Outdoor legend and pioneer Klaus Obermeyer celebrates his 97th Birthday today, December 2, and Inside Outdoor would like to say “Happy Birthday Klaus, and many more.”
Klaus was born December 2, 1919 and grew up in the small Bavarian village of Oberstaufen, Germany, a remote farm where he learned early on that everything can be put to use.At the age of three, he fashioned his first pair of skis out of thin, flexible chestnut slats from an orange crate. Much to his mother his dismay, he nailed his good house shoes to these skis, and he was off.
Klaus made his way to the United States in 1947 and became a ski school instructor in Aspen, Colo. It was this job that led to the founding of Sport Obermeyer.
At 97, with a beautiful family, staggering list of product innovations, and numerous industry awards bearing his name, Klaus still resides at his ranch on the Roaring Fork River. We are told he comes to work seven days a week, swims a half mile each day, skis all winter, plays tennis, practices Aikido, and has a smile and hello for everyone he meets.
Not just the fearless founder and president of Obermeyer, we are also told he remains true heart of the company at 97 years young, inspiring employees to try new things, think big, get outside, and live a well-balanced life. In other words, they strive not only to “Ski like Klaus,” (as the popular bumper sticker seen around Aspen says) but to be like Klaus.
