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Ski Hall of Fame Inducts Vail’s Hauserman, Gillett

Daily Staff Writer

Also in this year’s class: Lou Dawson, Dick Eflin and Ed LucksDaily Staff ReportVAIL- The Colorado Ski Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame recently announced the induction of Lou Dawson, Dick Eflin, George Gillett, Dick Hauserman, and Ed Lucks for the 2005 class. The following new members will be formally inducted in a gala set for Oct. 22:Lou Dawson On May 9, 1991, upon descending Kit Carson Peak, Lou Dawson became the only person to ski all 54 of Colorado’s Fourteeners, a feat yet to be matched. Not only an accomplished backcountry skier but an author as well, Dawson has dedicated his life to helping others enjoy Colorado’s wilderness. His titles include “Colorado High Routes,” “Colorado 10th Mountain Trails,” “Dawson’s Guide to Colorado Backcountry Skiing,” “Dawson’s Guide to Colorado’s Fourteeners,” “Wild Snow” and “Trooper Traverse.” Dick Eflin While stationed in Germany with the U.S. Air Force, Dick Eflin met a friend who informed him of the perfect place to start a ski area in Colorado: a small mining town called Crested Butte. In 1960 he moved his family to Crested Butte, formed Crested Butte, Ltd., and began the process of applying for Forest Service permits and buying land. On Thanksgiving Day, 1961, Crested Butte Mountain opened with a T-bar and a rope tow. George Gillett When George Gillett bought Vail & Beaver Creek resorts in 1985, his primary focus was on customer service. Gillett also launched a massive installation of high-speed detachable chairlifts at Vail, kick-starting the growth that would establish Vail as one of America’s top ski destinations. Gillett also supported major alpine ski events at a time when most ski areas in American declined to host international races. He spearheaded Vail’s hosting of the 1989 World Alpine Ski Championships, and through his support, Vail once again hosted the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships. Gillett is still active in the ski community, running Booth Creek Ski Holdings and managing resorts throughout North America. In 1999 Ski magazine voted George as one of the “100 Most Influential Skiers of All Time.” Dick Hauserman One of Vail’s founding fathers, Hauserman also assisted in the redevelopment of Steamboat. See story, this page Ed Lucks Ed Lucks began teaching skiing at Arapahoe Basin in 1966, where he began his lifelong mission to share the sport with the disabled. Working with doctors from an Army hospital, Lucks taught disabled Vietnam-era veterans, and later worked with kids from the Children’s Hospital in Denver. In 1969 he moved to Snowmass Village and started the adaptive ski program at Aspen, where he taught for over 26 years. Lucks practiced skiing on one leg, and skied blindfolded, to see what methods and techniques would work best with his students. The Colorado Ski Museum will host a number of events throughout the year to celebrate the new Hall of Fame members. The Fourth Annual Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Golf Invitational is scheduled for Aug. 29, at Keystone Ranch. The 29th Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame Induction Gala is set for Oct. 22, where the five new inductees will be honored for their many contributions to snowsports in Colorado.For more information contact the Ski Museum at 476-1876, or e-mail info@skimuseum.net.Vail, Colorado


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