This is part of a series on Ski Area Info. It is posted separately from our companion series on "THE LOST SKI AREAS OF COLORADO (et al)", "THE COLORADO SKIER - TRIVIA", and "SKI AREA NEWS". Check 'em out.
THE COLORADO SKIER presentsTHE TCS LISTS - EDITION #6
EDITOR'S REMARKS:
A. There was no JUNE 96 issue of the TCS newsletter; there was none in June 95, either. We see a pattern - we are just too busy in June. First comes PC Jr's Birthday. There is the shopping and wrapping, then the annual Father/Daughter "miniature golf" game interrupted by the annual Colorado June rain and hail storm. Then the Family movie (this year - "Mission Impossible" - not very good), then Dinner out, then present opening. Next is Father's Day. Later it is the volunteer meeting and the volunteering for a 10K road race followed by "SpringSpree", a celebration of downtown Colo. Springs. Then the volunteer meeting and buffet dinner followed by six straight 7 hour days of timing on Pikes Peak for the Auto Hill Climb. And this year we went on vacation in early July. June is not newsletter month.
B. This is an anniversary edition of the TCS newsletter. We start our Fifth year of publishing "The Colorado Skier" on the Internet. The very first edition was posted on 15 July 1992.
C. We were surprised that no one mentioned the INTRODUCTION to the 95/96 White Book: "Two of the many avid readers who use `THE WHITE BOOK' on an annual basis are skiers with different end purposes. One uses the book in an attempt to ski every ski area in the U.S. The second reader obviously reads every word because his letters always inform me of the T's left uncrossed and I's which missed having a dot. This pen pal now publishes his own skiing newsletter on the Internet."
D. Some of the data in this post was obtained from "THE WHITE BOOK OF SKI AREAS", which is copyrighted by Inter-Ski Services, Inc.
1A. THE GREAT "SKI AREAS I HAVE SKIED" CONTEST
We ask you to send us the total number of (lift-served) ski areas you have skied, the number of areas with verticals over 1000 feet, and the number of states/provinces skied. The current results:
Total Areas States, Provinces, Skier State Areas > 1000 Countries ________ _____ _____ ______ ___________ Joshua NH 171!! 84 15,1,3 Jan-Erik OR 106 ! 102< 11,2,4 * Mike MI 84 51 11,2,3 * Mark K NY 73 65 17 Tom Moore MA 70 57 14 * Judith MD 65 41 17 Jim B MD 60 54 14 Carol B MD 59 53 14 Al CA 57 52 16 Jon Z MA 57 47 14 Alecia P IL 55 39 12 Ron P IL 54 39 12 Tom Hanson CO 54 35 11 John W VT ? 53 42 11 Paul T NH 53 50 9 BORIS CO 50 48 9 * Carlson CA 49 39 11 Dan K CA 49 46 - Mike Regan MA 48 44 8 Curtis MD 45 34 13,3,0 * 20 John K MN 45 32 12 NATASHA CO 44 42 9 * Ted MA 44 33 8 David R NY 44 29 10 JMK CT 42 39 11 Wesley VT 42 34 7,0,3 * Karl UT 42 26 14 Hugh NZ 41 39 10 > TCS < CO 40 38 7 Paul M MN 40 10 ! 