Olympian and ski philanthropist co-founded Wildcat.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
George Macomber, a United States Olympic skier and a noted ski philanthropist, passed away in his sleep on December 13 at the age of 88.
Raised in Massachusetts, Macomber was introduced to ski racing at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield. A member of the class of 1941, he later funded the installation of a T-Bar, snowmaking, and most recently a double chairlift at the private middle school's Easton ski area.
A national ski champion, Macomber was named to the 1948 and 1952 Olympic teams.
A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Macomber ran George B.H. Macomber Company, which constructed and renovated many buildings in the Boston area.
In the mid 1950s, Macomber teamed with Mack Beal, Brooks Dodge, and Malcolm McLane to win a Forest Service bid to construct Wildcat ski area. Home of the first ski gondola in the country, Wildcat opened in early 1958.
Macomber was inducted into the United States Ski Hall of Fame in 1973.
In addition to his numerous Eaglebrook donations, Macomber also contributed to improve ski facilities for Dartmouth and, most recently, the Franconia Ski Club/Holderness School Mittersill development.
Macomber is survived by his wife and three children.
