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skied more untracked powder than anyone else in the “Mongo’s impact on safety in snow science, helicopter
country. This back-and-forth experience provided him skiing, and the operations at Snowbird are immeasurable,
with an uninterrupted sense of snow and avalanche but most of us who have the good fortune to work along-
conditions—an invaluable asset when it came to fulfilling side Mongo would agree that the impact of his friendship
his various responsibilities. is even greater,” said Fields. “His commitment to his work
In the 1980s, Schory took a full-time job with the and those with whom he works is unparalleled. I consider
snow safety department at Snowbird, and became a myself lucky to have been mentored by Mongo, and will
member of the nearly legendary trio known as “The Three try to pass along a little bit of what he’s taught me to
Amigos,” along with Randy Trover and Liam Fitzgerald. future generations of the Snowbird family.”
He not only ran the snow safety department by himself Added Bob Bonar, former president and longtime
but also took on the job of ski patrol director. In 2011, leader of Snowbird, “During our tenure over 45 years
he was appointed winter operations director. Snowbird has at Snowbird, no single person has contributed more to
greatly benefitted from his expertise and leadership over Snowbird’s excellent on-mountain safety record than Peter,
the years as the resort continues to provide a remarkable especially in the avalanche control area. We operate in a
skiing experience and rise to the challenge of operating canyon with significant avalanche dangers, and are very
in Little Cottonwood Canyon. appreciative of everything Peter has done to promote the
The entire ski industry has benefitted from Schory’s safety of our guests and avalanche control workers.”
expertise and dedication to snow safety. He was chair of Schory has clearly made his mark in the public safety
the NSAA Explosives Committee from 2014 to 2019, arena in Little Cottonwood Canyon and beyond. The ski
bringing an unprecedented level of discipline, profession- experience in the West wouldn’t be what it is today without
alism, and accountability to the committee. Explosives his and other snow safety pioneers’ longtime dedication and
use is one of the most heavily regulated facets of ski area service. For his important role and legacy in snow safety,
operations. His leadership in this arena has dramatically NSAA is proud to present Peter “Mongo” Schory with the
improved the ski industry’s relationship with government 2019 Industry Impact Award.
regulators, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the US Forest Service.
He served on the AAUNAC Executive Board for three
terms (nine years) and received the Doug Abromeit
Memorial Dragon Slayer Award in recognition of his
service and contributions.
Schory set the bar high for protecting his employees
and all snow safety workers inside and outside the ski indus-
try. His appreciation of the risks that professional patrollers
take every day, and the fact that they are people who have
families—parents, spouses, and children—provides the
foundation for his tireless dedication to employee safety.
His passion for employee training helped spark the over- OPEN YOUR DOORS TO THE WORLD
haul of NSAA’s Avalanche Blasting Resource Guide. He took
the lead in engaging the expertise to develop a protective
barrier designed for use with avalaunchers following a Welcome international students to your
tragic incident on Loveland Pass, Colo. He has worked community. Whether you are hiring one student
with explosives manufacturers to improve product quality.
And, he has been a tireless promoter of sharing information or 100, CIEE Work & Travel USA can help you
inside and outside the ski industry for the benefit and screen, recruit, and hire international seasonal
safety of all. staff for your business.
Schory will retire in March and enjoy his time with his
wife, Rhoda; daughter, Grace; son-in-law, Pat; and good
friends. His everyday presence at the area will be missed ciee.org/winterhire
by his co-workers and colleagues, including Dave Fields,
president and general manager at Snowbird.

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