7 Dave L NY 39 34 7 Gregg T NJ 39 34 - Bruce J CO 39 32 9 * Bill Hery NJ 38 37 11 Eric NY 38 - 9 Verney TX 38 25 7 Larry OH 38 21 8 Scott R CO 36 35 11 Jeff B MT 35 33 6 Keith MA 34 26 8 40 Michael UT 34 - 12 Steve K MA 33 31 8 Chuckie B CO 33 29 6 Crispin OR 33 23 13 * Earl CA 32 30 7 * Nick CA 32 28 7 Steve Hult. CO 31 26 5 Dennis CO 31 22 6 Steve ? CA 31 - 9 Matthew NM 30 30 6 Dave N Ont 29 22 10 Bill W CA 28 24 5 George CO 28 18 8 Kent PA 28 16 9 Scott MA 27 26 5 Richard CO 27 23 5 Doug S CA 27 22 7 Benjie CA 26 25 8 Jim FL 26 13 5 SISSY NH 25 22 5 60 Danny PA 24 19 8 Harry IL 24 19 8 Leo CA 24 17 7 Marcus Scot 24 16 7 Ned MD 24 19 7 Rob ? 23 22 6 Phillip MA 23 20 6 Steve Harris MA 22 20 5 Tom B Ger 22 14 4 cntrys * Bridget CA 21 19 10 Bill C CA 20 - 9 Kassim OR 20 14 6 * Judy P MD 20 10 6 Rick CO 18 18 4 Wiley CO 18 16 5 John S CA 17 17 6 * Duke KS 17 16 3 * Mike S TX 15 13 7 - PC Jr - CO 14 13 2 Chester CO 14 - 4 * 80 Steve P OH 13 9 5 Kevin M CA 13 13 4 Robert L CA 13 - 2 Chris VA 10 8 5,0,2 Jim S TX 9 9 4 * Robert OH 9 5 4 86 [* denotes a new or updated entry since the last post] Note: JAN-ERIK added 15 new areas this season!
1B. MY FIRST SKI AREA
STATE SKI AREA SKIER YEAR COMMENTS CA Heavenly Valley Jan-Erik 1984 CA Lassen Earl 1983 area closed CA Mammoth Mtn Nick P 1966 age 11 - no clue CA Mountain High Dave - CA Papoose Bill W 1963 merged > Squaw CO A-Basin Rick 1966 CO A-Basin Ned 1972 CO Berthoud Jack N 1945 < new oldie CO Ski Broadmoor PC Jr 1975 area closed CO Cooper Hill > TCS < 1964 age 7? CO Geneva Basin Chester 1982 CO Loveland Jeff B 1977 CO Silver Hills John N 70's area closed CO Winter Park Jeff 1964 2 yrs old? CO Winter Park Marc 1970 CO Winter Park Steve K 1974 IL Four Lakes David G 1963 IL Holiday Park Ron P 1974 area closed MI Alpine Valley Dennis - MI Caberfae George 1966 MI Nub's Nob Steve H 1971 MI Pine Mountain Jim 1964 MI Porcupine Mtn Harry 1979 MI Sylvan's Nob Tom Moore 1970 MN Afton Alps Kent 1973 MN Buck Hill Paul 1961 MN Wild Mountain John K 1985 NC Wolf Laurel Amie - NH * Belknap Bruce J 1949 now Gunstock NH Mt. Cranmore Denis 1954 < old fossil! NH Waterville Valley Mike 1982 NM Pajarito Verney 66-67 NM Sierra Blanca Jim B 1976 NM * Taos Jim S 1988 NY Altamont ?? Ric 1946 < barrel staves? NY Beartown Gregg T 1961 age 7! NY Belleayre Mark K 1964? NY Greek Peak Phillip 1984 NY Hunter Mountain Bill H 1969 He feels old NY Maple Ski Ridge Paul T 1963 NY Silvermine Eric 1956 area closed NY Victor Constant Dan K 1968 (West Point) PA Seven Springs Steve P 1986 UT Snow Basin BORIS 1968 VA The Homestead Beth 1960 started young? VA Wintergreen Mark A - VT Bolton Valley Bill A 1977 VT Hogback John W 1979 area closed VT Killington Judith 1964 VT Killington Curtis 1987 VT Mt. Snow Kevin M 1988 VT Stowe Wiley G 1955 < 41 years ago! VT Stowe (?) Steve H - (Not sure) VT * Stowe Wesley 1966 Age 8. Cold. WI Tyrol Basin Carlson - WY * Happy Jack (closed) Otis 1952 Young. Hated it. WY Jackson Hole Lisa 1987 WY Medicine Bow Bridget 1973 (now Snowy Range) BC Le Jeune Lodge Marcus 1972 area closed ONT Craigleith Crispin 1967 2.5 years old QUE Edelweiss Valley Leo 1974 age 10 FRA Valmorel Chris 1992 a newbie SWE * Bjasta Backen Danno 1983 At night! 63
2A. SKI AREA NEWS - SPRING AND SUMMER SKIING
a. SUNDAY RIVER and KILLINGTON closed on 28 May and 10 June, respectively, which is actually later than last season.
