Local Man Comes Back To Revitalize Mountain Creek Resort

NORTH JERSEY, NJ — Joe Hession is a mountain man at heart. He grew up on the slopes of Vernon Valley Great Gorge. Black runs were his classrooms and ski lifts were how he got to class.

Hession grew up in Vernon and is now president of Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon. The restore has gone through a lot of changes in recent years, including a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

"Mountain Creek has always been home to me. It's where I grew up," said Hession, the founder of SNOW Operating, a company focused on growing the skiing and snowboarding industry. "It's the classroom that taught me so much of what has made SNOW Operating successful."

Hession's first job was at Mountain Creek's predecessor, Vernon Valley Great Gorge. He spent eight years in high school and college on the side of the mountain in various positions.

SNOW Operating signed a long-term lease to own the winter- and summer-related businesses at Mountain Creek.

"Our hope is to bring an element of stability to the resort, and to get things back on track," Hession said. "We're committed to our people, our guests and this community. We want Mountain Creek to play a vibrant part in each of their lives."

Seeing what happens at Mountain Creek might provide people with a glimpse of what is coming to American Dream Meadowlands. SNOW Operating is operating the 800-foot ski slope there when it opens in March 2019.

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Photo: Joe Hession/Courtesy of BML Public Relations