Warren Miller exhibit now open at Colorado Snowsports Museum
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily
Raise your hand if you’ve ever seen a Warren Miller movie? Or, I guess I should say, raise your hand if you have not seen a Warren Miller movie. With over 750 films made by the original ski bum, Miller’s reach is global, and his famous ski films often set the stoke for the upcoming ski season each and every year.
Learn more about this entertainment icon at the Colorado Snowsports Museum in Vail Village. An exhibit just opened but has been in the works for quite a while, according to Jen Mason, the executive director of the museum.
“Believe it or not, this exhibit has been in the works for about five years. We struggled to have the 100 years of Ski Fashion go away because that exhibit was so popular and so loved. But with the 50th anniversary of the museum this year, we decided to just go for it,” Mason said.
Many people know about Miller’s humble beginnings living in a camper in a parking lot in Sun Valley, Idaho, but did you know that he was in the Navy during World War II? Or that he was influenced by Walt Disney, who lived nearby where Miller grew up in Hollywood, California? And you’ll never guess how much he paid for his first pair of skis. These stories and more can be found in this new exhibit.
Miller’s beloved Bell and Howell 16 mm camera from the 1940s is on display along with other pieces of his equipment.
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“Most of the artifacts that are on display have been in the museum’s collection since Warren was involved in the museum in the late 1980s and early 1990s,” Mason said. “Last year, we acquired a few more really interesting artifacts from Warren Miller’s long-time cameraman Gary Nate. These artifacts really rounded out the exhibit.”
Miller was inducted into the Colorado Snowsports Museums’ Hall of Fame in 1995 as a Sport Builder. Miller also lived in the Vail Valley for about a decade and came to Vail in the early days to shed a light on the new ski resort.
“His films didn’t just showcase skiing — they captured humor, camaraderie and the joy of winter. The exhibit highlights how Warren Miller’s voice and vision helped define the culture of skiing and snowboarding. Warren Miller’s story is fascinating. You will learn much more about Warren Miller than just his skiing career,” Mason said.
Learn more about the man who founded filmmaking in 1949 and went on to inspire generations to chase powder, travel and embrace mountain life. His storytelling helped turn skiing from a niche sport into a global lifestyle.
“We do believe this exhibit will be on display for at least a few years, if not more at the museum,” Mason said. “Warren Miller is not just a Colorado icon in the ski industry, but he is a global Snowsports pioneer. He created the stoke film genre, he is truly legendary in the ski industry. “
The Colorado Snowsports Museum is located in the Vail Village Parking Structure. Please note that the museum will close for the off-season April 19-May 15. For more information, go to snowsportsmuseum.org.
