A-Mazing Employees

The following employees are being recognized as A-Mazing employees by the Arapahoe Basin team. This award is in recognition of their exceptional work and effort for the period of January - March!

Guest Services:

John Nofsinger

Calm, cool, and collected, that’s John! He was nominated by almost every person in the Guest Services department. He consistently comes to work with a positive attitude and is always willing to help his co-workers. John goes out of his way to help our guests get what they need to have fun and to have a day worth repeating. Thank you John! You are A Mazing!

Klarice McCarron

Klarice is A Mazing! She is always willing to do whatever we need and she always has a smile on her face. Klarice makes every effort to offer our guests exceptional service and makes our environment a great place to work! All your hard work and dedication is what makes you such a valuable employee. Thank you Klarice!

Lift Ops:

Helena Robinowitz: She has been a true joy to work with! Not to mention with every task thrown at her she faces it head on with a smile on her face.

Sam Soucy: He has shown from day one how to exude professionalism with a positive mindset. We appreciate his willingness to be a team player while working hard and having fun!

Wesley Wolf: He continues to keep the stoke from day to day. It is refreshing to have someone so pumped to be at every single lift station we have. I don’t know how many times I have heard “Let’s Go” from him after finding out where he will be for the day.

Hampton Dickens: We can count on him for a good laugh. Except when it’s not funny… (having to be on facetime for morning meeting). His willingness to work extra shifts and remain positive have been very helpful.

Lauren Goll: Talk about someone trying to live her best life and take it all in. It seems as though she understands every day is what you make of it. She is hard working and willing to roll with the punches.

Aly Claycomb: She is someone who has a tremendous hunger for knowledge and growth. We can count on her to question things that may need to be questioned. She approaches everyday with an open mind and prepared to work hard.

Grooming/Vehicle Mtce/Snow Making/Lift Mtce:

Bob Evans (Vehicle Maintenance)

Bob has gone above and beyond this past week keeping the winch cats up and running. For example, re wiring and re programming a key component to run one of our winches. Thanks Bob!

Tyler Mangan (Grooming)

Tyler takes on extra work as our Terrain Park builder. On these shifts he will build a park in the afternoon and then groom all night into the morning. When things go a bit south on the night shift, he is the first to volunteer to stay into the morning to clean it up. When we need that extra effort, we always know Tyler will come through for us.

Base Area/ Building Mtce:

Will Moses

Will has been a great addition to the crew this year. He is always willing to do as much as he can throughout the day and is always eager to start new tasks. Will shows up to work every day with a great attitude and great customer services skills and along with Brooks Johnson, shares a love for one of the finest delicacies known to the universe, Gooey Butter Cakes. We have enjoyed having him this season!

Ryan Armiento

Ryan is as dependable as they come. Comes to work every day, shows up on time, and willing to stay as long as needed to get our tasks done. Whatever needs to get happen, Ryan will put his head down and get to work without any complaints, no matter the job. Ryan has been with A Basin for a couple of years now, spending one season with Lift Ops and this season with us and we are happy to have him on our crew.

Snow Sports:

Amber Leishman

Amber has been a huge help this season, especially during Kid’s Club weekends. Assisting inside the Kids Center when needed. And giving great lessons when teaching!

Ashley Owens

Guests love Ashley, she gives a super cool learning experience, and guests have been vocal about how much they love Ashley - she's got the most mentions in guest reviews. Ashley is our First-Time-Ski-Lesson specialist with 44 first time alpine lessons taught so far this season!

Matt Pratt

Always taking initiative, Matt has been integral in making sure that the school is set up for success, whether that’s setting up the fence when Charlie and Pierce space on it, or making sure snacks are stocked and the facility is clean. Matt's one of the favorites with guests, and always contributes to a positive day.

Morgan Baker

Morgan’s patient demeanor has been a great relief to many guests coming to learn to ride. Morgan is our First-Time-SB-Lesson specialist with 45 first time lessons taught so far this season!

Autumn Leishman

Autumn has been an incredible help, especially with Kids Club this year. Always super friendly and supportive "boarder buddy" and always takes initiative when it comes to helping in the kid’s center.

Carla Marie

Carla has been a great help to the Snowsports department this year. She's a champ at answering questions that guests have, and goes above and beyond to make sure that our guests are taken care of.

Patrol:

Darcy Forsythe is our silent slayer! She has a very deliberate style, coupled with hard commitment always making sure she does the job to exceed expectations. Darcy does not like to be idle and must remain involved. She is the consummate ski patroller on point, while keeping up with training and always adding to her skill set. She began to Dispatch more this season and has worked hard to learn this necessary skill and keep our operation well oiled while in the box.

