Podcasts about Saddleback

What comes to mind when you think about surrendering? Do you feel like it's showing weakness? Giving up? Failure? Join Andy Petry, Landing Director for Celebrate Recovery, as he and a CR brother explore this critical component of our recovery.

Mental health challenges are real and they're common. It has been reported that 1 in 5 adults experience some form of mental illness in a given year, and nearly 1 in 5 children have some type of serious mental illness. Kay Warren discusses how we can support individuals struggling with mental health challenges and their loved ones. Kay cofounded Saddleback Church with her husband, Rick Warren.  After the death of her son, Matthew, who lived with serious mental illness for most of his life, she founded Saddleback's Hope for Mental Health Initiative as a way to support individuals and family members of loved ones with mental illness and suicidal ideation. In 2019, Kay started BREATHE, a ministry to support parents of children with serious mental illness. She is the author of several books including, Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough.

In leadership, the lines can get blurry when it comes to shepherding, loving, and guiding those that God has called us to lead through ups and downs of ministry seasons. In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will guide us through a conversation to help us understand the difference between leadership and guiding people toward the wholeness of health versus enabling codependency. Keeping things in the right order and not getting in the way of what God wants to do is so critical. Listen in and be encouraged. 

Enhancing Small Group Ministry: Insights from the Lobby GatheringIn this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladden and James Browning discuss the annual Lobby Gathering event in Southern California, which brings together small group pastors from around the world. The conversation highlights the inception of the Lobby Gathering, emphasizing the importance of practical networking over traditional conference sessions. The episode features insights from Brad Shank of Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), who outlines four key rhythms for creating vibrant small groups: eating together, doing life together, growing together, and serving together. Shank stresses the significance of these rhythms in fostering genuine relationships and spiritual growth, offering practical advice for making groups the best part of members' weeks by embodying the spirit of the early church. The episode encourages listeners to reevaluate their small group practices to foster environments filled with joy, generosity, connection, and mission.To take advantage of the early bird discount, head to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/events00:00 Introduction to the Lobby Gathering00:33 The Origin of the Lobby Gathering00:59 Mistake #1: Wrong Assumptions02:56 Mistake #2: Impatience04:29 Mistake #3: Defensiveness06:35 Insights from the Lobby Gathering08:12 Best Part of Your Week: Building Life-Giving Groups15:56 Four Key Rhythms for Small Groups19:32 Practical Tips for Group Leaders31:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts ★ Support this podcast ★

Have you ever wondered about the purpose and mission of our one day training conferences? Sometimes we forget that it's more than just gathering information, and it's bigger than just training in our craft in ministry. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, takes the microphone on the road to talk to people just like you at a local training conference. Be encouraged as you listen to some life-change stories and little nuggets of hope . 

Honesty is one of the biggest components of a sound, lasting recovery. If the enemy wanted to sabotage my recovery, one of the ways that he would get to me is by convincing me that honesty will lead to destruction in my life. Listen in as Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews two Celebrate Recovery leaders - Andy and Hudson - as they unpack this important topic.

What do we do when we find ourselves in a dark, hopeless and helpless place? Can change really happen even from the inside of a prison cell? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews Patrick as he shares part of his powerful story from hopelessness in prison to a life full of hope and purpose through Celebrate Recovery Inside and, now, outside. Patrick is a part of Calvary Christian Church in Lynnfield, MA, where Celebrate Recovery meets on Tuesdays at 6:30pm. Childcare provided. Be sure to visit him and his local CR!

One of the most lethal ways the enemy might sabotage our recovery is through isolation. But what are some of the specific ways we isolate and what are the costs? How can we be harmed through isolation? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will unpack the ways that isolation can cost us and keep us from living the newfound life in Christ as we celebrate our recovery.

3 mistakes to avoid with your Lead or Supervising PastorMistake #1: Wrong assumptionsIn the middle of a difficult moment with leadership relationships, it is very easy to assume the worst about them. A Christian counselor friend once said, “When we assume the motives of someone else we are wrong most of the time.” I have learned this is very true.We often forget is what it's like to be in their shoes. Remember when others misjudged you? What did you want from them? What did you wish for? It might be a good exercise to make a list of what you remember as a starting point for making changes in your relationships.The danger of assigning motives, of assuming someone's intent, is we never know all the facts. They maybe new to the church? To the role? To you? They come with their own often un-named values, beliefs, and assumptions about what we, their leadership, should or should not do. It's very complicated.The temptation is always to side with your own beliefs, to assume you are correct, because we know them…or think we do. But God is clear when He says, “You shall not be partial in judgment … For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty and the awesome God, who is not partial …” (Deuteronomy 1:17; 10:17). Meaningful relations can't happen if we are assuming the worst or assigning blame without knowing all the data. And we will rarely have all the facts.Conclusion: Choose to believe the best. Ask God to give you His love and grace and to help you give grace, expecting nothing in return. You will never know the full impact of the Lead Pastor world! Help them see you as a “friend” not a “foe”.Mistake #2: ImpatienceWe've had a lifetime to get to know our ministry, but when it comes to being the Lead Pastor…not so much. It's all too easy to impatiently expect these relationships to gel perfectly. Relationships take time … lots of time with many investments of grace, love, and patience. There are so many factors to consider—working styles, age gaps, passion gaps, interest gaps, etc.Often what helps me in impatience is to know, that through PRAYER, God can make things go far faster than I can. Simple, huh? Along with that, you need to be good for your church. You are part of the team to help, not just have your way. You need to show up, but not throw up!Basically, be what a friend taught me, “Be a good General, not a bad General”. A bad General takes their assignment and does whatever higher ups tell them. A good General will assess the situation, give their advise and then execute on whatever leadership decides. If you feel it is wrong, PRAY, God will course correct.Conclusion: We are only responsible to suggest and pray.. God is more than able to work His will in their lives without our help. Our job now is to be patient with the process and trust Him to do the work. SOMETIMES God is working in the background and doesn't tell us! LOLMistake #3: DefensivenessWhen a Lead Pastor points out a flaw he or she sees in us, it hurts. Our natural inclination is to be defensive, to explain our position and how hard we tried to do our best rather than just apologize and say, “I'm so sorry that hurt you so much or wasn't done the way you expected.” We forget so easily that we are all flawed, broken people and no pastor is perfect. So why are we surprised when stuff happens and people give us issues?This next statement isn't natural but … instead of having defensiveness of those of we serve (our Lead Pastor), we should be grateful for the opportunity to mend and apologize for the mistakes we make! Even if it was 100% unintentional. Modeling an apologetic heart and seeking forgiveness will open the door for you to do the same with those that serve under you (staff or volunteer). A friend once said, “Seeing a flaw in ourselves is a joy because we now have the opportunity to be rid of it.” It takes maturity and humility to see our shortcomings this way, but it's liberating.Only when we own our mistakes and admit where we failed leadership will we grow rich relationships with them and church leadership. The truth is always your friend.Only humility produces the beauty of meaningfully deep relationships. And continually acknowledging our own shortcomings and failures before God makes beautiful our lives in the greater body of Christ. It's been quite a journey at Saddleback Church since March of 1998. I've known lots of misunderstandings and mistakes. Thankfully I've known forgiveness too. I love our church so much, including the staff and people LOL. Each difficulty brings uniqueness which challenges us to a greater faith, and that is always good.He's got us, He's got our ministry and He's got our Lead Pastor too!  ★ Support this podcast ★

Medications can sometimes be necessary for overall health, and we should never shame one another for this. Sometimes it can be a necessity for many people struggling with a variety of different mental health and physical complications and struggles in their lives. Consulting and following a doctor's recommendations - along with listening to and knowing your own body is an essential part of our journey. But what do you do when your body is saying it's time to move away from medication? In this episode we will hear from Keith as he takes us through his own journey of moving away from benzos (a common shorthand for benzodiazepines). Listen in as Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews Keith about his life-change story and journey through detox and recovery from benzos.

