Plaque At Schweitzer Will Honor Skier’s Avid Spirit Idaho Ski Run To Be Renamed Kohli’s Big Timber

His passions were everything outdoors, including timber and skiing.

And now Ken Kohli’s friends and family will memorialize his spirit and dedication under a slice of North Idaho’s most scenic skies.

On March 23, the ski run at Schweitzer Mountain Resort known as Big Timber will become Kohli’s Big Timber. A 2-foot-square brass plaque will memorialize his love of skiing, his dedication to his community and his untimely death last summer.

A ceremony, open to anyone who wishes to attend, will begin at 11 a.m. at the top of the Big Timber run. Schweitzer will have lift tickets for non-skiers as well as a snowmobile to ferry them from the top of the lift to the ceremony area.

The plaque will temporarily hang in the lodge at the ski resort. Next summer, volunteers will gather rocks to match those at the lodge and other buildings and build a 4-foot high pillar to accommodate the plaque, said Dan Benson, a longtime friend of Kohli.

The monument will be located in the outdoor plaza near the lodge.

Kohli, 35, was killed when a small airplane he was in crashed into the Cabinet Mountains near Libby, Mont., last July. Missoula biologist Seth Diamond and Hayden Lake pilot Al Hall also were killed. The trio were photographing timber stands for the Intermountain Forest Industry Association, which employed Kohli and Diamond.

“It’s our intent for this to be for Ken’s family,” said Benson. “What hits home is the Kohli kids don’t have a place to go for their dad.

“I hope this provides it for them.”

Kohli is survived by his wife, Susan, and three children, Kyle, Lauren and Luke.

Born in Spokane, Kohli grew up in the Coeur d’Alene area. He was an avid skier who attended the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School as a child and continued to ski there often.

“In May or June he would go up there on a weekend day, hike up and ski down,” Benson said of Kohli’s unquenchable skiing enthusiasm.

Benson and Kohli met 18 years ago at the Mission Ridge Ski Academy in Wenatchee. Two years ago, Benson moved to Coeur d’Alene and ended up living just a block and a half from his buddy, Kohli.

Last summer, before he was killed, Kohli and Benson were discussing getting involved in fund raising for the Schweitzer Racing School. “He wanted his (oldest) son involved with the junior program,” Benson explained.

In addition to the monument, Benson and others are working to develop a Ken Kohli Education Fund.

Interest from the money raised will help Kohli’s children as well as other students at the Schweitzer Academy.

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Kohli memorial text The ski run, Kohli’s Big Timber at the top of this resort is named in memory of Kenneth H. Kohli. Ken was a Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, native and learned to ski at this resort, becoming a member of the SARS ski team. Ken lost his life in a 1996 airplane accident in the Cabinet Mountains, which can be seen from the top of the Big Timber run. Ken was committed to his family, his community, and his profession in the forest products industry. Skiing, and in particular this resort, which gained its origin from the Pack River forest business, played a big part in Ken’s life. His love of his family, his community and skiing are worthy lessons for all. Dedicated by the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School.