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Aspen Skiing Co. names new mountain managers at Aspen Mtn, Buttermilk and Snowmass

Staff report

The retirements of longtime Aspen Mountain manager Peter King and Snowmass Mountain manager Steve Sewell created a domino effect of promotions by Aspen Skiing Co. on Thursday.

Skico announced that Susan Cross will move from her current position as mountain manager at Buttermilk to be mountain manager at Snowmass.

Travis Benson will be promoted from director of trails to mountain manager at Buttermilk.



J.T. Welden will move from Snowmass, where he is director of operations, to take over as Aspen Mountain manager.

Kevin Hagerty will remain in his role as Aspen Highlands mountain manager.




“This choice was made more difficult due to the high quality of the applicant group, but we feel that we landed on the best people for the jobs,” Katie Ertl, Skico senior vice president of mountain operations said. “The field was deep and strong, a testament to the quality of the individuals, and to the commitment of Aspen Skiing Co. to career development. I look forward to working more closely with Susan, J.T. and Travis in the coming years.”

Cross started her career in the ski industry at Sugar Bush, Vermont, working in special events and guest services. She joined Aspen Skiing Co. in 1992 in skier services. She was named guest service director in 1995. She was promoted to mountain manager of Buttermilk in 2011.

Benson has worked at Buttermilk for the past 12 years. He has spent the past six seasons overseeing winter trails and has more recently taken on supervision of summer trails and snowmaking. He was involved in chairlift installations at Tiehack and Snowmass’ High Alpine and he has worked closely with snowmaking installation. Benson also is the new head football coach at Aspen High School.

Welden started with Skico as a lift operator on Aspen Mountain and joined the Snowmass ski patrol in 1993. He also has worked with the trail crew, snowmaking and construction before taking over as Snowmass ski patrol director in 2003. Since 2008, he has been director of operations at Snowmass, which involves oversight of lift operations, patrol, lift maintenance, parks and pipe and summer operations.

Welden met his wife, Kelly, while they worked on the Snowmass ski patrol. They are raising three children in the valley.

King has worked in a variety of positions for Skico since starting as a ski instructor at Buttermilk in 1973. He was most recently Aspen Mountain manager since 2006.

Sewell started working on the Snowmass ski patrol in 1977. He has been mountain manager at Snowmass since 2006.