b. A-BASIN made it till 4 July, their 2nd latest closing, ever.
c. MT HOOD MEADOWS, MAMMOTH, and MT BACHELOR closed on 7 July.
d. TIMBERLINE is still open. [Altho their snowphone no longer answers - did they close to build their new snowfield lift?]
e. Total "Skier Days" at Colorado ski areas were up 2.6% and set a new record for most skier-days in a season (11.4 million).
2B. SKI AREA NEWS and EXPANSION PLANS
a. ALPINE MEADOWS, CA and PARK CITY, UT - are both adding "six-pack" chairlifts and both are replacing quads. Seems like you would want to replace a double or a triple, not a quad.
b. TIMBERLINE, OR - is rumored to be replacing the "Palmer Chair" with a quad. The chair operates on the Palmer Snowfield which is like a glacier. Gee, do they have to sink the lift towers all the way down to bedrock?
c. BRECKENRIDGE, CO - is building an "access-only" doublechair. It will run from the Kings Crown condo area (near the bottom of "Four O'clock run") to a ridge between Peaks 8 and 9. There will be skier facilities and a bus stop, but no skier parking. The chairlift will have a 45 degree turn - most of any fixed grip chairlift in the world.
d. KEYSTONE, CO - Will allow snowboarders this season. They are adding a halfpipe and terrain garden (with night lighting). That will leave ASPEN MTN as the only ski area in Colorado banning snowboards.
e. VAIL, CO - New larger base lodge at Golden Peak. HS Quad from there to the base of Chair 11. New 12 passenger gondola at Lionshead. Originally the new gondola was going to be built entirely to the left (east) of the existing gondola so the latter was going to run all Summer and Fall for sightseeing. Now they have decided to move the top terminal to the right (west) of Eagles Nest so the cables would cross. Consequently, the old gondola is being removed, on 1 August.
f. BEAVER CREEK, CO - Finally building a lift (quad) and opening the previously cut ski runs in Bachelor Gulch. This will allow the interconnection of ARROWHEAD and BEAVER CREEK.
g. COPPER MTN, CO - Is adding another double chair (the old "I" lift) in the (new last year) Copper Bowl terrain.
h. BIG SKY, MT - Is replacing one of their two ancient gondolas with a Doppelmayr HS Quad.
i. TENNEY MOUNTAIN, NH - Closed in 1990 but re-opened under a new owner as LOOKOUT for 3 more seasons to 1993. It did not operate the last 3 seasons. Now the adjacent condo owners association has made an offer to buy and reopen. Would enhance their property values.
j. LOON MTN, NH - Is cutting new runs to the west according to two observant readers. One reader says the new trails will NOT be used this season. Can anyone tell us why, at this north facing area, the eastern most mountain is called "North Peak", and the western most is called "South Peak"?
k. SOLDIER MOUNTAIN, ID - You may or not know that Bruce Willis (and his hack actress wife and 3 kids) lives in Hailey, ID. Bruce has purchased the SOLDIER MTN ski area (near Hailey) and plans to spend big bucks on expansion.
l. MAGIC MOUNTAIN, VT - Is planning to re-open in Dec, 96. According to a news article sent to us (thx) by BRAD (MA), there will be expanded snowmaking on several trails, one new chairlift, and the refurbishing of three other chairlifts. It was not clear if the backside (Timber Ridge) would be included.
