Whistler’s Roger McCarthy is one of this year’s inductees to the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame, recognition of a sprawling career that saw him usher snowsports forward in Whistler, Quebec, Colorado, and beyond.
“Roger’s length and breadth of scope over his 50‑year career, in multiple countries, and multiple languages, but most significantly in Canada, has had a remarkable impact on the ongoing growth and development of snowsports that will continue to benefit the industry through the future,” wrote fellow Canadian Ski Hall-of-Famer Hugh Smythe, who was pivotal in the development of Whistler Blackcomb, in his nomination form.
McCarthy, 73, was nominated in the “Builder” category, and is one of 10 inductees to the 2023 Hall of Fame class.
“Being inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame has such great meaning to me,” McCarthy said in his pre-taped acceptance speech, which was shared with Pique ahead of the Nov. 17 induction ceremony in Montreal. “Coming to Canada to ski when I was just 22, and getting a job as a liftie at Whistler, I certainly never dreamed that I would be blessed to have the amazing and fulfilling career that I have enjoyed—or that I would be receiving such a huge honour all these years later.”
Humble beginnings
A native of Auckland, New Zealand, McCarthy grew up skiing Mount Ruapehu on his father’s hand-made, fibreglass-wrapped wooden skis, quickly developing a passion for the sport. It was at Ruapehu that a young McCarthy first heard stories and saw grainy Super 8 footage of Whistler Mountain, the upstart, rugged ski resort even then known for its spectacular terrain and jaw-dropping scenery.
Arriving in Whistler in the early ’70s, McCarthy first worked as a handyman at the Cheakamus Inn, before landing a job as a lift operator on Whistler. It was there the Kiwi first met members of the mountain’s pro patrol, inspiring a career change, “especially after getting some chances to go on a few avalanche control missions with the patrol and carry around explosives,” Smythe said.
“When he first came on the Whistler Ski Patrol during the 1970s, as Patrol Leader I recognized him as a trustworthy and reliable team member,” said Chris Stethem in his nomination letter. “He was committed to the ski industry and soon moved into leadership roles in Whistler’s operation. The staff recognized him as a caring and fair supervisor who would listen as well as lead. He carried these qualities throughout his career.”
Through his drive and initiative, McCarthy was eventually appointed assistant patrol leader, then safety supervisor, and from 1979 on, held the position of safety and lift ops supervisor, from which he oversaw the construction of Whistler’s Peak Chair—“a formidable and very complex project,” Smythe said—as well as the construction of Pika’s, which tripled the size of the Roundhouse.
Impressed by McCarthy’s leadership, in 1990, Smythe offered him the director of HR position at Blackcomb Mountain, Whistler’s competitor at the time, a role he “excelled at,” Smythe said.
Turning around Tremblant
The following year, McCarthy was tapped by Intrawest for what was perhaps the biggest challenge of his professional life: turning around Mont Tremblant, the Quebec ski resort that, at that point, was virtually bankrupt and on the brink of collapse.
“Roger became the general manager and guided this great resort through a total renewal and renovation to become the top ski area in Eastern North American within five years,” wrote Whistler’s Paul Mathews, founder and CEO of Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners, in his nomination letter. “Under Roger’s guidance, the resort renewed and expanded quickly, and visitation year-round grew quickly, and he managed the resort into profitability within two years.”
Walking into Tremblant, McCarthy had to navigate a run-down ski area with equipment in disrepair and power shut off over unpaid bills, not to mention a “disgruntled and heavily unionized staff,” Smythe said. It’s testament to his leadership skills that he was able to ingratiate himself so quickly to his new employees, immediately buying slick new staff uniforms and implementing employee recognition programs.
“He made connections with staff at every level—crawling under snowcats to talk with the mechanics, and an open door: always available to meet with staff and discuss their concerns and ideas,” Smythe added.
McCarthy’s leadership evidently paid off: in 1994, Tremblant won the Prix Grande du Tourisme Quebecois, handed out for the best customer service in Quebec’s tourism sector, a dramatic transformation from only a few years before, followed by, in 1996, recognition from SKI Magazine as the No. 1 ski resort in eastern North America, an accolade it has won 22 times since.
Growing North American snowsports
After helping to revitalize the Quebec snowsport scene, in 1998, McCarthy relocated to New Jersey after he was promoted to a senior VP role for Intrawest’s eastern region, meaning he was now tasked with overseeing Blue Mountain, Mont Ste. Marie, Mountain Creek, Stratton and Snowshoe, along with Tremblant. It was there he became known for his ability to attract new people to snowsports, through a suite of learn-to-ski programs, ideal beginner terrain, and cutting-edge ski rental shops.
In 2000, Vail Resorts headhunted McCarthy to become the new COO at Colorado’s Breckenridge Ski Resort, where he forged closer ties with the Town of Breckenridge. Former Mayor Ernie Blake described him as “a gentleman to work with, and very savvy.”
Two years later, Keystone Resort was added to McCarthy’s responsibilities, putting him in charge of two of the most popular ski resorts in the U.S., both of which enjoyed significant growth under his leadership.
“Roger raised the bar on guest service levels at Breckenridge and Keystone, resulting in a significant increase in annual SKI Magazine rankings for both resorts,” former Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz was quoted in 2007.
In 2006, McCarthy assumed the role of co-president of Vail Resorts’ mountain division, which shared oversight of five resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Heavenly.
The following year, he departed Vail Resorts to take on a unique challenge: leading the development of Russia’s brand-new Rosa Khutor resort, the alpine venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Along with contributing to Russia’s successful Olympic bid, at Rosa Khutor, McCarthy oversaw the layout and initial construction of three gondolas; one high‑speed, six‑seater chair; a fixed-grip quad; two platter lifts; and several carpets—and he had to do it in a relatively short timeframe to be ready for the Olympics.
Back where it all began
After his time overseas, McCarthy returned to Whistler, his home away from home since 1972. In 2009, he enjoyed a brief stint at Tremblant, the resort he helped make, and which helped make him, filling in as interim COO through that holiday period until the position could be filled full-time.
Back in Whistler, McCarthy continued to give back to the community in various ways, volunteering for Whistler Blackcomb’s mountain safety team and serving on a number of boards, including at the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, where he was involved in the creation of the award-winning Whistler Spirit Program.
In 2011, he was elected to council, serving one term, bringing his well-honed insight and leadership to Whistler’s municipal hall.
In reflecting on his remarkable decades-long career, McCarthy summed up his motivation in the most McCarthy-esque way possible: it’s all about the people.
“There is no better way to spend your days—living and working in the mountains, giving guests a great experience, and working with people who share the same passion and enthusiasm,” he said. “This recognition belongs as much to all the people I have worked alongside through my 50 years in the ski industry.”
McCarthy is in good company with this year’s Hall of Fame class. Nominated posthumously is another ski-industry lumineer beloved by Whistler: the late, great freestyle skier Sarah Burke, five-time X Games gold medalist, 2005 halfpipe world champion, and dedicated coach, mentor and fundraiser for the sport she loved. Burke died in 2012 after a severe training injury in Park City, Utah.
To learn about all the 2023 inductees to the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame, visit skimuseum.ca.
