Celebrating Veterans from the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame
Did you know that the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame (HOF) includes over 45 veterans? From both World Wars, to Vietnam, the Korean War, and more - these courageous individuals served our country and then came back to make a lasting impact on the snow sports industry we all know and love today. Their sacrifices and continued contributions post war give so many people the ultimate feeling we all seek on mountain: Freedom. Thank you to all the veterans that have served our country, and to those that continue to serve.
Lowell Thomas
VAIL, CO - November 7, 2022 — This Veterans Day, the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame wanted to highlight three veterans enshrined in our Hall of Fame: Lowell Thomas (Class of 1978), Richard “Dick” Stillman (Class of 1995), and Jack Benedick (Class of 2011).
Born in Woodington, Ohio, Lowell Thomas grew up in Victor, Colorado, and worked as a gold miner, cook, and reporter. He got his start in journalism by editing two newspapers in town. Lowell went on to receive both a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Denver.
During World War I, President Wilson sent Lowell to “compile a history of the conflict” and was sent to find material that would encourage the American people to support it. Lowell, however, did not want to just write about the war, he wanted to film it – with cameraman Harry Chase.
The two first traveled to the Western Front and then were off to Italy. Lowell traveled to Palestine as an accredited war correspondent. At this time, Lowell first learned to ski as a correspondent with the Italian Mountain Troops of Monta Rosa.
After World War I, Lowell began skiing for recreation in 1926. During the first Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid in 1932, he signed up for lessons from Norwegian: Erling Strom, where he got his first formal instruction in the sport.
Lowell’s Draft Registration Card from WWI
He then skied his way around the world, his enthusiasm leading to involvement in launching two ski clubs and the National Ski Patrol, development of ski areas in America and Europe, building of the East's first chairlift, and promotion of skiing through over 50 years of news broadcasting many of his programs from the ski areas he loved. Lowell is best known for publicizing Lawrence of Arabia and his famous sign off after each broadcast: “So long until tomorrow.”
Of all his ski adventures he cites as most memorable a trip by train and cage up through the Camp Bird Mine near Ouray, Colorado, to emerge far above timberline in Chicago Basin and ski all the way down, to the accompaniment of spring avalanches.
No one has done more to publicize and promote Rocky Mountain skiing than Lowell Thomas. Lowell was elected to the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1966.
Richard “Dick” M. Stillman grew up in East Rochester, New York and began skiing in his teens in Old Forge, New York. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division from 1943-1946 (Company HQ, 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment). Dick trained at Camp Hale and saw action in Italy. He went on to graduate from Utah State University in 1950 with a B.S. in botany.
Dick Stillman - HQ, 87th Mountain Infantry
During his 30-year career in the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dick established and maintained the High Alpine Avalanche Research Station at Berthoud Pass, Colorado from 1950-1963. At that time the station, elevation 11,315 ft., was the highest in the world conducting avalanche research. He started in a field where there was little or no knowledge and became one of the top avalanche authorities in the United States.
Dick’s research included continuous field observations, tests of snow and avalanche conditions, and operation of various kinds of instrumentation to obtain specialized data for making forecasts of avalanche hazard and occurrence. He developed and applied criteria for initiating snow safety through avalanche control measures, including control by skiing down slopes, blasting and using artillery. At the Colorado Snowsports Museum, we proudly house in our collection items pertaining to this history, including a 25 mm recoilless Howitzer shell case used at Berthoud Pass ski area for avalanche control. Learn more HERE.
Dick kept the state highway department, ski area operators, and the public informed of areas which were safe or unsafe for skiing and traveling, created training material, and conducted intensive courses in methods and procedures of determining avalanche hazard and techniques of control.
Dick lectured extensively to professional and lay groups, served as chief avalanche instructor and on the advisory committee for the National Ski Patrol, and conducted 'show-me” trips for scientists from the U.S. and foreign countries.
The “Avalanche Handbook,” the one authoritative reference on avalanche research in this country, includes information that Dick contributed. He co-authored other resources throughout the 1950s.
In 1969, Jack Benedick lost both legs in combat in Vietnam but didn’t lose the will to fight. He returned to duty in 1970 as the only bilateral amputee in active service. While stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, he became active in organizations dedicated to sports for individuals with disabilities and was elected president of the Rocky Mountain Handicapped Sportsmen’s Association in 1973.
Jack Benedick - Airborne training May 1966
Jack was introduced to skiing at Arapahoe Basin while doing rehab at the Fitsimmons Army Medical Center in Denver. He turned to skiing as a form of rehabilitation. After retiring from service in 1978, he became president of the National Handicapped Sports and Recreation Association (now Disabled Sports USA), and during his tenure he helped advance the position of the sport.
As a member of the U.S. Handicap Ski Team (now U.S. Paralympic Ski Team) from 1979 to 1986, Benedick won a silver medal in the 1984 Winter Paralympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, and two bronze medals in the 1986 World Championships in Sälen, Sweden.
In the 1990s he was instrumental in gaining acceptance of adaptive skiing by the International Ski Federation. He also was a 1996 inductee to the Disabled Ski Hall of Fame, in 2006 he was honored with the Paralympic Order award from the International Paralympic Committee for his 30 years of work for athletes with disabilities, and in 2010 he was inducted in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.
“Great leaders make it possible for athletes to achieve their Olympic dreams,” Bill Marolt (HOF Class of 1986) said. “As a pioneer of adaptive skiing, Jack Benedick made a difference for generations of athletes. All of us in the skiing family will miss his friendship and passionate pursuit of goals on behalf of adaptive athletes.” (2021 The O&P EDGE).
Jack provided inspiration to many adaptive athletes and to all who have contact with the adaptive sports world. He passed away in Denver, Colorado, on March 19, 2013. He was 70.
To learn more about the many veterans in our Hall of Fame (HOF), we invite you to stop by the Museum from 10am to 5pm to browse our HOF database and learn more about their inspiring stories. We invite you to explore more about Warren Miller, Curt Chase, Adolph Kuss, Henry Christian Hall, and Merrill Hastings - just to name a few veterans! You can also view this database online here: https://www.snowsportsmuseum.org/hall-of-fame
With gratitude for your service to America on #VeteransDay and always.
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: https://www.snowsportsmuseum.org.
Media Contact:
Jen Mason | Dana Mathios
jen@snowsportsmuseum.org | dana@snowsportsmuseum.org
(970) 476-1876