The purpose of the Northwest Ski Hall of Fame is to honor and perpetuate the names and accomplishments of individuals who have had a positive impact on our sport and its future in the region. With your help, we would like to induct four new members into the Northwest Ski Hall of Fame at our 2026 Biennial Banquet on Sunday, September 27th.
Because we have received so many strong nominations since the last Hall of Fame event banquet. The Ancient Skiers Board has selected six strong candidates to vote on for this year’s induction. Those not chosen this time may be up for consideration at the future event.
Included in this newsletter are biographies of six nominees that have been submitted over the past year to Committee Director Greg Prothman.
To help in your voting, the selection of inductees should be based on the following criteria:
- Uncommon energy, enthusiasm, and excitement as a leading force in the sport.
- Individuals who have made major contributions to the sport over a considerable period of years.
- Individuals who have helped increase awareness and appreciation of the sport by the public.
- Those who have brought lasting fame to snow sports in the Northwest.
Tom Waldron
Tom started skiing in 1973 and founded the Mini Mountain ski shop and indoor ski school in Bellevue 1983. Mini Mountain features year around skiing access, a structured curriculum for teaching skiing and demographic inclusivity. Tom taught skiing indoors and at Snoqualmie Pass to a wide range of people including many populations not traditionally participating in snow sports. He is a longtime ski instructor and a seasoned snow sports business owner. Tom is still teaching in Bellevue at the age of 75 and enjoys trips to Sun Peaks to ski with his kids and grandkids.
John Fergison
John was Director of the Portland junior chamber of commerce ski school at Mount Hood, which average 500 skiers weekend. He competed at international masters Park City 2001 and was a member of the Lewis and Clark college ski team from 1948 49, 50 51. He developed robo-timer racing timer. He competed at age 70 in the national senior summer races in Mount Hood. In his 70’s finished the London and Honolulu marathon and medaled in the Oregon senior Olympic games. Age 97, – 3 year member ancient skiers and attended the last two ancient skiers Sun Valley reunions. He skied until age 85 at Mt bachelor OR.
Monte Steere
Monte Steere was born May 20, 1943, to Bruce and Dawn Steere and grew up in a family deeply rooted in Northwest skiing and mountaineering. His mother, Dawn, was an avid skier and mountaineer, and both Monte and his older brother Tex were introduced to skiing at an exceptionally young age through family trips to Meany Ski Hut and weekend outings to Snoqualmie Mountaineers after their father’s passing in 1952. Monte later attended Franklin High School in Seattle, where he participated in the Franklin ski team and helped teach skiing through the Ron Ward Ski School at Snoqualmie Pass.
Monte’s place in Northwest ski history is most closely tied to the winter of 1961–1962 at Stevens Pass, when he became the first of the Steere brothers to land what is believed to be the first known backflip—or technically a “gainer”—on snow skis. Drawing on countless rehearsals from high dives, trampolines, and his own imagination, Monte launched from the Elevator Jump near rope tow #2 and successfully completed the maneuver on shortened skis built to rotate quickly. His accomplishment immediately inspired Tex to repeat the feat, together making the brothers early pioneers of aerial skiing.
Beyond that singular milestone, Monte remained part of the Northwest ski community through racing, teaching, and a lifetime of enthusiasm for the sport. In winter 1968, he taught skiing at Alpental alongside Tex and Ellen, continuing the Steere family tradition of sharing skiing with others. Monte’s legacy reflects the creativity, courage, and joyful experimentation that helped shape the early culture of freestyle and aerial skiing in the Pacific Northwest.
Douglas Edward “Tex” Steere
Douglas Edward “Tex” Steere was born July 27, 1940, to Bruce and Dawn Steere and grew up immersed in the skiing traditions of the Northwest. Like his brother Monte, Tex was introduced to skiing through family trips to Meany Ski Hut and regular weekends at Snoqualmie Mountaineers. He graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle, where he participated in the Franklin ski team, and later attended the University of Washington, skiing and racing with the Husky Winter Sports Club between 1958 and 1961.
Tex was both a gifted skier and an influential teacher. In the early 1960s, he taught skiing with Jack Nagel’s ski school, raced competitively, and earned his U.S. Class A race card. In 1965–1966, he traveled to Europe with Tom Fisher to race, and the following winter taught skiing in Sun Valley. In 1968, Tex taught at Alpental alongside Monte and Ellen, an experience that helped lead to his role representing Spaulding skis in the Northwest.
Tex’s professional skiing career expanded through the 1970s as he represented Spaulding and later Head skis in the Northwest. His work in the ski industry connected him with racers, instructors, and industry leaders, and helped sustain his influence across the regional ski community. In 1977, Tex partnered with John Hanson of the Ski Laufer Ski School at Stevens Pass when enrolling his young son Dusty in lessons. Tex went on to become Ski Laufer’s technical director, spending the next 25 years helping raise his family and generations of young skiers within the culture and discipline of the sport.
Tex also shares in the historic 1962 Stevens Pass backflip story. After Monte landed the first gainer on skis at the Elevator Jump, Tex immediately left the lodge, grabbed his gear, and successfully completed the same maneuver. His willingness to follow and match the attempt captured the brothers’ shared confidence, competitiveness, and adventurous spirit. Tex’s legacy combines athletic achievement, ski industry leadership, and decades of mentorship in Northwest skiing. (Awarded posthumously)
Merle Brooks
Merle Brooks was born in 1939 in Everson, Washington, and developed an early gift for mechanical work. After graduating from Mt. Baker High School, he began working at Mt. Baker Ski Area, where he handled everything from lift maintenance to lodge operations and became known for his skill with rope tows and ski-area equipment.
In 1967, Merle moved with his wife, Armiene, and their children to Stevens Pass after accepting a lift maintenance position. The following year, he suffered a serious injury during construction of Chair #5, later known as the Brooks Chair, and was told he would never walk again. With determination and Armiene’s support, he returned to work in 1969 and continued finding ways to regain mobility.
Over the next decades, Merle became one of Stevens Pass’s most influential and inventive leaders. He designed and built practical improvements for lifts, grooming, snow removal, and night skiing; helped guide major construction and infrastructure projects; and was named General Manager in 1980. His leadership helped shape Mill Valley, the Nordic Center, base-area improvements, ski school consolidation, and long-range planning before his retirement in 1995.
In retirement, Merle restored Franklin automobiles, built homes at Fish Lake and in Yuma, Arizona, and enjoyed travel, family, and winters in the Southwest with Armiene. He remained active, inventive, and closely connected to the mountain life he helped build until his passing in 2016.
Richard Vanderflute
Richard took up snow skiing in 1949 and acquired ownership of the Paradise Ski School at Mt Rainier in 1956. He taught skiing at Paradise until 1975 and then later at Crystal until 1998 and was certified as a ski instructor in 1961, he taught over 3000 students. Richard bought Parkland Sports Center in 1965. Richard skied until age 91 and was the oldest pass holder at White Pass for two years.