(R to L) Rider, Kristen, Ella and Pete Stoughton. Photo: courtesy of the Stoughton family.

PARK CITY, Utah. — After nearly 100 ultra running events and counting, Pete Stoughton is now running with the pack at Park City Ski and Snowboard (PCSS) as their events and development director, a relatively newly-created leadership position. Many Parkites know Stoughton as the former programs director for the Christian Center of Park City (CCPC) which is hosting its annual Hike For Hunger event on September 19, hosted by the St. Regis at Deer Valley Resort.

He said, “After five wonderful years with CCPC, serving the greater community of the Wasatch Back, I was afforded an opportunity that combined my professional and personal interests and skills with PCSS.”

The Stoughtons adventuring in the mountains in the winter. Daughter Ella participates in gymnastics, moguls and nordic while son Rider enjoys the multi-discipline Shredders program. Photo courtesy of the Stoughton family

Executive Director of PCSS Christie Hind said, “It’s great to have Pete on our team and in the sports sector, his north star.”As one of the largest winter sports clubs in North America, PCSS provides world-class ski and snowboard training programs with more than 800 athletes, 600 families with 2,000 family members, 1,000 volunteers, and 125 coaches. It has a competitive heritage that spans decades and includes many Park City athletes who have gone on to compete in Olympics, World Cups, X-Games, and NCAA Championships.

Not only is Stoughton no stranger to Park City nonprofits, he has been putting his double master’s degrees in administration and secondary education/special education to good work in Salt Lake City and beyond. That was after he was a triple undergrad major studying geography, classics, and philosophy all while a double-sport athlete competing in the sports of cheerleading and rowing on the East Coast, from where he hails.

After college, he dove headfirst into endurance sports and has completed dozens of marathons, triathlons, and bike races.

Hind said, “Adding Pete to our administrative roster is a game-changer.”

In recent years, Stoughton was the Head Coach of Ski Mountaineering at PCSS along with coaching for many programs such as mtn. biking, XC running, and ski-mountaineering (skimo).

The Stoughtons adventuring in the desert in the summer. Photo courtesy of the Stoughton family

“I love working with kids and coaching. I learned while I was a teacher the critical relationships an adult could have with kids through coaching. I still keep in touch with many former athletes and the support and bounds created through sport are life-changing,” Stoughton said, “I am excited to support the amazing coaches at PCSS and further create opportunities for other young athletes to join these opportunities who may not otherwise be able to afford it through my development work. Knowing how much winter sports and endurance sports have impacted my life, mental health and quality of life spur my enthusiasm for working at PCSS. The added bonus of still coaching skimo as a component of my current job is extremely rewarding.”

Volunteerism is near and dear to Stoughton’s heart as he collaborates with the Park City Community Foundation (PCCF) to outreach to underserved children along with the Youth Sports Alliance (YSA), holding its annual Jan’s Winter Welcome on October 23. Purchase event and/or opportunity tickets here. One of Stoughton’s first orders of business is to boost the representation of all community members.

PCSS has office locations at the Utah Olympic Park (UOP) and at Park City Mountain where Stoughton will split his time, well, divide his time, when he’s not co-hosting The Mountain Life on KPCW Radio.

Register here for the Fall Trail Running races Wednesday evenings in support of local youth ski programs. Open to all locals and abilities, hikers are welcome also, for ages nine to 90. Distances range from four miles to six miles. Food trucks and swag at each event.