RIP Heiko Socher, 1930 to 2016
The ski racing fraternity and generations of ski racers lost a friend and a legend on Friday. For 25 years, Heiko and his wife Linda owned and operated Fernie Snow Valley in the Canadian Rockies. He was always willing to provide training slopes for ski racers and to host ski races from Kinder events to the legendary Fernie Nor-Am Downhills.
Heiko had two children who were ski racers. Elke was on the BC Ski Team during the Glenn Wurtele era. She attended and raced for Simon Fraser University and now lives and works in Palo Alto CA with her husband and family. Ralf Socher was on the BC Ski Team during the Robin Tolhurst and Helmut Spiegel eras. Ralf competed for Canada in the Lillehammer Olympics and was a Canadian and American Downhill Ski champion. Following Ralf’s ski racing career, he graduated from Stanford University and now is a commercial airline pilot in Boulder CO.
“Heiko was always benevolent to the ski racers. He would provide complimentary ski-lift operation that allowed Fernie youngsters to ski and to train after school and would allow terrain for races, including Nor-Am Downhill events. Heiko had a big heart and quietly, would help families who could not afford to pay their ski racing fees” said Mike Delich, a long-time Fernie friend and business associate.
After the sale of Fernie Snow Valley to Resorts of the Canadian Rockies in 1997, Heiko continued to leave legacies. He built iconic mountain trails, including Heiko’s Trail, from Hartley Lake to Island Lake Lodge through the Rockies and also developed historic buildings in Fernie.
Fernie mourns his passing, Heiko was 86
Our sympathies are with Linda, Elke and Ralf and their families.
A celebration of life will be held in early December.
Photo Credit: Judy McMahon
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/heiko-socher-dies-fernie-1.3801429