SAM Magazine—East Madison, N.H., Sept. 20, 2024—Shawn Taylor has been promoted to general manager of King Pine, N.H. Taylor, who started as a seasonal employee at King Pine in 1986 and has been year-round since 1996, previously served as the ski area’s assistant general manager.

During his time a King Pine, Taylor has contributed to nearly every aspect of the ski area, from ski and snowboard instruction to working in lift maintenance and snowmaking.

A press release about his appointment outlined a few of his priorities as he steps into the new role, starting with deepening the ski area’s ties with the local community. "For us, being a smaller area, it's all about community," Taylor said. "We want to continue growing as a community partner, making sure we remain a welcoming, family-oriented mountain."

Taylor also recognizes the growth in uphill travel, which King Pine has embraced, and has also joined the new Uphill New England Pass. “Just as with alpine skiing, we are a good starter mountain,” he said.

Other priorities include revitalizing King Pine’s Nordic program (“We want to open the trails to get back to where we were pre-Covid,” said Taylor), and reintroduce some ski school programs for younger participants. 

Taylor will also need to address the pervasive challenge of hiring seasonal staff, exacerbated by a shortage of housing in the area, which has prevented King Pine from pursuing the J-1 cultural exchange program. Instead, the ski area relies entirely on hiring locally. “We focus on hiring locals, whether they are recent high school or college graduates, retirees, or those seeking seasonal work,” Taylor said.

King Pine has 17 trails, 50 skiable acres, and 350 feet of vertical served by five lifts.