A day rarely goes by when we don’t hear Bill Bergman’s name mentioned at the Colorado Snowsports Museum. With great sorrow, we announce the passing of William A. “Bill” Bergman, a 2012 Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame inductee. The Colorado ski industry pioneer died at 99, in Keystone, Colorado on Monday, December 11, 2023. Bill’s impact was far-reaching as he transformed the ski industry and was co-founder of Keystone. He created environmentally conscious trail designs, installed snowmaking capabilities, and converted skiing into a corporate enterprise. Bill’s legacy is forever enshrined on Keystone Mountain, with Bergy’s Glade, the Bergman Bowl, and the Bergman Express named in his honor. Next time you ride the lift or slide down the snow on this terrain, take a moment to think of Bill and his lasting impact on one of Colorado’s greatest resorts. Our deepest condolences go out to Bill’s family, friends, the Keystone community, and all who knew him.

Bill Bergman - World War II B-24 lead navigator in the Air Corps. Photo was taken in 1943.

December 12, 2023 - VAIL, Co. — Bill Bergman was born in Iowa in 1924. He learned to ski at an early age on rope tows in Wisconsin. After returning from World War II as a B-24 lead navigator in the Air Corps, Bill started practicing law in 1949.

He first came to Colorado in 1952, when Bill and his wife Jane began their annual ski trip to Colorado. The Bergmans stayed at the Ski Tip Lodge or the Alhambra cabin during their visits. The Alhambra, an old miner’s cabin on an unpatented mining claim just above Ski Tip Ranch, was owned by Jane’s sister and brother-in-law and several other friends. While on these trips, Bill and Jane became friends with the Dercums.

When Max Dercum recognized the potential of the Keystone area, Bill, Max, and Clay Simon drew up the incorporation papers for Keystone in 1968 at the Alhambra. Ski lore has it that more than two decades before the 1968 meeting between Bill, Max, and Clay at the Alhambra cabin, it was there, by lamplight, that Larry Jump revealed to Max plans for the nearby Arapahoe Basin, a skiing enterprise that included Dick Durrance. At the same weathered table, it was Max’s turn to share plans with Bill, an Iowa attorney who for years had journeyed to Colorado for the skiing.

Bill remembered the time he realized that the Keystone area would be special. “I went up to the top of the mountain with Max and almost killed myself coming down on a narrow snowmobile track,” he told Charlie Meyers during his Hall of Fame induction process.

Eventually, Bill and Jane purchased the Alhambra from Max and Edna Dercum, who had lived there during the years following World War II and while building Ski Tip. At this time, Colorado skiing saw a boom in ski area development. The Summit Daily reported that after the Bergmans purchased the Alhambra, it became the official office of Keystone Resort. The Bergmans later donated the Alhambra cabin to the Keystone Science School, and it was moved to the site of the old town of Keystone.

In 1970, construction of the Keystone ski area began using innovative helicopter ski tower installations (a first in Colorado), the creation of a variety of runs suited for all abilities, grooming of slopes, snowmaking, and a ski school. Max had a vision for what would become Summit County’s largest ski resort. Bill had the know-how to make it happen and, in a way, became the father of modern Colorado skiing. Instead of using small investors, Bill transformed skiing into a corporate enterprise. He partnered with the well-known dog food producer, Ralston Purina, and made Max Dercum's dream of Keystone a leader in the ski industry. The template they established gave similar stimulus to other corporate entities that subsequently became the investment gold standard driving resort expansion across the continent.

For their time, both environmentally conscious trails and snowmaking were considered breakthroughs. Their trail concept consisted of winding trails with esthetically pleasing berms to lessen the impact of erosion. The addition of snowmaking allowed Keystone to lengthen its ski season – laying the groundwork for growing interest by investors who could guarantee certain restaurants and condos would be filled to the point of profit. To this day, Keystone remains an industry leader in snowmaking.

Bill, the principal developer at Keystone, was an effective innovator who brought national and international recognition and the stature of skiing to Summit County. Together, Bill and Bob Maynard built Keystone’s needed hotel, convention center (the first at a main ski resort), and opportunities for all four seasons including a lake, trails, tennis courts, and golf. Furthermore, Bill and Bob built employee housing and became a leader in Colorado for taking on such accommodations.

In addition, Bill was a supporter of the 1976 Denver Olympic bid and had the funds to create the needed and qualifying downhill Olympic runs. Moreover, Bill worked tirelessly with the Forest Service to foster a better relationship with ski areas. This partnership allowed for the creation of needed skiing opportunities to meet the large growth in demand for Colorado skiing.

Working largely behind the scenes, but with a passion and perspective that changed the industry, Bill Bergman fits the mold of a true ski pioneer. All of us at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame give thanks to Bill and offer our continued dedication to preserving and sharing his story.

Source: Historical information in this piece came from Bill Bergman’s Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame nomination packet. The nomination was presented to the Hall of Fame Committee by Max and Edna Dercum with letters of support from an impressive bunch: Charlie Meyers, William Lucas, Robert Craig, Lucy Kay, Roger McCarthy, Kikken R. Miller, Brian Smith, Jane Bergman, Rolf Dercum, William L. Bergman Jr., Clay Simon, Pat Campbell, John Rutter, Pat O’Donnell, Bob Maynard, Koert Voorhees, Melvin C. Bahle, Marjorie Jump, Michael R. Clary, Mitzie and Lex Hawkins, Dr. Donald i. Newland, David Jay Flood, Jerry Jones, John A. Love, and Trygve Berge. This alone shows just how far-reaching Bill’s impact was -- on so many.

About the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame:

Founded in 1975 and located in Vail, Colorado, our mission is to celebrate Colorado snow sports by telling stories that educate and inspire others to seek adventure. The priceless artifacts we collect and display tell the story of the birth, rise and explosion of skiing and snowboarding in Colorado. The Museum features displays including Climb to Glory about the 10th Mountain Division, Vail’s DNA, The Colorado Snowboard Archive, and The Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, among many others. Learn more and consider supporting the Museum by becoming a member: www.snowsportsmuseum.org.

Media Contact:

Jen Mason | Dana Mathios

jen@snowsportsmuseum.org | dana@snowsportsmuseum.org

(970) 476-1876

William A. “Bill” Bergman (1924-2023)