Tommi Tyndall was a prominent force in the promotion of winter sports in the Big Bear area during the late 40s, the 50s and early 60s. He was a one-man whirlwind where skiing was concerned.
Tommi came to the US from Dresden, Germany, in 1939 to demonstrate his fathers machinery at the NY Worlds Fair. With the outbreak of WWII, he stayed in the US and joined the Navy. His first paying job in the US was teaching skiing at Sun Valley. He became an American citizen in 1949.
In 1946, he was among the first member of the California Ski Instructors Association. He developed and supervised a group of instructors who formed the Big Bear Ski School. In 1949, he founded the Big Bear Winter Club and hosted Big Bears first Winter Carnival.
In 1952, Tommi opened Snow Summit with a mile-long double chair, two major ski runs and several rope tows. In 1961, after a few draught years, Tommi undertook the construction of a major snow making system at Snow Summit, which would be the largest in Southern California upon its completion in 1964.
At age 54, Tommi died in a tractor accident while grooming his beloved mountain.
The Tommi Tyndall Award is given to the ski area or ski area operator who has made a distinguished contribution to skiing in the past year or in prior years.
Year |
Awardee |
2018 |
Sugar Bowl, CA |
2017 |
Sports America Tours |
2016 |
Telluride, CO |
2015 |
Whitefish Mountain, MT |
2014 |
Mt. Hood, OR |
2013 |
Mt. Bachelor, OR |
2012 |
Big White Ski Resort / Silver Star Mountain Resort, BC, Canada |
2011 |
Alpine Meadows, CA |
2010 |
Mammoth Mountain, CA |
2009 |
Big Sky, MT |
2008 |
Vail Resorts |
2007 |
Aspen Skiing Company |
2006 |
Big White Ski Resort, BC, Canada |
2005 |
Breckenridge Ski Resort |
2004 |
Ogden/Weber Convention Visitors Bureau |
2003 |
Big Mountain Resort |
2002 |
Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau |
2001 |
Silver Star Mountain Resort, BC, Canada |
2000 |
Park City Mountain Resort |
1999 |
Ski New Mexico |
1998 |
Aspen Skiing Company |
1997 |
Lake Louise Ski Area |
1996 |
Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau |
1995 |
Boreal Ski Company |
1994 |
Park City Ski Area |
1993 |
Northstar-at-Tahoe |
1992 |
Mammoth Race Department |
1991 |
Bear Mountain Ski Resort |
1990 |
Mt. Bachelor Ski & Summer Resort |
1989 |
Vail / Beaver Creek |
1988 |
Steamboat |
1987 |
Crested Butte Mountain Resort |
1986 |
Mammoth Mountain |
1985 |
Mt. Reba / Bear Valley |
1984 |
Snow Forest |
1983 |
Mountain High |
1982 |
Mammoth Ski Touring Center |
1981 |
Mt. Rose |
1980 |
Alpine Meadows / Nick Badami |
1979 |
Boreal Ridge |
1978 |
Snow Summit / Jo (Tyndall) Alexander |
1977 |
Mountain High |
1976 |
Heavenly Valley |
1975 |
Mt. Reba / Bear Valley |
1974 |
Kirkwood Meadows |
1973 |
Yosemite Mountaineering School |
1972 |
Boreal Ridge |
1971 |
Mammoth Mountain / Dave McCoy |
1970 |
Mt. Rose |
1969 |
Mt. Reba / Bear Valley |
1968 |
not awarded |
1967 |
Mammoth Mountain |
1966 |
Alpine Meadows |
Top History Formation Timeline Awards
Hans Georg Schatzi Wood J. Stanley Mullin Jimmie Heuga
Jordan-Reily Tommi Tyndall Bill Mackey Bill Berry Warren Miller
President's Man & Woman of Year • Snowbuilders Award •
Club of Year Club Publications Club Web Council
Terry Smith Joe Ross Ski Week Council • Skier of Week •
Sportsfest Safety History • Charity • Club/Council History •