Kirkwood, CA – Less than two months after the death of Kirkwood pioneer Bud Klein, the California ski resort has lost another of its founders with the passing of Dick Reuter, a part of the original founding team of Kirkwood, World War II veteran and a true “mountain man’s mountain man.” Reuter passed away at Kirkwood on Monday at the age of 88.

Reuter’s mountain resort career began in the late 1950’s in Squaw Valley after a long career as a trapper and logger in the Lassen Park area. Reuter initially helped fall trees to clear ski runs at Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley and then worked as a ski patrol leader at Squaw Valley during the 1960 Winter Olympics where he met and married his bride, Jeanne and started a family. After the Olympics, Reuterk went on to become Mountain Manager, cutting many legendary runs, running the avalanche control, and building and maintaining the ski lifts.

Enticed by the terrain at Kirkwood, Klein’s vision, and the significant challenges of starting a brand new resort, Reuter moved his family to Kirkwood to start cutting runs and putting in lifts and implementing Kirkwood’s master plan in 1972.

“Dick Reuter was a ‘mountain man’s mountain man’,” says Dave Myers, VP Operation for Kirkwood Mountain Resort who had worked with Reuter for over 30 years. “A real pioneer and tough as nails, Dick basically single-handedly installed chair #11, ‘The Reut’ of which the lift is named after him.”

The stories of Reuter’s efforts and accomplishments have been chronicled in several books, including Mountain Dreamers and The Avalanche Hunters as well as numerous trade journals and other articles. Reuter’s passion and drive played a significant role in making what Kirkwood is today. His life will be celebrated at a memorial service with family, friends and admirers at Kirkwood on August 6th, 2011. Details of this service are to be confirmed.