Wherever Austrians go they carry, and are identified with, the image, culture, and spirit of alpine skiing - their national sport, their national pastime. The origins, the roots, of alpine skiing, in particular alpine ski instruction, are in large part traced to Austria, where Hannes Schneider, considered by many as the "Father of Modern Alpine Skiing" (who also emigrated to America), and Professor Stefan Kruckenhauser, trained and influenced many top Austrian ski instructors and racers who due to a combination of pre and post World War II political and economic reasons emigrated to the Americas, which they considered "The Land of Opportunity". In the Americas these Austrian ski instructors and racers not only taught Americans how to ski and coached numerous top American skiers, but also shared their alpine culture, with its: chalet architecture, cuisine, music, conviviality - gemutlichkeit , all of which became part of the "American melting pot". Comprised of excerpts from interviews with numerous Austrian-American pioneers, interspersed by narration, and accompanied by stills and footage, the viewer comes away with an understanding as to: Why so many ski pioneers in the Americas were Austrians. Why for generations some of Austria's largest and most successful exports were Austrian alpine culture, ski instructors, racers and coaches. Why and how many Austrians played a pivotal role in the training of the 10th Mountain Division, the United States' first division of ski and mountain troops. And most of all, why Austrians played key roles in the development of some of the Americas' most famous ski resort areas: Aspen, Mt. Baker, Boyne Mtn., Franconia, Jackson Hole, Mt. Hood, Mt. Washington Valley, Portillo, Stowe, Stratton, Sugar Bowl, Sun Valley, Vail, & Helicopter Skiing.
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