Information submitted in a nomination letter to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame by Ruff Tiffany, Editor, Far West Ski News, LosAngeles, California.

During the 50 years that he was involved in skiing, Andy Hauk always seemed to be on top of the mountain, reaching many pinnacles in ski sport. He authored numerous articles, letters, prospectuses and reports on skiing in general and ski area development in particular.

A. Andrew Hauk was born in Colorado in 1912 and was a natural athlete. He was a basketball and semi-professional baseball player and he took to the slopes whenever he had the opportunity.

Hauk’s achievements include Olympic Games organizer, participation in the development of three ski areas, founding member of a division of organized skiing, various elective offices, presidency of one of Southern California’s oldest ski clubs and a national ski racing title. He was also a much sought after speaker on behalf of ski sport.

Andy Hauk’s lifelong devotion to skiing began in Denver, Colorado in 1924 when, as a twelve–year-old natural athlete, he took to the Rocky Mountain snow fields at every opportunity.

Following his graduation from law school in 1939, Hauk came to Los Angeles which had few developed ski areas. The California Ski Association (now the Far West Ski Association) was only nine years old. Nevertheless, he soon found several tightly-knit ski clubs which were highly competitive. Their weekend ski races at local areas and more distant Yosemite and Mammoth became legendary, establishing intense team rivalries and lifelong friendships.

His first taste of organized opposition to ski area development occurred in 1947 when he appeared at public hearings concerning development of San Gorgonio, an 11,000 foot peak near Palm Springs. This area enjoys snow-packed slopes from November until May and its proximity to Los Angeles would have alleviated extensive travel time for skiers. Public debates continued through 1948 with Andy Hauk in the forefront, presenting testimony and graphic support.

From 1952 to 1954, Hauk was president of the Southern Ski Club. At the same time he was getting his first taste of sanctioned ski racing. Always an aggressive racer, he accepted a challenge from his brother, Paul, a member of the Forest Service in Colorado, and entered the 1952 national championships. While he had never raced at that level, Andy emerged as the winner of the seniors (now veterans) Class II Giant Slalom. In 1954 and 1956, Hauk was a runner-up in the class, finishing more remarkably in the latter because in 1955 he had severed his Achilles’ tendon and was out of skiing for the entire year. During these years, he continued to win club races and added another veterans’ title.

All of Andy Hauk’s initial thirty years in skiing, however, were prologue to the newest pinnacle he was to scale. In 1955 he was named to the California Olympic Commission for the 1960 Winter Olympic Games at Squaw Valley. In 1958 he was named vice chairman of the committee and as such, was charged with the responsibility of obtaining funds from the State of California, overseeing the funding of the organizing committee, establishing budgets, approving vouchers, setting policy and creating the general overall tone of the games.

Following Squaw Valley, Hauk turned to officiating races. He often served as chief of course, race committee chairman, gatekeeper, timer and referee. In 1963 he became certified by the Far West Ski Association as a competition official. His first exposure to officiating had actually come in 1950 when he served as timing and scoring official at the F.I.S. World Championships at Aspen, Colorado.

Andy Hauk was also a member of the National Ski Patrol System and received training at the U.S. Forest Service Snow Ranger School at Alta, Utah. His Ski Patrol Avalanche No. 1627 was issued in 1952.

In 1964 he was named a Superior Court Judge in Los Angeles and in 1966 he was named a U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California, sitting in Los Angeles.

A. Andrew Hauk was elected to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1975.