In today's episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, continues his discussion with Andy regarding the different tactics the enemy uses to try to sabotage our recovery through our relationships. Part 2 of this series takes us deeper into how we can be more aware of the enemy's schemes and how to combat them with Jesus' power.

Send us a textThis week's episode we recap the lessons we learned from the 2025 racing season. We reflect on the progress we made and the challenges we faced along the way. With one final race left, we're excited to see who will be crowned King of the Mountain this weekend at Saddleback, Maine. WWR Intro #1 W/ Music

The enemy can be deceiving and very sneaky in finding different ways to try to sabotage our recovery. It's interesting and scary to think about how the enemy might scheme to get us off track from the health and growth of our recovery process through a variety of different means. We're beginning a series talking about different ways the enemy might try to do this. In today's episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, visits with Andy on different tactics of the enemy we need to be aware of and how we can combat them in God's power.

In this episode of The Make, Trevor DeVage welcomes back guest John Cassetto—former Saddleback pastor, worship leader, and Kingdom builder—to talk about what happens when Jesus ruins your ordinary and invites you into extraordinary purpose. From preaching four services to spontaneous moments of worship and real conversations about revival, church culture, and the freedom found in following Jesus, this episode captures the heartbeat of Pantano and the power of surrender. Whether you're a seasoned believer or new to faith, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to keep asking: “What's my next step?”Instagram @johncassetto

What is the purpose behind Step 3 & Principle 3? Coming to this place of "making a decision" or consciously choosing to commit all of our life to His care and control is a life-changing step for all of us. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews a brother in Christ, Andy, to hear the direct impact of applying this important step of the process to our heart and life. What is the fruit that can come from applying this principle and step to our recovery journey? You'll discover the answer as you hear's Andy's story.

Sign up for the Lobby Gathering: Small Group Conference May 13-15th in Southern California at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/Food and lodging are included! Spring Cleaning for Small Group Ministry: The 5 Ks with Steve GladenIn this episode of FG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups from Saddleback Church, shares insights from his 25+ years of experience to help listeners enhance their small group ministries. Joined by Derek, Steve discusses 'The 4 Ks of Small Group Ministry Spring Cleaning': Kinship with leaders, Keeping clean data, Knowing your playbook, Kindling leadership, and Kicking spiritual butt. They emphasize the importance of building deeper relationships with leaders, maintaining accurate data, ensuring everyone understands the group's playbook, fostering leadership pathways, and ultimately achieving ministry victories. Tune in for practical advice to rejuvenate your small group ministry.00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:25 Personal Updates and Moving Challenges01:46 Spring Cleaning in Small Group Ministry03:02 The Four Ks of Small Group Ministry03:20 Kinship with Leaders07:42 Keep Clean Data10:50 Know Your Playbook12:50 Kindle Leadership16:56 Final Thoughts and The Fifth K18:30 Conclusion and Farewell ★ Support this podcast ★

The Bible talks a lot about salvation, or our need to be saved. Jesus is the promised savior and the central tenet of the Gospel is it is faith in Jesus that saves you from your sin. All of this is, of course, true, and if you were to ask the average Christian what it means to be saved they would likely say that their faith in Jesus saves them from hell and gives them an eternity in heaven. Again, this is not wrong. But, it is incomplete. Salvation is far deeper, far more encompassing, and far more miraculous than we typically consider it. This is the goal of this “mysteries of the faith” series: to take a topic that we think we understand and dig a little deeper. To help guide us in the topic of salvation is Pastor Buddy Owens. Buddy is a teaching pastor at Saddleback and has been on this podcast many times. In this conversation Buddy and I talk about what happened on the cross, how salvation is more than just a saving from something, what it means to live out your salvation, and look to answer some of the most pressing questions people have about salvation. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Resources Related to This Episode:Buddy Owens: The Filling of the Holy Spirit - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uNk38Sug12hMTG4vrlbwmRGaW9Edn8Q6/view?usp=drive_linkRelated Doable Discipleship Episodes:Easter Eternal - https://youtu.be/OGxyaR2jl0oMysteries of Faith: Prayer - https://youtu.be/9rFBmBKiNxIMysteries of Faith: Union with Christ - https://youtu.be/U1MkOvTKvd0Living Hope with Phil Wickham - https://youtu.be/1U_aetP2H0MLonging for Joy with Alastair Sterne - https://youtu.be/HNXAl4wTmIcMusic, Story, and Experience with Luke Smallbone - https://youtu.be/6I-ayiHn7TwNavigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasALiving Out of Overflow - https://youtu.be/aBKXbHf0X0sLiving with Hope in the Midst of Struggle - https://youtu.be/99Nki49V0fI

So, I've had a spiritual experience. Now what? Are Principle 8 and Step 12 just as critical as the other 11 Steps and 7 Principles in the recovery journey? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, walks us through answering the question, “Why should I work these principles?” Is it “busy work” or far more important than we think?

In this Episode Derry Breaks down 3 principles to avoiding burnout. From Self-Awareness, to Working Genius to Sabbathing Well this episode has it all! Derry's take on Vacationing is worth the entire episode.

Is working these Steps just a bunch of busy work? Why should we live out and practice Step 11 and Principle 7 of the recovery journey? In this episode Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will walk us through some important reasons why this Step and Principle are so essential to the recovery process in Celebrate Recovery.

We continue our series answering the question, “Why should I carry out these Principles and Steps?” Step 10 is such a vital part of the recovery journey. It blends beautifully with Principle 7 to help us build and grow some roots to help keep us from going back to what we came from. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will walk us through some important reasons why we should carry out this important Step and Principle of recovery.

