R.I.P..............Ray Tuthill

[First Grade Teacher]

Bad news! Ray Tuthill, owner and founder of Blue Mountain Ski Area passed away last evening. Keep him and his family in your thoughts. Great job Ray! You built a hell of a ski area!

 

Edited May 7, 2007 by First Grade Teacher

[Shadows]

im just gonna come out and say it...so what about the parks now?

and who would be the one who gets ownership?

never met him, but i like blue.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Shadows

[skifreak]

RIP Ray.

 

I wonder if he had a health problem and put the construction project of the condos on hold?

[ColoradoHigh]

That sucks. Sending good vibes to him and his family....

 

But what does he look like? Is he that guy that talks on the news all the time about how good it will be on the weekends?

[Justo8484]

ray was the old dude who was frequently sitting in the cafeteria with his wife drinking coffee. for some reason, whenever i saw him, he had green corduroy pants on. he was a real nice guy to me when i worked at blue, he actually cared about the employees. and dan, as far as the park passes, from what i've heard, ray was always the biggest opponent to them, so who knows, maybe it will happen now, but i think that depends entirely on who takes over, who stays, and who goes. there are certain people i really would not miss seeing when i go up to blue to ski next season.

[Papasteeze]

But what does he look like?

 

 

[Harvestor of Sorrow]

ray was the old dude who was frequently sitting in the cafeteria with his wife drinking coffee. for some reason, whenever i saw him, he had green corduroy pants on. he was a real nice guy to me when i worked at blue, he actually cared about the employees. and dan, as far as the park passes, from what i've heard, ray was always the biggest opponent to them, so who knows, maybe it will happen now, but i think that depends entirely on who takes over, who stays, and who goes. there are certain people i really would not miss seeing when i go up to blue to ski next season.

 

 

 

Such as?

[Mixilplix]

I'm sorry to hear about his passing..I never understood his dislike of snowboarding....Blue was one of the last mountains to open up for boarding,,,I have some articals with him saying snowboarding is just a passing fad and he really did not want boarders at Blue Mt...I guess after he saw the money other mountains where bringing in he changed his mind...When they finally allowed boarding there,I didn't go there for years.....It was like all of the sudden your money is good now,come ride at Blue.I said F that.

Blue is a nice place to ride/ski and I thank him for making the mountain happen.

[ColoradoHigh]

Blue opened it'sdoors to snowboarding 10+ years ago for the 1996=97 ski season. There was quite an uproar among season passholders about Blue finally allowing boarding since it was at the time among a handfull of mountains that banned boarders. If there was a family of 5 with just one snowoarder, they would go elsewhere so I see the decision to allow boarders as strictly financial.

 

Back then snowboarders had a reputation as being a bunch of young punks..kind of the way new school jib-honk skieres are looked at by the mainstream. Snowboarding also had the stereotype of being out of control and also scraping all the snow off the mountain.

 

I don't remember seeing Ray on the slopes..does anybody know if he was an avid skier? I knew a guy from the Ski Vermont List whose now probably in his 40s. He went to Dieroff high school and then Lehigh University and dated Rays daughter who also went to Lehigh for a time.

 

I do know that Ray spent time in World War two and Burma Road was named after his travels to Burma. I hope somebody steps up and publishes a book on the History of Little Gap/Blue mountain. I might have to be the one although I don't see it selling alot of copies..It would still be an interesting read for a Blue-lover..Holla

 

 

Soooo THAT'S why they called it Burma Road.....

[bigdaddyk]

... Snowboarding also had the stereotype of ... scraping all the snow off the mountain.

 

Still do, and some do.

[trackbiker]

Yup...I have no idea how they came up with the name Lazy Mile or Main Street..

 

Until I learned Ray's name a few years ago I always thought that Tut's Lane was a jab at Camelback.

 

It's due to Ray's vision that we have such a great ski area so close by most of us. To take on such a risky project, starting a ski area from scratch at age 53 after a successful career, takes a lot of spunk. I guess that's why they call those guys who served in WWII "The Greatest Generation."

[mbike-ski]

Condolences to Ray's family and a big thanks from the skiing/riding family

 

http://www.legacy.com/mcall/Obituaries.asp...rsonID=87907016

[trackbiker]

Until I read Trackbikers post..I never realized Tuts lane was named after Ray Tuthill. Wow it's amazing that he founded Little Gap/Blue mountain when he was already 53 years old. I'll be curious to see the changes that occur at Blue and also if they get bought out....maybe then they'll get condos and a new base lodge along with a Rollercoaster..

 

Wasn't a big share of Blue Mt. sold to the general manager last year? I thought I remember something about that at the time they announced they were putting in the 6-Pack.

It doesn't appear that any of his children are involved in the management of the mountain as none of them live close by according to the obituary.

[bud]

Ray's nickname was the Razor, hence Razors Edge.

[Stevo]

Sad to hear, but in the long run, it happens to everyone. I'm pretty damn thankful for what he did, starting up the mountain and such. Had he not done it, i'd be skiing at camelback. ...nah, probably alpine would be better. Anyway, who knows what'll happen to blue. Maybe they'll get sold, maybe nothing will change. We'll just have to wait for it , and hope that nothing bad comes out of this..