One of the most famous skiers to ever compete on Mt. Hood, Gretchen Fraser (February 11, 1919 – February 17, 1994) lived a rich life of competition, celerity and service.
Fraser was the first US skier to win Olympic gold and silver at the 1948 St. Moritz Games in Switzerland. She won gold in slalom and silver in alpine combined and was feted in Portland, among other cities after her return.
Gretchen was already well known going back to her early days in Tacoma, WA. She won multiple events on Mt. Rainier while at Stadium High School and the University of Puget Sound and began to dominate regional events. Her talent led to serving as a stand-in for ice skater Sonja Henie in two movies.
World War II interrupted the world of skiing, and Fraser put her nursing skills to work working with disabled veterans. She was also featured on the slopes in military training films.
Gretchen became a media darling during the 1948 Winter Games and after her medal wins, her face adorned the front of Wheaties boxes for five years.
Fraser and her husband re-located to Vancouver, WA after the war she continued helping wounded and disabled war veterans become involved in skiing or other athletic activities for three decades. She is one of the pioneers of adaptive skiing, having become involved in rehabilitation of soldiers during World War II. She helped found the Flying Outriggers ski club in Portland.
Gretchen Fraser is an inductee in the National Ski Hall of Fame, the University of Puget Sound Hall of Fame, Washington Sports Hall of Fame, Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame and Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame. Fraser is also honored with displays in museums in Washington, Idaho and Utah.