MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Rocky Mountain Ski + Sport
Charlie Wafel, VP of Retail and Rental Operations
Q1
Tell us about how you got started in snow sports retail. What is the best part of this industry?
A: I have been skiing and snowboarding since I was a kid, and I have always loved winter and winter sports. My first experience working in a shop was in San Diego, California. I was thrown in the position of a tech where I worked on ski and snowboard gear. I fell in love with retail and shop culture, and I am passionate about the industry. Year after year I like to see the evolution of skiing and snowboarding. I love assisting customers by meeting them where they are at fitting them for gear to ensure they get what they need, so they can have a great time on the slopes!
Q2
What are you excited about for the 2026-2027 ski season? What are you concerned about?
A: I am ready for more snow next season to have more powder days! The past season, Colorado saw a record low snowfall. If next season has a record low snowfall, the industry will take another huge hit, and local ski and snowboard shops will feel the impact of low sales, less returning customers, and shop closures throughout the country. My hope is that next season brings the conditions our community needs to thrive.
Q3
You were one of a few NSSRA members to attend the NSGA 2026 Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee May 17-19. Tell us about your experience attending the event. What new business ideas did you learn? What would you tell your fellow NSSRA members about attending future NSGA Leadership conferences?
A: This was my first NSGA Leadership Conference. I am newer to the retail industry, and I learned new ideas of how to get the word out about Rocky Mountain Ski + Sport through AI, online sales, in-store promotions, and how to set up equipment displays to make it more appealing to customers. One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of adapting my leadership style to better empower staff, strengthen buy-in, and support higher performance across the team. That insight alone made the conference worthwhile. I would like to see more winter sports focuses integrated in the NSGA Leadership conferences. I think a lot of independent ski and snowboard shops could benefit from the conference to improve business.
Q4
What does Rocky Mountain Ski + Sport do to encourage greater ski participation? How do you encourage a new skier to continue the sport?
A: In 2018, owner Aaron Lifford founded Rocky Mountain Ski + Sport out of his garage with a simple mission: make skiing and snowboarding more accessible and affordable. Eight years and two shop moves later, that mission still drives us. Today, we operate out of a larger storefront built on the same core principle. We continue to grow by offering affordable rentals, a Junior Trade-Up Program for kids, and a wide selection of new and used gear. During our annual Ski Fest sale, we host educational clinics to help customers understand different ski and snowboard technologies, and we bring in experts for backcountry and touring gear sessions. Our online store features our full inventory, and we ship to customers around the world. We partner with community organizations to encourage more winter sport participation by offering incentives when individual(s) come into the store from these organizations. We go to local businesses and wax skis and snowboards for the patrons who bring their gear in. We explain the process and educate them on proper storage and how to tune their own gear.
Q5
How would you describe the overall health of the specialty snow sports retail industry right now, and what trends do you think will most affect retailers over the next 3–5 years?
A: This past season here in Colorado with the lack of snowfall the industry has taken a hit in sales and participation. Over the next few years, I see individual shops looking for alternative ways to generate sales in the off season. With prices increasing for daily lift tickets and season tickets, I think the sales of used gear will increase, so it can be more affordable for the consumer. I also see online sales increasing substantially with the ease and access of online shopping.