m. Minor News - MONARCH, CO has been purchased and will change its name to Monarch Ski and Snowboarding Resort. CUCHARA VALLEY, CO is for sale but the relatively new owners (one season) plan to operate for the 96/97 season, regardless.
n. Major News1 - As you probably know, LBO (SUNDAY RIVER, et al) has purchased S-K-I (KILLINGTON, et al) and will operate half of New England next season. The Justice Dept made them sell off WATERVILLE VALLEY and MT. CRANMORE. Unfortunately, Waterville was already in financial trouble and Mt. Cranmore is small. They will need help.
o. Major News2 - As we go to press, Vail Associates has purchased the BRECKENRIDGE, KEYSTONE, AND A-BASIN ski areas from Ralcorp (who intend to concentrate on food products). A monopoly? As you drive west from Denver, you will pass Loveland, A-Basin, Keystone, Breck, Copper, Vail, and Beaver Creek. All but Loveland and Copper will be owned by Vail. Experts predict no anti-trust problems but we would think that Breck might be the odd man out.
3. LOST SKI AREA FOLLOW-UP
a. This has been a really good year for the acquisition of lost ski area research materials. Highlights: We are now exploring the libraries and used bookstores of Denver and the antique stores in both Denver and Co. Springs. Antique stores often have highway maps, which serve a secondary altho useful purpose. We found a Xmas 1951 issue of "Colorado Wonderland" magazine with a complete CO ski area guide. Ditto for a 1952 copy of the "Colorado Travel Guide". Our most important find was a 1949 book with ski area listings which has dozens of US ski areas we have never heard of. We may have to go back and update all of our previously published ski area lists!
While cleaning our garage we found 3 more boxes of goodies. Many, many maps of Calif. All of the missing late 60's copies of SKI and SKIING magazine. Copies of COLORADO magazine with its annual Rockies ski area list. And most importantly, 3 more mid-sixties national ski area guides. [We can safely say that we now have far more research material than we have possibly have time to research!]
While in Maine on vacation (see Section 8) we stopped at the "Big Chicken Ranch" used book store in Ellsworth, the biggest used book store we have ever been in. We ended up with 5 hard cover books, 7 highway maps, and various other items like postcards and a 1968 Down East Magazine "Guide to the Ski Areas of Maine". Good stuff!
b. Loyal reader ERIC L (NY) wrote about the lost ski area at Syracuse Univ. and wondered if it was too small to be listed. Actually, our definition of a lost ski area doesn't mention size: "Contains a mechanical lift used for the uphill transportation of downhill skiers at a relatively fixed geographic location. Open to the public. A fee is charged." So one rope tow and 50 feet of vertical would qualify. Clarification: "Open to the public" is not meant to rule out "private" or "club" ski areas. You can always wangle an invitation, so you could ski these. We are just trying to rule out "backyard" rope tows built for children and neighbor kids. The key here is that the latter areas would never appear in guidebooks or on highway maps so could not be reliably documented.
For the record, we did not have the Syracuse Univ. ski area in our data base but easily found it in a list of "college" ski areas, circa 1970 and a 1949 ref. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. Data:
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY (Syracuse), [closed], Located on university property. [30 meter jump] {1949, 70} Vertical Drop: 150 ft Lifts: rope tow night skiing c. Loyal reader SCOTT (Boulder) said he might go look for FUN VALLEY, CO based on our description, and wondered how to find GENEVA BASIN. Geneva is located on a mostly gravel forest road connecting Georgetown (I-70) on the north and Grant (US 285) on the south. The ski area is 10 miles from the north end and 8 miles from the south end and about 3 miles south of Guanella Pass. The area is on the west side of the road. Since the ski area is below timberline, the runs thru the trees are easily visible. The base is below the highway (down a road with a locked gate). Altho the base lodge and most lifts have been removed, remnants from one lift still remain, according to CHESTER, our official Geneva Basin Field Agent. Hence the locked gate.
