Jensen, Hastings enter Colorado Ski Hall of Fame

VAIL, Colorado — Bill Jensen, the former boss of Vail Mountain, and the late Merrill Hastings, a ski magazine publisher who lived in Bond until his death last month, are part of the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame’s class of 2008.

The three other inductees to the hall of fame, located in Vail Village, are Paul T. Bailey, Chuck Ferries and Knox T. Williams.

Jensen, who began his career as a lift operator in at California’s Mammoth Mountain, had been in charge of Vail Mountain until earlier this year when he left to become the CEO of Vail Resorts’ top competitor, Intrawest, which owns Copper Mountain, Steamboat Springs and Whistler.

Hastings was a member of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, which trained at Camp Hale near Red Cliff, and helped build Arapahoe Basin. In 1948 started the publication that became Skiing magazine. Hastings lived in Bond in northern Eagle County until his death last month.

Bailey was a founding member of the Copper Mountain ski area and was chairman of Copper’s board of directors from its opening in 1972 until 1978. A former president of the Loveland Basin Ski Team, Bailey last ski season was the National Nastar Champion in the 85-and-over category.

Ferries was a member of the U.S. Olympic ski teams at Squaw Valley and Innsbruck, and was president of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association from 2002 to 2006. He also was president of Scott USA.

Knox T. Williams built the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the oldest avalanche forecast center in the United States, into one of the most respected centers in the world. He also developed an avalanche safety program recognized throughout the world.

The Class of 2008 will be honored at the 32nd annual Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame Induction Gala on Oct. 18 at Denver Marriott City Center. Also at the ceremony, Lindsey Kildow Vonn will be the recipient of the Competitor of the Year Award. Vonn, a former Vail Ski Club racer, won the women’s World Cup title in 2008.

For more information about the Colorado Ski Museum Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame, call (970)476-1876 or visit www.skimuseum.net.