The pumped-up atmosphere, Miller told The Seattle Times in 1985, was like “showing a porno film on an aircraft carrier six days out of port.”

To his legions of fans, Miller’s annual ski flick amounted to cinematic manna from heaven – an overdue shot of cold air and deep snow to stoke the fires within winter warriors who had suffered through the long, hot months of snowless summer. The films, most of which began with jaw-dropping alpine-ski sequences, featuring top skiers and snowboarders delivered by helicopter to some knee-knocking heights and set to a pounding rock-music beat, never failed to produce hooting, shouting and delirium among the snow-deprived faithful.

A quick-witted, self-taught filmmaker who first filmed his own scenes for an annual self-narrated ski movie shown in small venues, Miller produced more than 500 adventure-sport films. His name, carried forward in a sports-media company, Warren Miller Entertainment, from which he was disassociated in his later years, became synonymous with snow sports across North America.

Warren A. Miller, the pioneering snow-sports filmmaker whose infectious zeal for the “pure freedom” associated with skiing, snowboarding and other pursuits inspired multiple generations of adventure seekers around the globe, died Wednesday at his home on Orcas Island, Washington. He was 93.

Five years ago, Dan Herby was having dinner at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky Montana after a day of skiing when he saw ski-icon and movie mogul Warren Miller eating dinner.

Herby, who was born and raised in Coeur d’Alene, skied in three Warren Miller movies in the 1980s, so he approached the man to pay his regards.

He didn’t expect Miller to recall him. After all, he was just one skier who appeared in three of the more than 500 films Miller produced over his long career.

But Miller, who died Wednesday, remembered the Idaho shredder.

“He goes, ‘Oh, I remember you,’ and he named each of the movies,” Herby said. “I think he remembers each and every featured skier in his films. He just had a head for it. He was still sharp as a tack at that time.”

That interaction is emblematic of the kind of man Miller was, Herby said.

“He was just that approachable and just a regular human,” he said. “He never let success go to his head.”

Herby, who still lives in Coeur d’Alene, was first featured in “Snowonder,” a 1982 Miller film.

He had recently graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School and moved to Squaw Valley in the hopes of making the U.S. Ski Team. In those days, when Warren Miller shot a film there would be a few local skiers he’d want to feature. Then the production team would “do a cattle call,” Herby said.

That involved anyone and everyone skiing down a run in waves. Slowly the film producers would winnow out the skiers based on style and talent.

Herby made the cut and appeared in that film, although only for a “little blip.”

Two years later, he got a call and was asked to ski in the the 1984 film “Ski Country.”

“It was the infancy of extreme skiing and that’s what he hired me to do,” Herby said.

In “Ski Country,” Herby got more airtime. After production wrapped up Herby got a third call from the Miller team.

“They called me in the summer and said, ‘Hey, do you want to go to New Zealand and film ‘Steep and Deep,’ ” Herby said. “And I said, ‘Let me check my calendar. Yes.’ ”

That led to one of the more memorable skiing experiences of his life.

“We actually got to do some rappelling with skis on and shoot some crevasses,” Herby said. “It was pretty gnarly for a Coeur d’Alene kid to get up in the high county like that. It was pretty exciting stuff.”

Prior to flying to New Zealand, Herby met Miller face-to-face. It was a casual meeting, Herby said. Miller offered to get Herby a hotel room, or he could stay at Miller’s son’s home.

Herby spent several days in a beautiful ocean-side home that belonged to Miller’s son.

That was Herby’s last time in a Miller production. He didn’t see the man again until his happenstance meeting in Montana.

The prestige of being featured in three Miller films helped Herby build a career around skiing.

“When you’re submitting a resume to ski sponsors, to have that on your resume really carries some weight,” Herby said.

In 1986, Herby made the U.S. Ski Team, but an injury that same year forced him to drop his spot. Herby and fellow Coeur d’Alene High School graduate Bob Legasa joined the Volvo Ski Show, touring around the world doing tricks and stunts.

Then the duo formed the Outrageous Air Ski Show and toured the U.S. doing what they loved.

Eventually, Herby retired from professional skiing. Now he lives in Coeur d’Alene and owns a construction company. He still skis regularly.

While he’ll always remember the glamor of appearing in a Miller film – the travel, exotic locations and prestige – what really stays in his mind was that one, final meeting five years ago.

“(He) was just a sweetheart of guy,” Herby said. “He had a heck of a run.”