Most interesting person you shared a lift with

I've been very fortunate to have shared lift rides with some very (all caps) interesting folks- none that I would call celebrities in the day to day world, but mtn. guys that I have an undying respect for. In no particular order:
Bernie Kingery, Norm Wilson (as avy guys and true mtn. types), Steve McKinney and Dick Dorworth (patrol et. al). Lastly Bob Butler, early fire chief for Squaw Valley, and avy instructor.

Lift rides- no interest at all- the Hollywood types who made "Hot Dog- the Movie".

The most memorable- on an end of day ride on Summit Chair with just 2 of us on board, was with Professor Jerzy Twardokens (Eva's dad and a 1952 olympian- fencing, Poland) who had taught Techniques of Ski Instruction and Ski Conditioning at U of Nevada, Reno for years. I had taken his "Techniques" class many years earlier and told him how his class had helped my skiing. His final test had consisted of a single question, pass/fail. "What was your question then?", he asked on the chair. I gave the question and my answer, he chuckled and said "you still would pass". He asked if I had taught my son to ski here and I replied affirmative. Then he said with emotion in his voice- "Remember what I told you about skiing with perfect form and honoring the sport? Well that is all bullshit- you bring your son out here, and hike with him to that peak, and that one, and all of those. And you teach him to ski the way he wants, and to honor and enjoy these mountains". As we skated off at the top, I think he was tearing up behind his Vaurnets. Won't forget that one.

Drove up to Wolf Creek for a day trip from ABQ while visiting in laws. It hadn't snowed in a while. Met a local old ripper (probably about 70) on the Alberta lift. We talked about nothing but skiing. Best days. Best runs. Worst crashes. Best skis. Worst skis. We hiked to a line that still had some untracked snow. Didn't have much to say on the next lift ride or the one after. We just sat in silence which is generally just fine with me. I reckon we skied about 10 laps in a row all in the last pockets of good snow. Then he said something like "Ok. Gotta go." And he was off.

Didn't catch his name. In retrospect I reckon he might have been a ghost, or at least I would if he believed in that sort of thing.

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Originally Posted by flowing alpy

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the mag formally known as spook

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right back at ya, my friend! i look forward to riding with you and yours again soon!

that pic is the essence of gaper. i can smell it.

Last year I rode up with a couple of old timers, one was 77 the other was 81. They were Epic pass holders, but were road tripping hitting Epic resorts and other resorts that gave free lift tickets to "super seniors".

I whipped out a flask of High West, and we all had a pull. Amazing old dudes still enjoying the stoke of skiing. In my book, those guys are genuine celebrities.

My son. My daughter. :smile:

After hundreds of KT days over the past nearly 40 years, no telling who I've been in the same line with or shared a chair while all bundled up on a storm day. A couple that come to mind are Noah Salaznek & Shane's widow.

Rode the JH tram w/Coombs and gotta chance to chat with him a few years later at the Tsaina.

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Originally Posted by tahoearmada

robin williams at alpine meadows on a super stormy pow day in spring of 2006, heard his voice and immediately knew it was him... followed him around for a couple laps, dude could ride pretty well!

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I was working at a bike shop in Kings Beach back in the 90s and Robin WIlliams & Eric Idle came in one day. RW was his usual boisterous self, EI barely said a word.

doug coombs at la grave. had no idea who he was until afterwards. super nice guy, all smiles.

Robin Williams at Alpine Meadows mid90’s. He was on tele fear too. Looked down and told me my bindings were broken. I looked at him and gaped. He said “yep”. We went out separate ways at the top. Saw him later at The Cottonwood and he bought our dinner.

Road lifts a a bunch of great folks but no one famous.
There was a guy named Bill who was in his late 80’s and skied every day at the Great Divide. Very interesting a good skier though his off piste days were behind him. That was in the late 1980’s. RIP


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A buddy and I rode up with a guy in his late 70's once, who had just come back from skiing Cham. He told us about all the other places he'd skied free that year on account of his age, eventually segued into the secret of his longevity (safety, duh). When he got off the chair he pinned my friend's coattail under his glove on the chair seat, and waited till the last second to let go (practically dropped off the chair). My friend, who was stuck in this awkward half stand getting up, got spun sideways, swept off his feet, and clocked in the helmet by the chair. Guy didn't even notice the mayhem he'd begat.

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The Captain and his co-pilot :)
Chair 2, Mammoth Mini a few years back.

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Originally Posted by Ridgehippy

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The Captain and his co-pilot :)
Chair 2, Mammoth Mini a few years back.

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More than a few...

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Klaus, in his 90s, Aspen Mountain. Still stoked, always smiling and still making everyone around him instantly so much happier and grateful to be skiing.

Lotta love for old guys here, gives me hope.

Rode the lift with an MMA trainer, worked with Sara Kaufmann, Ryan Jimmo and others. Never got his name but it was pretty interesting getting an insiders perspective on that world.

Fun thread btw


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I rode the lone peak tram with coombs and one other ski patroller. It was probably in 97. Nobody else on that ride just empty . He was pointing out to us a crazy route he had skied from the summit before the tram was in. Direct from the summit to crons. I got to ski Marx with him which was fun. Good guy. I'd give anything to have those empty tram rides again.

Owner of Evo... dude had some nice skies

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Originally Posted by Liam_J1018

Owner of Evo... dude had some nice skies

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hmmm. Did he moonlight as a landscape painter? Set designer?

Liam? Have you posted um, photos yet?

Wah, wah...he won't even get it.
Try ski's? Skis looks odd.

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Originally Posted by TurxSki

Wah, wah...he won't even get it.
Try ski's? Skis looks odd.

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It's English. Try it.

Skis would be correct as the plural of ski. Ski's would indicate that a ski owns something or is a contraction for 'ski is' or 'ski was'. Sheesh...

Fake English!

i shared a lift with iceman fore i knew he was iceman he had spatulas which made him interesting
shared a early morning deer valley pow day lift with stein
after he told me how pleased he was for me to meet him
he complimented my blue with ameba paisly accents scott schmidt steep tech onsie
i told him i had to go fart bag cause i had his lodges uniform on underneath so i could score another run fore work
he laughed and said if i was late he'd cover my tardy slip

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Originally Posted by skifishbum

shared a early morning deer valley pow day lift with stein
after he told me how pleased he was for me to meet him
he complimented my blue with ameba paisly accents scott schmidt steep tech onsie
i told him i had to go fart bag cause i had his lodges uniform on underneath so i could score another run fore work
he laughed and said if i was late he'd cover my tardy slip

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Very cool. One of the many good ones posted here.

Yes that is where snow comes from.