Doug Coombs (September 24, 1957 – April 3, 2006) was an American alpine skier and mountaineer who helped to pioneer the sport of extreme skiing, both in North America and worldwide.
Doug Coombs | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 24, 1957 Bedford, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | April 3, 2006 (aged 48) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Occupation(s) | Alpine Skier and Mountaineer |
| Known for | Extreme skiing, film appearances (including Steep (2007) and Warren Miller films) |
| Spouse | Emily Coombs (nee Gladstone) |
| Awards | World Extreme Skiing Champion (1991 and 1993) |
Early life and education
editCoombs was born in Boston and grew up in Bedford, Massachusetts, skiing in New Hampshire and Vermont.[1] He attended Bedford High School (Massachusetts)[2][3] before attending Montana State University in Bozeman where he honed his skiing skills at nearby Bridger Bowl before becoming a fixture of the extreme skiing scene in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, helping to found Valdez Heli-Ski Guides (and the heliskiing industry) in Alaska in 1994, and twice winning the World Extreme Skiing Championship, in 1991 and 1993.[4]
Personal life
editCoombs married Emily Gladstone in 1992 and, in 1993, they founded Doug Coombs Steep Skiing Camps Worldwide in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In 1997, the Coombs moved the business to Europe, and the company continues to operate today in La Grave and Chamonix, in the French Alps.[5] Doug and his wife Emily have a son, David.[6]
Death
editWhile skiing with friends on April 3, 2006, Doug Coombs died from a severe fall at the Couloir de Polichinelle in La Grave, France. He was trying to rescue his friend Chad VanderHam, who had fallen himself. Both skiers fell approximately 1500 feet. Doug Coombs was found dead after the fall, and VanderHam later died from his injuries.[6][7][8] Coombs was 48.
A memorial for Coombs was held at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort on June 25, 2006.[9] A run on the upper part of the mountain memorializes him.[10]
Legacy
editDoug's passion for skiing has been kept alive through the Doug Coombs Foundation, now Coombs Outdoors. Coombs Outdoors was established in 2013 to offer children from low-income families the guidance, support, and equipment required to participate in the amazing outdoor adventure experiences and sports activities that define the Jackson Community. Through these physical pursuits, it enables low-income children to reach their full potential and to engage in the wide array of outdoor activities offered in Jackson Wyoming.[11]
His life is described in Rob Cocuzzo's book 'Tracking the Wild Coomba'.[12]
Coombs' Law is described as "there are no bad ski conditions, only bad skiers."[13]
Filmography
editWhile not an exhaustive list, Doug Coombs has been featured in a number of ski films, including:
- Groove: Requiem In the Key of Ski (1991, Greg Stump), competing in the Extreme Skiing Invitational at Blackcomb, in which he complains that the course, in the Saudan Couloir, is not extreme
- Aspen Extreme (1993), credited as stunt skier[14]
- Matchstick Productions "The Hedonist" (1994) Final scene.
- Teton Gravity Research's The Continuum (1996)
- Warren Miller's Cold Fusion (2001)
- Warren Miller's Storm (2002)
- Warren Miller's Journey (2003)
- Waiting Game (2005)
- Fantastic Four (2005), stunts
- Warren Miller's Off the Grid (2006) contains a tribute to Doug Coombs
- Steep (2007)[15]
- The Edge of Never (2009)
- Swift. Silent. Deep. (2010), archive footage.
External links
edit- Coombs Outdoors, previously the Doug Coombs Foundation.
References
edit- ^ Vinton, Nathaniel (17 May 2006). "Skiing Beyond Safety's Edge Once Too Often". The New York Times.
- ^ "Bedford will welcome its third class to Hall". Lowell Sun. 10 October 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ "Remembering a Legend, Doug Coombs (1957-2006)". Powder. April 13, 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Porter Fox, "Legendary: Remembering Doug Coombs" Powder 35, no. 1 (Sept. 2006): 76-87, on 77.
- ^ Doug Coombs Steep Skiing Camps Worldwide
- ^ a b Brozan, Nadine (9 April 2006). "Doug Coombs, 48, Dies in French Alps Accident". The New York Times.
- ^ A LEGEND FALLS: 4/5 - Coombs died in fall over cliff[permanent dead link] Powder Magazine
- ^ "Industry mourns the death of Doug Coombs, a humble legend; VanderHam also dies". snewsnet.com. SNEWS. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
- ^ Memorial in Jackson Hole - June 25, 2006 Archived July 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Doug Coombs Memorial Fund
- ^ Jackson Hole ski guide: top five runs telegraph.co.uk
- ^ "Doug Coombs Foundation". Archived from the original on 2016-03-12. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ^ "Tracking the Wild Coomba book excerpt". Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Coombs' Law". Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ Doug Coombs at IMDb
- ^ Steep Archived March 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Steep on The Documentary Group's (production company) website