Bill Johnson Strikes in Aspen (again) / Hall of Fame Weekend

Chirs Klug Inducted into the Hall of Fame.Have you ever been to Ishpeming, Michigan?  

I didn't think so.  

Ishpeming is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan near Lake Superior.  It's the birthplace of organized skiing in the USA and the home of the U.S Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.  I've been to the Ish and its worth the loooong ride to get there. It's about 500 miles North of Detroit.   The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame (Ski Hall) is a fascinating collection of artifacts, photos, films and stories about skiing and riding in the U.S.  It's awesome.   A visit to the Ski Hall is a must for anyone who is passionate about skiing.

This past weekend the HOF came to Aspen.  Every Spring the Ski Hall hosts it's skiing history week and induction ceremonies in a different location.  This year the ski community came to Fat City to celebrate their sport, the lifestyle and to facilitate the enshrinement of 7 snow sport legends.

The 7 Inductees for the Class of 2015:

Genia Fuller, David Ingemie, Harry Kaiser, Chris Klug, Jim Martinson, Bob Salerno, Edgar Stern

Their bio's can be found here. 2015 Ski Hall INDUCTEES.  Saturday's big gala induction ceremony held  about 500 people honoring the inductees at Aspen's posh St Regis Hotel.

CLICK 4 PIX:  Bill Johnson Strikes Again / Ski Hall of Fame

Bill Johnson's Family in Aspen to honor him.As part of the festivities  The Ski Hall commissioned video tributes to skiing super-stars STEIN ERIKSEN and BILL JOHNSON.  Both recently passed away.  But the most moving part of the whole weekend was the tribute and ski lap for Bill Johnson. Wild Bill burst onto the ski racing scene like a bomb.  He was the first American male alpine skier to win an Olympic Gold Medal in 1984. He's still the only American to win the Olympic Downhill.  Click Bill Johnson to learn more.  Johnson had quite a reputation as a non-conformist...but boy could he let his red sleds run.  It's been said that he challenged the entire skiing establishment in 1984...and then he backed it up.  Bill loved Aspen...and Aspen loved him.  Unfortunately he suffered a serious brain injury in a crash during a comeback attempt for the 2002 Olympics. That injury most surely contributed to his death last January at age 55.  

D.B. Johnson...bill's Mom let A.Party wear the GOLD.On Saturday more than 200 friends and family members of the late, great Bill Johnson gathered at the top of Ruthie's Run, at the start of the race course for America's Downhill on Aspen Mountain.  It was the site of Bill's huge World Cup victory in 1984.  A few words were shared...and the group...more than 200 strong skied down the race course together.  At the top of Aztec...the steepest , most technical part of the track...more honors were shared.  Aspen Ski Patrol exploded a 2 pound dynamite charge...BOOM...and the race was on.   At the finish line, marked, just as it was in 1984, the posse of friends grew...Bill Johnson's ashes were sprinkled across the finish.   Tom Kelly from the U.S.Ski Team shared a short speech that began "We're here to honor Bill Johnson"  Ka-BOOM...as if on cue, a giant lightening strike and thunder clap occurred...very close by.  The explosion was louder than the avalanche charge.   The skies opened up to reveal a serious hail storm.  The energy was incredible.  It was other-worldly. Everyone felt it... as if Bill Johnson were with us. I'm not one to fully believe in paranormal experiences...but this one was real and palpable and very fitting.

Just as Bill Johnson's name was invoked...a huge lightning strike occured on Aspen Mountain. Bill was there with us.All the lifts on Aspen Mountain were closed for over an hour due to the storm.  The mountain was deluged with hail, rain and powder snow.  A very unusual weather event even in April.  It was a fitting tribute to Bad Billy Johnson.  His friends and family (including his Mom and kids) retired to Nello to celebrate and toast the life of Mr. Bill Johnson...Olympic Champion.

The Ski History and Induction weekend was a rousing success in Aspen.  The Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame put on a great show. Generations of skiing legends spent the weekend in Aspen charging the steeps and than bragging about it at Apres' As always it was BIG FUN in Fat City.  

