Bob Murdoch Turns 96

By Harriet Wallis

For Bob Murdoch, it was just another happy day of skiing at Alta. But it was also Bob's 96th birthday, and some of his Wild Old Bunch friends secretly surprised him with a cake and good wishes.

That's what the Wild Old Bunch is all about – friendship and skiing. Most are in their 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s. They come from all over the world to ski at Alta, and they enjoy welcoming other senior skiers.

Bob has a long history of skiing Alta. He tells of his early years when he had to hike up the mountain so that he could ski down. Those were the days before 1938 when Alta was founded as a ski area with just a single chair lift that hung so low it often had to be dug out of the snow.

Alta reveres its history. Alta also reveres its older skiers because they add depth to Alta's ski family.