Charles and Marion Hessey - Pasayten Wilderness Skiing

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This 16mm film is in color, with sound, with a running time around 16 minutes. It was made in 1958. This segment was removed from "East to West." (These films could be put back together through digital editing.)

The film begins abruptly, "Her wish is our command." This is Chuck's response to Marion's wish to see the Cathedral Peak area in winter. The Hesseys are joined by Bruce Gilbert at the Chewack road. (There is a short bit of poor sound here.) They ski up the Andrews Creek trail 15 miles to Spanish Camp. At the cabin, an airplane arrives to drop supplies for a two-week stay. Bruce leaves after the first week just as the weather begins to improve. Marion is shown performing chores around the cabin after Chuck "sharpened his finger with an axe" while cutting wood, freeing him from housekeeping duties.

The Hesseys ski to Amphitheatre Mountain where they observe goat tracks in the snow. Later they tour to Bald Mountain for views of Silver Star and other Pasayten summits and for skiing on the gentle slopes of that peak. On another day they ski to Cathedral Pass, where they encounter mountain goats and Chuck describes the tracks made by other wildlife. Warmer days signal the arrival of spring and they leave the cabin for home. The film ends abruptly. The original, complete version of "East to West" moved to scenes of spring along the Naches River at this point.

(Digital transfer of this film was made possible by a grant from The Mountaineers Foundation. Film notes and video clip by Lowell Skoog.)