Clyde Vern “Butch” Hoffman, Jr. (1938-2021)
Butch Hoffman’s passion for skiing was impactful on a grand scale. He was a master at helping hundreds of racers to challenge and achieve their potential.
A Denver native, Hoffman etched most of his legacy at northern Utah’s Snowbasin and Nordic Valley ski areas. He was a fiery competitor on the national stage and a respected coach, race official, and administrator.
After winning the giant slalom championship at the U.S. National Veterans Alpine Championships, he became a certified ski instructor with the Earl Miller Ski School at Snowbasin. He launched his coaching career in 1969 with Ogden’s Utah Racing School. Butch directed FIS and Nor-Am races and served on the U.S. Ski Association and Intermountain Division boards, where he coached the division’s Junior Nationals Ski Teams.
In 1983, he organized the Ogden Valley Winter Sports Foundation and was the first coach of the Ogden Valley Ski Team and the Nordic Valley Ski Team. Among Hoffman’s proudest coaching accomplishments was his children’s success. Scott was a member of the U.S. Ski Team and later an All-American skier at the University of Utah, winning the NCAA slalom championship in 1980 and finishing second in the U.S. Nationals. Heidi won the U.S. Junior Olympic slalom championship at 16 and became a four-year All-American for the BYU ski team. Kathy was a collegiate All-American and national champion at BYU.
Aiding and abetting all the above has been Linda, Butch’s wife of 60 years. Her cheerful support and encouragement have been equal to his passion.