Rob Hansen is another pick from last years rookie class to be an Amazing Patroller. Coming into his second season on our patrol, Rob has a unique style where he uniquely masters his craft and all the skill sets involved with becoming a seasoned ski patroller. He has unwavering confidence and he will make sure he understands everything before advancing prematurely to the next level. He is patient and willing to help others along their journey of being ski patrollers as well.

I met Jack Western at the top of the Zuma Chair in the spring of 2017. He wanted to be a ski patroller, and I liked his name. We thought it would fit perfectly on our roster. Six seasons later, Jack is now solely responsible as our only Special Skills Accident Investigator. In addition to flying solo with this responsibility for most of this season he has pushed the AI program to new heights by streamlining our processes and holding all of us on patrol to the highest standards of risk management.

Warren Hanson is another Amazing Ski Patroller who began patrolling with us in the fall of 2017. Since then he has worked his way up thru the ranks to Special Skills Avalanche Technician with true grit and perseverance. Warren is perhaps one of the most talented and gifted ski patrollers I know. He understands what the job requires, executes with confidence and is a natural leader on our patrol.

Keaghan Dunn-Rhodes is an Amazing Ski Patroller on our staff. He is very detail oriented and always wants to make sure he is doing his absolute best. He came to us with previous experience from Loveland. In fact, once he was done at Loveland last season, he began to patrol with us in late May. Keaghan has worked hard to hone his craft of ski patrolling, but doing so in a way that has helped him evolve with Arapahoe Basin. Truly a master of the craft, and I hope to see Keaghan master his way thru many more seasons at the Basin.

Rentals:

Fred Koetteritz

Fred is the standard that we measure to for anyone who might be considered A-Mazing. Since Fred has been at A-Basin he has developed an Iron clad reputation as kind, engaging and possibly the most helpful person you will ever meet. Fred is the backbone of Base N' Edge, always keeping the best interest of his team in mind.

Cheyenne Clarkin

Cheyenne came onto our team and immediately blazed a trail of community, kindness, and effort for all others to follow. Cheyenne is the most selfless person on our crew, always looking for ways to bring our team closer. Her infectious vibe has made her a natural leader that is effortless to follow.

Retail:

Jess Kuhn and Jake Hood:

Both are Freshman retailers that have embraced the Basin, retail, and the guest experience. Willingness to help anyone with anything at any time. Jess spending her first winter at the Basin has enjoyed picking up snowboarding. Jake born and raised in Montezuma, skiing the Basin since his earliest days.

Thanks,

Terrain Park:

Nic Balch

Nic has stepped up to work lots of solo days when others were sick or on vacation. He knows what needs to be done and gets it done.

HR/Mktg/Accounting/IT:

James Griffin

3 words to describe James: patient, helpful, always willing to pitch in.

If James were a super hero, his secret power would be: writing the most polite emails in the world.

His co-workers in other departments appreciate: his help putting together (and waiting for) their Elite credit card backup

Legends FOH and BOH:

Mackenzie Moes

Mackenzie is A-Mazing for the second time this season! This girl never slows down! She is constantly on the move and super helpful to all areas of the F&B team, and also a warm, welcoming face to all of our guests.

Corey Blue

6th Alley FOH and BOH:

Jess Zuniga

Jess Z is super awesome and A-Mazing for many reasons! She is great at what she does, hardworking and has an upbeat attitude! She helps foster a team atmosphere each and every day at the 6th Alley.

Kediesha Dixon

BML FOH and BOH:

Martin Garcia Rojo

Martin is a returner for us and how shown tremendous growth. He started as a dishwasher and ended this season as a cashier. His desire to learn and grow as a person is truly inspiring. He is truly one of a kind.

Ana Moreno

Ana has been an important part of our team since she started with us this year. She is so knowledgeable and we don’t know where we would be without her. She officially has broken her record on the grill with over 200 sandwiches on a busy Saturday.

Steilhang & Il Rifugio:

Andres Meneses:

Andres has been the heartbeat of our kitchen this season. He is always ready to work hard, helps with everything, and is the first person to volunteer when a job comes up. He has been an irreplaceable piece of our team this season in helping us be so successful after re-opening. His talent and food knowledge is top notch and has been huge in helping teach out service team about the different meats and cheeses we offer. Andres is truly an A-Mazing employee.

