About Claire Walter

King of the Mountain

Skiing can seem like the very essence of the great outdoors. The mountain views, crisp air and deep powder all provide a high-adrenaline communion with nature. But Jim Chalat sees a ski mountain a little differently than the version in the resort brochure. To him, a resort ski slope, with its chairlifts, snow makers and grooming equipment, isn’t a naturally occurring phenomenon, but something closer to a man-made amusement park. “Some people see a ski area as a natural mountain …