Mt. Washington Valley (9:38 min)

Explains and shows how and why in the 1930s-1960s this area of New Hampshire became home to numerous ski areas and ski events that featured some of Austria’s best, world-renown ski instructors and racers. Benno Rybizka was the first to arrive. He worked first as ski school director at Black Mountain in Jackson, N.H., and soon thereafter at nearby ski area of Mt. Cranmore in North Conway, developed by the successful banker Harvey Dow Gibson. Rybizka was then joined by Toni Matt, who performed the unforgettable feat of schussing the Tuckerman Ravine Headwall, and soon thereafter by Hannes Schneider, their mentor from St. Anton, Austria, along with his son Herbert.  In Austria Hannes had become a ski god, due to his status as ski film movie star, originator of the world renowned Arlberg ski technique, and director of the world famous St. Anton ski school. In the Americas, where he fled to escape Nazi occupied Austria, Hannes made North Conway his home as he successfully worked along with his son Herbert to make Mt. Cranmore a destination ski resort.  For all he accomplished he is widely acclaimed as the “Father of Alpine Skiing”. Much of this segment is told by Hannes’ son and long-time Mt. Cranmore director, Herbert Schneider.

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