Our Team

MORGAN McREYNOLDS

General Manager

Our General Manager is Morgan McReynolds. Morgan is originally from Wooster, Ohio. After living in 7 other states, she and her husband Logan landed in Lake Placid in 2015. Morgan has many years of hospitality experience, including 4 years working in her favorite place on earth, Yellowstone National Park. She loves being on the water, traveling and spending time with her cats Maize, Alfie, and Cooper as well as Bruce, the Shiba Inu. Morgan was part of the Big Slide Brewery team since day one, and has now moved to her hometown of Saranac Lake to head up RiverTrail Beerworks!

STEVE KROHA

COO

Stephen started working at the The Lake Placid Pub & Brewery since 2002 and was promoted to General Manager in 2005, then to Chief Operating Officer at both The Pub and Big Slide Brewery in 2016. Stephen married his wife Katrina in the fall of 2014 and enjoy being the parents of an ‘UBU lookalike” chocolate lab named Cabot. He enjoys overseeing all aspects of the business and takes special pride in being able to fix almost any machine at the Pub and Big Slide Brewery. During the winter months when Stephen is not working, he enjoys cross country skiing in the endless forest that surrounds Lake Placid. During his free time in the summer, Stephen spends most of his free time out on one of the many rivers and lakes in the Adirondacks in search of big fish. He even catches one every now and then..

KEVIN LITCHFIELD

Director of Brewing Operations

Kevin began his brewing career right out of Paul Smith’s College, hired as the first brewer to take over for Owner/Brewmaster, Chris Ericson in the fall of 1999, when the company was only 3 years old. Growing with the company over the years, Kevin has had the pleasure of working with many very talented brewers, and has learned a great deal from each one of them, compiling a wealth of brewing knowledge that continues to grow every day. Currently, as the Director of Brewing Operations for both the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery and Big Slide Brewing Company, he manages all aspects of Production Brewing, including recipe formulation, quality assurance, brewery maintenance, and day to day production. His passion for craft beer and dedication to producing the highest quality beer, drive him to continue researching and learning within the brewing community. In his free time, Kevin enjoys living and playing in the Adirondack Wilderness, including hiking, camping, paddling, biking, and swimming. Kevin is a six time finisher of the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon, an Adirondack 46er, and is currently on a lifelong quest of running a marathon in all 50 states, while stopping for a delicious local beer along the way. Cheers!

JUSTIN CONGDON

Executive Chef

More info to come!

OLIVIA WYAND

Manager

Olivia has been with the Big Slide family since the Fall of 2020, and was promoted into management at RiverTrail Beerworks in the Fall of 2024.  She studied Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, graduating in 2017. After many travels, while living abroad in Dublin, Ireland she moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts where she found a passion within the brewery industry. While in Boston she got to work on the brew floor and beertend with Lamplighter Brewing CO.  She is certified in level one Cicerone and has a palate for all beer types, her favorite being a New England IPA with dank citrus and fruity notes. Originating from Plattsburgh, NY with a deep love for the mountains she moved back home to join the team and pursue working with beer. Olivia has an endless list of hobbies in the outdoor community of the Adirondacks which include skiing, hiking, biking, and paddling.

COLLEEN CRAIG

Manager

More info to come!

Dominic Muncil

Manager

More info to come!

CHRISTOPHER & CATHERINE ERICSON

FOUNDERS / OWNERS

Christopher & Catherine Ericson officially opened RiverTrail in October of 2024. Previously, they opened Big Slide Brewery & Public House in Lake Placid in June of 2016, and have also owned and operated The Lake Placid Pub & Brewery since he founded the company in 1996 at the age of 24. He graduated from Williams College with degrees in History and Psychology in 1993 then decided to pursue microbrewing in his native Maine at Kennebunkport / Shipyard Brewing Company. He then was hired as Head Brewer at The Shed Restaurant & Brewery in Stowe, Vermont, where he worked for a year and a half. During that time, Christopher and a friend from Williams wrote a business plan and their search for a location led them to Lake Placid. In 2000, Chris & Catherine married, and Catherine began working as a crucial part of the ownership structure. Chris’s beers have received dozens of awards in both international and national competitions.

He currently sits on the Executive Committee of the New York State Craft Brewers Association, and is one of the co-founders of the group. He is a member of the national trade group, the Brewers Association, and sits on the BA’s national committee for Brewpubs. He is a member of the Lake Placid / Essex County Regional Office of Sustained Tourism, and served on the Board of Directors, including two years as Chairman. He was the Chairman of the Branding Project for Lake Placid, a three year endeavor. For ten years he was on the Education Council and the Finance Council for St. Agnes Primary School in Lake Placid. Prior to moving to Lake Placid, he was a Charter Officer in the Vermont Brewers Association.

Mr. Ericson has been a guest lecturer at Williams College, SUNY Plattsburgh, Paul Smith’s College, Lake Placid High School, and Northwood School, teaching classes in entrepreneurship, restaurant economics, food & beverage management, microbrewing, marketing, and social media. Chris & Catherine currently live in Lake Placid with their daughter, Grace, and their son, CJ.