Late skiing great headlines Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame class

Apr. 26—A boundary-breaking skier mourned around the world last year headlines the 2023 class of the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame.

Hilaree Nelson is one of the five inductees, as recently announced by the Vail-based organization. A Colorado College alum who went on to settle in Telluride, Nelson died last September during an expedition in the Himalayas. She was 49.

The hall of fame committee noted Nelson as "among the most accomplished ski mountaineers and alpinists on the planet." She set records across the world's highest summits while advocating for climate action and empowering young women — "chang(ing) the rules of equity and access for the next generation," read the committee's announcement.

Two other woman join her in enshrinement, as nominated and voted by other hall of fame members and industry pros.

The Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame counts Cheryl Jensen's work as "lifesaving." She founded the Vail Veterans Program, which introduces skiing to veterans with disabilities.

Another inductee, Sandy Hildner, was a gear innovator in the 1960s at a time when few women worked in the field. She went on to be the first woman to coach the Winter Park Ski Team and later led Copper Mountain's Over the Hill Gang.

The new hall of fame class also includes John Norton, a marketing and programming specialist who was key to adaptive skiing at Crested Butte and to snowboards being allowed on Aspen mountains.

Rounding out the class is Seth Masia, who, according to the voting committee, "pioneered online ski journalism" as a writer and editor for SKI Magazine.

The induction ceremony is set for Aug. 27 at Vail's Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater.