(1947 – 2018)

Larry Fisher, aka “Old Man Winter,” founded Ski & Bow Rack in 1985 and proudly ran it for 33 years. He had a mustache that was the envy of the town. He knew more about custom insoles than most people knew about themselves. (At one point half the town were probably wearing his insoles, and the other half were on the waitlist for an appointment.) His passion for fitting ski boots bordered on fanaticism. He made the best homemade ice cream this side of Saturn, a recipe that – like everything else he did – he tinkered with for decades. He never took the easy way, unless the easy way was also the right way. He was a beloved boss, father, grandfather, and ski buddy whose predictable answer to any greeting was, “I’m doing just pretty good.” His legacy lives on in the shop and in the hearts of those who loved him.

Brittany, Larry’s daughter, basically grew up in the shop. At present, she carries on her father’s incredible legacy, and while her work behind the scenes keeps Ski and Bow Rack functioning, her perpetual encouragements keep the staff happy. Well that and the fact that she writes paychecks. That definitely helps. Her husband, the great Robert Bedtke, has picked up where Larry left off in the wizard-ing world of custom-boot-fitting; crazy, daring adventures; and being a highly requested shop icon. You can always count on service with a smile from Robert, and his bubbling optimism is super contagious. Pessimists beware. When their busy schedules relax, which probably isn’t as often as these busy bees would like, you can generally bet they’ll be playing on the slopes or the lake with their four children, Trent, Peyton, Eden, and Summit.

There’s only so much you can say about a guy who loves Jesus; loves his wife, Heather; sons Edmund, Janner, Kian, and Corin; daughter Berea; and after that, fishing, skiing, hiking, writing, soccer, and most everything outdoors. Also, jokes. Particularly Dad Jokes. Speaking of, how do you know when a joke becomes a Dad Joke? When the punch line becomes apparent. Really, you can tell that he grew up in Pagosa and never got away–in the best way possible. Also, did you know that the shovel was a ground-breaking invention? True story! If you want more jokes, you have only to ask. And to the guy who stole my copy of Microsoft Office: I will find you. You have my Word.

Our resident backpacking wizard, Chase has logged more than 6,000 miles across 23 states on America’s long-distance trails (AT, PCT, CDT, Colorado Trail, Ouachita Trail, Big Bend 100). An unapologetic gear nerd, he loves demystifying the often-overwhelming world of outdoor gear so customers can make smarter purchases and better enjoy their time outside. Chase is also an avid fly/Tenkara angler & tyer, an enthusiastic mushroom forager, and a middling bird hunter. And when he’s not exploring the wild places of the outdoors, Chase frolics in the musical world—no instrument is strange enough for him to turn down. Recent forays into the realm of bagpipes have yielded particularly…fun… results. These days, he and his wife Jenna are busy tackling their biggest challenge yet: learning how to camp with a toddler.

Chace grew up in Fort Worth, but he got to the mountains as quickly as he could. He cut his teeth fly-fishing the Texas Hill Country and brought his skills up to Pagosa Springs. Now that he is here, he’s basically a fly-fishing Jedi. Pretty sure he could pull a trout out of a pothole. He is the reel deal on the stream; he’s also super straightforward and as frank as Sinatra. He’s tall, ruggedly handsome, and an awesome boot fitter. And even though he’s 6’5”, we know him around here as “Little Chace.” He likes long walks on the river chasing trout with his trusty dog, Hank, and if the fish aren’t biting, he can always woo them with his charming Texas drawl. In his spare time, he volunteers with Archuleta County Search and Rescue. We kinda like him, and we know you will, too!

The first thing you’ll notice about Catherine is her great, big smile. The second: her happy, enthusiastic voice. The third: that neither of them will stop. She has mastered the art of the question and will keep asking them as long as you stand in front of the counter. (Side note: undercover agents beware, she WILL get the truth out of you.) But Catherine makes the retail experience so much more pleasant in an age where face-to-face interaction is strained at best on most occasions; in fact, there has been a verified instance in which her bubbling vociferation has saved a life (“Buy that helmet; you’ll thank me later.” Which they did…and did). But besides talking, she loves her three children and her (gasp!) new grandbaby, as well as the great outdoors, thru-hikes, camping, skiing, and having people take her advice (which is…usually trustworthy).

When it comes to fishing in the Pagosa area, Paden is THE MAN. From Largemouth to Smallmouth, Crappie, Pike, Walleye, Catfish, or any species of trout (conventional, fly, or ice), this dude knows how to get the fish out of the water. When he isn’t fishing, which isn’t often, he’s probably thinking about fishing, learning about fishing, or tying flies for fishing. He’s also 2 for 4 on his archery bull tags, rocks a throwback mustache, and is just sneaky enough a prankster that you have to keep your eye on him.  For all his positives, he does have a few drawbacks: he’s a Seattle Seahawks fan, rocks a throwback mustache, and wears short shorts. Even so, you’ll probably appreciate his professionalism, genuine smile, and (maybe) the mustache.

A woman of many talents, Megan has one skill in particular that our customers will find particularly helpful: she is perpetually cold. And so if you suffer through winters (or struggle through a snowy ski day), she knows all the secrets to finding ways to get and stay warm. When she’s not flashing her beautiful smile at the front counter in the shop, she works at Aspire, a local pregnancy center; sings like bird for her church; and makes a hobby of world travel. She loves her three children with the special love of a mother, greets everyone with a genuine curiosity, and usually laughs at Anthony and Kevin’s jokes…usually.

This Indiana boy finally found his home in the Southern Rockies; after 30 years of electric work in the Midwest, one would think he’d be ready to move on from electrical. Hence working in a ski shop. But no, we manage to put his wiring skills to good use here in the shop on a fairly regular basis. But he truly shines in the custom boot-fitting business. His easy-going, enthusiastic personality is contagious, and the stranger the foot, the more excited he gets. He and his wife, Alicia, love to ski, snowboard, snowshoes, hike, backpack, and, most importantly, fish the high-mountain creeks of the San Juans. And now that he has finished building (solo!) his own cabin here, he might be able to do that. At least, when college football season isn’t going on.