Author Biography

Patrick Torsell is the Senior Director of Resort Operations & Strategy at Ski Cooper, CO. He grew up in the ski industry, learning the business from his father, a 45-year veteran of the industry. Upon completing the Ski Area Operations degree program at Colorado Mountain College, Patrick spent five seasons at Sugarbush, VT, in Snowmaking, Grooming, Facilities, and Guest Services. At Ski Cooper, CO, he began as Director of IT, eventually landing on the executive committee heading up Marketing, Sales, Guest Services, Events, IT, and Slope Maintenance. After heading back east for three years to pursue several projects both in and out of the ski industry, Patrick returned to Ski Cooper to head up Operations. Patrick has been published nine times by Ski Area Management Magazine, a publication which identified him as a “Recruit of the Year” in 2009, and named him among the “10 Under 30” list of young ski industry professionals in 2017. Patrick was named “Slope Groomer of the Year” in 2015 by Colorado Ski Country USA, and served for two years on the planning committee for the annual Snow Conference in Grand Junction, CO. He is also an adjunct instructor at Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus.

Patrick is also a professional classical organist and choir director with a specialty in traditional Catholic sacred music and Gregorian chant. He currently serves as a staff substitute organist at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, CO; Associate Organist at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (FSSP) in Littleton, CO; and professional tenor with Denver-based Gaudium Verum. Before returning to CO for his day job as a ski resort executive, Patrick was Choirmaster and Organist at Mater Dei (FSSP) in Harrisburg, PA. Previously he was a seminary organist at the FSSP’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, NE, and Music Director at Blessed Sacrament Church in Stowe, VT.

Patrick cherishes his family life with his wife, Elizabeth, and his two beloved children. In his spare time, Patrick enjoys playing acoustic guitar and jazz piano, wrenching on his ’75 small block Chevy and 6.7 Cummins, and kicking back with a cigar and single malt Scotch.