Alpenglow Ski Mountaineering History Project

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Kittitas Co. Centennial Committee - A History of Kittitas County, WA, 1989

p. 98: "Cle Elum Ski Club" by John Butkovich. The Cle Elum Ski Club was formed in 1921 by John Bresko, Russell Connell and John Koester "to teach the youth of the community how to ski and to promote the wonderland of sports that surrounds the community." The first ski tournament was held in 1924 with eleven jumpers competing. The author says this was the first ski jumping competition west of Denver.

The club was incorporated in 1928. The last and highest jump was built in 1931 on the main ridge between Cle Elum and Teanaway. The incline dropped into a canyon going into the Teanaway Valley. Access to the jump was offered via a "man trip" through part of the No. 7 mine tunnel. In 1930 John Bresko and J.C. Beeson helped organize the Pacific Northwest Ski Association which was composed of Portland, Bend, