Obituaries

Snow Business: The Butler Did It - and Did It Well

Well known snow sports writer and advocate Richard "Dick" Butler died last week at the age of 70.

This column was posted by Megan Bard. It was reported and written by Chris Dehnel.

The snow sports industry - and the sport we love - has lost a great ambassador.

On March 25, the chairlift to heaven was running and the guy at the top with the clipboard took notice.

He glanced at his notes and went to get St. Peter.

"Excuse me … uh, sir … but you asked me to come get you when it was time," he said, pointing to his list. "It's him. He's on the golden chair."

Dick Butler passed away a week ago at the age of 70. He was a true model of how to appreciate the mountain lifestyle and it was an honor to share trails with him from British Columbia to Colorado to Quebec to Vermont to Pennsylvania.

It's been an awful past few days. But in his case, earth's loss is Heaven's gain.

Dick was that special. Ask just about anyone at any mountain, particularly in the East. He was smart - an architect by trade - and as a writer for www.Snowsportsna.com and SnowEast magazine, he had a simple but eloquent style that put green traverses, steep black runs and the blue moments of blissful cruising in between in a neat perspective.

That's the way Dick lived life. He took what the signs offered and made the most of his turns - even when melanoma yanked him out of his bindings.

His form? He was the guy you kept about 30 yards behind - just to watch. He made the bumps look like a paved highway, the glades like he was walking around in his slippers.

And the cruisers? Let's just say he did everything when he turned, turned, turned.

He was also an accomplished barefoot trick waterskier, and put on a show whether being towed on the Hudson River or on Saratoga Lake near his New York home.

He was also a master of the lift conversation. He broke the ice better than the Coast Guard and in a seven-minute ride to the top on a high-speed quad, Dick could MC a show that reported everyone's home state, their favorite trails and what they were doing that evening.  

Just the other day, I stopped at the top of a trail and took a deep breath, just like Dick and I used to do. I glanced out at creation and marveled at the view. I then looked at the snow and thanked God for the opportunity to be on it. The run was different, most definitely different, but the lasting impression of how wonderful the sport is - the  impression that Dick helped create - was still there.

Back to the chairlift.

Dick reached the the top. He met Peter and Peter embraced him.

Then, Peter whispered something in his ear and made a request.

"Dick, would you please come with me …

"God wants to talk moguls."


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