David Hanscom

By blending his passion for cross-country skiing with a deep appreciation of the Wasatch Mountains’ backcountry, Dave Hanscom, born in 1941, played a pivotal role in putting Nordic skiing in Utah on world-class footing.

An eastern collegiate cross-country and Nordic-combined champion, he brought his enthusiasm and talents to Utah in 1970. With Alexis Kelner, he co-authored the definitive backcountry skiing guidebook Wasatch Tours. They produced and taught some of the first avalanche safety classes for the Wasatch Mountain Club. Dave was a founder of the Utah Nordic Ski Association, which led to the establishment of The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA).

Hanscom was instrumental in the selection of Solder Hollow as the site of biathlon and cross-country skiing competitions during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. He led the Olympic and Paralympic cross-country timing crew. He also helped transform the Wasatch Citizens Series into one of the finest cross-country race series in the nation. In 2021 Dave retired as its volunteer race director, a position he held for thirty years.

The tracks of this tireless devotee of cross-country skiing led the way for many thousands to safely and knowledgeably discover and enjoy the exhilaration of skiing in the Wasatch backcountry and developed Nordic ski areas alike.