The Mount Washington Valley Alpine Education Foundation, a registered non-profit 501(c)3, was founded in 1982. For the past 40 seasons, ski racing has been thriving within Mount Washington Valley and beyond. 

As ski racing in the Eastern Region and New England continued to grow, it became apparent that the needs of U16 and U19 athletes were becoming increasingly difficult for local ski clubs to meet alone. A group of forward-thinking coaches, parents and ski area managers formulated a plan to restructure the Valley’s U16 and U19 athletes into one consolidated team. The concept provided an opportunity to form a true regional group, while leveraging Mount Washington Valley’s resources, with its numerous ski areas located in close proximity to one another. To this day, the MWVST remains one of the only organizations in the United States where athletes have the ability to train at multiple venues.

 

1986

Dave Gregory became the program director/head coach in the summer of 1986, when he confidently led the team into a sustained period of success. Meanwhile, the local ski areas were going through a period of considerable growth in the 1990s. The expansion of Attitash Mountain Resort’s Bear Peak was a notable addition to the growth of MWVST, with their construction of premier race trails on the creative, new terrain. 

 

2000s

Under Dave’s leadership, the 2000s saw multiple MWV alumni become NCAA All-Americans, USCSA All-Americans and US Ski Team members, among many other notable achievements. 

In 2012, the Mount Washington Valley Ski Team was the proud recipient of the USSA Alpine Club of Year award at an annual reception in Park City, Utah. An all encompassing, well deserved tribute to Dave Gregory’s legacy, hard work and commitment to the athletes.

 

2016 forward

In 2016 the club entered a new era, welcoming Michael LeBlanc, ten-year Head Coach of the Brown Alpine Ski Team, where he led the Bears to their first ever USCSA National Championship in 2012. A Plymouth, New Hampshire native looking to settle back into the White Mountains with his young family, Mike has cultivated his vision of a sustainable future for skiing and ski racing in the Mount Washington Valley by hiring new staff members, expanding training options and adding countless resources to the team.

In addition to the improvements within the U16/U19 program, the Mount Washington Valley Alpine Education Foundation now manages the Cranmore Race Team under the same not-for-profit designation. Though each team operates as a separate entity, MWV and CRT are now able to share resources when favorable for both programs. The end goal of this cooperative effort is to create a cohesive environment to foster ski racing development and opportunities here in Mount Washington Valley. 

 

Mount Washington Valley Alpine Education Foundation

Mount Washington Valley Alpine Education Foundation’s strength is found within its membership. The countless hours given by volunteers, families and staff, as well as the continued support from the Valley’s local businesses, has led to the continued success of the club. 

The collective passion for ski racing shared by club members allows the program to run championship events, hire world-class coaches and provide financial support for families in need, as well as operate at a much reduced cost for all of the athletes. Half of MWVAEF’s operating budget is fundraised annually, which allows the program to provide exceptional opportunities to all of the club families. 

The Mount Washington Valley Ski Team’s goal is to provide a high-performance environment where young athletes are able to develop their lifelong passion for skiing and ski racing, in the most reasonable and affordable way possible.