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Rainforest Recovery Center is seen during its final week of operation Wednesday as Bartlett Regional Hospital officials have said the residential substance abuse treatment program will close next Tuesday. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)

News

Giving up to $500K to expanding nonprofit rather than soon-to-close Rainforest Recovery gets Assembly nod

Gastineau Human Services hoping for eight new residential substance abuse treatment beds by Oct. 14.

Craig Cimmons, scheduled to become the new general manager of Eaglecrest Ski Area on Sept. 30, is interviewed by the Juneau Assembly on Aug 2. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

New Eaglecrest Ski Area general manager has lots of experience with bumpy terrain

Craig Cimmons, a manager at resort hit by massive owner fraud, says recovery made employees stronger

A skier stands atop a hill at Eaglecrest Ski Area. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

News

Two Eaglecrest Ski Area general manager finalists to be interviewed next week

One is a Vermont ski school manager, the other a former Eaglecrest official now in Washington

An employee performs maintenance work on a chairlift at Eaglecrest Ski Area in late June. (Eaglecrest Ski Area photo)

News

Eaglecrest gondola can be done on time and on budget, if features are scaled back, city manager says

“Goldbelt is confident they can sell that destination with a windbreak and some porta-potties.”

Juneau residents, including many current and former employees and leaders at Eaglecrest Ski Area, pack a room at the downtown public library for a meeting of the resort’s board of directors Thursday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Eaglecrest employees, skiers demand answers from board after ouster of general manager

Board offers few details about reasons during contentious meeting as search begins for new leader.

A crane unloads a car from a used gondola after its arrival in Juneau in 2022. Eaglecrest Ski Area officials say they are hoping the gondola will be operational by the 2025-26 winter ski season. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

News

Petition expresses concerns about future of Eaglecrest’s operations following general manager’s ouster

Group questions if ski resort will be ready for coming ski season, projects such as gondola delayed.

Dave Scanlan, general manager of Eaglecrest Ski Area, speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Finance Committee on April 13, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Dave Scanlan forced out as Eaglecrest’s general manager, says decision ‘came as a complete shock to me’

Resort’s leader for past 7 years says board seeking a “more office-process, paper-oriented” manager.

One of about 80 participants in the annual Slush Cup tries to cross a 100-foot-long pond during the final day of the season at Eaglecrest Ski Area on April 7. (Eaglecrest Ski Area photo)

Sports

Season full of ups and downs ends about average for Eaglecrest Ski Area

Fewer season passes sold, but more out-of-state visitors and foreign workers help weather storms.

Elias Lowell, 15, balances his way to the end of the pond during the annual Slush Cup at Eaglecrest Ski Area on Sunday, the last day of what officials called and up-and-down season. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Up-and-down season at Eaglecrest ends on splashy note with Slush Cup

Ski area’s annual beach party features ice-filled water, snowy shores and showboating skimmers.

A pair of skiers are among the first to board the Ptarmigan lift on the first day of the 2023-24 season at Eaglecrest Ski Area shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Eaglecrest Ski Area opens at last with fresh snow, early-season conditions

Skiers describe conditions as excellent, but ski patrol warns people to watch for hazards.

A crane unloads a car from a used gondola after its arrival in Juneau last year. Eaglecrest Ski Area officials say they are hoping the gondola will be operational by the 2025-26 winter ski season. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

News

Eaglecrest gondola needs more parts than expected as prices for them soar

Ski area manager says installation possible without extra city funds via ‘alternative procurement.’

People line up at the Ptarmigan lift on Sunday morning in the hope Eaglecrest Ski Area would begin limited operations during the day, but high winds prevented the lift from opening. The ski area is scheduled to begin its daily holiday schedule on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

Sports

Eaglecrest’s attempted ‘early’ opening Sunday blown by wind, but ski area expects to open Wednesday

Heavy snow prompts effort for limited weekend opening after delays, but high winds prevent lift use.

Eaglecrest Ski Area employees clear snow from a lift chair on Sunday, when conditions for opening by this weekend seemed promising. But warmer and wet weather this week means the bottom of the mountain is still not ready for operation, although Eaglecrest Grill will be open this weekend for people wanting to access snow on the upper part of the mountain on their own. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area.)

Sports

Eaglecrest won’t be open again this weekend — but its grill will be

Restaurant will be open for people wanting to hike to snow on upper parts of ski area, manager…

Scant patches of snow remain at the base of Eaglecrest Ski area on Wednesday despite snowmaking efforts that occurred during the weekend, due to warmer temperatures and rain this week. The opening date for the ski area, originally set for Dec. 2 and then delayed until Dec. 9, is now undetermined. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

News

Eaglecrest opening delayed again, target date now TBD

Warm temperatures and rain thwart efforts to open ski area on Saturday.

Fresh snow covers the surface of Eaglecrest Ski Area on Friday morning. General Manager Dave Scanlan said Thursday the plan is to open the ski area next Saturday. (Webcam photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

Sports

Eaglecrest manager says things look cool for upcoming season, despite delayed opening

Strong numbers for season pass sales, number of foreign student employees, business leaders told.

A light dusting of snow covers the ground at Eaglecrest Ski Area on Wednesday morning. The planned opening for the ski area has been delayed a week until Saturday, Dec. 9, according to General Manager Dave Scanlan. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

Sports

Eaglecrest delays scheduled opening by one week until next Saturday, Dec. 9

Warm temperatures and rain dissolved much of ski area’s snowpack, but cold and snow in forecast.

Mark Rainery poses for photo in downtown Juneau to help celebrate the recent showing of his collaborative DIY snowboarding film, “The Outliers,” which premiered at the Hangar Ballroom on Feb. 11. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

News

Not-so-easy rider: snowboarding movie featuring Southeast backcountry gets local premiere

A Q&A with Mark Rainery.

Winter sports enthusiasts set up for a run at Eaglecrest Ski Area. (Eaglecrest Ski Area)

News

Maybe it’s raining at sea level, but Eaglecrest is chillin’

Get up there. Good weekday conditions precede a rough forecast for the weekend.

“Historically bad” conditions have postponed the season opening of Eaglecrest Ski Area, said a spokesperson for the facility. (Courtesy photo / Charlie Herrington)

News

Eaglecrest opening on hold till weather chills out

Historically bad weather has postponed the opening until the temperature drops.

Eaglecrest Ski Area is preparing for a winter sports season in the time of the coronavirus with a planned opening date of Dec. 5, 2020. (Courtesy photo / Charlie Herrington)

Sports

Eaglecrest readies for winter sports season

Equipment rentals require prefitting with the supplier.