Leif Odmark

Leif Odmark, known as “Mr. Sun Valley,” was born in Sweden in 1920 and was a Swedish National Ski Team Member in Cross-country Skiing/Ski Jumping before moving to Sun Valley, Idaho where he lived for 56 years. His passion for cross-country skiing and lifelong efforts to share it reserve his place in the sport’s history. He coached the U.S. Olympic Team in Nordic Combined in the 1952 Norway Olympic Games and in 1970 founded the Sun Valley Nordic Ski School/Touring Center, the first such full time Center in the United States. He was President of the Ski Touring Instructors Examination Board and Founding Member/President of the Northern Intermountain Ski Instructors Association. A prolific author, Odmark wrote three books on cross-country skiing as well as “Sun Valley Memories by the Legendary Leif Odmark” filled with stories and photos of Sun Valley.

A positive and dynamic force in his sport, he sponsored and staged free cross-country skiing clinics and races for handicapped athletes, seniors, and children. Inducted into the Sun Valley Ski Hall of Fame and Northwest Ski Hall of Fame, Leif was also a world-class marathon runner, semi-pro soccer, and ice hockey player, and won Masters Class gold medals in Alpine/Nordic Skiing. Leif was a true Renaissance man, and a charming European gentleman.