Safety:

Nolan embodies safety here at A-basin. While it is his job to keep our ski area secure he goes above and beyond when it comes to identifying potentially dangerous situations. Often his job is to respond to dynamic guest situations once they occur but rather than just react, this season he has had a focus on prevention. Specifically Nolan has made progress with guests on the Beach, handling the size of the crowd and the ski gear that often gets left in the skiing lane down to Pali by being proactive and making contact with these groups before the problem arises. He has also recovered 5 stolen sets of skis or Snowboards and used his excellent detective/ camera skills to confront a thief in Arapahoe Sports. I could list more but I think we get it. Nolan deserves this award not because he’s just out there doing his written job but because he brings a different lense to the Security role that makes our ski area safer for our guests and employees.

Sustainability:

Gimena Pistan

Gimena (and the entire crew from Argentina!) leaned fully into our waste reduction efforts both at BML and in the A-Frame this season. They enthusiastically helped our guests reduce their cafeteria waste. While staffing our sorting stations, scraping every possible morsel of food waste and bit of recycling into appropriate bins, they avoided sending literal TONS of waste to the landfill. They also watched eagerly and excitedly as our bottle filling stations crept towards big landmarks - like 100,000 bottles avoided in the A-Frame. All in all Gimena best exemplified their dedication to our sustainability program and was also one of Maria's most reliable and solid workers all around at BML this season. Thanks for a great season Gimena!

The following employees are being recognized as A-Mazing employees by the Arapahoe Basin team. This award is in recognition of their exceptional work and effort for the period of September - January!

Guest Services

Cole Sweeney: Cole is a ray sunshine! His smile encapsulates outstanding guest service. He is consistent and always willing to help in any way. Whenever asked to do anything he does it right away and never complains. Cole is very hard worker. He always has a positive attitude and he continuously goes above and beyond to help our Guests. You are A-Mazing Cole! Thank you!

Natelle Van Tol: Natelle is A-Mazing! She shows up ready to work hard and she always has a smile her face. She genuinely wants to be here and to a great job. She is always in a good mood and never complains. Natelle does a fantastic job outside scanning. As soon as someone is having issues scanning their pass she is right there to help them. If someone falls over she'll run over to help them up. Thank you for everything you do Natelle! You definitely try give every guest a day worth repeating!

Lift Ops

Joey Podgorski: He has stepped up this season in a big way. He has been a huge asset with training our folks up out in the field, as well as getting our lifts ready to open.

Shane Koenig: He has been pumped and stoked since day 1. He has also been very professional, hardworking and respectful.

Tiffany Young: We cannot say enough good things about Tiff. We are blessed to have her back on the team. She is a true team player.

Celia Camarena: She has improved and matured tremendously. She has been very flexible with our scheduling needs and has stepped up showing she can take on more responsibility.

Cassie Zwick: It is clear that A-Basin holds a special place in her heart. She has been very flexible and willing to help out where ever she can. She has a great work ethic!

Drea Castillo: This young lady has made a big impression on us so far. She is always up for a challenge and will work as hard as anyone around!

Grooming/Vehicle Mtce/Snow Making

Kyle Lindemuth

Kyle continues to impress everyone with his hard work, mechanical skills and attention to detail. His experience working with a variety of heavy equipment and machinery has allowed him to hit the ground running and has been doing a great job keeping our equipment and vehicles running properly. He has had a busy winter of fabricating and welding keeping our plows and snowcats together. Stop by the shop and give Kyle and the rest the mechanics a big kudos! Thanks Kyle!

Neil Powell

We are very fortunate to have Neil working for us, it takes a special breed to work long hours at night while everyone else is sound asleep. Neil is a key player for getting the Basin open so early and keeping us open so late in the season. His job is not easy an easy one, battling the elements, dark, and wild animals...

Lift Maintenance

Chelsea Meyers

We would like to nominate Chelsea Myers for Lift maintenance! Please don’t make me write a paragraph or make a statement about it. She’s just great….

Base Area/ Building Mtce

Larry Romeo - Larry is as dependable as they come. Whether it’s being here at before anyone else at 5 in the morning on a snow day to shovel, or setting us up for success during parking hours, Larry has always been one of our most relied upon employees since joining Base Area last season. The department would not operate as efficiently without him and we look forward to the rest of the season and hopefully beyond with him.

Keaton Startoni – Keaton is one of our first year Base Area employees this season and immediately made an impact on the department. If you ask him to be here at 6:00 am, he will be in 5:45 am, gear on and ready to hit the ground running. His great attitude and willingness to complete whatever task is thrown at him has impressed us all. Keaton has caught on to Base Area very quickly and we are thrilled to have him on the crew this season.

