Christopher K. "Moose" Brown Ski Collection

The Christopher K. "Moose" Brown Collection

A personal collection honoring Christopher K. "Moose" Brown — ski collector, community builder, and friend of LongSkisTruck

Some people are skiers. Christopher K. "Moose" Brown — known to friends as Chris Brown, Moose Brown, or simply MOOSE — was a force of nature on the snow and a legend in the ski town of Ellicottville, New York. For over four decades, Moose was part of the fabric of a tight-knit ski town where everybody knows everybody. This collection is a tribute to his life, his passion, and the indelible mark he left on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

The Depot: Freestyle Central

Skiing was in the blood. In 1967, Moose's father Ken Brown purchased Corbett's Sports in Oakville, Ontario and transformed it into one of Southern Ontario's premier ski and snowboard retailers — a business now in its ninth decade under the ownership of Moose's sister Kim and her husband Chris Tymstra. Born into the trade, Moose brought that heritage south to the hills of Western New York.

With his wife of 44 years, Victoria Eckley Brown, he owned and operated The Ellicottville Depot Restaurant at the foot of Holiday Valley Road and Route 219. During the 1980s and 90s, they also ran The Ski Depot ski shop in the town of Ellicottville. For 46 years, The Depot wasn't just a restaurant; it was the soul of the local ski scene. It was "Freestyle Central," the unofficial headquarters for the "Rat Pack"—the wild and talented freestyle skiers of the 80s and 90s. Moose was their top cheerleader, fostering a generation of talent that included future legends like Jillian Vogtli and Alex Wilson.

Moose was also instrumental in bringing the Salomon brand to Western New York, leveraging his family's deep roots in the ski industry to connect European equipment with American slopes.

His influence extended far beyond Ellicottville. He was part of the mystique of Greg Stump's iconic ski films and is credited with introducing the one and only Glen Plake to the local slopes. The photo of a mohawked Plake standing next to Moose in his "Ellicottville Depot's Apres Ski Patrol" tank top captures the spirit of an era—rebellious, joyful, and deeply rooted in a love for the sport.

A Life Larger Than The Mountains

Moose was, in the words of his friends, "larger than life." He was a devoted Rolling Stones fan who would travel anywhere to see them play. Every spring, Moose and Vicky hosted "Hot Rocks Weekend" at The Depot, bringing in the Rolling Stones tribute band Classic Stones Live for a tradition that ran for more than fifteen years. One year, Bernard Fowler and Waddy Wachtel brought their own band to play on a Friday night to open the weekend, while the band America — in town for a show at the Seneca Nation casino — was in the house. He was a passionate fisherman and a local comedian who could light up any room. His humor was legendary, as was his generosity. The Depot was a place where families felt at home and where, after 9 p.m., the party always found its center. He was a husband, a loving father to his precious twin girls — the light of his life — a local businessman, an entrepreneur, an entertainer, a hockey player, and a good stick on both the ice and the golf course. He also chartered fishing trips for his father on Lake Ontario, hosting the likes of Greg Norman during the Canadian Open. He was a community builder, a mentor, and a friend.

Moose also opened the Southern Tier of New York to Red Bull, serving as the brand's first territory representative in the region. In Ellicottville alone, he opened Red Bull at Madigan's, The Gin Mill, Balloons, the now-defunct Double Diamond Bar & Restaurant, the local Tops, and the Kwik Fill. He brought the brand to HoliMont, Holiday Valley and its golf course, Peek'n Peak Resort and its golf course, Swain Resort, Kissing Bridge, and the Seneca Nation casinos. From there he built the territory from the ground up across every channel — from the bars and college campuses of Olean, Fredonia, Alfred, and Allegany to the Kwik Fill stations, Golden Goose markets, Tops supermarkets, and Walmarts that dotted the region from Gowanda and Springville to Jamestown, Salamanca, Wellsville, Corning, Elmira, Horseheads, and Hornell.

Chris Brown didn't sell Red Bull — he introduced it the way he introduced everything: with a handshake, a story, and a laugh that made you feel like you'd known him your whole life. Ask anyone from Gowanda to Hornell, and they'll tell you the same thing: everybody knew Moose.

This collection comes from Moose's personal archive of skis, gathered over a lifetime on the snow. Each pair tells a story of a day at Holiday Valley or HoliMont, a memory from The Depot, or a moment shared with friends and family. They are offered here by his family in his memory, a continuation of his legacy.

Contact

For inquiries about this collection, please contact mike@longskistruck.com.