The Richard Hempel Plaque is a brass plaque mounted on a post near the Alpine Springs Lift on Snowmass.  The plaque states:

In Memory of

Richard (Rick) Hempel

Our friend and co-worker

Snowmass Lift Operations

1989-1997

"See Ya on the Flip Side"

An article concerning his death appeared in the Rocky Mountain News on January 16, 1997 (see:  http://bit.ly/slEMS2  and scroll to the bottom):

 
"SNOWMASS SKIER HITS TREE, DIES

An Aspen Skiing Co. employee died Wednesday after he struck a tree while skiing, the Pitkin County coroner's office said.  Richard Hempel, 33, Glenwood Springs, was skiing near Pitchfork Ridge on Snowmass Mountain when the accident occurred.  He was on duty at the time.  Hempel was taken to the Snowmass Clinic, where he was pronounced dead at 1:15 p.m."

A photo of the plaque is below.  And for more photos see this Facebook photo album (you do not need a Facebook account in order to view the album):  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.788952387843394.1073742005.100001859201674&type=1&l=737e235761

If you have any photos of or information about this item that you would like to share, please send to AspenShrines@aol.com.

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Click on images to enlarge.