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The First Aluminum Skis: Ski History vs Aviation History
By Seth Masia In writing about the origins of the Head and Aluflex aluminum skis during the postwar years, ski historians have focused on the transfer of aviation technology from Glenn L. Martin...
Vonn is Back: Hard-Earned Tears
By Tom Kelly Over the past decade, Lindsey Vonn has established herself as one of the world's most notable athletes. People on the street know Lindsey Vonn. They recognize her as an accomplished ski...
Behind the Gold: Ryan Cochran-Siegle
By Tom Kelly Gold comes in many forms. Last weekend on the icy pitch of the fabled O.K. course in Val d’Isere, France, a 15th place World Cup super G result gleamed brighter than an Olympic medal for...
Whatever Happened to Heierling?
At one time, Heierling was among the most famous names in skiing. In the postwar years, the Swiss company’s handmade leather boots equipped an entire generation of racing champions. Beginning in...
Snowboarding: It’s Older Than You Think
From Turkey to Turin, the Occasionally Murky History of Snowboarding’s First 400 Years By Paul J. MacArthur The origins of snowboarding are poorly documented. Conceived and promoted by hobbyists, the...
K2, Marker, Völkl brands in limbo
By Seth Masia The wholesale/retail scene was rocked in September when Newell Brands Inc, announced it would sell or fold K2 Sports and its subsidiaries. Two of the oldest brands in skiing, Völkl and...
Tomorrow the World
Vail’s purchase of Whistler/Blackcomb is historic: it makes the company twice as large, financially, as the number two ski resort operator. Vail is now poised to leap oceans. By Seth Masia When, in...
ISHA Marks 25th Anniversary
Mason Beekley’s lifelong passion led to the founding of ISHA during the winter of 1990–91. Skiing History Week 2017 will mark the 25th annual awards banquet. By Seth Masia Mason Beekley’s great...
A Short, Colorful History of Ski Boots
Early boot design was dictated by binding design. The modern era introduced new materials, fit and height that led to a revolution in alpine technique. BY SETH MASIA In the beginning, Norwegian...
Featured Member: Nick Paumgarten Sr
A Family Matter Nick Paumgarten, whose father and uncle skied in the Winter Olympics, has been a passionate ISHA supporter since 2004. Nick Paumgarten Sr. joined ISHA in 2004 and has been a...
Amtrak revives Winter Park ski train
Last March, in celebration of Winter Park’s 75th anniversary, the resort revived the Denver ski train as a one-weekend experiment with Amtrak (see the March-April 2015 issue of Skiing History, page 7...
Featured Member: Paul Mathews
Many ISHA members have led adventurous lives on snow, but no one has skied and hiked more mountains than Paul Mathews, founder of the Ecosign resort-planning firm in Whistler, British Columbia. Since...
Craftsbury Outdoor Center
In northern Vermont, a “crazy idea” has become a world-class, award-winning cross-country and outdoor center. By Peggy Shinn In February 2014, as the Olympic torch was lit in Sochi, Russia, the...
Featured ISHA Member: George Hovland
George Hovland Celebrates 90 Years George is still still skiing in NASTAR races and still crackles with wit and good humor. We recently checked in with George (and his tolerant wife, Jane). Hovland...
Jean Vuarnet
His Olympic gold was only the beginning. The triumphant, sometimes tumultuous professional and personal life of the 1960 Olympic downhill gold medalist, technique analyst, resort developer, and...
Examining The EGG
Radical racing invention, or a variation of a long-established technique? By John Fry Was the Egg (oeuf in French, Ei in German) a radical ski racing invention? Or merely a stage in the steady...
Debbie Armstrong
After a storybook racing career, an Olympic champion finds a new calling in coaching—and liberation through a recent TBI diagnosis. BY EDITH THYS MORGAN I know the small box it’s in, but right now,...