d. If any of you Colorado front range types would like a list of lost ski areas within a half-day's drive of Denver, let us know and we will publish one. Just promise NOT TO TRESPASS.
e. We have frequently stated that we would publish data on your favorite lost ski area in any state - just ask. So ROBERT (MO) provided a list of 9 ski areas in NY and just wondered what years they operated. As it turns out, the "years of operation" is the last piece of data we determine. The Procedure: First, of course, we have a name (or town) and over time we refine the area name and specific location. Next we determine the vertical drop and the lift complement plus other data like night skiing and snowmaking. We are always on the lookout for a name change or, more rarely, a merger. Each time we add data to the data base we record the year for which the data is applicable and thus build up the "period of operation". For example we may have: {1969, 73, 74, 77}. In this case we would assume that the area closed in 1976, 77, or 78 but we wouldn't even guess at the opening date. Sometimes we get lucky with a "new this year" reference. Well, after all of the disclaimers, we were still thinking of "doing" the 9 NY areas but after a few hours of research we concluded that we aren't nearly ready. Maybe next time.
f. VINING'S RIDGE, GA - We sent loyal reader SCOTT (GA) looking for this area in Atlanta which operated on an artificial service in the late 70's. It was located in Vinings, near I-285 and Vining's Road. One source pointed out the access road and remembered that the base lodge operated as a Function Room (New England term?) for a few years after the ski area closed. The general consensus is that the ski slope is now occupied by the HOME DEPOT Headquarters building.
VINING'S RIDGE (Atlanta), [closed], Located in Vinings, off Vining's Road near I-285. Used an "astroturf" surface. Open year round. Night skiing. Operated from 1977 to 1980. Vertical Drop: 140 ft Lifts: Poma
g. MT GREYLOCK, MA - DANA (town?) asked about skiing on this mountain in NW Mass. Greylock was the home of the famous THUNDERBOLT Trail, one of the first important ski racing trails in New England, comparable to Mt Tecumseh, Wildcat, Carriage Road, and Nosedive. The trail was built by the CCC in the 30's and was used by Williams College in nearby Williamstown. Many downhill college races were held there, up thru the 60's. There were no lifts; however, at the bottom of the mountain there were shorter lift-served trails. Williams also used SHEEP HILL (rope tow) for ski jumping.
4. TRIVIA FOLLOW-UP
a. SNEAKY TRIVIA ANSWER - What was the previous name for CITGO (with the bright red triangle)? Answer: "Cities Service" (with the pale green letters inside a pale green cloverleaf). Several folks knew the answer. BRUCE (MA), however, suggested that their logo was "Dino" the dinosaur. Actually DINO belongs to SINCLAIR, which uses a pale green trapezoid. Anecdote: Years ago, many Sinclair stations had a bright green, motorcycle-sized, brontosaurus statue. Recently Sinclair decide to revive "Dino" but discovered that the mold had been lost and most copies were in poor repair. However, a Sinclair station west of Colo. Springs (Manitou Ave at US 24) had two copies in perfect shape, so one was used to make a new mold. So now all DINO statues you see are derived from the one in Manitou Springs.
Sinclair also has a "T-Rex" hot-air balloon, huge, and very popular with children. It flies at the annual COLORADO SPRINGS BALLOON FESTIVAL which takes place all 3 mornings of Labor Day weekend. This is considered one of the top five balloon festivals in the U.S. And, unlike some festivals, parking is free, admission is free, and you are allowed right on the field to watch the inflations. Check it out.
b. FREE JUNK? - In the trivia question about getting rid of your extra stuff by putting up a sign, the term "foisting off" the stuff on your neighbors misled some folks. It is a SALE. Therefore "free antiques" is not an acceptable answer. Feel free to amend (or even emend) your answer. A few of you correctly observed that the "answers" are regional in usage, which is what we were going for. The guesses are fitting the expected pattern: one term for New England and another for the rest of the U.S., plus a few surprises.
