change frequently? How many customers rent skis, but don’t know how to put them on? Should they take a lesson? Providing simple digital imagery around your lodge can reduce questions, increase the fun your guests will have and increase revenue.
Session 2
Snowmaking, Can You Afford Not to Have It? – Ian Jarrett, Executive VP, HKD –Following the hands-on snowmaking workshop, Ian will present a simple system install while also diving into the fascinating science behind snow crystals and the differences between natural and man-made snow. The presentation will conclude with examining the impact of snowmaking on a real ski area’s budget. The final question? Can you afford not to invest in snowmaking?”
Session 4
Growing Your Business (Workshop) – Your boss has challenged you to increase revenue by $50,000 in the next two year, what will you do! Here is your opportunity to think ‘outside of the box’ and brainstorm in small groups.
Social Events and Networking
For years, Conference attendees have agreed that time spent together on the trails, over lunch or at a social event is one of the most important elements of the Conferences. Please join us at 5 pm after the Snowmaking and Grooming Workshops for happy hour.
It will not only be great fun but will allow attendees to have that time over a drink build those critical relationships. Details to come.
Silent Auction
We will again have a silent auction as part of the Fall Conference. If you have an item or service, please contact Reese for information on getting it listed.
Please remember to bid high and often as your silent auction dollars help CCSAA continue to work for you, the members.
