The New Guardians of Pomerelle

Ever since I first rolled into Pomerelle Mountain Resort again in 2017, I’ve discovered myself coming again many times. It’s not as a result of it has large vertical. It’s not as a result of it’s stacked with gnarly steeps. So what’s it? It’s the vibe and the good snowboarding they provide. Day in and day trip, they ship a high quality product on the mountain. One buddy summed it up completely after snowboarding it with me: “pleasant.” And he meant that in the very best approach.

You hear youngsters laughing and screaming with pure pleasure. The beer within the lodge doesn’t require a second mortgage. And the corduroy? Some of the perfect you’ll ski wherever. I’ll stand by that.

Ski areas like this have gotten more durable to seek out. That’s why it’s thrilling to see the legacy proceed, with longtime staff Zack Alexander and his spouse Crystal stepping in as the brand new homeowners. It feels proper. And it looks like Pomerelle’s soul is in good arms.

Quick Facts About Pomerelle

Vertical Drop: 1,000 Feet
Annual Snowfall: 500 Inches
Trails: 31
Acreage: 500 Acres
Pass Affiliation: Indy Pass
Closest Major City: Twin Falls (76 Miles)

From Ski School Kid to Mountain Owner

We had the prospect to sit down down with him to speak about his journey to turning into an proprietor, why he selected to tackle such a monumental problem, and what he envisions for the long run.

Raised on Snow

Born and raised in Paul, Idaho, simply exterior Burley and about 45 minutes from the slopes of Pomerelle, Zack grew up on skis. A real ski college child, he was virtually destined for it. His grandparents, Barry and Sheryl Whiting, directed the ski college program and had him on skis at only one 12 months previous, telling him to “get after it.”

All In on the Ski Life

Anyone who’s fallen in love with snowboarding or snowboarding is aware of the sensation. One day on snow and also you simply know… you’re hooked for all times. That was Zack. He KNEW he wished to be a ski bum and he’d do no matter it took. But he didn’t simply love sliding on snow. He beloved every thing concerning the ski trade.

From Dreaming Big to Doing the Work

As a child, he was already serving to former homeowners John and Jody Burrows with no matter wanted to be carried out. “They’re the reason I’m in this industry,” Zack advised us. He rode shotgun within the 3100 snowcat with John whereas grooming and stamped tickets with Jody within the workplace. At six years previous, he advised his mates he’d personal the mountain sometime. Most childhood desires fade. His didn’t.

He additionally adopted in his grandparents’ footsteps as a ski teacher, beginning at simply 14. And not simply any teacher. He turned the youngest ever Level 1 and Level 2 licensed snowboarder in his division and the one Level 3 below 25.

Earning His Turns By Getting Educated

Like any good son, he listened to his mother and father. Even although the mountains had been calling loud and clear, he determined to stage up first. He headed to Colorado Mountain College and earned a level in Ski Area Operations. While there, he didn’t simply hit the books. He chased steep traces and examined himself on a number of the gnarliest terrain within the nation, together with Crested Butte.

Finding His Way Home to Pomerelle

By the time he graduated in 2006, the large query was the place to plant roots. Tamarack close to McCall was booming and he thought laborious about leaping on board. Instead, he got here again dwelling for a season and labored alongside John once more.

And that’s when it hit him. His greatest days on snow had all the time been at Pomerelle. No matter how steep or flashy the mountain, nothing felt like dwelling the best way Pomerelle did. That’s when he knew. This wasn’t simply the place he grew up. It’s the place he was meant to be.

I Would Own Pomerelle One Day… Becomes Today

Over the previous 20+ years, he’s helped preserve this Mom and Pop ski space working easily, working nearly each job you possibly can think about. “I have a passion for this place,” Zack advised us. And you possibly can really feel it.

In October 2023, the Burrows determined it was time to retire and go the torch. After watching what massive firms like Vail Resorts and Alterra have carried out to small ski areas throughout the nation, they didn’t need to put Pomerelle on the open market. They wished to maintain it native. Keep the legacy alive. Keep it in the neighborhood.

But turning a lifelong dream into actuality isn’t simple. Securing financing to purchase the mountain took a 12 months and a half. There had been loads of moments when it could have been simpler to stroll away, take a paycheck, and simply benefit from the snow. But to Zack, this was by no means only a job. “I know my guests by name. I know every employee by name,” he mentioned. “They’re not just numbers. They’re my extended family.”

Keeping Pomerelle Fun, Affordable, and Family Friendly

Zack’s mission is straightforward: Keep Pomerelle a household pleasant, reasonably priced mountain the place everybody, regardless of your funds, can hit the slopes. Lift tickets nonetheless begin at simply $55! That means the main focus stays on the mountain expertise. He’s all about delivering prime notch groomers, the proper timing, and professional snow dealing with. “All the same thrills without the frills,” Zack says. And it’s not simply the slopes. The lodge stays chill and reasonably priced too, with meals and beers that received’t break the financial institution.

What Does the Future Entail?

As Zack places it, each funding has to help the core mission: Keeping snowboarding reasonably priced for the area. And it’s working. Over the final ten years, the suitable product on the proper value has almost doubled their income. The infrastructure could also be stable, however it wants upgrades to maintain friends “on the lift, not standing in line.” On the horizon, Zack is taking a look at few different alternatives for much more enjoyable for everybody on the mountain. 

While Zack would possibly solely hit the slopes these days 5 days a 12 months, he’s nonetheless residing the ski bum way of life each single day, surrounded by snow and the mountain vibe. His stoke has shifted. Now it comes from seeing the grins on folks’s faces once they make their first turns and listening to the pure pleasure of children racing their mates down his completely groomed corduroy. And when you do come go to, you should definitely say hello to the brand new homeowners Zack and Crystal Alexander.

It’s Always Been About Family

It isn’t simply concerning the snowboarding both. It’s the place he discovered the love of his life – his spouse of 16 years, Crystal, when she was an teacher at Pomerelle. Both of them don’t see Pomerelle as only a ski space however relatively a neighborhood and this wouldn’t be even attainable with out her. Crystal feels very a lot the identical approach about this particular place. They aren’t simply married however the excellent companions in life and in enterprise. In addition to managing every thing from accounts all the way down to the tiniest of particulars, she additionally homeschools their 4 youngest kids. And he mentioned,

“I definitely couldn’t and wouldn’t want to do it without Crystal’s support and that my kids are as diehard skibums as I was. My family is the reason I’ve stayed. They have sacrificed everything for years to allow me to chase my dreams. And now we get to do it together.”

If you’re feeling burnt out on what the ski trade has develop into and want a spot to recharge, a visit up excessive into the Albion Mountains is what you want. Pomerelle isn’t making an attempt to be something it’s not. At its coronary heart, it’s a neighborhood ski hill and for many people, that’s precisely what we’d like. It’s the proper spot to reconnect with the enjoyment of snowboarding, recharge your soul, and get stoked for no matter journey comes subsequent, whether or not that’s chasing powder on the Powder Highway or heading east to Grand Targhee.