John was a member of the first U.S. Alpine Ski Team at the Pan American Winter Games in 1937. He was chosen as a member of the U.S. FIS Ski Team. During World War II, he joined the famed 10th Mountain Division and trained at Camp Hale. He served until 1945 and earned a bronze star for his campaign in Italy. After the war, he started the Aspen Ski School and became a co-director.
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Member Type: Inspiration
During five decades, Ron has brought his engineering and science acumen to the analysis of ski technique and has continuously contributed to the formation of skiers, ski coaches, and instructors all over Colorado, the USA, and the world. His writing and photographic skills have provided a unique perspective for elucidating the intricacies in ski technique from its most basic to its most highly developed levels. A Colorado native having spent most of his life here, Ron, through his authorship of works considered the standard in ski technique analysis, has brought renown to his home state around the skiing world. Ron continues to be an inspiration to many in the snow sports industry. We hope to honor him by not only celebrating his great influence, but also by promoting on-mountain safety.
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Freda was a Norwegian National and Olympic skier who came to Colorado in 1962. She started coaching at the Winter Park Eskimo Ski Club and for the last 40 years, has taught at Keystone and Arapahoe Basin Ski Schools. Recently, she has channeled her boundless energy towards fundraising helping to raise over $250,000 towards ski-related charities including Race for the Lights, the Special Olympics, Ski for SIDS, and the Jimmie Heuga Vertical Express.
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After being diagnosed with a rare liver disease, Chris received a liver transplant in July of 2000. He went on to compete at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City where he won the bronze medal in the Parallel Giant Slalom. He is the first and only transplant recipient to compete at a summer or winter Olympics. In 2003, he founded the Chris Klug Foundation spreading awareness and promoting organ and tissue donation.
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Whip has become a legend in Colorado as the builder and owner of Aspen Highlands, one of the four great ski areas of Aspen. When the area opened in 1958, it had three lifts, including the world’s longest single section double chairlift. In 1992, after the longest continuous ownership of any ski area in Colorado, he donated the Highlands stock to his alma mater, Harvard University. It was later bought by Aspen Skiing Company.
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Cheryl’s contribution to snow sports is life changing. Cheryl founded The Vail Veterans Program (VVP) in 2004 which introduces severely injured veterans and their families to therapeutic outdoor sports. VVP started as an adaptive winter ski program for a small group of wounded warriors and grew to host a variety of programs serving nearly 3,500 injured military service members and raising over $22M in support of this vital mission. By keeping veterans active from the beginning of their recovery, their physical and mental health is improved, giving them hope and confidence. Many veterans who have experienced VVP made Colorado their home, becoming leaders in their communities and champions in Paralympic sports. Cheryl has received numerous awards, including the Outstanding Public Service Medal (Secretary of Defense), the Women’s Outstanding Work Award from the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Outstanding Civilian Servant from the Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Women in Industry award from the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Cheryl founded Sharing Warmth Around the Globe in 2002 which was adopted by National Ski Areas Association resorts providing hundreds of thousands of retired winter resort uniforms to countries in need. Cheryl lives in Vail and serves on the boards of the Vail Valley Foundation and the Colorado-based DzI Foundation.
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Jimmie competed internationally on the U.S. Ski Team for ten years. He was an Olympic bronze medalist in the 1964 slalom in Innsbruck, Austria and was third in the 1967 World Cup giant slalom. In 1967, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He later moved to Vail and founded the Jimmie Heuga Center, now known as the Can Do Center, for physical conditioning and consulting services to people with disabilities and personal challenges.
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Ford was the 38th President of the United States and became known as the first skiing president. He loved skiing at Vail and Beaver Creek and helped make the country aware that Colorado was the place to ski. Even after retiring from politics, President Ford continued to spend much of his time at his home in Beaver Creek. He also served on the board of the Vail Valley Foundation for over twenty years.
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Father John, a hearty man of God, skied his preaching circuits in pursuit of his religious commitments. He was one of the first Methodist ministers to tour Colorado's high country mining camps. In 1862, at age 50, he took over the Blue River Mission in Summit County. In the following year, his new circuit encompassed Park City (Alma), Fairplay and Leadville. The title "Father" was given to him because of his concern for the people.
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Minnie, the founder of the National Ski Patrol System, conceived an idea that a trained ski and mountaineering division would be advantageous to America’s defense. The War Department accepted his proposal and on November 15, 1941, the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Mountain Regiment was activated. Minnie recruited 25,000 men over 60 days and began the famous 10th Mountain Division. This action brought military skiing into Colorado. Minnie’s Mile on Vail Mountain is named for him.
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