Vibe-Winter-2425 - Flipbook - Page 46
zine in 1982. A writer from the magazine was doing a story on
the “Beast of the East” and bought a photo of Theriault skiing
there, a picture shot by his friend Bob Grant.
In a typical winter, Theriault would be on the trails seven
days a week, either teaching or skiing, at Wildcat, Jackson, or at
Black Mountain for the ESSC. But not this year. While he’s pretty
much recovered from being sideswiped by a car while riding his
bike in July, Theriault has been dealing with a torn retina, which
affects his depth perception in certain light. As such, he says he
won’t be teaching at Wildcat this season.
Karen Dolan @Cranmore
If ever there was a child of Cranmore, it’s Karen Dolan. She
has lived near the resort for most of her life, and as she puts
it, “started sliding on snow” there with a family friend when
she was 2 years old. She learned to ski and race in the Hannes
Schneider Ski School. With her six siblings, she took lessons on
weekends and during vacations and skied on the South Slope
at night with friends. Dolan knew when she was 13 that she
wanted to become an instructor.
“I was certain there would never be a job so rewarding,”
she said. “I followed my passion for sliding on snow and was in
“I made the choice to work in the ski
industry and it’s the best job in the world,”
she said. “My staff are wonderful, and they
make me look good.”
the right place to be at the forefront of our industry with great,
innovative people—and never looked back.”
She started teaching the winter of 1971-1972 at Cranmore,
moved to Vail, Colo., from 1973 to 1975, and returned to Cran46
more in 1975. She is now director of snow sports at the resort
and has been involved in the ESSC junior program for 40 years.
Dolan enjoys teaching kids, ages 2 to 6, to give them a good
start on snow. She also likes teaching teens to be instructors. “I
have many who have worked for me in high school and college
and are now bringing their kids back to learn.”
Her two daughters grew up in Cranmore programs, and
Dolan now skis with her granddaughter and grandson. She’s at
the mountain most days, usually making a few runs, and occasionally teaching a lesson. After the season ends at Cranmore,
Dolan might take a ski trip out West. Last winter, she spent a
week at Crested Butte, where she had not skied since graduating from Western State Colorado University.
For Dolan, the best part of teaching has been watching
students’ excitement as they become confident skiers. She sees
it as enhancing people’s lives.
“I made the choice to work in the ski industry and it’s the
best job in the world,” she said. “My staff are wonderful, and
they make me look good.”
Bruce Grubb @Cranmore
Bruce Grubb is one of those people. A native of Pennsylvania,
he first came to North Conway when he was 12 years old—and
remembers taking the old skimobile lift up Cranmore. His
future mother-in-law lived in town, and after marrying his wife
in the late 70s, the couple moved to North Conway. “I loved it
there,” Grubb said. “I loved New England.”
He got his start as an instructor with a college buddy in
the Poconos, and moved to Breckenridge, Colo., for a couple
years. In his first year living in the Mt. Washington Valley, Grubb
taught at Black Mountain. For 39 of his 46 years as an instructor, he’s been at Cranmore.
Like other longtime instructors, Grubb has taught all ages,
but these days prefers working with adults. He feels kids are
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