2024–2025 End of Season Letter from the Teacup Board President

April 22, 2025

Hello Teacup / Mt. Hood Nordic Community,

As another amazing ski season draws to a close, we want to celebrate your role in making Teacup a vibrant, welcoming place to ski. From opening on November 6 following early season snowstorms to skiing through to the end-of-season groomed trails on April 20, you’ve shared in the epic days and ever-present challenges. It’s our community that keeps our trails open and our future bright. We’re so grateful to everyone who purchased a pass, donated, or volunteered this year. Quite simply– without your support, Teacup wouldn’t operate. 

Season’s Fun Facts

We’re proud to share some of our fun season-end stats:

• 111 Total Groomed Days: This was the most number of groomed days in recent memory (think 30% of a whole year!), thanks to an early season start and bonus Friday grooming throughout the season.
• No Missed Days: We avoided what could have been over a month of missed ski days because we’ve invested trail pass funding into ownership and operation of two PB100 grooming machines.
• Two-Thirds of Expenses: Trail pass revenue accounts for up to two-thirds of our annual expenses, funding everything from fuel to volunteer coordination to those beautiful PB100s.
• One-third of Expenses: Your generous donations, our community-funded grants, and our amazing sponsors fill the gap between trail pass revenue and operating expenses. 
• 8 Hours a Day and 50km: The Teacup trail system takes 8+ hours and 50km of driving (sometimes more, especially during storms) to prepare each day, ensuring that perfect corduroy and those classic tracks you love.
• 9 Programs and 275+ Participants: Many of you joined us through learn-to-ski and training programs, including youth and adults, working with many of our dedicated volunteer coaches. 
• 6 Community Events and Races: We continued to deliver community events and races, including our annual Tea Party, our returning Teacup Classic and Glides of March races, OISRAN high school races, and our first ever running race, the Teacup Tune-Up!

Each of these stats is a reminder that Teacup’s non-profit model relies on the generosity and support of our entire skiing community. We couldn’t keep the trails safe, and accessible without all of you!

A Heartfelt Thank You

We’ve come a long way since Teacup’s founding in the 1970s, but at our core, we’re still a community-driven non-profit that depends on passionate people stepping up, whether by purchasing annual passes, making donations, or lending a hand.

As we wind down the season, we hope you’ll take a moment to celebrate:

• Your Own Progress: Whether you’re a first-time skier or a seasoned racer, every loop you logged on our trails contributed to Teacup’s warm, welcoming atmosphere.
• Your Teacup Staff: Jason Lemieux (General Manager), Kelly Ryan (Coaching and Programs) Karl Andersson (Coaching and Technical Guru), Erik Lehman (Grooming and Venue Operations), Rachel Lemieux (Bookkeeping), and Siri Bohacek (Coaching). 
• Your Teacup Volunteers: Dozens of volunteers help coach programs, host successful events, serve as board members, and keep us safe by patrolling the trails. You keep Teacup buzzing with positive energy and collaboration!

Looking Ahead

Although the ski season has come to a close, Teacup operates year-round to ensure our trails and equipment are cared for and our community members have opportunities to stay engaged. 

• Year-Round Involvement: Love Teacup even after the snow melts? Stay in touch and keep a lookout for summer trail work opportunities, volunteer projects, and special off-season events by following our newsletter or emailing us at info@teacupnordic.org.
• Set Your Stoke for Next Season: How many days were you able to ski this year? What’s your goal for next winter? In just 6 short months, we’ll be looking to set down the season’s first corduroy! 

Thank you again for a fantastic season and we can’t wait to see you again!

Warmly,

Laura Davis
President, Teacup Board of Directors