In this episode, Jason sits down with Reward Sibanda, a pastor, speaker, and writer, a leading voice on fasting and a Pastor at Saddleback Church. Reward is known for his contagious joy, his deep love for the church, and his ability to bridge cultural gaps in ministry.In this conversation, Jason and Reward explore:How different cultural perspectives shape our understanding of church, community, and discipleship.The tension around megachurches and why large-scale ministry can still be redeemed for kingdom expansion.The recent Return Gathering at Saddleback and signs of revival across the global church.The spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits of fasting—and why this ancient discipline is crucial for leaders today.No matter your context, our hope is you would be strengthened and encouraged by this conversation today.BiographyReward Sibanda is a dynamic speaker, writer, pastor at Saddleback Church, and the Senior Director of National Church Engagement at World Vision, the world's largest Christian humanitarian organization. Renowned for his unique perspective and transformative insights that challenge conventional thinking, Reward thrives on empowering and challenging people from all walks of life to transcend limitations and pursue God's best for them. His ministry inspires many, and his book, How to Fast, offers a powerful guide to rejuvenation. Reward resides in California with his wife Pam and son Silo.We couldn't do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠give⁠ towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.Join our Emerging Leaders Lab to connect with fellow pastors in their 20s and 30s, foster resilience and effectiveness in ministry, and learn from some of the brightest minds in the Church today. Applications close on April 1st!Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bible Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Guest NotesReward's WebsiteSaddleback ChurchHow To Fast—Reward's New BookReward's InstagramShow NotesWebsite⁠⁠Blog and Episode Write Up⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠Instagram⁠

In Step 8, we made a list. Now, in Step 9, we move into carrying out amends through direct communication with those who we've offended and we learn how to forgive and walk in grace toward those who have offended us. Why in the world would we want to carry out this important step? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrity Recovery, walks us through some important reasons why we need to carry out this important part of the recovery journey.

As we work principle 6 and step 8, one of the hardest parts of the recovery process is leaning into the space of grace through forgiveness and making amends. But one of the greatest keys to sustainable recovery and growth is the application and living out of this important part of the recovery journey. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews a sister in Christ, Renee. She shares an important part of her story and how this principle and step became life-changing and life-giving for her.

Equipping Small Group Leaders: Insights from Saddleback ChurchIn this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, shares his extensive experience to encourage and equip small group leaders. The episode includes the 'Saddleback Scoop,' highlighting the church's shift from fruitfulness to faithfulness, an approach to combat COVID-induced depletion by focusing on all four aspects of personal refreshment: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. The 'Network Nugget' segment introduces Saddleback's first online training course, Align, and discusses its positive impact on participants. Additionally, the podcast touches on new course releases, upcoming events, and the importance of maintaining various forms of personal well-being. The show wraps up with a focus on five emotional refreshments essential for small group leaders and members: support, stability, self-expression, significance, and satisfaction.00:00 Welcome to F G Squared00:19 The Saddleback Scoop: Refreshment and Recalibration07:03 Network Nugget: Align Learning and Cohort Strategy13:42 Leadership Learning: The Replenishment Cycle21:45 Trending Topic: Five Emotional Refreshments32:08 Closing Remarks and Resources ★ Support this podcast ★

In episode 272 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Philip Chase of  @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  and he schools me on J.R.R. Tolkien's philosophy of fiction, fantasy, faerie, speculative fiction, and more! Read Tolkien's essay here and you'll be supporting my podcast: https://amzn.to/3XvsEfi→Sponsors/Discounts Check out https://murdycreative.co/PARKERNOTES and use promo code PARKERNOTES at check out for 10% off your entire order!!Grab a Field Notes notebook or memo book wallet like the one from the video from my affiliate link here to support my work and use promo code PARKERNOTES for 10% off your entire order: https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/daily-carry-leather-notebook-cover?aff=44I'm finally a Saddleback affiliate so if you like their stuff buy something from my link and you can also support my work! Check out the catalog here: https://saddlebackleather.com/leather-moleskine-cover-medium/?ktk=d0pac01BLWJmZWY1MmZiYTFiJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA/joinJoin the Facebook group, Parker's Pensées Penseurs, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/960471494536285/If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_penseesIf you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Come talk with the Pensées community on Discord: dsc.gg/parkerspenseesSub to my Substack to read my thoughts on my episodes: https://parknotes.substack.com/

This step is perhaps one of the scariest parts of the recovery journey. It can honestly feel like too much to face on our own. So, why should we practice Step 8 and Principle 6 in the recovery journey? Is it really worth it? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will give us reasons why we should carry out this important step and principle for sustainability and longevity in our recovery journey toward healing and freedom.

In episode 271 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined once again to by Dr. Selmer Bringsjord. This time we discuss his argument for God's existence from the existence of a particular type of AI which has already been achieved. We then get into his Irreversibility argument against the idea that "cognition just is computation" which has implications for the project of phenomenally conscious machines. It's an awesome episode! Find Dr. Bringsjord's published papers here: http://kryten.mm.rpi.edu/scb_vitae_072024.pdf→Sponsors/Discounts Check out https://murdycreative.co/PARKERNOTES and use promo code PARKERNOTES at check out for 10% off your entire order!!Grab a Field Notes notebook or memo book wallet like the one from the video from my affiliate link here to support my work and use promo code PARKERNOTES for 10% off your entire order: https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/daily-carry-leather-notebook-cover?aff=44I'm finally a Saddleback affiliate so if you like their stuff buy something from my link and you can also support my work! Check out the catalog here: https://saddlebackleather.com/leather-moleskine-cover-medium/?ktk=d0pac01BLWJmZWY1MmZiYTFiJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA/joinJoin the Facebook group, Parker's Pensées Penseurs, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/960471494536285/If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_penseesIf you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Come talk with the Pensées community on Discord: dsc.gg/parkerspenseesSub to my Substack to read my thoughts on my episodes: https://parknotes.substack.com/

What does it look like to humbly ask God to help remove all of those shortcomings and character defects that may have been revealed through the recovery journey? Is there a purpose behind this important step, or is it just another part of the process to keep us busy? Why is this step essential toward the ongoing process of allowing God to purify us from all unrighteousness? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will unpack Step 7, and give us the important reasons behind the “why” in working this step. 

As someone who has experienced Jesus Christ's transformative power, it's amazing to see the difference it makes in our life! But what do we do once we've experienced it? Is the journey over? Or, does God have a bigger plan in the process for our life in what He does with that freedom? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will unpack this important topic regarding the things we need to be aware of as someone who has been set free, and the actions and tendencies that result in the life of someone who has experienced such an incredible gift.

How do we break generational dysfunction in our own family system? Are there things, mindsets, patterns, or habits that have been passed down to us that we have been repeating that we may be passing down to the next generation? Through Celebrate Recovery we have tools to face our family dysfunction and take responsibility for ultimately developing a new legacy and path toward freedom. Facing these things starts with us so that we can walk in true transformation and redemption through Christ. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will walk us through a great conversation around healing from family dysfunction toward healing.

This episode is a very special cross post from the Group Answers podcast. We are sharing in honor of the passing of Chris Surratt, a friend and brother in Christ who has impacted thousands of small group point people around the world. Thanks for taking the time to listen, and don't forget to check out Group Answers podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.Original Description:On this episode of Group Answers, Chris talks to Steve Gladen about why we should go after hard and soft data to know if our small groups are healthy and creating disciples. Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church. The post Group Answers Episode 235: Steve Gladen on Knowing Hard and Soft Data in Your Small Group Ministry appeared first on Adult Ministry.CLICK HERE to read the report from Lifeway Research about the state of groups. ★ Support this podcast ★

Kareena first heard about Step 10 in Principle 7 and was full of fear. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will invite us into a life-change story interview with Kareena as she walks us through the process of moving her heart to a posture of vigilance and growing into an understanding of the necessity of working this step and principle for ongoing growth and health in her life and recovery.

