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Was the trail map for your favorite ski area based on a painting by Jim Niehues?

marzNC

Angel Diva
While I've come across trail maps by Kevin Mastin before, I didn't know much about him. Turns out he had a chance to work with Niehues when the map for Keystone was being updated. he original was painted by Bill Brown. So there is a direct connection between all three in the current Keystone trail map.

The first map painting Mastin did for a destination resort was the Keystone bike map in 1994. He set up his own shop in 1997. He recently did a new map for Loveland. Also did the new map for Whiteface. He's a Colorado native who grew up skiing at small mountains like Cooper.

https://www.slopefillers.com/kevin-mastin-interview/

 

marzNC

Angel Diva
It's finally happening . . . James Niehues is retiring from painting trail maps. I think this time he means it. With the success of the book and the upcoming sale of original paintings, he can relax more and enjoy painting for fun.

". . .
After more than three decades, I am officially stepping away from creating ski resort trail maps. Going forward, I will be setting my sights on additional projects, including my American Landscape Project. With this news and for the first time ever, I will release original paintings and sketches for sale to the public.
. . ."
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Anyone who has been tempted to consider a pair of custom Wagner skis has another reason to think about the idea. Wagner has an agreement with Neihues to use his trail maps as the basis for ski top sheets.

 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Anyone who has been tempted to consider a pair of custom Wagner skis has another reason to think about the idea. Wagner has an agreement with Neihues to use his trail maps as the basis for ski top sheets.

That's really cool! Wonder if they will expand to more mountains??
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
That's really cool! Wonder if they will expand to more mountains??
The blurb on the website says that if someone wants the trail map from another mountain, Wagner has access to about 30.

Every pair of Wagner skis are custom designed and built. So the skis shown on webpages are essentially examples of popular top sheets.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
The blurb on the website says that if someone wants the trail map from another mountain, Wagner has access to about 30.

Every pair of Wagner skis are custom designed and built. So the skis shown on webpages are essentially examples of popular top sheets.

Ohhhhhhhhh so that's even more interesting..
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
New podcast interview by SkiUtah with James Niehues. Not much new that hasn't been published in interviews before. But it's cool to hear it directly from Niehues. I think perhaps all the book tours has made him more comfortable talking about what he's been doing for decades.

November 28, 2021
 
Last edited:

marzNC

Angel Diva
Very glad that Niehues painted Mad River Glen before his full retirement.

 

marzNC

Angel Diva
:bump:
Since James Niehues retired, there are two men who are painting trail maps: Kevin Mastin and Rad Smith.

Smith created the new trail map for Keystone, which was needed in order to include the new terrain in Bergman Bowl. Niehues was more than willing to give him tips about painting trail maps. Keystone did videos about the Smith and his painting process, which are embedded in the following blog article.

March 2023
 

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