The mission of the HSMF is to foster an appreciation for skiing and its personal challenges, alpine environments, and mountain cultures by promoting ski exploration and education.

The Hans Saari Memorial Fund is dedicated to the memory of Hans Saari, his passion for skiing, his desire to learn, and his belief in careful planning and safety. We believe first and foremost that Hans loved to ski - the feel of the turn, the rhythm of the run, the exhilaration of the descent. We also believe that skiing was more than an athletic endeavor to Hans. Skiing was the lens through which Hans saw and experienced the world. His adventures were opportunities to accept physical and mental challenges, to visit new places and people, and to be a part of other cultures. We believe the qualities of experience, preparation, and communication were important to Hans and are to be encouraged in others. For the Fund, skiing is the platform we have chosen to help others achieve their personal and organizational goals related to exploration and education.

Through its operations, the Fund will raise the level of awareness and expertise among those traveling in avalanche terrain. The Fund will contribute to the ski community and the sport of ski mountaineering by sponsoring and encouraging innovative ski expeditions and education programs. Finally the implementation of the Fund’s strategy will create a legacy that embodies Hans’s values.