Shows / Epic By Nature
Epic By Nature
There are so many heroes in the story of Vail Resorts and in the ski industry as a whole. Those are the journeys that CEO Rob Katz explores on this podcast, while also tackling some tough questions, like crowding, labor, and accessibility. Joined by his Chief of Staff and the occasional guest, Rob dives into the values that guide our company, the decisions that shape our future, and the stories that inspire us to keep pushing forward.
Episodes
Epic By NatureRadical Hospitality: Right People, Right Place, Right Time
“Workforce Management” may sound like a dry topic, but it’s actually one of the most consequential factors in creating a great employee and guest experience…
- Epic By Nature
Epic Experience: What Comes Next
What brings guests back to a mountain year after year? In this episode of Epic By Nature, CEO Rob Katz sits down with his chief of staff to share why Vail…
Epic By NatureThe Strength of Our Network: What It Means for Employees, Guests, and Shareholders
For nearly two decades, our integrated network of world-class resorts has been at the heart of our success as a company. In this episode of Epic By Nature, CEO…
- Epic By Nature
Blazing the Trail: Pat Campbell and her Incredible Leadership Journey
Earlier this month, Pat Campbell—a trailblazing leader who has helped to shape our company and our broader industry—became the first woman to receive the…
- Epic By Nature
Predicting Powder: The Science, Stress, and Stoke behind OpenSnow
In this episode of Epic By Nature, CEO Rob Katz sits down with Joel Gratz, Founder and CEO of OpenSnow to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to…
- Epic By Nature
Mountain Myths: Separating Fact from Fiction
Our sport runs on passion—which means that sometimes, strong opinions can be treated like absolute truths. From “skiing is dying because it’s too expensive” to…
- Epic By Nature
From Lifts to Livestreams: Meet Skiing’s Next Generation
Our sport is at the beginning of a generational handoff—for the first time, a cohort of new skiers and riders are arriving to the mountains fully fluent in a…
- Epic By Nature
Belonging is Built: How to Welcome More People to the Mountain
In our latest episode of Epic By Nature, we’re building on the conversation we started earlier this season around how to make skiing and riding more accessible…
Epic By NatureWeathering the Weather: The Hidden Work of Winter
The start of the North American ski season has largely been a tale of two winters. While parts of the country saw historic early snowfall, the Rockies…
- Epic By Nature
Beyond the Bargaining Table: How Vail Resorts Thinks About Organized Labor
What does it mean to balance labor unions, employee needs, guest expectations, and community commitments? One year after the labor strike at Park City…
Epic By NatureRaising the Bar on Mountain Dining
Food is more than just fuel when you’re skiing or riding—it’s a core part of the fun. But as trends and expectations change, so too must the dining…
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Closing the Lift Ticket Gap: A Conversation with Industry Guru Stuart Winchester
In 2008, the Epic Pass revolutionized skiing and riding, delivering unmatched value for guests and long-term stability for the industry. But for those who…
- Epic By Nature
Why Olympian Nick Goepper Isn’t Afraid to Ski in Jeans
Making skiing and riding more accessible is an imperative for Vail Resorts—and a topic we’ll explore on Epic By Nature from multiple angles. In this first…
- Epic By Nature
The state of our business and the need to reimagine (again)
In the second episode of Epic By Nature, Rob Katz takes a hard look at Vail Resorts as it stands today, exploring the challenges, opportunities, and…
- Epic By Nature
Epic By Nature is back and so am I, why?
Rob Katz returns as CEO of Vail Resorts and revives Epic By Nature, sharing why he came back and what it means to lead the company today. In conversation with…
Epic By NatureNavigating Leadership Terrain
This episode of Epic By Nature share the story of leadership within our company, and is Rob Katz’s final appearance as our narrator. The leaders featured in…
Epic By NatureA Conversation on Inclusion: Henri Rivers, the National Brotherhood of Skiers
For the first time, we have invited someone who is not an employee of our company to join us in a conversation. Henri Rivers, is the President of the National…
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We Are Part Of The Problem
This episode of Epic By Nature explores the journey of several members of our company who are Black, Indigenous or other People of Color. Their stories are all…
- Epic By Nature
Part 1: The Decision - No Playbook. Navigating Through COVID-19
"No Playbook. Navigating Through COVID-19" explores in detail our company’s journey through the crisis that COVID-19 has presented. The first part "The…
- Epic By Nature
Part 2: The Impact - No Playbook. Navigating Through COVID-19
"No Playbook. Navigating Through COVID-19" explores in detail our company’s journey through the crisis that COVID-19 has presented. The second part "The…
- Epic By Nature
Part 3: The Future - No Playbook. Navigating Through COVID-19
"No Playbook. Navigating Through COVID-19" explores in detail our company’s journey through the crisis that COVID-19 has presented. The third part "The…
- Epic By Nature
Ski & Ride for Life
Right now across our Company, our ski and snowboard instructors – our pros – are opening up our sport and mountains to guests across North America. From child…
Epic By NatureThe Magic of Snowmaking
Right now across our Company we are preparing for the North American winter season. Keystone has already opened, in Colorado we had record snow fall in…
Epic By NatureThe Big Idea
The Epic Season Pass is the engine of our business, but once upon a time it was just an idea. Over a decade ago we drastically reduced the price of skiing when…
Epic By NatureIntegrating a Winning Team
One of our four strategic pillars of our Company is Acquisitions & Integrations. Acquisitions build our geographic diversity to protect us from weather…
Epic By NatureLegends of Patrol
In this episode we are exploring what it takes to join patrol, to learn the skills and to come back season after season in sometimes arduous weather…
Epic By NatureTrailblazers
Having successfully navigated their way to the top of traditionally male dominated areas of our business, our pioneering women leaders in ski-industry…
Epic By NatureRedefining Dining at 10,000ft
The restaurant business can be challenging on any given day, but it becomes far more complex when that business is located in remote locations at 10,000ft…
Epic By NatureFrom Eco-terrorism to Environmentalism
Our Company has been on a journey since October 1998 when Vail Mountain was subject to a fire-bombing attack by eco-terrorists. In the 20 years since, we have…
Epic By NatureA Crossroads at Park City
On this first episode of Epic by Nature, Rob sits down with Keystone Resort COO Geoff Buchheister to discuss his Leadership journey - from being acquired at…
