It's All Downhill: Behind the scenes at the US Ski and Snowboard training center

[View web version]( [It's All Downhill. The latest from the slopes of New England and beyone by Matt Pepin] Friday, January 26 | [Follow Matt Pepin on Twitter]( Where it all begins If you put the Wasatch Mountains in your rearview mirror and take a short drive east from the outdoor sports paradise of Park City, Utah, you’ll soon come to a lefthand turn where the street sign reads “Victory Lane.” There are only a couple buildings on Victory Lane, and the biggest is at the end of the road. For US Ski and Snowboard athletes, this is anything but a dead end. This is actually where it all begins. This is where the road to the Olympics starts for the country’s elite skiers and snowboarders. The Center of Excellence, which everyone just calls the COE, was designed to be a home base for US Ski and Snowboard, the governing body of snow sports in the United States. It’s a place to get directions, a place to train, and most importantly, a place to work together toward a common goal. It was the vision of Bill Marolt, who presided over the US Ski and Snowboard Association from 1996 to 2014 — it has since dropped “Association” from its name in a rebranding effort — and opened in 2009. “He really believed in the power of bringing everyone together,” said Tiger Shaw, who took over as US Ski and Snowboard’s president in March 2014. On a snowy day in September, Shaw gave the Globe a tour of the facility. In the main foyer, there are huge photos of ski and snowboard athletes, and gear bags are everywhere, left there by a group of athletes using the facility that day. He pointed out the decoration hanging from the ceiling — strands of wire with gold, silver, and bronze disks. “That’s the goal,” he said. “Medals.” [You can read my full story on the COE on BostonGlobe.com](. RIP warren miller Perhaps the biggest name in the ski film industry, Warren Miller, passed away this week at the age of 93, but his legacy will be evident every fall when the air starts to chill and skiers and snowboarders turn their thoughts to the season ahead. Every fall these days, countless films -- often dubbed "ski porn" -- flood the market to start the hype machine for the season ahead. Miller started it all, living the life of a ski bum half the year or more and editing his footage into a new movie or plotting what's next the rest of the time. His library of films featured some of the biggest names in skiing, including New England's own John and Dan Egan. [The Seattle Times's account of a man whose life and life's work was as big as the mountains in which it was set is brilliant](. CLICKWORTHY THIS REALLY HAPPENED: A volcano erupted at a Japanese ski area and it sent rocks raining down upon skiers and triggered an avalanche that killed another person. It happened at Mount Kusatsu-Shirane, which last erupted in 1983, [according to the New York Times](. There were apparently no warning signs. THE LATEST FROM CANDIDE THOVEX: The mystery man who makes the most unbelievable ski videos these days is at it again. [His latest takes him across pretty much everything except snow](. GOOD DEAL PART 1: In honor of moguls skier Troy Murphy's selection to the US team for the Olympics, Sunday River is holding "Mogul Monday" on Feb. 12 and [will sell advance tickets online for $23](. Murphy is scheduled to compete that day in PyeongChang, South Korea. [Here's a profile of him that I wrote in November](. GOOD DEAL PART 2: Wearing a Patriots jersey to Sugarloaf on Super Bowl Sunday will allow you to buy a lift ticket for $59. [More details are here on the rest of the activities planned in conjunction with this promotion](. YUM: Ski Vermont's "Specialty Food Days Tour" features a collection of Vermont products and begins today at Jay Peak. There are 15 stops planned through the end of March. Vendors include Vermont Amber Organic Toffee, Good Mix Foods, The Simmering Bone, Vermont Tortilla Company, SAP!, Ben and Jerry’s, Long Trail, Cabot Cheese, Woodchuck Hard Cider, Barr Hill, Mad River Distillers, SILO Distillery, Kimball Brook Farm, It’s Arthurs Fault!, Ambrosia Confections and Mountain Grove Coffee. [More details are on Ski Vermont's website](. NEW GUY IN TOWN: The crowded market of multi-resort ski passes grew by one this week with Alterra Mountain Co.'s announcement [it will begin selling the Ikon Pass for the 2018-19 ski season](. This one features access to 23 North American mountains, including five in New England -- Sunday River, Killington, Sugarloaf, Loon, and Stratton. Alterra owns Aspen, and this is the natural rival to Vail's Epic Pass. Details and pricing on the Ikon Pass have not been announced, although Alterra did sign Mikaela Shiffrin as an investor and "ambassador" of the Ikon Pass brand. 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