Tucked away on the edge of town in Carbondale, Colo., is a goldmine of ski history, memorabilia, and sick vintage gear. The warehouse is challenging to find, even when you know where it is. But follow the signs toward Vintage Ski World to an innocuous warehouse door, and beyond it you’ll find Richard Allen, 73, and his unbelievable collection of ski gear, spanning decades and even centuries into the sport’s past.
For GearJunkies, skiers, and anyone generally interested in history, it’s basically a candy store. The shelves and walls are packed with colorful vintage skis, posters, and racing bibs from famous athletes. Glass displays are filled with military patches, pins, and stickers. Clothing racks are stuffed with the coolest one-piece suits, wind shirts, and jackets you’ve ever seen.
In the back, lined against one wall, are antique skis over 100 years old.
And it’s all for sale. As Allen describes it, Vintage Ski World is part museum, part retail store, and part wholesaler.
“I’ve been collecting vintage skis and memorabilia since I moved to Snowmass in 1956,” Allen told GearJunkie when we visited him at the store.
It’s been a lifelong passion of his, but the business didn’t start until 2002. Since then, Vintage Ski World has operated out of garages, business spaces, and even on the road. Allen used to travel with vintage ski gear to events, themed parties, and races.
You’ve probably seen some of his collection and don’t even know it. Vintage Ski World supplied the film Hot Tub Time Machine with all of its vintage ski gear and costumes.
Now, 23 years into this journey, Allan is ready to pass the torch. He and his partner are in the process of putting the entire Vintage Ski World collection up for sale. So, whether you’re looking for that perfect Gaper Day outfit, a unique gift for the skier in your life, or an entire collection of gear and memorabilia, Vintage Ski World has what you need.
Vintage Ski World: An Authentic Museum Collection
The first pieces in Allen’s collection belonged to his family. He found his parents’ and grandparents’ old ski gear in their Snowmass home. Then he began buying more of it when he returned to Minnesota. But the moment his casual collecting turned serious was when he got a tip about a store in Portland, Ore., called Pacific Hardwear & Sports.
“They had a whole basement full of brand new ‘old stock,’” Allen recalls. There were boxes of 50-year-old outfits with the tags still on, unmounted skis, sweaters, jackets, and more. “I was the first one he let in his basement in a long time. He kind of liked me, and I ended up doing three trips out there.”
It felt like finding treasure, he said.
From there, the collection started to snowball. People knew Allen was seeking out old ski gear, so they started bringing it to him. Then he bought another collection from a 10th Mountain Division veteran in Colorado.
Nowadays, he has a “picker” who scours garage sales, estate sales, and antique stores for him, looking for vintage wooden skis — the kind in the way back that are hand-carved and mounted with leather beartrap bindings.
Allen says some of those really old skis still work. When he used to host vintage ski races at resorts like Steamboat and Aspen, people would use those wooden planks to compete with one another. “Some certainly skied better than others,” Allen said with a chuckle.
Collection Up for Sale
If you visit the Vintage Ski World website, only a small percentage of the store’s inventory is listed online. In fact, the warehouse Vintage Ski World operates out of isn’t even the entire collection. Allen said he has an additional full locker with apparel and another with skis that just don’t fit inside the store space.
That’s why it’s taken him and his partner, Rowland, so long to inventory the entire collection for appraisal and hopefully for purchase, he said. He has accumulated an immense amount of vintage gear, which he hopes will attract — not deter — a buyer.
Allen said he won’t be sad to part with the collection when they finally do find someone. But there are a few items that he won’t be letting go of.
His family’s skis are the first ones he points to. Then there is an ancient ski discovered on Aspen’s Richmond Hill that he won’t part with, either. He has a set of Klaus Obermeyer’s old skis, which the legend recently stopped by to sign for Allen, Spider Sabich’s signature sweater, and Dick Durham’s signature Crosswalk skis.
“None of those are for sale,” he said.
The rest of it — from the beautiful antique toboggans and snowshoes to the one-of-a-kind pins and patches, unmounted vintage skis, ski posters, photos, hats, sunglasses, one-piece snow suits, and more — is all up for grabs.
If you find yourself in the Aspen Valley, Vintage Ski World is one of the most interesting stores you’ll find. If you can find it. Follow the signs to 1676 County Road 100, Unit N-2, Carbondale, and explore the history that Allen has been collecting for over 60 years.
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