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HomeAward: Hans Georg
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Far West Hans Georg Award...

Hans Georg came from the St. Moritz Ski School in Switzerland to the US in 1936 to become a pioneer ski tracker, rope tow operator and ski instructor. Hans evidentually made his way to Soda Springs to teach skiing. In 1939, Hans became the head of the Eastern Sierra Ski Club School at the “Ski Ranch” near the McGee Creek Lodge.

In 1940, Lloyd Nicoll built a tow at Observation Point, on the east side of Mammoth along the road to Twin Lakes. The next year, he sold it to Nyle Smith who then sold it to Hans in 1946 after Hans returned from serving in the 10th Mountain Division during WWII as a ski instructor and leader in the Italian campaign.

In 1945, Dave McCoy installed two 600’ tows at McGee Creek that Hans used for his ski school. By 1946, Hans and Dave were the only tow operators in the Mammoth area. In 1948, Hans installed three tows in Mammoth— in the vicinity of where Chair 15 is today. Although the tows remained until 1957, when the lifts begun to experience mechanical problems, Hans abandoned them and taught skiing at Dave’s lifts.

Hans taught thousands to ski, using the best of the Reverse Shoulder, Arlberg and French techniques. In 1940 and 1946, Hans attempted to develop a summer ski school at the 12,500-foot level eastern side of Mt. Whitney. Often, Hans was called to Hollywood to direct ski sequences. He wrote many books on skiing, including “Modern Ski Systems,” “Reverse Shoulder Technique,” and “Simplified Skiing.

The Hans George Award is given for distinguished accomplishment and long-term contribution to skiing. This award is given to an individual or individuals who have contributed significant achievements to skiing, not necessarily organized skiing. It reflects a long term contribution and is the highest award of the Far West Ski Association. This award may only be received once and is based on a ten-year minimum service in the Far West region.


Year Awardee
2024  Todd Hood 
2023
Debbie Stewart
2022 Sheri Parshall
2021 Nancy Ellis
2020 No award
2019 Linda McGavin
2018 Jo Simpson
2017 Arleigh Meiners
2016 Debbi Kor
2015 Linda Westlund
2014 Gloria Raminha
2013 Bill Clark, Western Ski Sport Museum
2012 Catherine Ohl
2011 Lynnell Calkins
2010 Sigrid Noack
2009 Georgene Bihlman
2008 Donn Bryant
2007 Mike Sanford
2006 Ken Calkins
2005 Nancy Kelly
2004 Steve Coxen
2003 Tucker Hoffmann
2002 Gene Fulkerson
2001 Harry Davis
2000 George Eachus
1999 Randy Lew
1998 Nic Fiore
1997 Norm Cullen
1996 Fay Mumbauer
1995 Woody Hogan
1994 Fred "Andy" Andrews
1993 Dennis Agee
1992 Pat Nangle
1991 Mike Favia
1990 Martha Perez
1990 Mary Lou Bearden Reese
1989 Sutter Kunkel
1988 Janie “Frankie” Hansen
1987 Alan Christian
1986 Dick Goetzman
1985 Jimmie Heuga
1985 Ed Gehle
1984 John James
1983 Bill Berry
1982 Joe Harris
1981 Bruce Bell
1980 Jane Wyckoff
1980 Don Simpson
1979 Chuck Morse
1978 John Watson
1978 Col Fraser E. West
1977 Russ Read
1976 No award
1975 Wayne Poulsen
1974 Dave McCoy, Mammoth Mountain
1973 J. Stanley Mullin
1972 Willy Schaeffler, U.S. Ski Team
1971 Charles Fink
1970 Billy Kidd
1969 William Nagle, Jr.
1968 Ben Cole
1967 Walt Disney, W.D. Productions
1966 Wilfred S. “Slim” Davis, USFS
Before the Hans Georg Award, Far West honored these and others for their Long Term Contributions to skiing.
1965
1964
1963
1962 Byron Nishkian
1961 No award
1960 Dave McCoy
1959 Robert J. Reed
1958 Edward J. Johnson
1957 Wesley B. Hadden
1956 Gene Williams
1955 Edward J. Johnson
1954 Richard W. Cronon




Information


Eileen Sanford
Far West Service Awards Chair
858-761-6192 [c]




Hans Georg
1911 - 1968





Hans Georg Ski School on Mammoth Mountain





Billy Kidd (1970), Steve Coxen (2004), Dave McCoy (1974)




Chuck Morse (1979), Teddie West, wife of Fraser West (1978), John Watson (1978)




Jane Wycoff (1980), Jimmie Heuga (1985)




W.S. "Slim" Davis (1966)




Dick Goetzman (1986)