This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on Jan. 22. It dropped for free subscribers on Jan. 29. To receive future episodes as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe to the free tier below:Who* Travis Kearney, General Manager* Aaron Damon, Assistant General Manager, Marketing Director* Mike Chasse, member of Bigrock Board of Directors* Conrad Brown, long-time ski patroller* Neal Grass, Maintenance ManagerRecorded onDecember 2, 2024About BigrockOwned by: A 501c(3) community nonprofit overseen by a local board of directorsLocated in: Mars Hill, MainePass affiliations: Indy Base Pass, Indy Plus Pass – 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring ski areas: Quoggy Jo (:26), Lonesome Pine (1:08)Base elevation: 670 feetSummit elevation: 1,590 feetVertical drop: 920 feetSkiable acres: 90Average annual snowfall: 94 inchesTrail count: 29 (10% beginner, 66% intermediate, 24% advanced)Lift count: 4 (1 fixed-grip quad, 1 triple, 1 double, 1 surface lift – view Lift Blog's inventory of Bigrock's lift fleet)Why I interviewed themWelcome to the tip-top of America, where Saddleback is a ski area “down south” and $60 is considered an expensive lift ticket. Have you ever been to Sugarloaf, stationed four hours north of Boston at what feels like the planet's end? Bigrock is four hours past that, 26 miles north of the end of I-95, a surveyor's whim from Canadian citizenship. New England is small, but Maine is big, and Aroostook County is enormous, nearly the size of Vermont, larger than Connecticut, the second-largest county east of the Mississippi, 6,828 square miles of mostly rivers and trees and mountains and moose, but also 67,105 people, all of whom need something to do in the winter.That something is Bigrock. Ramble this far north and you probably expect ascent-by-donkey or centerpole double chairs powered by butter churns. But here we have a sparkling new Doppelmayr fixed quad summiting at a windfarm. Shimmering new snowguns hammering across the night. America's eastern-most ski area, facing west across the continent, a white-laced arena edging the endless wilderness.Bigrock is a fantastic thing, but also a curious one. Its origin story is a New England yarn that echoes all the rest – a guy named Wendell, shirtsleeves-in-the-summertime hustle and surface lifts, let's hope the snow comes, finally some snowguns and a chairlift just in time. But most such stories end with “and that's how it became a housing development.” Not this one. The residents of this state-sized county can ski Bigrock in 2025 because the folks in charge of the bump made a few crucial decisions at a few opportune times. In that way, the ski area is a case study not only of the improbable survivor, but a blueprint for how today's on-the-knife-edge independent bumps can keep spinning lifts in the uncertain decades to come.What we talked aboutHuge snowmaking upgrades; a new summit quad for the 2024-25 ski season; why the new lift follows a different line from the old summit double; why the Gemini summit double remains in place; how the new chair opens up the mountain's advanced terrain; why the lift is called “Sunrise”; a brief history of moving the Gemini double from Maine's now-defunct Evergreen ski area; the “backyard engineering degree”; how this small, remote ski area could afford a brand-new $4 million Doppelmayr quad; why Bigrock considered, but ultimately decided against, repurposing a used lift to replace Gemini; why the new lift is a fixed-grip, rather than a detachable, machine; the windfarm at Bigrock's summit; Bigrock in the 1960s; the Pierce family legacy; how Covid drove certain skiers to Bigrock while keeping other groups away; how and why Bigrock became a nonprofit; what nearly shuttered the ski area; “I think there was a period in the late ‘70s, early ‘80s where it became not profitable to own a ski area of this size”; why Bigrock's nonprofit board of directors works; the problem with volunteers; “every kid in town, if they wanted to ski, they were going to ski”; the decline of meatloaf culture; and where and when Bigrock could expand the trail footprint.Why now was a good time for this interviewIn our high-speed, jet-setting, megapass-driven, name-brand, social-media-fueled ski moment, it is fair to ask this question of any ski area that does not run multiple lifts equipped with tanning beds and bottle service: why do you still exist, and how?I often profile ski areas that have no business being in business in 2025: Plattekill, Magic Mountain, Holiday Mountain, Norway Mountain, Bluewood, Teton Pass, Great Bear, Timberline, Mt. Baldy, Whitecap, Black Mountain of Maine. They are, in most cases, surrounded both by far more modernized facilities and numerous failed peers. Some of them died and punched their way out of the grave. How? Why are these hills the ones who made it?I keep telling these stories because each is distinct, though common elements persist: great natural ski terrain, stubborn owners, available local skiers, and persistent story-building that welds a skier's self-image to the tale of mountain-as-noble-kingdom. But those elements alone are not enough. Every improbably successful ski area has a secret weapon. Black Mountain of Maine has the Angry Beavers, a group of chainsaw-wielding volunteers who have quietly orchestrated one of New England's largest ski area expansions over the past decade, making it an attractive busy-day alternative to nearby Sunday River. Great Bear, South Dakota is a Sioux Falls city park, insulating the business from macro-economic pressures and enabling it to buy things like new quad chairlifts. Magic, surrounded by Epkon megaships, is the benefactor of marketing and social-media mastermind Geoff Hatheway, who has crafted a rowdy downhome story that people want to be a part of.And Bigrock? Well, that's what we're here for. How on earth did this little ski area teetering on the edge of the continental U.S. afford a brand-new $4 million chairlift? And a bunch of new snowmaking? And how did it not just go splat-I'm-dead years ago as destination ski areas to the north and south added spiderwebs of fast lifts and joined national mass-market passes? And how is it weathering the increasing costs of labor, utilities, infrastructure, and everything else?The answer lies, in part, in Bigrock's shift, 25 years or so ago, to a nonprofit model, which I believe many more community ski areas will have to adopt to survive this century. But that is just the foundation. What the people running the bump do with it matters. And the folks running Bigrock have found a way to make a modern ski area far from the places where you'd expect to find one.What I got wrongI said that “hundreds of lifts” had “come out in America over the past couple of years.” That's certainly an overcount. But I really had in mind the post-Covid period that began in 2021, so the past three to four years, which has seen a significant number of lift replacements. The best place to track these is Lift Blog's year-by-year new lifts databases: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 (anticipated).I noted that there were two “nearby” ski areas in New Brunswick, the Canadian province bordering Maine. I was referring to 800-vertical-foot Crabbe Mountain, an hour and 20 minutes southeast of Bigrock, and Mont Farlagne, a 600-ish-footer an hour and a half north (neither travel time considers border-crossing delays). Whether these are “near” Bigrock is subjective, I suppose. Here are their trailmaps:Why you should ski BigrockFirst, ski Maine. Because it's gorgeous and remote and, because it takes work to get there, relatively uncrowded on the runs (Sunday River and Pleasant Mountain peak days excepted). Because the people are largely good and wholesome and kind. And because it's winter the way we all think winter should be, violently and unapologetically cold, bitter and endless, overcast and ornery, fierce in that way that invigorates and tortures the soul.“OK,” you say. “Saddleback and Sugarloaf look great.” And they are. But to drive four hours past them for something smaller? Unlikely. I'm a certain kind of skier that I know most others are not. I like to ramble and always have. I relish, rather than endure, long drives. Particularly in unknown and distant parts. I thrive on newness and novelty. Bigrock, nearly a thousand feet of vert nine hours north of my apartment by car, presents to me a chance for no liftlines and long, empty runs; uncrowded highways for the last half of the drive; probably heaping diner plates on the way out of town. My mission is to hit every lift-served ski area in America and this is one of them, so it will happen at some point.But what of you, Otherskier? Yes, an NYC-based skier can drive 30 to 45 minutes past Hunter and Belleayre and Windham to try Plattekill for a change-up, but that equation fails for remote Bigrock. Like Pluto, it orbits too far from the sun of New England's cities to merit inclusion among the roster of viable planets. So this appeal, I suppose, ought to be directed at those skiers who live in Presque Isle (population 8,797), Caribou (7,396), and Houlton (6,055). Maybe you live there but don't ski Bigrock, shuttling on weekends to the cabin near Sugarloaf or taking a week each year to the Wasatch. But I'm a big proponent of the local, of five runs after work on a Thursday, of an early-morning Sunday banger to wake up on the weekend. To have such a place in your backyard – even if it isn't Alta-Snowbird (because nothing is) or Stowe or Killington – is a hell of an asset.But even that is likely a small group of people. What Bigrock is for – or should be for – is every kid growing up along US 1 north of I-95. Every single school district along this thoroughfare ought to be running weekly buses to the base of the lifts from December through March, for beginner lessons, for race programs, for freeride teams. There are trad-offs to remoteness, to growing up far from things. Yes, the kids are six or seven hours away from a Patriots game or Fenway. But they have big skiing, good skiing, modern skiing, reliable skiing, right freaking there, and they should all be able to check it out.Podcast notesOn Evergreen Valley ski areaBigrock's longtime, still-standing-but-now-mothballed Mueller summit double lift came from the short-lived Evergreen Valley, which operated from around 1972 to 1982.The mountain stood in the ski-dense Conway region along the Maine-New Hampshire border, encircled by present-day Mt. Abram, Sunday River, Wildcat, Black Mountain NH, Bretton Woods, Cranmore, and Pleasant Mountain. Given that competition, it may seem logical that Evergreen failed, but Sunday River wasn't much larger than this in 1982.On Saddleback's Rangeley doubleSaddleback's 2020 renaissance relied in large part on the installation of a new high-speed quad to replace the ancient Rangeley Mueller double. Here's an awesome video of a snowcat tugging the entire lift down in one movement.On Libra Foundation and Maine Winter SportsBacked with Libra Foundation grants, the Maine Winter Sports Center briefly played an important role in keeping Bigrock, Quoggy Jo, and Black Mountain of Maine ski areas operational. All three managed to survive the organization's abrupt exit from the Alpine ski business in 2013, a story that I covered in previous podcasts with Saddleback executive and onetime Maine Winter Sports head Andy Shepard, and with the leadership of Black Mountain of Maine.On Bigrock's masterplanWe discuss a potential future expansion that would substantially build out Bigrock's beginner terrain. Here's where that new terrain - and an additional lift - could sit in relation to the existing trails (labeled “A01” and A03”):On Maine ski areas on IndyIndy has built a stellar Indy Pass roster, which includes every thousand-ish-footer in the state that's not owned by Boyne: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

