Dr. Cobabe receives Hall of Fame Honor

Alvin F. Cobabe, 91, founder of Powder Mountain; Albert “Sunny” Korfanta, founder of White Pine Ski Area and Pat Miller, who coached University of Utah ski teams are the 2008 inductees into the Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame. The hall of fame, located in the Alf Engen Ski Museum, was established in 2002 and this trio will increase the number of honorees to 38.

Powder Mountain Ski Area owes its existence to a one-time sheep rancher-turned radio and television engineer-turned earth moving contractor-turned medical doctor-turned ski area founder. That is the incredibly diverse career path of Alvin Cobabe, who as a youngster ski jumped off the sloping roofline of the family barn. That daring-do spirit forged Cobabe’s multifaceted career that eventually led to his establishing the popular ski area east of Ogden.
While his numerous business, educational and medical exploits are noteworthy, skiing was always in his veins…and in his heart. Cobabe answered the siren call of the snowy slopes once again in the early 1960’s when he installed a small rope tow on his family’s ranch at the bottom of Wolf Creek Canyon. In February, 1972 Powder Mountain was born and, quite naturally, Cobabe operated the ski site’s medical clinic as well as being the general manager while family members managed the area’s other details.
Alvin was instrumental in adding night skiing, new chairlifts and tows, mountain restaurants, overnight accommodations, back country shuttles and a private helicopter skiing service. No doubt, his legacy as a ski pioneer who made Powder Mountain a skier’s paradise will be rekindled every time it snows in Eden.

Powder Mountain congratulates Dr. Cobabe and all of his family on the awarding of this prestigious honor.