The Man Behind the Maps – Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues

The Man Behind the Maps – Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues

Breckenridge Resort. Image: James Niehues

Ski resorts and trail maps are synonymous. We’ve all pored over a resort map, taking in the detail in search of the best terrain and the right runs, or simply to decide which way to go. You might have guessed that ski resort trail maps are digitally rendered photographs. Interestingly, the bulk of the ski area maps in North America are hand-painted by a single man, ski artist James Niehues. His work and the story of how it all happens are now available in a beautiful coffee-table book, The Man Behind the Maps – Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues.

James Niehues works in his home studio in Parker, Colorado. Photo: Lindsay Pierce Martin

Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues

Niehues got his start creating resort maps when he met Bill Brown, who, following in the footsteps of artist Hal Shelton, drew and painted numerous resort maps in the 1970s and ’80s. Brown gave Niehues his first resort map project in 1987: a map for the backside expansion of Winter Park’s Mary Jane resort. By the early 90s, Niehues was working full time creating maps. Today, he has painted over 300 resort maps from around the world.

There was a moment in time when it looked like the computer might take away his livelihood. Niehues lost multiple clients to computer-generated mapping, but he says many of these resorts eventually returned to his hand-painted approach and his keen ability to create an accurate, scaled view of mountain terrain. “They wanted that [hand-painted] look, I think. It’s a look you can’t get with a computer.” Niehues says.

image: Open Road Ski Company

Niehues’ work is showcased on foldable hand maps and large standalone trail guides across North America. And now, his North American work is compiled into a beautiful hardcover collection worthy of ski cabins and coffee tables everywhere. The book covers his journey, the work of those who preceded him, and the process and techniques behind his maps. Of course, The Man Behind the Maps also includes over 130 of Niehues’ hand-painted maps from California to Quebec and everywhere in between.

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The Man Behind the Maps – $109 – get a copy at Amazon

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