We'll see everyone from the Ski Hall next year in Stowe.   Meanwhile...if you happen to be in Michigan's Upper Peninsula...on the way to...I dunno...Northern Wisconsin...stop into the Hall of Fame.   It's a treasure of skiing history.  Oh yeah...and don't leave da U.P. eh? without trying the pasties. 

CLICK 4 PIX:  BILL JOHNSON STRIKES AGAIN / SKI HALL OF FAME

Three legends in the ski world. Klaus Obermeyer, Billy Kidd and Chris Davenport.Team Klug at Chris Klug's U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame induction in Aspen.The Kaiser's The First Family of Skiing at Harry's HOF Induction.U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Famers...team pic.Bad Bob Salerno was thrilled to be a Hall of Famer.Genia Fuller and her daughter. Genia was inducted as the first lady of free-styling.

Legend of Aahhh's, A True Fable

The Stumper in Aspen., with Kaycee and John & Aimee Oates.The evolution of the ski film is beautifully documented in Greg Stump's latest offering, LEGEND of AAHHHS's.

Stump, the ground-breaking creator of the seminal ski movie Blizzard of Aahhh's has traced the history of extreme skiing and the entire genre of ski filming in is his most recent creation, Legend of Aahhh's.  Own it now, Click:

LEGEND of AAHHH's. 

Stump is generally credited for putting extreme skiing on the map with Blizzard of Aaahhh's,  With help from skiing stars, Scot Schmidt, Glen Plake and Mike Hattrup.  Blizzard of Aahhh's took ski porn to the next level in 1988 with spectacular footage from Squaw Valley and Chaminox and an ear popping sound track...and most importantly a real story.   25 years later, LEGEND of AAHHH's pays homage to those who came before Blizzard and those who have come after it.  Stump includes interviews with ski film pioneers Warren Miller, John Jay, Dick Durrance and others. Skiing legends Schmidt, Plake, Hattrup along with Klaus Obermeyer, Chris Davenport, Mike Douglas, Kim Reichhelm, Lynn Wieland, Geoff Stump and more offer up opinions and commentary spliced in with some of the sickest historical ski footage known to man.  Some of the footage has never been seen before on screen.

Nobody is smoother than Scot Schmidt.Today's top ski filmers from TGR, Matchstick Productions and Level 1 all pay homage to Stump's Blizzard of Aahhh's for influencing their stoke and breaking the trail for the snow movies we see today. Legend of Aahhh's typically includes footage of extremely gnarly steeps, nipple deep pow sessions and huge airs. But it's the story and the history that fascinate me the most.  In Legend we get to meet some of the players in the ski industry.   Stump respects where the industry has been and projects where it is going.  The sound track includes jams from Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Liquid Stranger, Trouble Man and more.

I've seen a lot of ski films in my day, but Legend of Aahhh's connects the dots for me.  It gives the viewer a complete overview of the genre.  If there was a class on ski films... Legend of Aahhh's would be required viewing.   A little place called Aspen is proudly represented in the film too. Legend of Aahhh's has a special place in my heart because I've met many of the stars and I was with Greg Stump in Aspen while he was filming some of the scenes. I got to see a rough cut... plus I got to party with everybody.  Thats just icing on the cake. See my post from 2010   ASPEN PARTY WARS     Blizzard of Aahhh's is my favorite ski film of all time...and Legend of Aahhh's honor's the entire ski world  and what might just be the most perfect ski flick.  

LEGEND of AAHHH's.  (click to buy).

