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{{Infobox Person
{{Infobox Person
| name = Pete Seibert
| name = Pete Seibert
| image =
| image =
| image_size =
| image_size =
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_date = August 7, 1924
| birth_date = {{birth date|1924|08|07}}
| birth_place = [[Sharon, Massachusetts]]
| birth_place = [[Sharon, Massachusetts|Sharon]], [[Massachusetts]]<br>{{USA}}
| death_date = July 15, 2002
| death_date = {{death date and age|2002|07|15|1924|08|07}}
| death_place = [[Vail, Colorado]]
| death_place = [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]], [[Colorado]]
| education =
| education =
| occupation =
| occupation = Ski resort founder
| spouse = Elizabeth (divorced c. 1971)
| spouse = Elizabeth (divorced c. 1971)
| parents =
| parents =
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}}
}}


'''Peter W. Seibert''' (August 7, 1924-July 15, 2002) was the founder of [[Vail Ski Resort]]<ref>{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Pennington |title=The Legacy of the Soldiers on Skis |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/03/10/travel/escapes/10ski.html |format= |work=The New York Times |publisher= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2006-03-10 |accessdate=2007-06-02 |language= |quote=The 10th Mountain Division connections are everywhere in American skiing, whether it's at Vail Mountain, founded by Sgt. Pete Seibert of the 10th Mountain Division, or in Vermont. . . . }}</ref> and what would eventually become [[Vail Resorts]] in Colorado. He was a 1980 inductee into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://www.coloradoskihalloffame.com/images_bio_htm_files/Peter_Seibert.htm Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame - Peter W. Seibert].</ref>
'''Peter W. Seibert''' (August 7, 1924-July 15, 2002) was the founder of [[Vail Ski Resort]]<ref>{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Pennington |title=The Legacy of the Soldiers on Skis |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/03/10/travel/escapes/10ski.html |format= |work=The New York Times |publisher= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2006-03-10 |accessdate=2007-06-02 |language= |quote=The 10th Mountain Division connections are everywhere in American skiing, whether it's at Vail Mountain, founded by Sgt. Pete Seibert of the 10th Mountain Division, or in Vermont. . . . }}</ref> and what would eventually become [[Vail Resorts]] in [[Colorado]]. He was a 1980 inductee into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://www.coloradoskihalloffame.com/images_bio_htm_files/Peter_Seibert.htm Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame - Peter W. Seibert].</ref>


==Biography==
==Biography==
===Early life===
===Early life===
Seibert, a [[Massachusetts]] native, graduated from the [[New Hampton School]] in [[New Hampshire]] and served in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army's]] [[10th Mountain Division (United States)|10th Mountain Division]] during [[World War II]]. He was gravely wounded by a mortar shell blast in [[Italy]] and was told he would never again ski.
Seibert, a [[Massachusetts]] native, graduated from the [[New Hampton School]] in [[New Hampshire]] and served in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army's]] [[10th Mountain Division (United States)|10th Mountain Division]] during [[World War II]], which trained at [[Camp Hale]] in [[Colorado]]. He was gravely wounded by a mortar shell blast in [[Italy]] and was told he would never again ski.


He returned to [[Colorado]] after the war, where he got back into skiing with the help of a homemade knee brace and dozens of other members of the 10th Mountain Division (which had trained at [[Camp Hale]]) who had also returned to Colorado. Seibert joined [[Aspen Mountain (ski area)|Aspen]]'s [[ski patrol]] and later qualified for the 1950 [[United States Ski Team|U.S. Ski Team]]. He learned his trade of choice, operating a [[ski area]], by working at various ski resorts and began looking for a mountain to make into a ski area.
He returned to Colorado after the war, where he got back into skiing with the help of a homemade knee brace and dozens of other members of the 10th Mountain Division who had also returned to Colorado. Seibert joined [[Aspen Mountain (ski area)|Aspen]]'s [[ski patrol]] and later qualified for the 1950 [[United States Ski Team|U.S. Ski Team]], which hosted the [[FIS Alpine World Ski Championships|1950 World Championships]] at Aspen. He learned his trade of choice, operating a [[ski area]], by working at various ski resorts and began looking for a mountain to make into a ski area.


===Vail===
===Vail===
In 1957, Seibert and longtime friend Earl Eaton first climbed the future Vail Mountain and, as the legend goes, decided to build "the most beautiful ski resort in the world." The pair publicly expressed their interest in the area for a [[Shooting range|rod and gun club]], acquiring land for the "Trans Montane Rod and Gun Club" with the help of four partners they invited to buy an interest into the club. The club decided to find 20 investors from around the country to buy in, yet be geographically diverse enough that each could raise larger sums of money when it was needed in the future. This idea became known as the Vail formula.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hauserman |first=Richard |coauthors=M. Scott Carpenter, John Love, [[Warren Miller (director)|Warren Miller]]|title=The Inventors of Vail |year=2000 |publisher=Golden Peak |location=Edwards, Colorado |isbn=0970443803}}</ref>
In 1957, Seibert and longtime friend Earl Eaton first climbed the future Vail Mountain and, as the legend goes, decided to build "the most beautiful ski resort in the world." The pair publicly expressed their interest in the area for a [[Shooting range|rod and gun club]], acquiring land for the "Trans Montane Rod and Gun Club" with the help of four partners they invited to buy an interest into the club. The club decided to find 20 investors from around the country to buy in, yet be geographically diverse enough that each could raise larger sums of money when it was needed in the future. This idea became known as the "Vail formula."<ref>{{cite book |last=Hauserman |first=Richard |coauthors=M. Scott Carpenter, John Love, [[Warren Miller (director)|Warren Miller]]|title=The Inventors of Vail |year=2000 |publisher=Golden Peak |location=Edwards, Colorado |isbn=0970443803}}</ref>


In 1962, construction on the resort began on the land between the town of [[Eagle, Colorado|Eagle]] and [[Vail Pass]]. It opened December 15, 1962 with two [[chairlift]]s, one [[Gondola lift|gondola]] and a $5 lift ticket.<ref name="resorthistory">[http://www.vailresorts.com/ourcompany.cfm?mode=history History]. Vail Resorts Corporate Website.</ref>
In 1962, construction on the resort began on the land between the town of [[Eagle, Colorado|Eagle]] and [[Vail Pass]]. It opened December 15, 1962 with two [[chairlift]]s, one [[Gondola lift|gondola]] and a $5 lift ticket.<ref name="resorthistory">[http://www.vailresorts.com/ourcompany.cfm?mode=history History]. Vail Resorts Corporate Website.</ref>


In just seven years, Vail had grown to become the most popular ski resort in Colorado, and a village had started forming at the base. Seibert hoped that Vail and (the future) [[Beaver Creek Resort|Beaver Creek]] could host the skiing portions of the [[1976 Winter Olympics]], which had been awarded to [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]] in 1970. However, the voters of Colorado rejected funding for the Olympics in 1972, and the games returned to [[Innsbruck, Austria|Innsbruck]], [[Austria]], which had hosted the [[1964 Winter Olympics]].
In just seven years, Vail had grown to become the most popular ski resort in Colorado, and a village had started forming at the base. Seibert hoped that Vail and (the future) [[Beaver Creek Resort|Beaver Creek]] could host the skiing portions of the [[1976 Winter Olympics]], which had been awarded to [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]] in 1970. However, the voters of Colorado rejected funding for the Olympics in November 1972, and the games returned to [[Innsbruck, Austria|Innsbruck]], [[Austria]], which had hosted the [[1964 Winter Olympics]].


"Pete's Bowl" in Vail's [[Blue Sky Basin]] was named for Seibert when the second phase of the expansion area opened in December 2000.<ref name="resorthistory"/>
"Pete's Bowl" in Vail's [[Blue Sky Basin]] was named for Seibert when the second phase of the expansion area opened in December 2000.<ref name="resorthistory"/>

Revision as of 08:57, 20 December 2010

Pete Seibert
Born(1924-08-07)August 7, 1924
DiedJuly 15, 2002(2002-07-15) (aged 77)
OccupationSki resort founder
SpouseElizabeth (divorced c. 1971)
ChildrenPete Jr., Brant, Calvin [1]

Peter W. Seibert (August 7, 1924-July 15, 2002) was the founder of Vail Ski Resort[2] and what would eventually become Vail Resorts in Colorado. He was a 1980 inductee into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.[3]

Biography

Early life

Seibert, a Massachusetts native, graduated from the New Hampton School in New Hampshire and served in the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division during World War II, which trained at Camp Hale in Colorado. He was gravely wounded by a mortar shell blast in Italy and was told he would never again ski.

He returned to Colorado after the war, where he got back into skiing with the help of a homemade knee brace and dozens of other members of the 10th Mountain Division who had also returned to Colorado. Seibert joined Aspen's ski patrol and later qualified for the 1950 U.S. Ski Team, which hosted the 1950 World Championships at Aspen. He learned his trade of choice, operating a ski area, by working at various ski resorts and began looking for a mountain to make into a ski area.

Vail

In 1957, Seibert and longtime friend Earl Eaton first climbed the future Vail Mountain and, as the legend goes, decided to build "the most beautiful ski resort in the world." The pair publicly expressed their interest in the area for a rod and gun club, acquiring land for the "Trans Montane Rod and Gun Club" with the help of four partners they invited to buy an interest into the club. The club decided to find 20 investors from around the country to buy in, yet be geographically diverse enough that each could raise larger sums of money when it was needed in the future. This idea became known as the "Vail formula."[4]

In 1962, construction on the resort began on the land between the town of Eagle and Vail Pass. It opened December 15, 1962 with two chairlifts, one gondola and a $5 lift ticket.[5]

In just seven years, Vail had grown to become the most popular ski resort in Colorado, and a village had started forming at the base. Seibert hoped that Vail and (the future) Beaver Creek could host the skiing portions of the 1976 Winter Olympics, which had been awarded to Denver in 1970. However, the voters of Colorado rejected funding for the Olympics in November 1972, and the games returned to Innsbruck, Austria, which had hosted the 1964 Winter Olympics.

"Pete's Bowl" in Vail's Blue Sky Basin was named for Seibert when the second phase of the expansion area opened in December 2000.[5]

Death and afterward

Seibert died at age 77 on July 15, 2002, following a nine-month battle with esophageal cancer.[1] A plaza at the top of Bridge Street in the town of Vail is named Seibert Circle in his honor.

Works

  • Vail: Triumph of a Dream (2000)

References

  1. ^ a b Whitney, Veronica (2002-07-18). "Seibert family says farewell". The Vail Daily News. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  2. ^ Pennington, Bill (2006-03-10). "The Legacy of the Soldiers on Skis". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-02. The 10th Mountain Division connections are everywhere in American skiing, whether it's at Vail Mountain, founded by Sgt. Pete Seibert of the 10th Mountain Division, or in Vermont. . . .
  3. ^ Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame - Peter W. Seibert.
  4. ^ Hauserman, Richard (2000). The Inventors of Vail. Edwards, Colorado: Golden Peak. ISBN 0970443803. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b History. Vail Resorts Corporate Website.

External links

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