In February, 1959, Tom Hartzell first visited the Porcupine Mountains as a sophomore member of the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire ski team to ski in the downhill event of the central intercollegiate Four Event Championships. Two years later, after graduating from UW, Superior with a Bachelors Degree in Education, Tom returned to Ontonagon with his wife Lori, to make it their permanent home. On the day before suffering a debilitating stroke on January 17, 2004, Tom and Lori once again skied his beloved "Porkies". Tom never gave up his dream of being able to ski again. He died June 21, 2008.

Thomas Alan Hartzell was born May 18, l939, in Eau Claire, WI, son of Marie Hartzell Rasmussen and the late Lloyd Hartzell. Tom graduated from Spooner, WI high school in l957. He attended UW Eau Claire from l957 - 1959 and UW Superior from l959 a