Legendary Banff skier honoured by the ski hill he calls home

Surrounded by cameras and a assemblage of bundled-up household members, friends and admirers, a beloved Banff nonmigratory and skier was honoured connected Friday astatine a Rocky Mountain edifice that is conscionable arsenic iconic arsenic helium is.

Eddie Hunter’s agelong database of accomplishments is impressive.

The passionate skier has besides been a filmmaker and wrote a publication documenting the past of Mount Norquay — the skis edifice helium shares the aforesaid commencement twelvemonth with.

Hunter has been carving retired memories astatine the skis edifice connected the borderline of Banff’s townsite for astir a century.

Now a caller chairlift — built alongside the North American tally — bears his name.

Recalling his aboriginal days of skiing, Hunter said, “there’s was nary assistance and nary assistance to your skiing erstwhile you came up — you got a thrust up the road, possibly with a work truck.”

“Those were poorness years — I ne'er truly had bully skis.”

But that didn’t dilatory him down. He had his daughters connected the slopes erstwhile they were successful diapers, and aboriginal his grandchildren.

“He’s been a immense inspiration my full life,” said Hunter’s grandson, Noah Maisonet. “I property each my skiing abilities to him.”

Granddaughter Sadie Hunter agrees. “He’s truly changed people’s lives, their careers, the mode they look astatine life,” she said.

Hunter, who already has skis a tally named aft him, was visibly moved by this latest honour.

“I truly don’t merit it,” helium said. “I consciousness blessed to beryllium present and amazed by the mode I feel.”

Hunter is inactive getting turns successful contiguous and vows helium volition ne'er discontinue his beloved passionateness of skiing.

Both Hunter and Mount Norquay volition crook 100 years aged successful 2026.