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BILL BUTTERFIELD - A native of Manchester, Vermont, Bill skied as a youngster and later taught skiing at nearby Big Bromley and Snow Valley. In the summer he earned skiing money by being a caddy at the city's two golf courses. His early mentors, Fred Islin and Woody Meyer at Snow Valley, encouraged him to teach the sport so he certified as an instructor with the Eastern Ski Instructors Association at age 16. At the time, he was the youngest certified ski teacher on the eastern seaboard. After a four-year stint in the U.S. Navy, he returned to Manchester where he met Otto Lange, the Sun Valley, Idaho, ski school Director, who offered him a contract to teach at the storied resort, which he did in 1948. He served as assistant director there for 38 years meeting, teaching and socializing with Sun Valley's famous clientele. Throughout his career his guiding philosophy has been: "Guest services is the most important element in serving the skiing public." MEL FLETCHER - Ask anybody who knows anything about Utah ski history and the name Mel Fletcher will be recognized as one who has "been there" and "done that". Born in 1918, the lifelong resident of Park City has not only had a front row seat for everything that happened to skiing in Park City during the 20th century, he has helped make it happen. Mel took to skiing in the late 1920s after watching Park City miners ski jumping on Creole Hill. It wasn't long before Mel joined the fun and eventually became an accomplished jumper competing at Creole Hill, Rasmussen's Ranch, and world renowned Ecker Hill. Mel and friends used to tour on skis from Park City to Brighton. In the 40s when friends Otto Carpenter and Bob Burns started Snow Park, Mel founded and served as president of the Snow Park Ski Club. He became a certified instructor in the early 50s, founded and served as the director of the Snow Park Ski School from 1952 - 1964. Mel conducted group lessons for Park City's children as part of a city recreation program and served as director of the Park City Ski Patrol from 1965 -1972. Mel competed in ski races well into his senior years and has made significant contributions to the preservation of Utah ski history. In 1986, Mel worked hard to secure a spot on the Utah Historical Register for Ecker Hill, the site of wo rid-record ski jumps. KEITH LANGE - 50 years and counting...that's what Keith is doing with his tenure as an active instructor at Alta. But that's just a fraction of his contributions to skiing. He held 13 leadership positions for the Intermountain Ski Instructors Assn. (ISIA), including president; and 10 positions for the Professional Ski Instructors Association Intermountain, including president. He is trained in ski patrol and avalanche control and has also been a race coach and movie star in productions by such notables as Sverre Engen, Warren Miller and John Jay. As a member of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division, he trained all levels of military personnel on high mountain survival techniques (summer and winter). He was a member of the President's Council on Fitness and bestowed upon President Ford an Honorary Ski Instructor status. On the competitive scene, he won first in the Pro Division of the First National Gelande Championship that he help establish at Alta. He has competed on jumps at Ecker Hill; was a competitor and course-setter for the Snow Cup; and raced in Alpine, Nordic, and cross-country events. For 37 years he directed the children's ski program at Salt Lake City's Cottonwood Country Club, and coached the U.S. demonstration team that competed in the first Interski held behind the Iron Curtain. Keith is a charter member of the Ski Archives Board. |
