Trevor Wagner, 56

Alas, too soon, U.S. Skiing has lost one of the great domestiques of our sport. Look it up, and you’ll find that all the adjectives apply: Dedicated, selfless, passionate, tireless, steady, sacrificing, working behind the scenes, shaping the heart of the team … You might not have noticed him at first, but once you did, you realize he’d been there all along.

Trevor Wagner was born in Burien, Wash., in 1969, the son of Cindy Millman (Hinderman) and Ron Wagner. In 1971 Trevor and Cindy moved to Jackson, Wyo. A few years later, it was here that Trevor’s skiing and ski racing career got its start, walking daily from grade school to training on the slopes of Snow King. In 1981, Cindy and Trevor moved to Whitefish, Mont., and the passion for skiing was further nurtured at Big Mountain. Following graduation from Whitefish High School in 1987, Trevor joined Cindy and Tim Hinderman in Sandpoint, Idaho, and the skiing odyssey continued at Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

In 1990, Trevor embarked on a four-year period of collegiate ski racing beginning with two years at COCC in Bend, Ore., followed by two years at Sierra Nevada College in Incline, Calif. Following this, Trevor began his coaching career when he joined the Squaw Valley Race Team staff under the renowned Mark “Sully” Sullivan. 

In 1998, Trevor joined the U.S. Ski Team staff, coaching the Women’s Europa Cup tech group. Subsequent postings included Women’s Europa Cup Head Coach, Women’s World Cup staff and ultimately Women’s World Cup Head Tech Coach. In 2006 Julia Mancuso surprised everyone except herself and Trevor when she won the gold medal in the Giant Slalom at the Winter Olympics in Sestreire, Italy. Later in 2006, Trevor accepted an offer to work with the Norwegian Women’s World Cup team until 2008 when he returned to coach form the U.S. Women’s Ski Team through 2014 season. 

In 2015, utilizing his years of experience at the highest levels of competitive skiing, Trevor joined Tom Johnson in providing venue preparation for all major national and international alpine competition events hosted by U.S. Skiing. Their most recent project, the World Cup Finals at Sun Valley, Idaho, is best described in this tribute by Will Brandenburg of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation:

“Alongside Tom 'cowboy' Johnson and our community leaders, he (Trevor) helped design the Downhill and Super G tracks, creating a world-class venue worthy of the sport’s biggest stage. In a region with a deep but fading history in speed events, Trevor helped reignite that legacy — leaving behind a blueprint for future generations.”

One thing Trevor appreciated about his winter-long work schedule for venue preparation, is that he still had time to spend coaching the up-and-coming junior skiers from the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. 

Don’t let the extent of Trevor’s ski resume compel you to think his life was monochromatic! In 2008 when Trevor returned from Norway, he settled in Truckee, Calif. In 2009 he met Gladys Weidt began a relationship that spanned the next 16 years. They navigated through job and career changes together, and in 2019 they move from Truckee to Sun Valley, Idaho. Trevor was also passionate about mountain and road biking, and surfing which took him from the tip of Baja all the way to Washington state. He even tried surfing on Lake Tahoe when the wind would kick up big enough waves.

Trevor’s infectious enthusiasm fueled conversations and debates whenever he was present. He was seldom lacking for an opinion and always willing to share it, yet tactfully never beyond the zone of friendly banter.

Trevor’s outgoing nature and confident yet likeable demeanor powered his uncanny ability to forge new friendships at every turn. His absence will leave a void in the hearts of family members and countless friends and cohorts from ski slopes, beaches and bike trails throughout North America and Europe. However, the memories of the good times, the camaraderie, the inspiration and the unbreakable bond of friendship will never fade. 

Trevor passed away with family by his side April 22, 2025, after a brief, intense and private battle with cancer. 

Trevor is survived by his mom, Cindy; stepfather Tim; fiancé Gladys Weidt, brother Alex Hinderman and wife Bri, children Tori and Redda; sister Renee Wagner, great aunt Carol and uncle Brian Barker and family; aunt Carol and husband Ralph Allmand; cousins Katie, James and Casey Hutchens and Brittany Courtney, aunt Claudia Flood and uncle John Flood and family; and members of his skiing, surfing, biking and other “families” too numerous to name. Trevor was preceded in death by his father, Ron Wagner, brother-in-law Twain Hinderman and grandparents Gene and Shirley Wagner, Betty Flood and John Flood Sr.

Plans for celebration of Trevor’s life are in the works and will be announced soon…

Please share your condolences or memories to P.O. Box 668, Ketchum, ID 83340-0661, or email to tributes.to.trevor@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Trevor’s name to the SVSEF Alpine Development Fund at svsef.org.