We've done the hard work of Principles one through five, and now we come to the conclusion of identifying some of the character defects that may be keeping us from moving forward - fully and sustainably - toward healthy recovery. Working Step six & Principle five of Celebrate Recovery is a critical point in our journey. What does it look like to become entirely ready to remove those character defects? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will continue the conversation in answering the “why“ to working the Steps and Principles of Celebrate Recovery. 

As we walk this road to recovery, it is important to understand that the season we are in now will not last forever. God is doing something in us regardless of whether we see it or not. Learning how to organize and honor the season we are in - while holding onto hope for the bigger NEW season that God has in store for us - is so critical. In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, unpacks some of the differences between old and new seasons of recovery, and ultimately turns the corner on embracing and understanding the greater benefits of a new, purposeful season of recovery.

When we come to this part of the process where we admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs, it can be very scary and overwhelming. We've been answering the question, "Why would we ever do this?" In this podcast Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will unpack this important topic to give us oxygen for carrying out this step along with principle 4 to move us forward to the “what” of the recovery process.

We've been exploring the "why behind the what" of working the steps in recovery. And it's always good to hear about someone's personal journey through this process. In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will explore one fellow struggler's experience of working Step 4 and the hope and healing that can be found through it.

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve shares the four key steps that you will want to follow for a successful and strategic 2025 in regards to your small group ministry.  You don't want to miss this episode!BOOK: Planning Small Groups with Purpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Understanding the “why” behind step 4 and principle 4 is essential to facing this difficult and important step. Why would we openly examine and confess to someone we trust our own faults and the faults done to us? Why would we walk through the process of identifying our hurts, hangups, and habits? It's not an easy step, but it's so worth it. In this podcast Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, walks us through understanding why this is such an important step as we tackle the lessons in Book 2 of the Celebrate Recovery curriculum.

All the steps of Celebrate Recovery are so crucial to our growth and healing. However, this principle and step are extremely critical to sustainable recovery and not just sobriety. When we can understand why we do the work in Lessons 5 and 6 of Celebrate Recovery where we apply step 3 - consciously choose to commit all our life and will to Christ's care and control - it gives us oxygen to do what comes afterward. Join Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, as he has an important conversation around principle 3 and step 3 of Celebrate Recovery.

#193: Lance Witt is the Founder of Replenish. He has been leading churches and organizations for 40+ years.  He was the lead pastor for 3 different churches and then spent 7 years as an executive and teaching pastor at Saddleback Church in Southern California. During his years at Saddleback, Lance led the 40 Days of Purpose campaign.  Ultimately, both nationally and internationally, more than 25,000 churches also did the 40 Days of Purpose campaign. In 2007, Lance launched a ministry called Replenish, which is dedicated to “Helping people live and lead from a healthy soul.”  Over the last 15 years Lance has encouraged, challenged and equipped thousands of leaders through speaking, personal coaching LifePlanning, and writing books.Replenish… a resource for pastors and ministry leaders on doing ministry without losing your soul.High Impact Teams… a resource to catalyze teams to increased health and high-performanceYour ONE Life… this newest book releases in 2021 and is focused on helping people own, live and love their one and only life.For more information on Lance his books, coaching, or speaking check out replenish.netEnjoy the show!

