Cole Lyon

Major: Marketing , Ski Business and Resort Management

Class of: 2019

Skiing became my sole passion from an early age. My senior year of high school I decided to graduate early and move to Mammoth Mountain, California to pursue my dream of freeskiing. This was a life changing winter that taught me a lot about myself. It helped me to grow up, made me some lifelong friends, and gave me some serious air time. It also made me realize that at the end of all my skiing endeavors I should probably have something to fall back on. SNC was the only school that offered close skiing and had a campus located in the mountains.

“Here I can continue to compete as a freeskier on the the SNC Freeski Team, and go to school for something that really interests me – ski business.”

I’m certainly getting a different perspective on ski resorts in the ski business courses. Just looking at grooming and snow making, I was unaware of all the challenges for those departments. Snow making is incredibly intriguing. I think it should be considered a sort of science because of all the factors that determine if and how the snow comes out. It amazes me how much resorts nowadays rely on snow making, without it some years just wouldn’t be possible.

I’m creating ski videos here and there, and I’m also part of the school’s student marketing group. We want to use our knowledge of what appeals to us to help market the school better and drive enrollment. . . And I’m trying to have as much fun as possible.

After the snow melts I do have some other favorite activities: climbing, hiking, fly fishing, wake surfing, relaxing on the beach. And I try to stay in shape for skiing by going to the gym regularly and training at facilities like Woodward at Tahoe.

At the end of the day, my parents and my intrinsic value of hard work inspire what I do here at SNC. I want to make my parents proud because I wouldn’t be here without their support. I want to show them that I do truly care about my future. I’d really like to see where life takes me while I’m young, so I’m not quite sure where I’m headed just yet. Although, one day I do hope to settle down and work for a marketing department in the ski industry.

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