July 4, 2022
July 4, 2022
Dad brought our family to Kirkwood on July 4th in 1972….. we camped at what would be the future bottom of Chair 4 Sunrise at the resort. He told us that day we were moving there from our home he built in Squaw Valley. I think we cried…. At the time there was just a dirt road leading into the valley that would become Kirkwood Meadows Drive. A handful of houses were being built, along with the original Red Cliffs Lodge. He was staying in a tiny one room A-Frame at the North end of the Kirkwood Meadow across Highway 88. My what a legacy followed that day there.
He had a vision to build a winter playground for families to enjoy for years to come. He was a logger and planned, cut, and cleared most of all the ski runs that exist today. He was an Avalanche Hunter and studied, documented, and protected the ski resort from dangerous avalanches with hand charges and a big gun. That experience started over at Squaw Valley and he brought it to Kirkwood. He must have gotten quite a thrill out of it all! The Chair 11 The Reut is named after him. He was a mountaineer who enjoyed climbing the peaks that were his “church”. He taught, mentored, and worked alongside many young men and women over the years who would follow in his giant footsteps, but rarely step outside his amazing shadow. He was the hardest worker I’ll ever know and I think he enjoyed physical labor. He also enjoyed the peaceful and brilliant side of living in the mountains - fishing, backpacking, hunting, the animals, the trees, the silence.
Today I pay tribute to you again, Dad. You are truly forever missed. Thank you for all you gave to this world. Thank you for loving Mom deeply and taking care of her. Thank you for all you gave to me and taught me so I would have a good life too, and appreciate the outdoors, hard work, family, healthy food that would “put hair on my chest” (?ha, ha!), and good people. Thank you also for passing down that “wild gene” that keeps me seeking out adventure, thrills, mysteries, beauty, and fun in this life. I miss you, but I see you in the mountains, the sparkling snow, the trees, the birds and other wildlife. I feel your hugs from the sunshine, moonlight, stars, wind, storms. You are all around me. I love you forever!
He had a vision to build a winter playground for families to enjoy for years to come. He was a logger and planned, cut, and cleared most of all the ski runs that exist today. He was an Avalanche Hunter and studied, documented, and protected the ski resort from dangerous avalanches with hand charges and a big gun. That experience started over at Squaw Valley and he brought it to Kirkwood. He must have gotten quite a thrill out of it all! The Chair 11 The Reut is named after him. He was a mountaineer who enjoyed climbing the peaks that were his “church”. He taught, mentored, and worked alongside many young men and women over the years who would follow in his giant footsteps, but rarely step outside his amazing shadow. He was the hardest worker I’ll ever know and I think he enjoyed physical labor. He also enjoyed the peaceful and brilliant side of living in the mountains - fishing, backpacking, hunting, the animals, the trees, the silence.
Today I pay tribute to you again, Dad. You are truly forever missed. Thank you for all you gave to this world. Thank you for loving Mom deeply and taking care of her. Thank you for all you gave to me and taught me so I would have a good life too, and appreciate the outdoors, hard work, family, healthy food that would “put hair on my chest” (?ha, ha!), and good people. Thank you also for passing down that “wild gene” that keeps me seeking out adventure, thrills, mysteries, beauty, and fun in this life. I miss you, but I see you in the mountains, the sparkling snow, the trees, the birds and other wildlife. I feel your hugs from the sunshine, moonlight, stars, wind, storms. You are all around me. I love you forever!