Snow Sports

Jack Sudduth – Smiles, Enthusiasm and Team Player are words that describe Jack. We appreciate your willingness to teach both skiing and snowboarding. We appreciate how you connect with your guests to create a fun learning environment. You Rock!

Cova Kagan –Kind, Caring and Confident describes Cova. She puts parents at ease when they leave their Lil’s to learn how to ski. All guests finish their day with laughter of joy, smiles and excitement for the next time they ski with Cova. Thanks for being so great!

Tim Stroh – Passionate, Knowledgeable and Kind describe Tele Tim. Tim shows up everyday ready to share his passion for sliding. This energy is contagious and has helped to build a positive training culture. Thanks Tele Tim or should we thank Santa?

Dave Singleton – Knowledgeable, Team Player and Dependable describes Dave. He is an awesome trainer and leader in our department. He is always willing to help out other departments with any projects. He leads our staff in request private hours. Keep leading the way Dave, thanks.

Josh Shramo – Flexible, Dependable and Supportive describes Josh. We appreciate your flexibility with which hat you wear any given day, a Lead hat, Admin hat or Instructor hat to name just a just a few. All of which you wear so well and it helps us run. Thank you Josh!

Linsey Hoyt – Kind, Knowledgeable and Supportive are words that describe Linsey. She is Snowsports MVP. Thank you for helping guide us on our RTP sales and being available for our questions. We couldn’t do it without you.

Patrol

Leah Weisman: Leah is in her second season with our patrol and has proven to be a great addition. She came to us as an outdoor adventurer and enthusiast and her love of being and working outside is very evident. She has moved rapidly through rookie training to a Stage 2 ski patroller and has been assisting with the Accident Investigation team as well as working on snowmobile training to help with daily ski patrol needs. Leah also joined A-Basin Trail crew this summer installing new trails in between being sponsored part of the summer on her own bike adventure for Nat-Geo. Leah has a calm and thoughtful demeanor as well as a strong work ethic, which makes her great to work with. She also has a background in education so we are very excited to see where Leah takes her ski patrol career. Leah was an easy choice for this round of A-Basin's A-mazing employee.

Ben DeSutter: Ben came to us from lift ops two seasons ago. Lift ops was eager to hang on to him and promote him to lift lead but he opted to join us at ski patrol. We put him through rookie training and he has been accelerating up the ranks ever since. Ben is usually first out the door to go help an injured guest and led the staff in our 10-50 count last year. He is a member of our Accident Investigation team and is rapidly pursuing the requirements for his Colorado Blasters Permit. Ben also works for A-Basin during the summer season on our Trail Crew and was instrumental in installing the new Beavers Mountain loop trail. Ben has a great attitude overall, is really eager to learn, and ready to fire out the door to do whatever need to be done which is exactly what our ski patrol needs.

Maia Arthur: Maia Arthur is excelling very quickly as a career patroller here at Arapahoe Basin. She went from a Trainee, to Stage I, and then to Stage II all within her first season (21/22). She started the beginning of December of 2021 and had her Stage II before the end of April 2022. In addition, she transferred right away into Summer Mountain Patrol and was one of the first patrollers on snow when we opened up in October this season! As a Stage II patroller this season, she also took on several new responsibilities to help her continue advancing her career. These additional responsibilities include becoming a Medical Preceptor within our Medical Program and picking up 5AM Early Morning Trails shifts with our Trails Team. When you combine these new responsibilities with a full summer of Mountain Patrol, Maia’s depth of knowledge with our mountain and operations has become unmatched.

Scott Thurston: Scott has begun his 5th season with ABSP, coming from VT as an already seasoned and experienced patroller. He quickly advanced to a Stage IV patroller in his second season (20/21) and has been one of the hardest working patrollers on our staff. He is currently enrolled in a NREMT class, working hard on this certification to take his OEC to the next level of emergency care. Scott also passed his Pro 1 Avalanche Certification recognized by A3 in 2022. In addition, Scott has obtained most of his required training to become a Licensed Blaster for us in the State of Colorado. Next steps for Scott include taking the Colorado State Blaster’s Exam and the NREMT exam this spring! There is no doubt, he will continue to be a valuable asset on our patrol and take his Leadership skills to the next level.

