New General Manager Announced For Alaska’s Newest Ski Area
Palmer, Alaska — One of the newest ski areas in the country has a new leader.
Yesterday, Skeetawk announced that Ryan Thompson has been appointed as the new General Manager. Before this appointment, Thompson served on the Board of Directors and became the ski area’s Construction Development Manager. This included helping to lead the project to install a snowmaking system during the 2025 off-season. He brings 25 winters of experience in the snowsports industry, including roles in Scotland, New Zealand, Colorado, Tahoe, and Argentina. He also held leadership roles at Boreal Ridge Corporation, which operates Boreal Mountain Resort, Soda Springs, and Woodward Tahoe.
He replaces Megan Justus, who has been General Manager of the Alaska ski area since 2021. She led the ski area through its early years, as it only opened back in 2020. She’s moving on to a new role and is leaving on good terms.
“I believe that Ryan is the right person to champion Skeetawk’s growth during this next phase of development. I am extremely excited for the future of Skeetawk under his leadership,” said Megan Justus.
Recent Upgrades & Future
The news follows a change-filled 2025- 26 season. The upgrades included installing its first snowmaking system, a magic carpet, and paving the access road.
Next up is figuring out how to install its signature lift. Referred to as Lift 2, the plan is to install a new detachable gondola lift with eight-person cabins. The lift will have a carrying capacity of 1,200 people per hour (eventually up to 2,400 pph), 28 cabins (eventually 56), a vertical rise of 1,205 feet, a length of 4,750 feet, and a ride time of 5.6 minutes. Fundraising for this project is currently underway. For now, this terrain zone is accessible via snowcat or by earning your turns.
In the meantime, Skeetawk has a busy summer ahead, with various events planned along with the reopening of the Yurt Café this month. There are also some great hiking trails to check out there.
Image/Video Credits: Skeetawk Ski Area, Rasmuson Foundation
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