Herb & Treas Manning
Owners
We have lived and worked in Tahoe for almost thirty years. There are times when we feel a need to get off the mountain, go somewhere green where there's no snow shoveling, get a city fix. The best thing about leaving home is coming home. There literally is no better place to live, no better place to work.
We work in our stores full time, active on the selling floor and mingling with clients. Many of them have become good friends. We know every trail, every mountain bike ride, all of the special nuances of the Valley, Truckee and North Tahoe.
The question of how we can work, live and play together gets asked constantly. Over the years we've come to know each other's strengths. We have our separate duties at Granite Chief. Herb takes on the hardgoods department, rental & demos, and booting fitting. Treas is responsible for softgoods, merchandising and store presentation. We work together on marketing and general administration. That strategy not only works for us at Granite Chief but in our personal relationship as well. Treas remembers birthdays, Herb shovels snow.
John Darby
Store Manager | Truckee Store
I have known Herb and Treas for years and we have always talked about working together. Here we are, with a year under my belt as the general manager of the Truckee store, coming from the rep side of the ski business I have found it interesting and challenging being on the retail side of things. My sixteen years with Rossignol as the regional salesman brings new and different expertise to The Chief. One of the things I find interesting at Granite Chief is the variety of experience and skiing background of the core staff. When you come in, you may find yourself talking with an ex-ski racer and former coach, or someone like myself a former industry salesman and director of Heavenly Ski School. You might be talking with an ex-race department tech from a major ski company, or someone like Gunner, a pioneer and leader in boot fitting. You won't find this much talent anywhere.
I'm also the parent of a teenage son that is very involved in skiing and ski racing. It's great to be off the road and able to spend more time at home here in Truckee.
Mark Featherstone
Store Manager | Squaw Valley Store
Hi There! My name is Mark Featherstone and I am the manager of the Squaw Valley store. I have been with Granite Chief for a little over a year, though I have worked with Herb and the boys for quite sometime when working with Dynastar/Lange.
I spent several years working with Dynastar skis and Lange boots as a tech rep, then as regional salesman and in the race department. I knew from working with The Chief as an industry rep, if I ever left the ski rep'ing business this is the shop I wanted to work with. My technical experience and working at the bottom of the mountain made it a perfect fit.
When you're in Squaw please stop by and we'll flex some skis, talk hardgoods and maybe make a turn or two. I'm looking forward to meeting you.
Mark Featherstone
He's a lot more friendly than he looks.
Gunner Wolf
Chief Boot Fitter | Squaw Valley Store
I am the first ever and head boot fitter at Granite Chief. I started with Herb 26 years ago. We were a small tuning center at the time and we decided to develop a comprehensive boot fitting department. There wasn't much boot fitting expertise available outside the world cup, so we dug in and trained ourselves. We developed much of the fitting procedures used today and designed the laser guided canting machine. I have fit boots for skiing greats like Tamara McKinney, Shane McConkey, Darren Rahlves, and Julia Mancuso. You name them and we have most likely worked on their boots. The experience and the feedback from some of the best skiers in world is invaluable. The knowledge we have gained over the years as well as our hands on experience has made Granite Chief one of the biggest names in the ski industry. We were the first, we are the innovators, and we are here to make your skiing experience the best it can be. That's our promise to you.
Lynne McRae
Assistant Manager | Truckee Store
I am happy to say I have been a Truckee local for over thirty years. I have been skiing Sugar Bowl & Squaw Valley for fifty years. Why I was at the '60 Olympics, what an exciting time. The Olympics inspired me to join the Edelweiss Red Hornet ski team. I have seen nearly every skiing technique to come down the mountain run, the stem christy, the Stein Erickson reverse shoulder technique, the one thing I can tell you is the sport of skiing is always evolving.
Now all of this probably tells you I'm no spring chicken... but I live the lifestyle of a spring chicken. For my 50th birthday I climbed the Grand Teton in Wyoming, at 56 I climbed Half Dome. I'm a young 60-something and my passion for skiing and the mountain lifestyle has only grown stronger. If you see me in the lift line let's take a run together.
Sorin
Ski Service Supervisor | Truckee Store
Like the tuning rock star he is, Sorin is known only as Sorin. Nobody really knows his last name or if he even has one. One thing is for sure when people talk about the best hand tuning around, Sorin comes to mind.
He has been with Granite Chief for six years and sets the standard for all who work and train under him.
Sorin grew up ski racing in Romania and has made Truckee his winter home. Sorin is the only one cool enough to have just one name, except for Kaweah and Belle but they're dogs and that doesn't count.
Jason Smith
Hardgoods Sales Associate, Boot Fitter Truckee Store
Jason Smith is our resident 20-year old fat ski addict. He absolutely loves to talk skiing. When he's not working here at The Chief, you'll find him out on the hill no matter what the weather conditions.
He was born and raised right here in Truckee . Jason's mom was his private ski teacher and taught him to pizza (wedge) to control his speed at the ripe old age of 18 months. In the following years, Jason taught himself to french fry (go straight) his skis and has never gone back to the pizza again.