NEPSA VIDEO AWARDS 2011

Dav & Trav staying classy @ NEPSANEPSA is Aspen spelled backwards. The Nepsa Video Awards is a fierce competition among Aspen's local filmers hosted by Aspen / Snowmass.  NEPSA awards cash prizes and it's a chance for the homies to show their stuff and claim bragging rights for the upcoming ski season.  Last night was the 9th incarnation of NEPSA and per AspenSpin its the "unofficial kick off to ski season in Aspen".  All the usual suspects were there. This year a new fresh face took the top prize at the NEPSAs.  Not a new face to skiing, or to Aspen, or to stylie ripping on film, but a guy who's new to the new school....wait for it, The NEPSA goes to... 92 year old living legend Klaus Obermeyer. Klaus can add another trophy to his overflowing case... NEPSA WINNER.    Klaus starred in filmmake Geoff Stump's masterpiece  AN EXTREME NEPSA featuring RICK DIXON which took home the top prize.

Click 4 pix:   NEPSA VIDEO AWARDS     and     D & E on the CATWALK

Fit 4 Real. An Excellent FilmThe coveted runner-up vid. was awarded to the ladies. The docu-drama FIT for REAL from Jacqui Edgerly and her crew of Erin, Megan, Lula and Rachel was nasty (in a good way).  The new Secrets of Aspen were filmed getting fit all around Aspen in their leotards and neon ski outfits.  RIGHT ON!!

The third place NEPSA went to BIG Mountain Skier and B.A.S.E. Jumper Ted Davenport for his auto-biographical flick HEY LOOK at ME...and my MUPPETS.   Ted is on the mend from two broken legs...so he rolled to NEPSA in his chair. The good news is he'll be back on his sticks soon.

The NEPSA Audience Award.. always a highly contested category, and perhaps the most important NEPSA went to High Society's own Nate Berkel, D & E team rider Tae Westcott and the highly technical Matt Hobbs for THE TOP 5 SECRETS of ASPEN.

NEPSA always attracts an over-confident (skiers) and rowdy (snow boarders) element to the Historic Wheeler Opera House, but the super high-quality video entertainment kept the animals in their cages.   NEPSA hosts Chris Davenport and Travis McClain cleaned up their acts and rented tuxes in an attempt  to increase their KLOUT Scores (don't ask).  Dav & Trav scored BIG with their "staying classy" style.

The after-party included a sick D & E FASHION SHOW (tons of models) and entertainment from ROBOTIC PIRATE MONKEY out of Boulder.  Click the pix... you won't regret it.

NEPSA VIDEO AWARDS         &      D & E on the CATWALK                        

Geoff Stump and his Posse took home the top prize at NEPSA. Click 4 pix.Do u like Models?? Click for pix...u won't regret it.

Klaus Obermeyer turns 91.

Klaus Obermeyer turns 91. click 4 more pixDecember 2 is an international holiday for skiers.  Its the birthday of KLAUS OBERMEYER, one of the most influential people in skiing history. Click KLAUS to get a summary of his accomplishments. Klaus Obermeyer was born in Germany in 1919.  He founded his own ski wear company,-- Sport Obermeyer in 1947 in Aspen, Colorado in his attic while he was working as a ski instructor. Klaus developed the first down parka, the first mirrored sunglasses and the first high altitude sun screen  among other innovations. Sport Obermeyer is still known as one of the most important, progressive and powerful brands in snow sports....to this day.

Klaus still skis almost everyd day.  His technique is smooth and fast, in fact ---it's doubtful that you can keep up.  His distinctive Yodel is famous throughout the world. 

Klaus is more than just a ski-wear trend setter--he's "the greatest guy in skiing".   He's affable, gregarious, funny and super popular with the ladies.  His energy and love for the mountains is contagious.  He's quick with a quip and his 5000 watt smile lights up every room he enters.  At 91, Klaus is still getting after it ----every day --on the mountain and off.  His 91st birthday was a cause celbre at the venerable Wienerstube restaurant in Aspen.  4 generations of family and friends gathered to wish Klaus a Happy Birthday and share a delicious apple strudel warm from the oven.   When he bit into his birthday pastry, the SRO crowd cheered.  Klaus looked up, shrugged and laughed and said " i'm really gonna have to brush my tooth more often", and he immediately began his trademark Yodel.   The crowd went wild.   

SEE PIX --click  KLAUS at 91.

Living Legend Klaus Obermeyer turns 91. click 4 pix