Klaus Obermeyer: The Eternal Spirit of Skiing
“Skiing is like being given a pair of wings so you can fly down the mountain”
105 years olds and still going strong, we dig into the ski history of legendary Klaus Obermeyer, who was throwing manoeuvres not yet seen in Aspen, back in the 1950s!
Wooden ‘Skis’ - How it began
Klaus Obermeyer was born in 1919 in Oberstaufen, Germany, where the snow was deep and the mountains loomed large as playgrounds for adventure. His love affair with skiing began almost by accident - his father fashioned him his first pair of skis by tying an orange chestnut crate to his feet with string. Not exactly the start you might imagine! Turning may have been optional, but skiing face-down the mountain (fast) was on the cards. It seems from that moment he was hooked.
Credit: Obermeyer
A Life Built Around the Mountains
After earning a degree in aeronautical engineering, Obermeyer decided to follow his hear by moving to Aspen, Colorado, in 1947. It didn’t seem more than a mining town “going nowhere” at first - but then the first snow fell, and Obermeyer swore he would never leave. He joined the Aspen Ski School as an instructor.
“If you’re not falling, you’re not learning.” He told his students with plenty of patience, skill, and his signature grin. Rumour has it he would bring his harmonica to the slopes to play between runs. However, he also noticed a lot of people skiing weren’t wearing waterproof gear, or warm gloves - which sparked the idea for Sport Obermeyer - a company still going strong today. From down jackets to first versions of ‘flow fit boots’, ‘double-prong ski stoppers’, ‘dual-tapered aluminium poles’, mirror-lens sunglasses, and double-lens goggles - we have a lot to thank Obermeyer for when it comes to ski comfort and safety on the slopes!
Credit: Obermeyer
Skiing as a Way of Life
Klaus to this day still skis – albeit he had to wait 90 years before being given a life-long ski pass! He’s known to have skied every day of the season. For him, it’s a way of life that also keeps him young. In the past, he was known to skin up the mountain before sunrise to catch the first light over the Rockies, calling it “the best alarm clock in the world.”
Credit: Obermeyer
A Legend in Motion
What we’ve learned is there’s more to Klaus Obermeyer than great skiing. The man evaded Nazi occupation, dodging literal bullets to escape from Germany to Austria. In the US, he taught American soldiers how to ski. His first ski competition was a flunk because his binding broke, but he came back with more determination than ever. Sure, he’s known for some incredible hotdogging flair, and bold skiing that revolutionized the sport as we know it today. But he’s also known for his incredible kindness, passion, ingenuity, and ‘joie de vivre’ in the most traditional sense. A true advocate for skiing, and Aspen as a resort - his will be hard shoes to fill, if he ever chooses to hang up his ski boots.