The man chiefly responsible for the development and growth of Afton Alps and Mount Kato ski areas has died.
Paul Augustine died Saturday at age 79, said his son John Augustine.
Augustine opened Afton Alps in 1963 and 37 customers turned out on opening day. By the mid 1970s, it had 17 chair lifts, four chalets and two rental shops. The popular recreation spot continued to grow and became known for its fully-lit slopes and ski school.
Augustine bought Ski Haven in Mankato, Minn. in the late 1970. He expanded the ski center and renamed it Mount Kato. The ski area now has 19 runs and eight chair lifts.
In the 1980s, he bought Moon Valley Ski Area in Malone, N.Y. He rebuilt the area and several runs to the lower part of the mountain and renamed the ski center Titus Mountain, according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA).
Augustine, who was raised on a farm near Hastings, Minn., served two terms on the NSAA in the 1980s and was president of the Midwest Ski Areas Association for three years. He was one of the founders of the Twin Cities Independent Ski Areas Association.
For his efforts, the NSAA awarded him its Lifetime Achievement award in 2008.
Augustine is survived by his wife of 45 years, Rose, three children, two sisters, one brother and three grandchildren, according to a notice on the Afton Alps web site Saturday.
