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HIKER & SKIER - November, 1938: Death Comes for Gord Park (Pollough Pogue)

Ten years ago eight members of the old Hollyburn Ski Club rented one of the ski camp cabins, and nailed a sign on the door: ORPHAN EIGHT. They weren’t orphans but they had a healthy sense of humor. They had another sign on the door: “Women not admitted.” This monastic rule was strictly observed for the greater part of the first winter. The Hollyburn women used to park themselves on the doorstep, and promised to wash the dishes and do the cooking if only they were allowed inside.

Gordon Parks, Neil Thompson, Matt Cowan, Gordon Billingsley, Scotty Macrae, Bill Waterman, Paddy Barbour and Harry Collins were the original orphans. Then Bill Watermen went to Seattle work for Boeing and Mickey Pogue took his place in the cabin as the eighth member of the joyous fellowship.

That was many snowy Hollyburn winters ago. The orphans are scattered. Only one of the eight - Harry Collins - still climbs the Hollyburn trail every weekend, and hikes back to his lonely cabin on Mt. Strachan. Tall dashing Gord is dead.

Gordon Parker was one of the gayest of the orphans, a handsome ski cavalier, tall and shapely, decoratively dressed when he came up the hill in riding breeches, high-laced boots, brass studded belt, a bright silk handkerchief knotted at his throat, wearing a big hunting knife and a Robin Hood feather in his hat. Gordon will be remembered by the old-time Hollyburn skiers as a fine fellow, full of nervous energy, a good skier, and a good talker, a good companion.

No one on that old Hill in those early days was more likable and more liked by everyone who knew him then Gord. His friends loved him and all who met him felt his personal charm.

HIKER & SKIER - December 2nd, 1938: Women Ski Competitors (Daisy Bourdon)

After some considerable time, women skiers are coming into their own in the ski world. It was not until the last four years that ladies have been officially recognized in our Dominion Championships, but now, through the kindness of the donor of the Holt-Wilson trophy, Canadian girls have a National Championships title to compete for.

It is encouraging to Western girls that this trophy has twice been won in the West; once by Peggy Mobratten and once by Gertie Wepsala, and we are very glad that, this year Gertie will be traveling East to defend her title. This will give us a splendid opportunity of comparing the standard of the Eastern girls with that of the Western as, previously, the championship meet has not really been representative of both East and West.

I believe that our girls have improved very quickly in slalom and downhill the past few years, as is evidenced from results of competitions they have entered across the line, where our American girls were considerably advanced in this branch of the sport long before we knew much about it.

HIKER & SKIER - December 2nd, 1938: Ski Jumping (Henry Sotvedt)

Once again we have snow on our mountains, and although there’s not much of it, there is enough to turn our thoughts to skiing - and to some of us, skiing means jumping. We’ll start out for two or three weeks just skiing around to get back the old feeling and become used to the planks again, but it won’t be very long before we start looking for a training hill.

All jumpers, from beginners to top-notchers, find that its wise to start training on a small hill and work up. The best training hill is a small one with a high a takeoff and not too much speed. On such a hill, one can learn to get the right lift and to take the landing properly. This last is, in my opinion, one of the most important things, and anyone who can land correctly is well on his way as a jumper.

Our hill at First Lake is a very good little training hill and I am eagerly anticipating the time when we’ll have enough snow to fit it up for jumping. Then all boys, experienced and beginners, can get together and give one another some really constructive criticism. In that way we’ll get something out of our training.

The next problem is to find a real jumping hill, since we seem to have lost our one-and-only. My dream is to see such a hill on each of our mountains, and plenty of jumpers using them; because, after all, it’s in jumping that one reaches the ultimate thrill of skiing.

So come along, everyone interested in jumping, and when we have some of “the beautiful” at First Lake we’ll start in.

January 13th, 1939: My Impression of the Noseeum Kandahar (Meta Scott)

The Noseeum Kandahar [on Grouse Mountain] to me is the most thrilling event of the skiing season. It always seems to attract more interest, probably because being the first major ski event of the season or maybe after spending the long summer months at the beaches and summer camps, everyone is filled with vim, vigor, and rarin’ to go. There is a definite feeling in the air that something big is going to happen.

The race officials are busy getting everything in shape. Those chosen to represent their respective Clubs are practising at every available opportunity and it takes just that kind of atmosphere to make a successful tournament.

Long before the day of the race I am all keyed up and always spend several jittery nights just to help matters along. If I could ski in the race like I do my dreams, I would easily out do Lewis Davis.

