The Basin – Senior Thesis Project 2022

Introduction

Colorado: Home of America’s premier winter sports scene. Major resorts in the region like Aspen and Vail offer those who can afford it the pinnacle of luxurious skiing experiences. Although this culture has led to Colorado’s tourism success, it leaves few places for the wolves to roam. We challenge the most Die-Hard and Daring Thrill seekers to push their limits in the best variety of terrain on the market.

The question isn’t if we have it, the question is, Can you Ski it? The Basin will test your skills on the biggest stages while providing a much-needed safe heaven for those looking for an escape from today’s ski culture – one which is more concerned with what you’re wearing than what you’re shredding. Ski Like You Mean It.

Expert Interview – James Niehues

Where did you grow up?

A small town called Loma, in Western Colorado. Niehues’ parents owned and operated a ranch there.

How did you get into painting originally?

In high school, Niehues suffered from nephritis, a kidney disease that lasted for months. After his mother noticed his drawing skills, she bought him an oil-painting kit.

James Niehues:

An American landscape artist and cartographer best known for painting ski trail maps for ski resorts. He has painted 255 maps for 175 ski resorts around the world.

What artists have inspired you and your work?

“Nobody at first” he simply enjoyed landscape painting and was not particularly interested in the art industry. As an adult Niehues looked up to fellow trail map artists, Bill Brown and Hal Sheldon, along with Vincent Van Gogh and Heinrich Berann.

What is the first step in your process when creating a new trail map?

Niehues’ first step is to photograph the subject from as many angles as possible. Generally, Niehues shoots the mountains from a plane, flying around 5,000 feet above the subject. He stated, “I am an amateur photographer, which is actually beneficial a lot of the time,” Niehues’ reasoning was that the photographs are used to gather information about the landscape, not to create a full composition. After developing the photos, Niehues starts with Gouache to outline the design, then he creates the final product with oil paints.

With your vast experience with many resorts across the globe, which map was your favorite to visit?

Niehues explained, “I don’t get to ski much anymore, but when I did, I didn’t much care for the more luxurious destinations.” As I predicted, Niehues said, “tourists come to visit Aspen and Vail, but real skiers choose real mountains like Breck and A-Basin [Meaning Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin].”

Which was your favorite to paint?

“I try not to have favorites” he said, humbly. Niehues gave a few examples of the more interesting maps he has created, including Breckenridge. Niehues said, “Breck and Jackson Hole were interesting to me because they both stretch far above the tree line, which give the peaks a really distinct and iconic look.”

Research

Below is a dramatically simplified version of my final research paper, which includes a far more in-depth look into the connected economic trends, case studies, and hypotheses that guided this design project. That paper can be found here: