Pete Seibert: Difference between revisions
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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> |
'''Peter W. Seibert''' (August 7, 1924 – July 15, 2002) was an American skier and the founder of [[Vail Ski Resort]] in Colorado.<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> In 1980 he inducted 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> |
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Seibert, a Massachusetts native, graduated from the [[New Hampton School]] in New Hampshire and served in the |
Seibert, a Massachusetts native, graduated from the [[New Hampton School]] in New Hampshire and served in the [[10th Mountain Division (United States)|10th Mountain Division]] during World War II, training for as an elite ski trooper at [[Camp Hale]] in Colorado. Wounded in the leg by a mortar shell blast in at the Battle of Riva Ridge in Italy, he returned to the United States to begin recuperation. Like other ski soldiers who had trained at Camp Hale, Seibert returned to Colorado, where he became a [[ski patrol|ski patrolman]] in [[Aspen Mountain (ski area)|Aspen]]. In 1950 he 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, although his injury prevented him from competing. |
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In 1957, Seibert and rancher Earl Eaton climbed Vail Mountain, where as trainees from Camp Hale they had learned winter bivouacking, deciding to build "the most beautiful ski resort in the world". They raised funds from a group of Denver investors, bought a ranch at the base of Vail mountain, and to detract competitors, called it the "Trans Montane Rod and Gun Club".<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> The resort was built in 1962 at the base of Vail mountain, opening on December 15, 1962 with two [[chairlift]]s, one [[Gondola lift|gondola]]. A lift ticket cost $5.<ref name="resorthistory">[http://www.vailresorts.com/ourcompany.cfm?mode=history History]. Vail Resorts Corporate Website.</ref> |
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He returned to Colorado after the war, where he returned to skiing with the help of a homemade knee brace and many 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. |
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| ⚫ | In seven years Vail grew to become the most popular ski resort in Colorado. Seibert hoped that Vail and (the future) [[Beaver Creek Resort|Beaver Creek]] would host the skiing portions of the [[1976 Winter Olympics]], which had been awarded to [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]] in 1970, but me 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]]. |
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In 1957, Seibert and longtime friend Earl Eaton climbed the Vail Mountain and decided to build "the most beautiful ski resort in the world" there. The pair showed interest in the area for a [[Shooting range|rod and gun club]], acquiring land for the "Trans Montane Rod and Gun Club" and with the help of four partners who bought an interest in the club. The club decided to find 20 additional investors, yet be geographically diverse enough that each could raise larger sums of money when it was needed. 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> |
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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 charged $5 for a lift ticket.<ref name="resorthistory">[http://www.vailresorts.com/ourcompany.cfm?mode=history History]. Vail Resorts Corporate Website.</ref> |
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| ⚫ | In seven years |
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"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"/> |
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Revision as of 01:38, 5 November 2011
Pete Seibert | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 7, 1924 Sharon, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | July 15, 2002 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Ski resort founder |
| Spouse | Elizabeth (Betty) |
| Children | Pete Jr., Brant, Calvin [1] |
Peter W. Seibert (August 7, 1924 – July 15, 2002) was an American skier and the founder of Vail Ski Resort in Colorado.[2] In 1980 he inducted into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.[3]
Seibert, a Massachusetts native, graduated from the New Hampton School in New Hampshire and served in the 10th Mountain Division during World War II, training for as an elite ski trooper at Camp Hale in Colorado. Wounded in the leg by a mortar shell blast in at the Battle of Riva Ridge in Italy, he returned to the United States to begin recuperation. Like other ski soldiers who had trained at Camp Hale, Seibert returned to Colorado, where he became a ski patrolman in Aspen. In 1950 he qualified for the 1950 U.S. Ski Team, which hosted the 1950 World Championships at Aspen, although his injury prevented him from competing.
In 1957, Seibert and rancher Earl Eaton climbed Vail Mountain, where as trainees from Camp Hale they had learned winter bivouacking, deciding to build "the most beautiful ski resort in the world". They raised funds from a group of Denver investors, bought a ranch at the base of Vail mountain, and to detract competitors, called it the "Trans Montane Rod and Gun Club".[4] The resort was built in 1962 at the base of Vail mountain, opening on December 15, 1962 with two chairlifts, one gondola. A lift ticket cost $5.[5]
In seven years Vail grew to become the most popular ski resort in Colorado. Seibert hoped that Vail and (the future) Beaver Creek would host the skiing portions of the 1976 Winter Olympics, which had been awarded to Denver in 1970, but me 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]
Seibert died at age 77 on July 15, 2002, following a nine-month battle with esophageal cancer.[1] A small plaza, built in the 1970s, at the top of Bridge Street in Vail is named Seibert Circle in his honor.
Works
- Vail: Triumph of a Dream (2000)
References
- ^ a b Whitney, Veronica (2002-07-18). "Seibert family says farewell". The Vail Daily News. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- ^ 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. . . .
- ^ Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame – Peter W. Seibert.
- ^ Hauserman, Richard (2000). The Inventors of Vail. Edwards, Colorado: Golden Peak. ISBN 0970443803.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b History. Vail Resorts Corporate Website.
External links
- Skiing History.org – 2002 obituary