Squaw Valley Institute will be honoring Steve McKinney, a pioneer in U.S. skiing known as the “speed king,” on April 12.

He will be awarded a posthumous Hall of Fame honor for his groundbreaking role in extreme and speed skiing. He was an American alpine skier and mountaineer who is acknowledged as an early pioneer in the sport of extreme skiing. In 1978 McKinney broke speed records with a run clocked at 124.137 mph, making him the first skier to break the 200km/h barrier. He then went on to set seven world speed skiing records around the globe between 1974-87. In the 1980s, McKinney became an accomplished mountain climber. In 1986 he led an expedition to Mount Everest during which he became the first person to fly a hang-glider off the highest mountain in the world.
 
A keynote will be given by world record speed skier and noted ski journalist Dick Dorworth. Dorworth was one of McKinney’s closest lifelong friends and ski partner.

Tamara McKinney, Steve McKinney’s younger sister, will share intimate inside perspectives on the life and legends of McKinney with never before seen movie footage. Tamara McKinney her is a World Cup champion and Olympian with a ski career that is unrivaled.

The evening will be topped off with music performance with Barry Thys and the Nomads and Kendal Naughton as well as special performance guests Jeff Martin, Debbie Dutton as well as Olympian, Marcus Naish.

The event will be at the Olympic Village Lodge in Squaw Valley. Admission is free for SVI members. Admission with advance ticket purchase is $20 per adult, $10 per child/student and $25 per adult at the door. Doors open at 5pm, opening presentation starts at 6pm. Cash bar and pizza by Fireside will be available for purchase.