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Ray Atkeson - Ski and Snow
This book is full of fine photographs from all around the western United States. Most were taken at developed ski areas. I've noted just a few taken in the Cascades.p. 28: Photo of two skiers gliding down a gentle slope of fresh snow from the Austin Pass ski shelter at Mt Baker. Table Mountain is in the background (fine).
p. 42: Peter Garrett skis powder on the north flank of Kulshan Ridge above the Mt Baker ski area with Mt Baker in the background (fine).
p. 61: "Ridge Rocket -- Flashing over the crest of a ridge, Sigurd Hall presents a dramatic silhouette, with the setting sun igniting sparkling jewels in the wet snow, flying in his wake. Sig Hall, who was killed in a racing accident on Mt Rainier, Washington, a few years ago, was one of the most popular and outstanding racers in the nation, in the 1930's. He loved to tour the remote mountain regions of the Northwest on skis, even more than participating in competitive skiing. According to Alf Engen, Sig Hall's skiing style in the 30's closely resembled that of the advanced skier of today."
p. 62: Photo of skier standing at Artist's Point with Mt Baker in the background (fine).
p. 73: In "History of Skiing," Robert W. Parker discusses the development of skiing in America. The first formal jumping tournament held in the U.S. was in 1887 at Ishpeming, Michigan. The winner of the tournament was Mikkel Hemmestvedt, a former Norwegian champion. "Jumping with him was a gray-haired Norwegian of 62, one Sondre Norheim of Telemark. Norheim, known to his countrymen as the 'Father of Modern Skiing,' had almost singlehandely invented the technique of jumping, and had perfected the famous Telemark turn. He embodied in his person the whole history of modern skiing up until that day in Ishpeming when American ski jumping was born."
The first modern American downhill was staged in 1927 on a carriage road on Mt Moosilauke, NH, by racers from Dartmouth College. Charles Proctor was the winner. Following his arrival at Dartmouth in 1930 as ski coach, Bavarian ski teacher Otto Schniebs "was to usher in a whole new era in American skiing."
p. 76: Writing about ski technique, Parker describes the telemark turn and the old-fashioned "christiania" or "open christie." The open christie was "the first real skidded turn on hard snow, and as such should be considered the ancestor of all our modern skidded turns, which still retain the old name 'christie'."
He describes the spread of the Arlberg school to America by instructors such as Benno Rybizka, Hannes Schroll, Otto Schniebs, Sig Buchmayer, and Hannes Schneider himself. Arlberg held sway until after World War II. Around 1948, Emile Allais introduced the French Technique, inspired by the skiing of Toni Seelos, the Austrian slalom master of the 1930s. His system was built on parallel skis, body rotation and the hop, which he called ruade or horse kick.
Each new school brought changes in equipment. "In the days of the Telemark, long heavy skis and poles and loose bindings were well adapted to a rigid stance and turns requiring the boot heel to lift from the ski [or rather the technique was adapted to the gear]. Then the Arlberg crouch and emphasis on the stem brought shorter skis, stiffer bindings with heel springs, and short, light poles. When trail skiing became popular, it produced emphasis on steel edges for gripping hard packed snow, and skis with less upturn in front." The more upright stance of the French technique meant longer poles and boots that gripped the ankle higher. Allais used long thongs to hold his heels firmly on the skis. Parker also discusses wedeln, the latest thing at the time of this writing.
p. 163: An appendix lists ski resorts throughout North America. In Washington the listed areas are Hurricane Ridge, Mt Baker, Ski Acres, Stevens Pass, White Pass, and Deer Park.
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