Today, we sit down with Jay Kranda, the online pastor of Saddleback Church since 2013. As one of the pioneers of online ministry since the early 2000s, Saddleback has developed unconventional approaches to online church—challenging the conventional wisdom in fascinating ways.   IMPORTANT LINKS - Jay Kranda: https://www.jaykranda.com/ - Alpha Omega Digital Tool To Help Your Church: https://bit.ly/3DdCyLX - Online Church Is Not the Answer by Jay Kranda: https://www.jaykranda.com/mybook   THE 167 NEWSLETTER

Sometimes, life isn't tied up in with a pretty bow. Twelve years ago, Kay and Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life; Saddleback Church) lost their youngest son to suicide. In this heartfelt episode, I chat with Kay Warren about navigating the profound grief of losing a child and what to do when our hearts and minds are filled with “Why?” or “What if?” Kay shares her journey after her son Matthew's passing, revealing how her beliefs were shaken but ultimately strengthened–and how ours can be, too. This episode is for anyone who has lost a loved one or wants to help someone who has.  We explore practical ways to support ourselves or our loved ones through grieving, and Kay offers some fresh insights (ones you've likely never heard) about what to do and what not to do in seasons of grief, especially during the holidays.  Kay's story highlights the coexistence of joy and sorrow, reminding us that moments of happiness can aid healing and that mystery and faith go hand-in-hand. Tune in for a moving conversation on loss, love, and the balance of joy and pain in rebuilding faith. Xo, Donna   Listen in to learn more! (02:26) Understanding Grief and Healing (09:38) Navigating Overwhelming Grief  (14:27) Navigating Grief During the Holidays  (21:57) Understanding the Non-Linear Nature of Grief  (24:37) Embracing Contradictory Emotions  Connect with Kay Website - https://kaywarren.com/  Kay Warren cofounded Saddleback Church with her husband Rick in Lake Forest, CA, in 1980, where they served until Rick's retirement in September 2022. After the death of her son, Matthew, who lived with serious mental illness for most of his life, she founded Saddleback's Hope for Mental Health Initiative as a way to support individuals and family members of loved ones with mental illness and suicidal ideation. In 2019, Kay started BREATHE, a ministry to support parents of children with serious mental illness. BREATHE events include weekend respite retreats, online retreats, and free Zoom calls with mental health professionals. Kay is the author of Sacred Privilege: Your Life and Ministry as a Pastor's Wife, Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough, Say Yes to God: A Call to Courageous Surrender, and the coauthor of Foundations, a popular systematic theology course used by churches worldwide. Her children are Amy, Josh, and Matthew (who is in Heaven), and she has five grandchildren.   Donna's Resources:   Order a copy of my new book -  Healthy Conflict, Peaceful Life: A Biblical Guide to Communicating Thoughts, Feelings, and Opinions with Grace, Truth, and Zero Regret.    It is available anywhere books are sold– here is the link on Amazon.    If you need a helpful resource for someone exploring faith and Christianity or simply want to strengthen your own knowledge, you'll want a copy of my book, Seek: A Woman's Guide to Meeting God.   It's a must for seekers, new believers, and those who want to be more confident in their faith!   Connect with Donna    Instagram: @donnaajones       Website:  www.donnajones.org       Donna's speaking schedule:   https://donnajones.org/events/    

Having worked Principle 1 and Step 1, the next part of the journey is moving into Principle 2. When we can embrace the fact that we matter to God and He has the power to help us recovery, everything changes! Understanding the value of this principle and step is essential to building momentum and strength for what comes next in the process. Join Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, as he continues this conversation - guiding us through the wisdom behind walking through these CR lessons and principles toward healing.

In the Celebrate Recovery process, we walk through some core lessons that are attached to some essential principles of recovery. This can be so life-changing. Is there value in answering the questions and working through these lessons? Why does it take so long? Am I wasting my time? Is this just a way to fill up my time? Great questions! In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will walk us through the “why” to working principle one and step one of Celebrate Recovery towards healing and freedom. Understanding the “why” can lead to great oxygen to carry out the “what” - which is the recovery process.

