Whitefish Mountain Resort Vert Records

Congratulations to Tony Cooper, your King of the Big Mountain in 2012!

Tony battled broken ribs and marginal early season snow conditions to ultimately win big–and finish 7th on the all-time Vert list (see The Top 75 Vert Seasons at right).  Tony skied his 4,532,564 vertical feet in just 107 ski-days–resulting in one of the highest daily vert averages (42,360’/day) of all-time.   He can be extraordinarily proud of his accomplishments.  Tony is in the Top 10 for the second consecutive season–and his vert achievement arc is still ascending steeply.  Go get ’em Tony~!

Returning for the ninth consecutive time to the Top 10 are both Fred Frost and Russell Carpenter–a remarkable feat of consistency and durability for both of them.  They’ve set the “ski bum” standard for years.  To best them on this list, you have to earn it, day-in and day-out.   We can all count on Fred and Russ to do their part–year-in and year-out.

John Gibson made his seventh consecutive appearance in 2012.  He’s clearly having fun and riding better than ever.  Yours truly made my fifth consecutive Top 10 list–and I know I’m enjoying myself more than ever too.  Quality time on snow translates to better skiing and riding.  The more you do, the better you get; the better you get, the bigger and better our Big Mountain playground becomes.  And I’m just now learning the nooks and crannies and where all the powder stashes remain, even days after the snow was new.

A hearty welcome back is in order for John Wachsmuth, Steve Calger and Kay Yobst, each making a third Top 10 appearance after a season out of the mix. Nice job getting back to the top! And this applies doubly to Kay, who won her 3rd Ladies Vert Title (see The Top 10 Ladies of Big Mountain – 2012 at right), while earning the 10th place overall.

Steve Sliper also made it back into the Top 10 for the second consecutive year, finishing 5th again.  Well done Steve!

And welcome to Fred Koenig, who made his first overall Top 10 list, setting a Vert personal best, all on a new, surgically replaced hip.  I’d say it’s now fully battle-tested.  Nice effort Fred!

The historical archive of each season’s Top 10 is in the Vert Records at right. These records are unofficial and I am in no way affiliated with Whitefish Mountain Resort.  I am, however, an enthusiastic supporter of the mountain and its activities.  Come share some time and fun on the mountain, winter or summer.   It is a Big Mountain; there’s room enough for all of us.  Come and get some~!

As always, if you see an inaccuracy, I welcome constructive inputs to “set the record” straight.  Best regards.  See you on the hill~!  JDPF