Charles Thompson “Chuck” Ferries III (1939-2025)
The Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame regrets to inform you of the passing of Hall of Fame member, Class of 2008, Chuck Ferries. Chuck passed away on April 17, 2025, in Ketchum, Idaho, at age 85. He had been struggling with dementia for about three years. Later in life, Chuck skied about 40 days a year and spent six weeks each summer windsurfing at Hood River, Oregon, with his wife Nancy. He kept skiing until his illness restricted his activities.
At the core of our mission as an institution, we are dedicated to preserving and sharing the legacy and stories of our Hall of Fame members. The following details Chuck’s impact on the snow sports industry in Colorado.
Charles “Chuck” Ferries was born in Houghton, Michigan, in 1939. He began skiing at age four on Mt. Ripley, but quickly outgrew the mountain and moved to Aspen, Colorado, for a year to finish high school and polish his racing skills. The year was 1958, and he was racing at both the junior and senior levels. Chuck was also a second alternate to the American team at the F.I.S. World Championships that year.
Chuck has had an outstanding career as a U.S. Alpine ski racer and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team coach. Chuck won the first of three National Slalom titles in 1958. He was named to the National Teams in 1960, 1962, 1963, and 1964. Ferries was on the U.S. Olympic Team at Squaw Valley in 1960 and at Innsbruck, Austria in 1964. He was a member of the F.I.S. World Championship Team in 1962 at Chamonix, France. Chuck was the first American to win the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria.
He graduated from Denver University in 1964, went on to work for the Head Ski Company and helped design the K2 ski – eventually becoming the president of K2. Before he left in 1976, the company expanded its sales from 20,000 to 250,000 pairs of skis annually.
Chuck contributed his time, skills, and financial resources while serving as President of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association from 2002 to 2006 and brought recognition to Colorado and the snow sports industry while serving as President of Scott USA.
He was inducted into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum in 1989.
About the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame:
Founded in 1975 and located in Vail, Colorado, our mission is to celebrate Colorado snow sports by telling stories that educate and inspire others to seek adventure. The priceless artifacts we collect and display tell the story of the birth, rise and explosion of skiing and snowboarding in Colorado. The Museum features displays including Climb to Glory about the 10th Mountain Division, Vail’s DNA, The Colorado Snowboard Archive, and The Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, among many others. Learn more and consider supporting the Museum by becoming a member: www.snowsportsmuseum.org.
Media Contacts:
Colorado Snowsports Museum:
Jen Mason | Dana Mathios
jen@snowsportsmuseum.org | dana@snowsportsmuseum.org
(970) 476-1876