RIP Dave McCoy at 104

[mcski]

Hero to anyone that’s ever skied Mammoth

[old goat]

One of the last, if not the last, of the people who built American skiing. Is there any of his generation left?
At 104 I guess he's probably been resting in peace for a while, this makes it official.

[Truckee Joe]

A true “if you build it they will come” type of guy. He changed everything for so cal skiing.


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[Buster Highmen]

>> respect<<

[muted]

Much respect. He was a bad-ass. May I never live that long though.

[hutash]

Wow, a sad time for the whole eastern sierra. Dave was a true pioneer of skiing, one of the very few.

[SB]

RIP to a ski pioneer.

[Bunion 2020]

x5 RIP

[bodywhomper]

Legend.

Thank you, Dave.

RIP

[spanghew]

A friend of mine was close to Dave and his family for years, and posted the following on Fbook; it really sums up the man and his life and times nicely, I think:

I am sad to share the passing of Dave McCoy at 104 years. He and his wife Roma were the founders of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. He was a charismatic visionary that went from working as a hydrographer for the LADWP to building one of the best skiing mountains in the world, all the while having a great time doing it. He was always just “Dave” and approachable and was a hands on boss who would sometimes join you in a ditch to help out. It was about the skiing and people, not the money. He was always having a great day and did not want to be around anyone that was not. I had the privilege of working for him at the Ski Area for over 30 years, and again part time at his Ranch for the last two. Just last week I was saying hi to him and his daughter Penny came in and kissed him on the forehead and he looked at me, winked, and said “you gonna kiss him too?" That was Dave. He was always asking “what are you doing for fun?” I enjoyed seeing him as you always left “pumped up” about life. Over the years he helped me and so many other people with health or family issues, never asking for anything in return. Every kid in the area could ski for free, and learn to ski as part of school activities. All employee kids were given a scholarship to the Mammoth Jr Race Team, a huge opportunity for learning confidence and other life skills. That was a great employee benefit along with a free ski pass. He was a ski coach for so many local kids, and Penny went to the Olympics. We all have so many Dave stories. When he was 88 he had a very bad dirt bike accident and a week later told me “that accident was the best thing that could have happened to me, I can see things so much clearly now.” Always looking on the bright side of anything. He leaves his wife of 79 years Roma and a very large family. He and Roma always held hands right up to the end. He was a mentor to so many of us and positively affected our lives. Thanks Dave!

[altacoup]

A friend of mine was close to Dave and his family for years, and posted the following on Fbook; it really sums up the man and his life and times nicely, I think:

I am sad to share the passing of Dave McCoy at 104 years. He and his wife Roma were the founders of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. He was a charismatic visionary that went from working as a hydrographer for the LADWP to building one of the best skiing mountains in the world, all the while having a great time doing it. He was always just “Dave” and approachable and was a hands on boss who would sometimes join you in a ditch to help out. It was about the skiing and people, not the money. He was always having a great day and did not want to be around anyone that was not. I had the privilege of working for him at the Ski Area for over 30 years, and again part time at his Ranch for the last two. Just last week I was saying hi to him and his daughter Penny came in and kissed him on the forehead and he looked at me, winked, and said “you gonna kiss him too?" That was Dave. He was always asking “what are you doing for fun?” I enjoyed seeing him as you always left “pumped up” about life. Over the years he helped me and so many other people with health or family issues, never asking for anything in return. Every kid in the area could ski for free, and learn to ski as part of school activities. All employee kids were given a scholarship to the Mammoth Jr Race Team, a huge opportunity for learning confidence and other life skills. That was a great employee benefit along with a free ski pass. He was a ski coach for so many local kids, and Penny went to the Olympics. We all have so many Dave stories. When he was 88 he had a very bad dirt bike accident and a week later told me “that accident was the best thing that could have happened to me, I can see things so much clearly now.” Always looking on the bright side of anything. He leaves his wife of 79 years Roma and a very large family. He and Roma always held hands right up to the end. He was a mentor to so many of us and positively affected our lives. Thanks Dave!

That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like an all around great guy and he was truly a visionary and pioneer. RIP


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[Jack Burton]

Thanks for the huge contributions to skiing Dave, that’s a write up to aspire to. Thanks for the post.


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[hutash]

I never met him, but know a few who did, and all say the same sort of thing about him. He was a hell of a person.

[skiJ]

Happy Trails, Dave McCoy...


Thanks, coreshot. tj