Alpine Meadows ski resort honored veteran employee Werner Schuster by renaming a popular run off the Roundhouse chair after him. The old ‘Blue Trail’ that runs skiers left of the Roundhouse lift line was officially bestowed the name ‘Werner’s Schuss’ in a ceremony Wednesday attended by Schuster’s close friends and family.

The new name pays tribute to Schuster’s 34 years of service to the resort.

Schuster came to Alpine Meadows from Bavaria, Germany in 1963. He started as assistant ski school director and steadily rose through the ranks, running the ski school for many years before taking on his final post of executive vice president of marketing. Schuster retired from the position in 1997.

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“That run as always been one of my favorites,” said Schuster referring to the old ‘Blue Trail’. “When I came to Alpine Meadows in 1963 they only had two chair lifts and a couple platter pulls but that trail was already one of the smoothest runs. I am both humbled and honored to have such a major run named after me.”

The name was selected by Alpine Meadows from suggestions they solicited in a trail naming contest held last fall. Treats bakery owner Melanie Jackson, a former Alpine Meadows ski instructor who was an employee of Schuster’s, came up with the winning name.

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“He hired me as a ski school instructor in 1970 and I ended up teaching for 20 years,” said Jackson after the ceremony. “I give him credit for changing my adult life.”