c. STANDARD OIL WRAPUP - Someone pointed out that STD/CA (SoCal) also sold under the name CALSO in NY. The Utah Oil Co also used the brand name CALSO. ANDY (IL) mentioned BORON. We vaguely remember that one but drew a blank in the library under both company histories and brand names. The library was about to do a "brand name search" (for $10 plus) when we decided we no longer cared. We mentioned that ENJAY was one name considered by ESSO when they finally picked EXXON. BILL (NJ) has several decks of cards with the standard oval and "ENJAY" from the days when ENJAY was a chemical subsidiary.
In one of our 1952 tourist guide books there are several gas station ads. "Chevron" has no chevron stripes, just the word "cheVron" with a large "V" with "speed stripes" like the winged feet of Mercury. Also, on older maps there are 3 chevrons with the red and blue ones being very dark. Now they use just two stripes, light red and light blue.
Someone wondered if SOCONY was related to SUNOCO. No. Sunoco is the Sun Oil Co., unrelated to Standard. Interestingly, Sunoco merged with SUNRAY DX. Guess the "sons" got together.
In answer to our questions, two readers from the Midwest agreed that Ohio Oil and SOHIO were always two separate companies, that all the SOHIO stations changed to BP (including a period when the red and blue stations had a green and yellow BP sign), and that BP is sold in states along the turnpikes: PA, OH, IN, and IL. They didn't know what brand name Ohio Oil used before they became Marathon. That puzzled us until we remembered that the Marathon name started in 1962, which would be too early for our typical age 30-45 readers.
d. JOSHUA (NH) wonders why we do non-skiing trivia like that about Standard Oil. There are three reasons: 1) It's fun and we are using up our favorite old trivia questions. b) You guys seen to enjoy automotive questions (e.g., traffic circles, cloverleafs, parkways, etc.) [BTW, the Vail traffic circle has been so successful that they are going to build another at the West Vail interchange. This time, however, it will be a "traffic rhombus". :} ] III) We are running out of skiing trivia questions. You may have noticed that we now have a "nostalgia" question which is really recycled. That saves us coming up with one question each time and also helps satisfy new readers who often suggest trivia questions we have already used.
Altho we have a "ski trivia" book (courtesy of TOM, MA), all but one of the approximately 150 questions we have used, we have made up or used your suggestions. (so suggest away). There are two categories we will never run out of: "themed runs" (e.g., Mary, Jane, Mary Jane, Marijuana, Sweet Weed), and runs named after real people (e.g., Timothy Leary). And we can always come up with another ski area name theme (like colors, or animal names), but we have pretty much exhausted the "first double chair" type question. So, that's why we use non-skiing trivia questions. BTW, the one question used from the trivia book: The First College Ski Club - Dartmouth in 1909.
5. BUILDER'S EMPORIUM - In this regular feature we discuss lifts, groomers, skis, bindings, boots, poles, even lift tickets.
a. TRAM vs GONDOLA - Another way to tell a TRAM/CABLE car apart from a GONDOLA is to compare them to other systems. The tram resembles, in concept, a funicular: two cars - one goes up the other comes down, and then they reverse direction. The system stops for loading. The gondola is more like a detachable chair: multiple cars, continually running in the some direction, separating from the main cable for loading. New reader NICK (Ipswich, England) points out that not all trams have two cars. True. Generally those serving ski areas have two, for capacity reasons. However trams traveling horizontally, such as for sightseeing, sometimes only need one car. Example: The Royal Gorge Tram, CO. Nick also remembers seeing, in Europe, a gondola where the transfer track in the terminal was unpowered and the braking system was a large operator "catching" the cars and then pushing them around. That's the way the "Carlevaro & Savio Telecar" gondolas at CRESTED BUTTE and WILDCAT (and probably Sugarbush) operated.
