Photo credit: Daniel Bear
To bring hope and skiing culture to a people is in no way a small task. To do this in a country like Nepal after everything the people have been through is a task many multibillionaires won’t complete. However, for Jason Pierce, the seemingly impossible is what he and the Chronic® Global Team made possible and popularly acceptable amongst the people. Although Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world today, it is also home to the highest mountains in the world and the home to the world-famous Mount Everest with its legendary mountaineering community which currently supports the majority of the Nepals’ tourism and the single most major revenue stream for the country and the local communities. While the apparent lack of relevant infrastructure appears to be a significant challenge plaguing the country, Jason sought to contribute his quota to help maintain Nepal’s status as a tourist destination. Thus, armed with a group of friends and like-minded individuals, the journey to put Nepal on the skiing map started.
Jason Pierce is an entrepreneur and innovator of national and international reputation. He is the Founder and CEO of Chronic Athletics. Through his company, Jason and the team are credited with creating the first-ever ski lift system in Nepal and the highest ski school in the world located in the Himalayas.
As seen in Outside TV Campfire series, Chronic Athletics is a pioneer and pacesetter in many ways; aside from being the first company to create a ski lift system in Nepal and the highest skis school in the world, the company is also responsible in terms of organization and funding of the first-ever Snowboard Contest ever held in Nepal.
On why he chose Nepal of all places despite the apparent infrastructure failure, lack of electricity, amongst other things, Jason said, “I consider the Himalayas a second home, yet the scale is enormous compared to even the Rockies. The people of Nepal are amazing people and they love to ski, and I am blessed to have a great opportunity. Our team behind the scenes is really what makes it all possible; the passion and love make it all worthwhile.” On the team’s plans, he said, “We are working right now to have the first-ever Nepal Winter Olympic Team in 2024.”
In recognition of his works and contributions, Jason is the U.S. Ambassador for the Ski and Snowboard Foundation of Nepal, spearheaded by its founder and Team Chronic member Utsav Pathak in the aftermath of the devastating 2015 earthquake that destroyed many areas in Nepal and killed over 30,000 people.
Jason attributes his motivation to his passion, love of the sport. Recalling how skiing changed his life from the very first time as a child and defined him as an adult. “With 30+ years of elite-level experience under my belt these days, I set out to make the most superior products that all can enjoy. As a steward for the sport of skiing and an advocate for the great outdoors, it’s my responsibility to bring a positive experience, especially to first-timers, so they advance and continue to enjoy the sport.”
For a global audience interested in skiing as a sport and value innovation and quality, Jason believes Chronic Athletics is in business to service those categories of people. He believes that with consistent quality service delivery, Chronic Athletics will, in five years, become a household name world-wide and the go-to brand for quality skiing products and innovation.
Learn more about the work Jason and Chronic Athletics are doing in Third-world Nepal here.
