Remembering Rudi
Published February 2022
Some trails carry more than skiers — they carry stories.
If you’ve ever taken a lap down Rudi’s Run, just beyond the Steamboat Gondola terminal on Thunderhead Peak, you’ve skied through a living piece of Steamboat history.
This is the story of the man behind the name.
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Some trails carry more than skiers — they carry stories.
If you’ve ever taken a lap down Rudi’s Run, just beyond the Steamboat Gondola terminal on Thunderhead Peak, you’ve skied through a living piece of Steamboat history.
This is the story of the man behind the name.
rich-text, responsive-table
Rudi Schnackenberg
1921 – 1985
From Hamburg to the High Country
Rudi Schnackenberg was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1921 and moved to the United States at six years old. He discovered skiing at 17 on Berthoud Pass — on eight-foot wooden jumping skis — and quickly fell in love with the mountains.
From 1939 to 1942, he competed in the U.S. National Ski Championships and earned his National Ski Patrol badge before being drafted in 1942.
Rudi volunteered for the legendary 10th Mountain Division, the Army’s elite mountain warfare unit later based in Leadville, Colorado. He served as a combat medic and skiing and mountaineering instructor.
“Uncle Sam said, ‘Come ski for me at $50 per month,’” Rudi once joked about his time in uniform.
His service was anything but lighthearted. Rudi was awarded the Combat Medic Badge, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster — a decorated veteran whose resilience would help shape American skiing after the war.
Building Ski Culture in Colorado
After the war, Rudi married his wife Dottie (in 1944) and began raising a family in Denver. He continued volunteering and teaching skiing in the West Portal area, soon to become Winter Park Ski Area.
In 1955, the Schnackenberg family moved to Steamboat Springs. Rudi coached athletes with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and managed Howelsen Hill Ski Area — the oldest continuously operating ski area in Colorado.
By 1965, Rudi joined Steamboat Resort as an instructor and supervisor with the Steamboat SnowSports School. He helped shape generations of skiers and worked alongside names that helped define Ski Town, U.S.A.® — including Loris “Bugs” Werner, Jon Elliot, Jim “Moose” Barrows, Jere Elliot, Chris McNeil, Jeff Davis, and Lonny Vanatta.
In 1972–73, he was named “Instructor of the Year” by Professional Ski Instructors of America, and in 1982, he was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame.
The Heart Behind Rudi’s Run
Rudi passed away in 1985 at the age of 64, but his legacy remains stitched into the fabric of this valley.
Rudi’s Run — one of the mountain’s most beloved and frequently skied trails — sits at the heart of the resort. It’s a run that welcomes families, challenges developing skiers, and sees countless celebratory laps each season.
It’s fitting that a trail so full of life carries his name.
Today, his son Larry Schnackenberg continues that legacy as a Steamboat Ski Patroller of more than 50 years. When asked what lesson from his father stands out most, Larry shared something simple and timeless:
“We all make mistakes. It’s best to admit them and learn from them. When I’d get in trouble, he’d always ask, ‘Well, did you learn anything?’”
That spirit — humility, resilience, and joy — still defines this mountain.
Lessons That Still Matter
When asked what Rudi might tell a beginner skier today, Larry didn’t hesitate:
“Have fun. No matter how frustrating it might seem at times.”
And perhaps more importantly:
“Don’t take the outdoors for granted. Respect and love what you have. Leave your campsites better than you found them.”
Those values are the foundation of Steamboat’s culture — respect for the land, gratitude for the mountains, and a deep love of sharing it all with others.
As Rudi’s daughter, Ruth McClelland, once said:
“May we, with a happy heart, carry a little whistle, song, or smile in our life with us each day that passes in remembrance of Rudi.”
Take a Lap for Rudi
The next time you’re on the mountain, take a lap down Rudi’s Run.
Bring a happy heart.
Whistle your favorite tune.
Wear your best smile.
Because trails like this aren’t just part of the resort — they’re part of a legacy built by people who believed in skiing, service, and the simple joy of being outside.
And that’s The Steamboat Way.
rich-text, responsive-table
1921 – 1985
From Hamburg to the High Country
Rudi Schnackenberg was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1921 and moved to the United States at six years old. He discovered skiing at 17 on Berthoud Pass — on eight-foot wooden jumping skis — and quickly fell in love with the mountains.
From 1939 to 1942, he competed in the U.S. National Ski Championships and earned his National Ski Patrol badge before being drafted in 1942.
Rudi volunteered for the legendary 10th Mountain Division, the Army’s elite mountain warfare unit later based in Leadville, Colorado. He served as a combat medic and skiing and mountaineering instructor.
“Uncle Sam said, ‘Come ski for me at $50 per month,’” Rudi once joked about his time in uniform.
His service was anything but lighthearted. Rudi was awarded the Combat Medic Badge, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster — a decorated veteran whose resilience would help shape American skiing after the war.
Building Ski Culture in Colorado
After the war, Rudi married his wife Dottie (in 1944) and began raising a family in Denver. He continued volunteering and teaching skiing in the West Portal area, soon to become Winter Park Ski Area.
In 1955, the Schnackenberg family moved to Steamboat Springs. Rudi coached athletes with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and managed Howelsen Hill Ski Area — the oldest continuously operating ski area in Colorado.
By 1965, Rudi joined Steamboat Resort as an instructor and supervisor with the Steamboat SnowSports School. He helped shape generations of skiers and worked alongside names that helped define Ski Town, U.S.A.® — including Loris “Bugs” Werner, Jon Elliot, Jim “Moose” Barrows, Jere Elliot, Chris McNeil, Jeff Davis, and Lonny Vanatta.
In 1972–73, he was named “Instructor of the Year” by Professional Ski Instructors of America, and in 1982, he was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame.
The Heart Behind Rudi’s Run
Rudi passed away in 1985 at the age of 64, but his legacy remains stitched into the fabric of this valley.
Rudi’s Run — one of the mountain’s most beloved and frequently skied trails — sits at the heart of the resort. It’s a run that welcomes families, challenges developing skiers, and sees countless celebratory laps each season.
It’s fitting that a trail so full of life carries his name.
Today, his son Larry Schnackenberg continues that legacy as a Steamboat Ski Patroller of more than 50 years. When asked what lesson from his father stands out most, Larry shared something simple and timeless:
“We all make mistakes. It’s best to admit them and learn from them. When I’d get in trouble, he’d always ask, ‘Well, did you learn anything?’”
That spirit — humility, resilience, and joy — still defines this mountain.
Lessons That Still Matter
When asked what Rudi might tell a beginner skier today, Larry didn’t hesitate:
“Have fun. No matter how frustrating it might seem at times.”
And perhaps more importantly:
“Don’t take the outdoors for granted. Respect and love what you have. Leave your campsites better than you found them.”
Those values are the foundation of Steamboat’s culture — respect for the land, gratitude for the mountains, and a deep love of sharing it all with others.
As Rudi’s daughter, Ruth McClelland, once said:
“May we, with a happy heart, carry a little whistle, song, or smile in our life with us each day that passes in remembrance of Rudi.”
Take a Lap for Rudi
The next time you’re on the mountain, take a lap down Rudi’s Run.
Bring a happy heart.
Whistle your favorite tune.
Wear your best smile.
Because trails like this aren’t just part of the resort — they’re part of a legacy built by people who believed in skiing, service, and the simple joy of being outside.
And that’s The Steamboat Way.
rich-text, responsive-table