b. SAVANNAH SMILES? - While channel switching one day we happened across a movie with a tram or gondola. Within a few moments we spotted a SLC police car and the credits were all for Utah. So we concluded that what we saw was the BRIDAL VEIL FALLS TRAM, near Provo. Not content, we checked the TV schedule and watched the movie again. What a mistake! "Savannah Smiles" is a really bad movie. It was so bad that it even had Peter Graves as a supercilious cop. Anyway, the tram has quite small gondola-like cars holding either 4 or 6 persons. BTW, that tram was damaged by an avalanche last winter. Did it get up and operating again this summer?
c. GEORGIA On Our Minds - Loyal readers SCOTT and MELISSA rode the OLD Stone Mountain Tram back in June to check progress on the NEW tram (Even tho the terminal buildings had been removed, the old tram still operated). The new tram was operating (Beta test?), at least carrying construction workers who were finishing the NEW terminal buildings. Watch for the tram at the Olympics as Stone Mountain has the tennis venue and the velodrome. Also watch for SCOTT as he is a volunteer at the Olympics. He will be the one wearing the pith helmet.
d. ERIC (NYC) warned us that DUTCHESS ski area on Mt Beacon and MT BEACON (the one with the tram) were two different ski areas. So we said tell us about the TRAM, Eric. He replied: "Tram? We meant to say Cog." To which we reply: "Tell us about the COG, Eric."
e. ERIC L (NY) wants to know why there are no funiculars at US ski areas, but many at European areas. Good question, but due to space we will have to supply the answer next time.
6. POTPOURRI
a. WRONG, FUNNY, OR ODD
o A 1974 brochure for SKI INCLINE, NV shows a picture of the base lodge bar with a caption touting the "apres-ski" action. Sitting in the bar are two men with sports shirts, and seven men with sports coats! Perhaps "apres-golf" or "apres-seminar". Funny.
o Another brochure discussed a Lake Tahoe airport and showed a Twin Beech aircraft. Since this aircraft dates back to 1937 we thought it a strange choice for a modern airliner even at a small airport. Closer perusal of the text revealed a promo for their summer AIRSHOW (and the pic was of a military version). Oh. Whoops! Wrong (us).
o Our dentist, who knows of our hobby, mentioned a small (lost) ski area he saw in Texas. Texas? Where were you, we asked. On the way to Telluride, he replied. That would be DALLAS DIVIDE, we ventured. OK, he responded. Dallas = Texas? Funny.
o "We feel that the Olympic Games must be reserved for the solemn and periodic exaltation of MALE athleticism, with internationalism as a base, loyalty as a means, arts for its setting, and FEMALE applause as reward." Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics. Wrong!
b. For those of you who have been boycotting Colorado due to Amendment 2, you can come back now. The U.S. Supreme Court (as did the CO supreme Court) has declared the Amendment unconstitutional. Isn't it nice to know that our constitution and court system prevents the passage of laws promoting hate and bigotry.
c. We have mentioned that our oldest ski area brochure is for MT. BALDY, CA, 1957. Recently we acquired a 1945 brochure for the famous Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Quebec. The brochure touts winter sports, including skating at the hotel, and skiing at nearby LAC BEAUPORT SNOW BOWL. The town of Lac Beauport has had 4 ski resorts so we don't (yet) know if "Snow Bowl" survives.
7. FROM THE MAILBAG
a. You may recall that we traced an alleged former "ski train" east of Seattle to the: Milwaukee Road RR traveling thru the Snoqualmie Tunnel to the Milwaukee Road Ski Bowl (now HYAK) ski area. We asked for confirmation of our data. BEN (WA) confirmed. His Father worked on the hiking trail which now follows the RR route including the tunnel. The work included planking the trestles. Reader ROBERT (MO) also agreed. He has hiked the trail and recommends a flashlight for tunnel travel. He says that the tunnel is closed in the winter due to icicle danger. He also reports that BURLINGTON NORTHERN bought the tunnel after MILWAUKEE pulled out so that the UNION PACIFIC couldn't obtain a route thru the Cascades. It worked. The Union Pacific still has to reach Seattle by coming north from Portland.