This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on Nov. 30. It dropped for free subscribers on Dec. 7. To receive future episodes as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe to the free tier below:WhoMike Taylor, Owner of Holiday Mountain, New YorkRecorded onNovember 18, 2024About Holiday MountainClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Mike TaylorLocated in: Monticello, New YorkYear founded: 1957Pass affiliations: NoneClosest neighboring ski areas: Villa Roma (:37), Ski Big Bear (:56), Mt. Peter (:48), Mountain Creek (:52), Victor Constant (:54)Base elevation: 900 feetSummit elevation: 1,300 feetVertical drop: 400 feetSkiable acres: 60Average annual snowfall: 66 inchesTrail count: 9 (5 beginner, 2 intermediate, 2 advanced)Lift count: 3 (1 fixed-grip quad, 1 triple, 1 carpet - view Lift Blog's inventory of Holiday Mountain's lift fleet)Why I interviewed himNot so long ago, U.S. ski areas swung wrecking ball-like from the necks of founders who wore them like amulets. Mountain and man fused as one, each anchored to and propelled by the other, twin forces mirrored and set aglow, forged in some burbling cauldron and unleashed upon the public as an Experience. This was Killington and this was Mammoth and this was Vail and this was Squaw and this was Taos, each at once a mountain and a manifestation of psyche and soul, as though some god's hand had scooped from Pres and Dave and Pete and Al and Ernie their whimsy and hubris and willfulness and fashioned them into a cackling live thing on this earth. The men were the mountains and the mountains were the men. Everybody knew this and everybody felt this and that's why we named lifts and trails after them.This is what we've lost in the collect-them-all corporate roll-up of our current moment. I'm skeptical of applying an asteroid-ate-the-dinosaurs theory to skiing, but even I'll acknowledge this bit. When the caped founder, who stepped into raw wilderness and said “here I will build an organized snowskiing facility” and proceeded to do so, steps aside or sells to SnowCo or dies, some essence of the mountain evaporates with him. The snow still hammers and the skiers still come and the mountain still lets gravity run things. The trails remain and the fall lines still fall. The mountain is mostly the same. But nobody knows why it is that way, and the ski area becomes a disembodied thing, untethered from a human host. This, I think, is a big part of the appeal of Michigan's Mount Bohemia. Ungroomed, untamed, absent green runs and snowguns, accessible all winter on a $109 season pass, Boho is the impossible storybook of the maniac who willed it into existence against all advice and instinct: Lonie Glieberman, who hacked this thing from the wilderness not in some lost postwar decade, but in 2000. He lives there all winter and everybody knows him and they all know that this place that is the place would not exist had he not insisted that it be so. For the purposes of how skiers consider the joint, Lonie is Mount Bohemia. And someday when he goes away the mountain will make less sense than it does right now.I could write a similar paragraph about Chip Chase at White Grass Touring Center in West Virginia. But there aren't many of those fellas left. Since most of our ski areas are old, most of our founders are gone. They're not coming back, and we're not getting more ski areas. But that doesn't mean the era of the owner-soul keeper is finished. They just need to climb a different set of monkey bars to get there. Rather than trekking into the mountains to stake out and transform a raw wilderness into a piste digestible to the masses, the modern mountain incarnate needs to drive up to the ski area with a dump truck full of hundred dollar bills, pour it out onto the ground, and hope the planted seeds sprout money trees.And this is Mike Taylor. He has resources. He has energy. He has manpower. And he's going to transform this dysfunctional junkpile of a ski area into something modern, something nice, something that will last. And everyone knows it wouldn't be happening without him.What we talked aboutThe Turkey Trot chairlift upgrade; why Taylor re-engineered and renovated a mothballed double chair just to run it for a handful of days last winter before demolishing it this summer; Partek and why skiing needs an independent lift manufacturer; a gesture from Massanutten; how you build a chairlift when your chairlift doesn't come with a bottom terminal; Holiday Mountain's two new ski trails for this winter; the story behind Holiday Mountain's trail names; why a rock quarry is “the greatest neighbors we could ever ask for”; big potential future ski expansion opportunities; massive snowmaking upgrades; snowmaking is hard; how a state highway spurred the development of Holiday Mountain; “I think we've lost a generation of skiers”; vintage Holiday Mountain; the ski area's long, sad decline; pillage by flood; restoring abandoned terrain above the Fun Park; the chairlift you see from Route 17 is not actually a chairlift; considering a future when 17 converts into Interstate 86; what would have happened to Holiday had the other bidders purchased it; “how do we get kids off their phones and out recreating again?”; advice from Plattekill; buying a broken ski area in May and getting it open by Christmas (or trying); what translates well from the business world into running a ski area; how to finance the rebuild and modernization of a failing ski area; “when you talk to a bank and use the word ‘ski area,' they want nothing to do with it”; how to make a ski area make money; why summer business is hard; Holiday's incredible social media presence; “I always thought good grooming was easy, like mowing a lawn”; how to get big things done quickly but well; ski racing returns; “I don't want to do things half-assed and pay for it in the long run”; why season two should be better than season one; “you can't make me happier than to see busloads of kids, improving their skills, and enjoying something they're going to do for the rest of their life”; why New York State has a challenging business environment, and how to get things done anyway; the surprise labor audit that shocked New York skiing last February – “we didn't realize the mistakes we were making”; kids these days; the State of New York owns and subsidizes three ski areas – how does that complicate things?; why the state subsidizing independent ski areas isn't the answer; the problem with bussing kids to ski areas; and why Holiday Mountain doesn't feel ready to join the Indy Pass.Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewI met Taylor in a Savannah bar last year, five minutes after he'd bought a ski area and seven months before he needed to turn that ski area into a functional business. Here was the new owner of Holiday Mountain, rolling with the Plattekill gang, more or less openly saying, “I have no idea what the hell I'm doing, but I'm going to do it. I'm going to save Holiday Mountain.”The National Ski Areas Association's annual show, tucked across the river that week, seemed like a good place to start. Here were hundreds of people who could tell Taylor exactly how hard it was to run a ski area, and why. And here was this guy, accomplished in so many businesses, ready to learn. And all I could think, having skied the disaster that was Holiday Mountain in recent years, was thank God this dude is here. Here's my card. Let's talk.I connected with Taylor the next month and wrote a story about his grand plans for Holiday. Then I stepped back and let that first winter happen. It was, by Taylor's own account, humbling. But it did not seem to be humiliating, which is key. Pride is the quickest path to failure in skiing. Instead of kicking things, Taylor seemed to regard the whole endeavor as a grand and amusing puzzle. “Well let's see here, turns out snowmaking is hard, grooming is hard, managing teenagers is hard… isn't that interesting and how can I make this work even though I already had too much else to do at my other 10 jobs?”Life may be attitude above all else. And when I look at ski area operators who have recycled garbage into gold, this is the attribute that seems to steer all others. That's people like Rick Schmitz, who talked two Wisconsin ski areas off the ledge and brought another back from its grave; Justin Hoppe, who just traded his life in to save a lost UP ski area; James Coleman, whose bandolier of saved ski areas could fill an egg carton; and Danielle and Laszlo Vajtay, who for 31 years have modernized their ridiculously steep and remote Catskills ski area one snowgun at a time.There are always plenty of people who will tell you why a thing is impossible. These people are boring. They lack creativity or vision, an ability to see the world as something other than what it is. Taylor is the opposite. All he does is envision how things can be better, and then work to make them that way. That was clear to me immediately. It just took him a minute to prove he could do it. And he did.What I got wrong* Mike said he needed a chairlift with “about 1,000 feet of vertical rise” to replace the severed double chair visible from Route 17. He meant length. According to Lift Blog, the legacy lift rose 232 vertical feet over 1,248 linear feet.* We talk a bit about New York's declining population, but the real-world picture is fuzzier. While the state's population did fall considerably, from 20.1 million to 19.6 million over the past four years, those numbers include a big pandemic-driven population spike in 2020, when the state's population rose 3.3 percent, from 19.5 million to that 20.1 million number (likely from city refugees camping out in New York's vast and bucolic rural reaches). The state's current population of 19,571,216 million is still larger than it was at any point before 2012, and not far off its pre-pandemic peak of 19,657,321.