Locals and Friends Celebrate the Life of Sam Coffey at Aspen Mountain

Fitting for the memorial of a man who touched so many lives and left lasting positive impressions, a crowd estimated at over 1,000 gathered on top of Aspen Mountain on Monday to celebrate the life of Sam Coffey.

RELATED: Sam Coffey and The Freaks - Aspen's Fastest Ski Gang

Coffey died unexpectedly from a series of strokes while vacationing in Mexico on May 20. He was 29.

With remembrance speeches given by family and friends, the group talked about and paid homage to Coffey. The Aspen-based skier was a fixture on the ski racing scene for many years, as a two-time All-American at UNH, and a ski tech for his best friend Wiley Maple on the World Cup circuit last season. He was a founding member of Aspen’s ski gang The Freaks and brought his talents to ski marketing and public relations for brands like Salomon and Strafe.

In lieu of flowers or other considerations, Coffey’s mother and sister are asking that donations be made in Sam’s name to Mountain Rescue Aspen or to the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, which may establish an alpine racing scholarship in Sam’s honor.