We read still another article indicating that BNSF will reopen the nearby Stampede tunnel. They have to lower the track to accommodate today's double decker container trains. Unlike the Alps, where most rail routes are electrified, there are very few electrified routes in the U.S. However, the three tunnels under discussion (Stampede, Snoqualmie, New Cascade) were all electrified. The New Cascade has (or at least had) the longest electrified mainline route in the U.S.
b. GRANLIBAKKEN - We translated this CA ski area name as "large ankle biter" or "snowsnake". JAN-ERIK (OR) thinks there might have been some "leg pulling" here. (not us, boss) He says the name is Norwegian and comes from: gran = fir, li = side, and bakken = hill. Together it means "fir covered hillside". If you say so. (We kind of liked our answer) SNEAKY TRIVIA: What was the original name of the Granlibakken ski area?
c. DENIS (VA) questions our location of the "Hawks Nest" hybrid tram in WV. He suggests NC. Actually there is a "Hawksnest" ski area in NC, but we were discussing "Hawk's Nest State Park" on US 60 near Ansted, WV, home of the "Hawk's Nest Canyon Tramway". There is another such device at the Pipestem Resort State Park, in WV.
d. CHAUNCEY (last name, town??) wants to know who was the first to ski down the GRAND TETON. OK. It was BILL BRIGGS, on 6-17-71. Briggs is sometimes called the Father of American Extreme Skiing. He is now 65 and directs a ski school at SNOW KING in Jackson.
e. Personal Message: Doug Scofea and Bill Walker should check your phone listings. You may work for the same company.
8. THE REUNION - PARTLY PERSONAL
On 6 July, we attended the Snavely Family Reunion in Bar Harbor, Maine. This was my first reunion of any kind, ever. It was fun. It was held at a 15 room summer "cottage" belonging to a family member. We got to glance at the Final Draft copy of a book on our family genealogy which traces the family back to about 1680, in the U.S. We (TCS) are 10th generation. Here are some items of general interest:
a. We assumed that we would have come (from CO) the farthest, or at least the farthest West. But there was someone at the reunion from Vail, CO! He runs a ski rental service there (discounts for cousins?)
b. We asked directions from the hostess to the local "Lost Ski Area", MCFARLAND'S HILL (3 miles SW of Bar Harbor, 200 ft vertical, one rope tow). She indicated that she had skied there while in high school. Since she graduated in 1938, she conceivably could have skied there in 1936(!), a long time ago! When we pointed out that the rope tow was only invented in 1934, she proceeded to name the men who built the local rope tow (our family were tradesmen - electricians and auto mechanics, etc.).
c. In the genealogy book we found a pic of a "Snavely" working on the "Green Mountain Cog Railway" which was built up Green (now Cadillac) Mtn, earlier than the Mt Washington Cog (but didn't last long). The author noted that several Snavelys worked on the railway because it was built on "Snavely" land, and in fact there was a "Snavely" hotel at the top of the mountain. Since this land/mountain is now a National Park, we were flabbergasted, and impressed. Sort of like finding out that your family used to own Ellis Island, or Half Dome.
d. PUZZLE TIME - For you Maine-iacs and/or puzzle fans: What is our real Family Name? (Surprise - it's not Snavely!) Hints: an English name shared by: a medium sized town in Maine (Snavely, ME); a mountain outside of Bar Harbor (Snavely Mtn); a street in Bar Harbor (Snavely Ave); and in the past: the "Snavely Ice Company" and the "F.J. Snavely & Sons" electrical shop (featuring GE products). First correct answer wins the trail map or highway map of your choice.
9. EPILOG
a. Please provide your name and city name when FIRST writing to TCS.
Cheers from The Colorado Skier (On permanent vacation)
"The Internet: Junk mail you pay to see."
