Gravink guided Loon and Attitash through their years of significant growth.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Longtime ski area manager Phil Gravink passed away on October 9, 2020. He was 85.
Born on a dairy farm in Western New York during the Great Depression, Gravink attended Cornell, where he was a member of a crew team that won the Henley Royal Regatta in England. He co-founded Peek'n'Peak ski area, serving as general manager during the 1960s and 1970s. After a brief tenure as general manager at Gore, Gravink was hired by Sherman Adams to run Loon Mountain in 1977.
Loon enjoyed significant growth during Gravink's tenure, including the development of West Basin and North Peak. Skier visits more than doubled during this stretch.
Gravink departed Loon in 1991 to manage state-operated Cannon and Sunapee for one season. In the spring of 1992, he was named president and CEO of Attitash.
Attitash expanded to Bear Peak a few years later and was briefly associated with Cranmore, which Gravink also supervised. During his time at Attitash, skier visits nearly doubled.
Gravink retired from Attitash in 1999, embarking on a 48-country bike ride for charity. Gravink served on the New England Ski Museum Board of Directors until his death and is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley, and three children.
