There is not much Dave Pilarowski enjoys more than history. 

Serving as a history teacher for close to three decades, Pilarowski has spent most of his adult life studying the people, relics and things of the past. While very few things come close to his love for history, there is one pastime that Pilarowski perhaps finds more joy in — skiing. 

Four seasons ago, Pilarowski — who has since retired from teaching — decided to pair his love of skiing and history together in a single project. As a mountain safety attendant at Keystone, Pilarowski decided to make the most of his employee pass and tele-ski at all 37 of the ski resorts on the Epic Pass in North America.

Reaching about the 75% mark by the end of the 2023-24 season (27 out of 37), Pilarowski set out visit the final 10 ski areas this winter.

“The last 10 were all in the northeast,” Pilarowski said. “Starting with Eastern Pennsylvania, there’s Jack Frost, Big Boulder and then Hunter Mountain in New York. Then there are seven in Vermont and New Hampshire.”

Similar to his first couple of escapades across the country, Pilarowski was able to take in the local history, meet new people and experience how ski resorts differ from one area to the next. After enjoying things like Amish history and unique lodges on his previous trips, Pilarowski’s final trip to the east was highlighted by Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont.

Not only was the resort near the Canadian border a joy to ski with all its superb snow, but it was also full of history for Pilarowski to indulge in.

“That was my favorite out there,” Pilarowski said. “It is sizable, has the best snow. Lots of history there too with the 10th Mountain Division and the von-Trapp family from the “Sound of Music” having a lodge out there.”

Beyond having ties to the 10th Mountain Division and the von-Trapp family, Stowe is also credited with having the first established ski patrol in the nation. 

“A lot of those guys and girls were a big part of the 10th Mountain Division,” Pilarowski said. “I kind of realized that when I saw the same 10th Mountain Division statue that you see over in Vail while walking over the covered bridge. The history there is great.”

Another thing that stood out to Pilarowski as he visited the 10 final resorts in the northeast was the difference in ski culture. While ski areas in the west are often only open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., many of the mountains in the midwest and in the northeast are open at night and serve as a place for people to meet up after work.

“People get a few runs in on their way home from work,” Pilarowski said. “It is almost like a bowling league. Some of the places had big containers under the lifts that they encouraged people to throw their empties into. It is fun to explore the ski culture across the continent.”

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The biggest difference in ski culture Pilarowski was able to identify was the density of community ski hills. Although Vail Resorts has bought numerous mountains over the last decade, many of them continue to have a community and independent feel that can be hard to find west of the Continental Divide. 

“There are more community ski hills out east,” Pilarowski said. “You get the regulars who show up all the time. I got the sense that a lot of people know each other, which would also make it easier for safety.”

Perhaps the most valuable thing Pilarowski gained from his expedition was an expanded knowledge base of what snow conditions are like in other regions. Pilarowski had heard from guests about how ski areas out west differ from those in the east, but until he saw it first hand he was not truly able to grasp the differences.

As a mountain safety attendant, this knowledge is fundamental to not only keeping guests safe, but also connecting with them.

“It is a huge resource in my job,” Pilarowski said. “Most people are not used to a 3.5-mile run like Schoolmarm. They are also not used to the elevation. The green, blue, black trail rating system is really dependent on the region. … That is an adjustment that people have to make.”

Pilarowski officially completed his years-long journey this past February. By the end of the expedition, Pilarowski had put over 20,000 miles on his car and had skied lines at every Vail Resorts-operated ski area in North America. 

Pilarowski would like to thank his friends, family and his manger — Jonathan Cernanec — at Keystone for making the feat possible. Without Cernanec granting time off from work or seeing the value of trip, Pilarowski is not certain if he would have ever seen all 37 resorts.

Although the adventure has reached its conclusion, Pilarowski has purchased an Ikon Pass and is looking forward to checking off as many North American resorts as he can next winter. 

“There are some amazing mountains on that pass with a lot of history,” Pilarowski said. “… I am going to do my best and get to as many as I can.”