Media Reviews: Winners of 2024 ISHA Awards

Authors and producers to be honored on March 28 in Lake Placid

ISHA’s Awards Committee has announced the winners of the 2024 ISHA Awards, which honor the best works of history published or produced during the past year.

The awards will be presented during a banquet in Lake Placid, New York, on March 28, 2025. Watch for reviews of the winning books and films in the Media Reviews section of the magazine.

Lifetime Achievement Award

A Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Jeff Byrne of Lake Placid, New York, in recognition of his lifelong activities promoting skiing and its culture. Byrne has dedicated his career to professional coaching and managing all aspects of winter sports program management for Special Olympics International. He  served on the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority and several nonprofit boards and committees.

Going Downhill Fast cover
Jay Cowan

Ullr Awards

Presented for a single outstanding contribution or several contributions to skiing’s historical record in published book form.

  • Der Schneehase: SAS 1924-2024, by Ivan Wagner
  • North Star: The Legacy of Jean-Marie Mouchet, by John Firth
  • Going Downhill Fast: And Other Stories from Skiing’s Extremes, by Jay Cowan
  • Danger! Natural Snow: Aspects of Ski & Olympic History, edited by Annette R. Hofmann and Christof Thöny
Avalanche Dreams cover
Lou Dawson

Baldur Awards

Presented for an outstanding work of general interest that sheds significant light on an aspect of skiing history.

  • I Survived Myself, by Peter “Peru”
    Chrzanowski
  • Avalanche Dreams: A Memoir of Skiing, Climbing, and Life, by Louis Dawson
Aux Sommets cover
Danielle Soucy

Skade Awards

Presented for an outstanding work on regional ski history or for an outstanding work published in book form that is focused in part on ski history

  • De La Vallée aux Sommets: Une Histoire de Passion
    et d’Audace, by Danielle Soucy
  • Sierra Nevada: The History of Ropeways, by Juan Jose Lapuerta Rodriguez
  • Mount Washington Valley Through The Ears: 1976–2005 (Mountain Ear), compiled by Sarah Eastman and Karen Cummings
Mad River
Rick Moulton

Film Awards

  • Mad River Glen: A 75-year
    Fellowship of Skiers Rick Moulton
  • Mountain Men: Gothic Line 1945 Andrea and Giuliano Gandolfi
  • Variable: 10 Years, 46 Mountains, Endless Possibilities Jamie and Doug Kennard

Honorable Mentions

  • Book: The Man Who Had 9 Lives: A Murder on Skis
    Mystery, by Phil Bayly
  • Video: Centursa Sierra Nevada: Una Historia Por Esquiar Santiago Sevilla
  • Short Film: Gray Rocks, Snow Trains, Monts Plante, Chalet Cochand, Jackrabbit and Rhona and Rhoda Wurtele, Michel Allard—with LSM, Cogeco Community TV and Nous TV Laurentides

Women in Snowsports Industry Award

ISHA will present the Women in Snowsports Industry Award to Ingrid P. Wicken. In addition to being the author of award-winning snowsports history books, she has dedicated her life to the development and expansion of the California Ski Library, the largest private ski library in the world. 

Join us in Lake Placid, March 26-30

The International Skiing History Association and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame will hold our annual US Ski and Snowboard History Celebration in Lake Placid, NY, March 26-30, 2025. We invite you to join us for skiing with friends and colleagues, a film festival, on-snow tours, lectures, fashion shows, meet-and-greets, and back-to-back evenings of awards honoring the 2024 ISHA Award winners (Friday evening) and Hall of Fame Class of 2024 (Saturday evening). 

Schedule of Events (subject to change)

Wednesday, March 26

• ISHA Film Festival at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts

Thursday, March 27

• Whiteface On-Snow Tour and History Luncheon

• ISHA John Fry Presentation and reception: Skiers in WWII

• Snow History Trivia

• HOF Welcome Party

Friday, March 28

• Ride ‘n Slide with Legends at Whiteface

• Free-the-heel Nordic Trek at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; with Jan Reynolds & Billy Demong

• HoF Après Party and Gorsuch Fashion Show

• ISHA Awards Reception and Gala Banquet

• Snowsport Legends Party

Saturday, March 29

• USSS Hall of Fame Reception and Induction Banquet

• After-burner party

For full event details, ticket packages and discounted lodging, go to skiinghistory.org/events.