Competitor & Innovator
Celebrated Austrian Olympian, Josef “Pepi” Stiegler, is recognized for his skiing prowess as well as for his dedication to ski instruction. In 1960, Stiegler won the silver medal in giant slalom at the Olympics in Squaw Valley, California. In 1964, he won the gold medal in slalom and the bronze medal in giant slalom at the Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. With his double medal performance, Stiegler helped his country dominate the alpine events and cemented his status as a national hero. The following year he served as coach for the Austrian National Ski Team. In 1966, Stiegler moved to Jackson Hole to become Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s first Director of Skiing, a position he held for 37 years. During that time he founded the resort’s ski school, which he developed into one of the most prestigious ski schools in the country. Stiegler served on the board of directors for the International Ski Instructors Association from 1978-1982 and was inducted into the US National Ski Hall of Fame in 2001, the Professional Ski Instructors of America-Intermountain Hall of Fame in 2004, and the Intermountain Hall of Fame in 2004. Stiegler dedicated many hours volunteering for the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club while his children, Resi and Seppi, raced for the Club.