Then on the morning of the race I leave, light-hearted, for the starting post and stand like a nervous trotting horse waiting for the signal to go. My heart beats hard and deep in my stomach and my legs begin to buckle till the starter’s crisp voice sends me on my way down that flashy course. I feel the rush of cool air on my face as I encounter the Big Pine with those pop-flies that seem to be trying their best to upset me and it is then that I realize the true thrill of skiing. After that in rapid succession come Hell’s Gate, the Razor Back and Dish Pan Gap which are capable of testing the skill of the best. If I am fortunate enough to survive these, I still have to make the Hair Pin and schuss the Gorge, then comes the Shoe String with its twisting the left and right turns through those giant trees, yet capable of getting more speed which makes it hard to control the planks and around the hook approaching the finish line.

With many wild and lusty voice is cheering I more than likely shame myself with a perfect three point landing. In a few more seconds something inside me snaps and I begin to realize that as far as I’m concerned the Kandahar is over for another year.

HIKER & SKIER - January 17th , 1939 (Mickey Pogue): Western Canadian Championships)

Isn’t it strange that Revelstoke, whose fine skiing tradition, which goes back to a time long ago when most of us who are skiing now were sliding downhill on a red sleds, was entirely a jumping tradition, should conduct a successful skiing meet without jumping?

But when the hundreds of skiers who had made this title meet their converging point, reluctantly dispersed by way of the joyous snow trains, their cars, and on skis, it was readily apparent that this jumpless but memorable tournament had been the most representative assembly in Western Canadian ski history. This reincarnation of a famous ski town which made a thousand sports pages with its great hopper, Nels Nelson, and it’s incredible jumping hill, in the infanthood of American skiing, will doubtless provide inspiration for the new Revelstoke Ski Club in its bright future. Fighting the mountain blizzard which was an exceptional effort even for the alpine weather gods, and which had to the emergency committee of the tree and out on the thin end of the long slim, canceled the jumping, and made necessary a makeshift downhill race, the meet was still a success, made so by the dauntless sportsmanship of the competitors and this cheerful spirit of visitors and townsfolk.

The cross-country, the men’s slalom and the ladies downhill races were held before the break in the weather. On a course which went down the river into a biting and forceful headwind, swung up the mountain and back along the sidehill, with many a sidestepping climb, and down through thickly-wooded slopes, the langlaufers competed for four event standing mainly.

The men's slalom was a championship event in every sense of the word and a long steep icy hill and exacting courses took the terrific toll of the 51 entrants that was necessary to classify such a large field. The sun was cold a bright and clear air carried this scrape of steel edges and a perfect view of the misfortunes of many and the triumphs of few. To watch the beautifully graceful, yet powerfully controlled runs of Vajda, Knight, Davis, Bird, Davidson and particularly the young Irwins was a privilege fully appreciated by all the spectators. The course was opened by faultless exhibition runs by Ethel Irwin and Mazie Ewart, now famous Amber, (Princeton) junior girls, which put many subsequent runs to shame.

It was the same long icy slope of the slalom course which faced the entrants in the ladies’ downhill. With a few control gates the run presented a wide choice between safety and suicide and a fortunate medium proved to be the right combination for Gertie Wepsala, the winner. Gertie had everybody’s heart between her clenched teeth, when after a fine exhibition on the top half of the hill, she underestimated the still dangerous lower part, and started to schuss between spills. Daisy Bourden deserves great credit for placing second and Peggy (Harlin) Mobratten had the best controlled run of the event to come third.

Over night it snowed and a different set of conditions presented themselves for the ladies slalom in the morning. As yet the new snow nearly obscured the treachery of the ice and this trapped Gertie on her first run. To make certain of keeping it in the family, Gertie’s sister Elmi Teppo won the race. Gertie’s second run was the fastest of the day, and gave her second place and first in the combined. Daisy Bourden kept well up and came second in the combined.

The snowfall continued, and because of the danger of avalanche conditions on the downhill course, the men’s downhill was held on a short course on the slalom hill. The going was heavy and the falling snow made it next to impossible for the runners to see. Nor was the icy crust entirely covered after the first few runners had checked on the steep slopes. The Irwins and Davis lived up to expectations and as a result took the first three places in the combined, in both the open and closed classes.

All round performance is still the true test of competition and Harry Burfield has a sensational standing in the three event combined.

The many attractions which kept competitors and visiting skiers entertained between events were well organized bowling, skating hockey, dances and the best banquet skiers have yet been at, left no lull in the program.