Greg Clark
Ski Service Supervisor | Squaw Valley Store
As a native of Northern Idaho, Greg grew up ski racing. In the summer of 2005, he visited his uncle in Squaw Valley, and within a month, he had gathered his belongings and made the move south. Once settled in, the job hunt began and his ski tuning credentials lead him right to Granite Chief. Greg was immediately taken by the atmosphere of a "core" ski shop and knew this was the place for him. His meticulous attention to detail promoted him through the ranks to Ski Service Supervisor. Granite Chief and Greg Clark: a natural fit.
Ivy Long
Assistant Manager | Squaw Valley Store
Working in retail for over 10 years...from managing a coffee shop on Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho to running a surf and skate shop on Catalina Island...Ivy has done it all! As assistant manager of the Squaw Valley store, Ivy can merchandise, personal shop, and "crack the whip" with the best of them. Her vast experience and keen eye allows her to keep you looking sharp and answer any gear questions that you may have.
Emily Turner
Ski Technician | Squaw Valley Store
Emily spent her formative years in New York City, constantly and patiently awaiting her limited weekend time in the mountains of Vermont. She spent considerable time, uncommon to city folk, tuning and waxing her skis, making sure that her equipment would be ready for her next outing. Determined to see the day when she would wake up to bombs and worry little beyond what skis to pick from her quiver, she moved to Squaw, and from her familiarity with equipment, she decided to tune skis for a living, enabling her to ski all day. In a shop full of boys, a woman's touch is a precious commodity.
Kaweah of Squaw Valley
Top Dog | Truckee & Squaw Stores
My name is Kaweah and I put in more hours at Granite Chief than I can count. Personally, I'd rather be out running in the meadow or chasing squirrels up Shirley Canyon but my folks like to have me at the shop. I guess you can't be a "Shop Dog" if you're running around in the woods. When I was just a pup, I got into a lot of trouble because I could not seem to stay away from the ski resort. I once hopped on to the old gondola, rode it to the top, hiked up to High Camp, and took a dip in the pool. Boy was I in trouble...they chained me to the front of the store like a mangy mutt! I'm older now and I don't roam as much. I park myself at the front door and welcome customers. Everybody loves a shop dog.
Darren Padgett
Hardgoods Sales Associate, Boot Fiiter Squaw Valley Store
Darren's been around the block. As a young adult in Southern California, he tried to satisfy his yearning for the mountains by working in a ski shop that was closer to sea than snow level. When he was over that anticlimactic association with the industry, he moved to Tahoe and he's been making the most of it ever since. He's the guy in the shop who can take you from soft to hard goods and onto the boot fitting platform in one fell swoop and he can be trusted in every aspect of your outfitting and adjusting experience.
Ryan Meagher
Staff Musician
Ryan is our very talented nephew. After graduating from San Diego State with a degree in music he has moved to New York to expand his music composition and performing career. Check out his music on www.ryanmeagher.com.
Thank you Ryan for loaning us your tunes and bringing music to the family.
Lynn Coggin
Assistant Manager; Merchandising Goddess
Growing up in Chowchilla , CA our notoriously lovely Lynn started her ski career at the defunct China Peak Ski resort now named Sierra Summit. Perfecting her style on and off the snow with a seven-year career as a ski instructor, Lynn came to Tahoe ready to rip. Since she moved here in 1987 she has logged countless days at Alpine Meadows; being a season pass holder for 15 consecutive years she has now shifted gears and is keeping her skills on point at Squaw Valley . When you drop by the Truckee store you can recognize Lynn by her big smile and warm personality coupled with a snappy mountain fashion sense.
Kris Thomas
Marketing; Backshop
Hailing from Littleton , CO ; Kris started his lifetime goal of being a daily skier at the age of 16. Armed with a season pass and a beat up Subaru, He spent as much time as possible skiing the trees and bumps of Mary Jane, CO. Continuing his education at the University of Colorado , Kris found himself spending more time skiing than being in class. After graduating in 2002, Kris relocated to Tahoe where he finds himself living the dream of skiing everyday. In-between coaching Squaw Sessions (a teen freeride program at Squaw Valley ) and finding time to compete on the IFSA big mountain tour, he loves to ski the local backcountry. Its very obvious that Kris loves skiing, and loves to tell you how much fun he has doing it (and he probably will when you meet him)
James Donohue
Hardgoods Sales Associate; Bootfitter Truckee Store
Growing up in the backwoods of Vermont , James Donohue found his passion for the mountains at a young age. Skiing the icy bump known as Ascutney , VT ; James really worked for his turns when he was growing up. After graduating from UVM with a double major in medieval European history and anthropology, James made the 3000 mile trek cross country to join us here in Truckee , CA . When you meet James on the hill or in the shop his laid back attitude and love for the mountains is immediately apparent. When not making laps on Dead Tree, James spends his time mountain biking, hiking, and enjoying the Lake Tahoe lifestyle.