* I noted that Gore's new Hudson high-speed quad cost “about $10 million.” That is probably a fair estimate based upon the initial budget between $8 and $9 million, but an ORDA representative did not immediately respond to a request for the final number.Why you should ski Holiday MountainI've been reconsidering my television pitch for Who Wants to Own a Ski Area? Not because the answer is probably “everybody reading this newsletter except for the ones that already own a ski area, because they are smart enough to know better.” But because I think the follow-up series, Ski Resort Rebuild, would be even more entertaining. It would contain all the elements of successful unscripted television: a novel environment, large and expensive machinery, demolition, shouting, meddlesome authorities, and an endless sequence of puzzles confronting a charismatic leader and his band of chain-smoking hourlies.The rainbow arcing over all of this would of course be reinvention. Take something teetering on apocalyptic set-piece and transform it into an ordered enterprise that makes the kids go “wheeeeee!” Raw optimism and self-aware naivete would slide into exasperation and despair, the launchpad for stubborn triumphalism tempered by humility. Cut to teaser for season two.Though I envision a six- or eight-episode season, the template here is the concise and satisfying Hoarders, which condenses a days-long home dejunking into a half-hour of television. One minute, Uncle Frank's four-story house is filled with his pizza box collection and every edition of the Tampa Bay Bugle dating back to 1904. But as 15 dumpster trucks from TakeMyCrap.com drive off in convoy, the home that could only be navigated with sonar and wayfinding canines has been transformed into a Flintstones set piece, a couch and a wooly mammoth rug accenting otherwise empty rooms. I can watch these chaos-into-order transformations all day long.Roll into Holiday Mountain this winter, and you'll essentially be stepping into episode four of this eight-part series. The ski area's most atrocious failures have been bulldozed, blown-up, regraded, covered in snow. The two-seater chairlift that Columbus shipped in pieces on the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria has finally been scrapped and replaced with a machine that does not predate modern democracy. The snowguns are no longer powered by hand-cranks. A ski area that, just 18 months ago, was shrinking like an island in rising water is actually debuting two brand-new trails this winter.But the job's not finished. On your left as you drive in is a wide abandoned ridge where four ski lifts once spun. On the open hills, new snowguns glimmer and new-used chairlifts and cats hum, but by Taylor's own admission, his teams are still figuring out how to use all these fancy gadgets. Change is the tide climbing up the beach, but we haven't fully smoothed out the tracked sand yet, and it will take a few more hours to get there.It's fun to be part of something like this, even as an observer. I'll tell you to visit Holiday Mountain this winter for the same reason I'll tell you to go ride Chair 2 at Alpental or the triple at Bluewood or the Primo and Segundo Riblet doubles at Sunlight. By next autumn, each of these lifts, which have dressed their mountains for decades, will make way for modern machines. This is good, and healthy, and necessary for skiing's long-term viability. But experiencing the same place in different forms offers useful lessons in imagination, evolution, and the utility of persistence and willpower. It's already hard to picture that Holiday Mountain that teetered on the edge of collapse just two years ago. In two more years, it could be impossible, so thorough is the current renovation. So go. Bonus: they have skiing.Podcast NotesOn indies sticking togetherDespite the facile headlines, conglomerates are not taking over American skiing. As of my last count, about 73 percent of U.S. ski areas are still independently operated. And while these approximately three-quarters of active ski areas likely account for less than half of all skier visits, consumers do still have plenty of choice if they don't want to go Epkonic.New York, in particular, is a redoubt of family-owned and -operated mountains. Other than Vail-owned Hunter and state-owned Belleayre, Gore, and Whiteface, every single one of the state's 51 ski areas is under independent management. Taylor calls out several of these New York owners in our conversation, including many past podcast guests. These are all tremendous conversations, all streaked with the same sincere determination and grit that's obvious in Taylor's pod.Massachusetts is also a land of independent ski areas, including the Swiss watch known as Wachusett:On PartekPartek is one of the delightful secrets of U.S. skiing. The company, founded in 1993 by Hagen Schulz, son of the defunct Borvig lifts President Gary Schulz, installs one or two or zero new chairlifts in a typical year. Last year, it was a fixed-grip quad at Trollhaugen, Wisconsin and a triple at Mt. Southington, Connecticut. The year before, it was the new Sandy quad at Saddleback. Everyone raves about the quality of the lifts and the experience of working with Partek's team. Saddleback GM Jim Quimby laid this out for us in detail when he joined me on the podcast last year:Trollhaugen owner and GM Jim Rochford, Jr. was similarly effusive:I'm underscoring this point because if you visit Partek's website, you'll be like “I hope they have this thing ready for Y2K.” But this is your stop if you need a new SKF 6206-2RS1, which is only $17!On the old Catskills resort hotels with ski areasNew York is home to more ski areas (51) than any state in America, but there are still far more lost ski areas here than active ones. The New York Lost Ski Areas Project estimates that the ghosts of up to 350 onetime ski hills haunt the state. This is not so tragic as it sounds, as the vast majority of these operations consisted of a goat pulling a toboggan up 50 vertical feet beside Fiesty Pete's dairy barn. These operated for the lifespan of a housefly and no one missed them when they disappeared. On the opposite end were a handful of well-developed, multi-lift ski areas that have died in modernity: Scotch Valley (1988), Shu Maker (1999), Cortina (mid-90s), and Big Tupper (2012). But in the middle sat dozens of now-defunct surface-tow bumps, some with snowmaking, some attached to the famous and famously extinct Borsch Belt Catskills resorts.It is this last group that Taylor and I discuss in the podcast. He estimates that “probably a dozen” ski areas once operated in Sullivan County. Some of these were standalone operations like Holiday, but many were stapled to large resort hotels like The Nevele and Grossingers. I couldn't find a list of the extinct Catskills resorts that once offered skiing, and none appeared to have bothered drawing a trailmap.While these add-on ski areas are a footnote in the overall story of U.S. skiing, an activity-laying-around-to-do-at-a-resort can have a powerful multiplier effect. Here are some things that I only do if I happen across a readymade setup: shoot pool, ice skate, jet ski, play basketball, fish, play minigolf, toss cornhole bags. I enjoy all of these things, but I won't plan ahead to do them on purpose. I imagine skiing acted in this fashion for much of the Bortsch Belt crowd, like “oh let's go try that snowskiing thing between breakfast and our 11:00 baccarat game.” And with some of these folks, skiing probably became something they did on purpose.The closest thing modernity delivers to this is indoor skiing, which, attached to a mall – as Big Snow is in New Jersey – presents itself as Something To Do. Which is why I believe we need a lot more such centers, and soon.On shrinking Holiday MountainSome ski areas die all at once. Holiday Mountain curdled over decades, to the husk Taylor purchased last year. Check the place out in 2000, with lifts zinging all over the place across multiple faces:A 2003 flood smashed the terrain near the entrance, and by 2007, Holiday ran just two lifts:At some indeterminant point, the ski area also abandoned the Turkey Trot double. This 2023 trailmap shows the area dedicated to snowtubing, though to my knowledge no such activity was ever conducted there at scale.On the lift you see from Route 17Anyone cruising NY State 17 can see this chairlift rising off the northwest corner of the ski area:This is essentially a billboard, as Taylor left the terminal in place after demolishing the lower part of the long-inactive lift.Taylor intends to run a lift back up this hill and re-open all the old terrain. But first he has to restore the slopes, which eroded significantly in their last life as a Motocross course. There is no timeline for this, but Taylor works fast, and I wouldn't be shocked to see the terrain come back online as soon as 2025.On NY 17's transformation into I-86New York 17 is in the midst of a decades-long evolution into Interstate 86, with long stretches of the route that spans southern New York already signed as such. But the interstate designation comes with standards that define lane number and width, bridge height, shoulder dimensions, and maximum grade, among many other particulars, including the placement and length of exit and entrance ramps. Exit 108, which provides direct eastbound access to and egress from Holiday Mountain, is fated to close whenever the highway gods close the gap that currently splits I-86 into segments.On Norway MountainHoliday is the second ski area comeback story featured on the pod in recent months, following the tale of dormant-since-2017 Norway Mountain, Michigan:On Holiday's high-energy social media accountsTaylor has breathlessly documented Holiday's comeback on the ski area's Instagram and Facebook accounts. They're incredible. Follow recommended. On Tuxedo RidgeThis place frustrates me. Once a proud beginners-oriented ski center with four chairlifts and a 450-foot vertical drop, the bump dropped dead around 2014 without warning or explanation, despite a prime location less than an hour from New York City.I hiked the place in 2020, and wrote about it:On Ski Areas of New YorkSki Areas of New York, or SANY, is one of America's most effective state ski area organizations. I've hosted the organization's president, Scott Brandi, on the podcast a couple of times:Compulsory mention of ORDAThe Olympic Regional Development Authority, which manages New York State-owned Belleayre, Gore, and Whiteface mountains, lost $47.3 million in its last fiscal year. One ORDA board member, in response to the report, said that it's “amazing how well we are doing,” according to the Adirondack Explorer. Which makes a lot of the state's independent ski area operators say things like, “Huh?” That's probably a fair response, since $47.3 million would likely be sufficient for the state to simply purchase every ski area in New York other than Hunter, Windham, Holiday Valley, and Bristol.On high-speed ropetowsI'll keep writing about these forever because they are truly amazing and there should be 10 of them at every ski area in America:Welch Village, Minnesota. Video by Stuart Winchester.The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 82/100 in 2024, and number 582 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

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