Jake Vollenwieder: Originally Jake came over from Lift Operations and began working with ABSP as a Trainee in December of 2017. From here he has worked with us thru every ski season transitioning into summer being instrumental in our Beavers expansion as a Swamper and Sawyer and later with Mountain Patrol. He has since obtained his Stage IV, EMT-B and is well on his way to obtain his State of Colorado Blasters permit for avalanche mitigation. In addition, Jake has served as a very powerful liaison for our Trails Crew getting involved with 5AM Early Morning Trails and doing his part to ensure a consistent daily message for our guests and patrol. Throughout multiple seasons as a Ski Patroller and as Mountain Patroller Jake has worked extremely hard on himself and within A-Basin to become the patroller that he is today. He will be completing his Pro 1, National Avalanche School this season as well. By all means, Jake deserves to be recognized as an A-mazing employee within our staff.

Rentals

Allegra Thomas

Allegra came to us with little rental knowledge but her eagerness and ability to learn has made her a vital asset to our rental operation. Allegra always comes to work with an infallible attitude and calm demeanor that makes her a pleasure to work with in busy environments. Allegra is always on time and dependable. Overall, she makes it look easy being a trustworthy teammate. Secretly, Allegra is the funniest person we get to work with- although you would never guess it upon first introduction.

Allegra’s hard work, easy going attitude, and dependability has won her our first nomination for A-MAZING employee.

Retail

Cristina Martinez

Cristina has been full time at Arapahoe Sports since the beginning of the season. She since starting has become a key holder here along with being bi-lingual in Spanish which are both assets to the Basin and Arapahoe Sports. Very detail orientated and has become one our best sales people with a very positive attitude to all who enter Arapahoe Sports. Always goes the extra mile to ensure guests to the Basin have the best experience possible.

Brian Wenzel

Brian has been with us going on a year and a half now. Always comes in with a positive attitude and willingness to do and go anywhere needed. One of the best laughs in the business that goes along with great rapport with all guests. Consistency from Brian has been a joy to have at Arapahoe Sports.

Terrain Park

Josh Frontino

A Mazing, he is

A hard working employee

Josh is A Mazing

HR/Mktg

Bryan Brunvand

Bryan has really put a lot of effort into the growth of the housing program…. He is Consistent, Calm and Patient and loves making the employees happy in HR….He also called around and got all the schwag for the party TONIGHT!!! Thank you Bryan!

Accounting/IT

Kris Andresen

Legends FOH and BOH

Trevor Smith – Trevor is rocking over in Legends! It is his first season with us, and he is doing a wonderful job, keeps a cool head when it’s busy and works hard.

Mackenzie Moes – Mackenzie is overall A-Mazing! She is so easy-going and willing to take on any task given to her with a positive attitude.

6th Alley FOH and BOH

Rushane Russell – Rushane is with us for his second season. He is a team player, tries to help wherever he can and is always looking to make someone’s day better.

Melissa Lanza – Melissa is in her first season with us and has been a ray of sunshine! She comes in everyday with a smile and has a great attitude even in the toughest/busiest times.

Honorary F&B: (this is an additional A-Mazing award, per Chef)

Matt Young – Matt has become our honorary F&B team member. He consistently helps us when we are in a bind. He notices when we are busy and doesn’t hesitate to jump in to bus, do dishes, and generally be supportive. We all appreciate Matt and his efforts to the max!

BML FOH and BOH

Andy Moran – Andy has been crushing it this year. He is a new edition to the Food and Beverage crew. He is such an asset to our team. Hopping into a new position isn’t easy and he has done it with ease. We appreciate all that he does for us!

Noah Doherty – Noah has really shown us how much he wants to be here. He’s always asking questions, and asking how he can do better. He’s always making us laugh and were so happy to have him!

Safety

Mary Corrigan

On 1-12-2023 Mary was exiting the Aframe through the back kitchen door at approximately 8 pm when she noticed a glow coming from behind the recycle dumpsters. In passing she thought it was a barricade light that was on but as she walked by she smelled raw and spent propane. She turned around and walked back to see a flame coming out of the piping behind the evaporator. She tried to call me but I did not have my phone with me. She then immediately called 911. In response came 6 fire engines 2 ambulances and a couple fire dept. pickup trucks. The highway was closed and the fire department took control of the situation. Once I got home and found my phone ringing off the hook I came up to the Basin so Mary could leave but she stayed with me until the building was cleared and the fire crews left at about 1am. Hopefully others would have noticed and done the same but her timely reaction helped to avert other danger from the 3000 lb. propane tank located nearby. Her senses kicking in of sight and smell potentially saved the area from potential catastrophic damage.

Sustainability

Lindy Bickel has been such an advocate with our sustainability efforts up here. She digs through the trash everyday looking for recycling and glass. She uses every single inch of the receipt paper instead of just subbing it out for a new one. She is very conscience with her water use. She brings her own to go containers instead of wasting paper ones. She is my nominee!