Joseph ‘Joe’ Bondurant Ryan

Joe Ryan’s greatest contribution to the world of skiing in Canada was in his involvement in the development of the internationally well-known and largest ski resort in eastern Canada, Mont Tremblant.

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a scion of a wealthy family, Joe had always had an interest in wilderness and, in his youth, spent considerable time exploring the rivers and forests of eastern Canada. He was first introduced to Mont Tremblant, then a wilderness area, in the 1930s by the late Lowell Thomas, the internationally acclaimed broadcaster.

In 1937, Joe Ryan, accompanied by Lowell Thomas, climbed Mont Tremblant on skis with skins to discover the outstanding views across the Laurentians from its summit. At the top, an exhausted Joe Ryan was reputed to have said, “This has to be the most beautiful sight in the world. There is only one thing wrong. It is too difficult getting up here. I believe I’ll fix that!” The “fix” he had in mind was the purchase of the mountain itself. Although he was able to buy about 700 acres of freehold-land, purchase of the mountain itself would prove to be a frustrating experience. The owner, the province of Quebec, was not particularly interested in selling.

Joe convinced others that he would bring prosperity to what was at that time a very poor area by providing employment and attracting skiers to the mountain. 

Eventually, the government insisted that Ryan put up $30,000 as evidence of good faith, buy at least $50,000 worth of land, spend at least $90,000 in the provincial park, and sink a minimum of $500,000 into development of the property. Even more challenging, the province gave him just two years to meet these onerous conditions or risk cancellation of the agreement. This influenced the extraordinarily rapid development of Mont Tremblant as a ski resort. In short order, Ryan implemented a program of frantic activity, clearing the site and constructing 20 buildings for the proposed village, developing the ski trails, building numerous on-mountain rest houses, installing chair lifts and T-bar bar lifts to service about 20 alpine runs, providing access roads within the resort and connecting with the main highway, and all the remaining infrastructure necessary to service the emerging area. The village itself was unique, incorporating architectural features which replicated rural French provincial design.

Joe established a first class ski school employing the best instructors and this alone attracted thousands of skiers eager to learn. 

Joseph Bondurant Ryan had a remarkable career, resulting in the development of a ski resort that is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Canadian and international skiers each season. Mont Tremblant was developed in a remarkably short period of time and quickly established a worldwide reputation for quality and attractiveness.

Note: The information gathered in this biography was compiled from a number of sources; it may not be inclusive of all accomplishments. Copyright © Canadian Ski Hall of Fame & Museum. For personal and/or educational use only. All rights reserved.