Alpine Settings
Alpine skiing is a major industry and economic engine that defines the identity, life styles, and economic prosperity of large populations encompassing entire mountain regions. Issuance of a permit to operate a ski area on federal lands automatically alters surrounding natural environments, land uses and prices, stimulates jobs and population growth of local communities, and increases the need for enhanced transportation systems, utilities, and demands for social services.
Special use permits define the legal and financial arrangement between the federal government (land owner) and resort operator (permit holder) to establish a unified fee system, assign legal responsibilities, define allowable uses, identify administrative policies, and establish the terms and conditions under which the permit holder is allowed to operate on federal lands. As the key contact for many decades for major permit applicants, resort owners and their attorneys, and financial officers for the majority of ski areas in Colorado, I served as a key member of investigative teams formed to determine the financial qualifications and managerial capability of new and competing resort applicants. The special use permitting process requires unique skills to negotiate the legal and financial terms and conditions of each resort with the CEO’s and CFO’s of large international companies, high powered attorneys, tax advisors, and third-party lending institutions.
Management Skills
Alpine skiing is a major industry and economic engine that defines the identity, life styles, and economic prosperity of large populations encompassing entire mountain regions. Issuance of a permit to operate a ski area on federal lands automatically alters surrounding natural environments, land uses and prices, stimulates jobs and population growth of local communities, and increases the need for enhanced transportation systems, utilities, and demands for social services.
Special use permits define the legal and financial arrangement between the federal government (land owner) and resort operator (permit holder) to establish a unified fee system, assign legal responsibilities, define allowable uses, identify administrative policies, and establish the terms and conditions under which the permit holder is allowed to operate on federal lands. As the key contact for many decades for major permit applicants, resort owners and their attorneys, and financial officers for the majority of ski areas in Colorado, I served as a key member of investigative teams formed to determine the financial qualifications and managerial capability of new and competing resort applicants. The special use permitting process requires unique skills to negotiate the legal and financial terms and conditions of each resort with the CEO’s and CFO’s of large international companies, high powered attorneys, tax advisors, and third-party lending institutions.
Management Skills
Administration
A leader in policy formulation and implementation, financial and management capability, special use permits, and annual operating plans. |
Master Planning
A leader in creating long-term visions, translating them into realistic goals and objectives, and helping resorts achieve full potential at buildout. |
Landscape Architect
A leader in the pioneering development of landscape design tools to integrate architecture and resort design principles and objectives with natural resources and landscape aesthetics. |
Special Projects
A leader in special projects, resort liaison, financial reviews, confidential investigations, and reporting when third party consultants are the best solution. |
Endorsements
Erik Martin has prepared more ski area special use permits defining the terms of operation, boundaries, capacities and legal responsibilities of ski areas on public lands than any other individual. His professional skills as a landscape architect and ski area planner are showcased at numerous resorts throughout Colorado—where the location, design and appearance of every ski trail, ski lift, restaurant, road and ancillary facility had his input and stamp of approval before approval and construction. Erik is a national resource when it comes to ski area planning and administration—he is a gift to the public and a historic figure with a lengthy career as a significant sport builder in the Rocky Mountain Region.
—Pete Wingle, Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame 1993
Erik Martin has had more influence over the location, design, and capacity of Colorado’s ski areas than any other individual. His ability to persuade others of the need for terrain expansions and increased mountain capacities to meet future demand were critical to the growth of skiing in Colorado for many decades. His leadership and professional skills as a resort planner, combined with his administrative talents and persuasive personality had a major influence on the growth and expansion of the ski industry in the Rocky Mountain Region. Very few of Colorado’s ski resorts could have achieved the size and capacity they have today without his steadfast support and continuing influence promoting the expansion of new and existing resorts to meet future demands. His enthusiasm for the sport of skiing since attending school in Switzerland has been life-long and unwavering. His reputation for giving sound planning advice as a professional landscape architect is legendary. His leadership skills and persuasive personality are important reasons why he was selected to participate in the planning of the facilities for the 1976 and 2002 Winter Olympic Games. He was responsible for approving summer and winter operating plans for a dozen of Colorado’s major destination ski areas for many years. He has been a leader in providing national guidance to encourage thorough professional standardized procedures for preparing annual operating plans that can be legally supported.
The popularity and financial success of Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, Ashcroft, and Sunlight Mountain Resort and many others owe a significant portion of their success to the legendary contributions Erik made as a sport builder in the Rocky Mountain Region during the period of time (1969-2003) when the overwhelming majority of new resorts opened and the growth and expansion of existing resorts took place—eternal outcomes resulting from a lifetime of devotion forged by the love of skiing and an everlasting commitment to winter sports planning and administration, a job that he managed to do consistently, very well, and with sustained enthusiasm. The next time you ride a chairlift to the top of a scenic mountain in the Rocky Mountains or experience the thrill of powder skiing on a cold winter morning be sure to thank Erik.
—Paul Hauk, Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame 1982