Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast

John Cumming’s passion for the outdoors and focus on balance led him to become a successful national resort owner including Snowbird and Woodward Park City.

Show Notes

Ever wonder what happened to the 'E' in POWDR, the owner of Woodward Park City and nearly a dozen resorts nationwide? You'll learn about that in the season two debut of Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast.

POWDRresort company owner John Cumming still has fond memories as a young boy of his father, Ian, scooping him up out of his bed late at night to head to their condo in Snowbird for a long weekend of family skiing. That passion he gained for the outdoors as a child formed his pathway for life as the owner of POWDR, a thriving family-owned resort company competing head-to-head with the likes of Vail Resorts and Alterra.

Today, Cumming owns Snowbird along with 10 other resorts across the country from Killington to Copper Mountain to Mt. Bachelor. His innovative Woodward Park City, a new gem amongst a host of national action sports centers under the Woodward brand, offers youth and adults alike with unparalleled action on snow.

In a rare interview to kick off Ski Utah's Last Chair podcast, Cumming talks in great detail about his childhood, his growth as a young entrepreneur, his feelings for his resort communities and the challenges brought on by the pandemic. He leaves no stone unturned, addressing the loss of Park City Mountain Resort as well as his own success in managing his life with multiple sclerosis.

His intense passion for the outdoors blends with the business acumen he learned from his father and from his own experience as one of the founders of Mountain Hardwear, a leading outdoor clothing and equipment company. His wisdom of resort operations comes from hands-on experience working at Park City Mountain Resort.

As chairman of POWDR, he oversees a unique outdoor company that is finding its way through the coronavirus pandemic with both skillful business direction and a high sense of compassion for both its employees and guests.

Want to learn more about John Cumming? Best ski run? Most challenging climbing route? Personal hobby? Favorite musician? Take a listen to season 2 - episode 1 of Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast.

What is Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast?

Ski Utah's new Last Chair will take you inside Utah's resorts for the story behind the Greatest Snow on Earth®. In a weekly series of audio features, host Tom Kelly will bring you behind the scenes with resort leaders, athletes and fascinating figures who are the stories inside Utah skiing and snowboarding. Whether you're a passionate local snow rider, or a guest to the Utah mountain landscape, you'll learn about mountain life through the stories of the men and women who shape the Ski Utah experience. Each Last Chair episode is 30-40 minutes, with insightful questions and fun anecdotal facts. As a career communicator, Kelly weaves stories with ease bringing listeners inside the mountain tales of Utah skiing and snowboarding.