Steve McKinney (skier)
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Steve McKinney (1953 – November 10, 1990) was an American
Alpine skier Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...
and
mountaineer Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...
who is acknowledged as an early pioneer in the sport of
extreme skiing Extreme skiing is performed on long, steep (typically from 45 to 60+ degrees, or grades of 100 to 170 percent) slopes in mountainous terrain. The French coined the term 'Le Ski Extreme' in the 1970s. The first practitioners include Swiss skier ...
. A gifted all-around athlete, McKinney is best remembered as a world-class speed skier. In 1978 at Portillo,
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
, McKinney's record-breaking run of 200.222 km/h (124.137 mph) made him the first speed skier to break the 200 km/h barrier. Between 1974 and 1987, McKinney set seven world speed skiing records in competitions around the world. In the 1980s, McKinney became an accomplished mountain climber. In 1986 he led an expedition to
Mount Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heig ...
, during which he became the first person to fly a
hang-glider Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...
off the mountain. Steve was one of eight McKinney children. His half-sister, Tamara McKinney, became a world champion
World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
skier.


Early life

McKinney was born in
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
in 1953. He and his family settled near
Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe (; was, Dáʔaw, meaning "the lake") is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada of the United States. Lying at , it straddles the state line between California and Nevada, west of Carson City, Nevad ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. Steve regularly skied at nearby Squaw Valley, and was a junior ski racer with the Far West Ski Association. He graduated from high school through correspondence courses, and briefly attended the University of Colorado in 1971. He quit college soon after and joined the
U.S. Ski Team The U.S. Ski Team, operating under the auspices of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, develops and supports men's and women's athletes in the sports of alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, cross-country, ski jumping, and Nordic combined. Since 1974 the team and ...
as a downhill specialist. The independent-minded McKinney clashed with the team's authorities. He finally left the team in 1973 after making an advertising transaction, for which he was disqualified from amateur status. After his departure from the U.S. Ski Team, McKinney's next pursuit was mountain climbing. One of his first ascents was at
Donner Summit Donner Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, above Donner Lake and Donner Memorial State Park about west of Truckee, California. Like the Sierra Nevada themselves, the pass has a steep approach from the east and a gradual appro ...
near Lake Tahoe. While attempting to climb a route called Rated X, McKinney fell 100 feet off the rock wall and broke his back and a heel bone. He spent the next several months in a full-torso body cast.


Speed skiing

During winters at Squaw Valley, McKinney gained a reputation there for skiing long, expert-level runs at high speed using 225 cm downhill skis. McKinney learned about speed skiing from his friend,
Dick Dorworth Dick Dorworth is a noted ski racer, coach and world record holder. Dorworth is the author of four books, ''Night Driving'', ''The Perfect Turn'', ''The Straight Course'', and ''Climbing to Freedom''. He was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowb ...
, who was the first skier to break 105 mph. In speed skiing, the limits were few, so McKinney could ski as fast as he dared. In 1973, on a whim, he took a flight to
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, and then hitchhiked to
Cervinia Breuil-Cervinia (french: Breuil; it, Cervinia; Valdôtain: ) is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Valtournenche, and is considered one of the most renowned winter and summer tourist resorts in the Alps. Etymology The name of ''Breuil-Cervini ...
to watch speed skiing on the ''Kilometro Lanciato'' ('flying kilometer'). He made his first tentative speed runs there, despite still wearing the body cast from his broken back. The following year, in 1974, McKinney returned to Cervinia and established his first world speed skiing record, passing through the speed traps at 189.473 km/h (117.7 mph). His record was surpassed the following year at Cervinia. Two years after that, at Portillo, Chile in 1977, McKinney set a new record at 198.020 km/h (123.0 mph). In 1978 at Portillo, McKinney broke his own record. His run at 200.222 km/h (124.137 mph) marked the first time a skier had ever broken the 200 km/h barrier. This record would stand for four years. In 1982 at Silverton,
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, McKinney saw his record surpassed by Franz Weber, with a run of more than 203 km/h. McKinney had been the fastest skier in the world for five years. In 1987, in something of a comeback, McKinney set his last world speed skiing record of 209.790 km/h (130.4 mph), the fastest speed he had ever recorded in competition. The record fell the same year. He never again held the title of fastest man in skis. During his speed skiing career, McKinney introduced rubberized
ski suit A ski suit is a suit made to be worn over the rest of the clothes when skiing or snowboarding.Pumori Pumori ( ne, पुमोरी, ) (or Pumo Ri) is a mountain on the Nepal-China border in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. Pumori lies just eight kilometres west of Mount Everest. Pumori, meaning "the Mountain Daughter" in Sherpa langua ...
by an American team. In 1984, McKinney and
Jim Bridwell Jim Bridwell (July 29, 1944 – February 16, 2018) was an American rock climber and mountaineer, active since 1965, especially in Yosemite Valley, but also in Patagonia and Alaska. He was noted for pushing the standards of both free climbi ...
undertook a successful ski descent of
Denali Denali (; also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. With a topographic prominence of and a topographic isolation of , Denali is the thir ...
. In 1986, McKinney returned to Everest as an expedition leader. He became the first person to fly a hang-glider at Mount Everest, making a flight from the West Ridge at about 22,000 feet. He also made an earlier, test flight at Base Camp, in which he survived a spectacular crash into a glacial moraine.


Death

In the early hours of November 10, 1990, while on his way to
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
for a business meeting, McKinney pulled his
Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
off of
Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Califor ...
near
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. Another car veered off the road and slammed into the back of the parked Volkswagen, killing McKinney. According to investigators, McKinney's car may have had mechanical problems, and he had apparently climbed into the back seat to sleep before seeking help.


Honors

McKinney was honored posthumously with the North American Snowsports Journalists Association's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for 1992-93, for outstanding contributions to skiing.


Quotations

* I discovered the middle path of stillness within speed, calmness within fear, and I held it longer and quieter than ever before. (On maintaining his composure during a world record speed skiing run, as described for ''SKI'' magazine, Spring/March 1975) * Racing for pure speed is uncomplicated, straightforward, and decisive.


External links


Speed Champion Steve McKinney's 120-Mph Runs Make Downhill Racers Seem Snowbound


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKinney, Steve 1953 births American male alpine skiers American mountain climbers Speed skiers Road incident deaths in California 1990 deaths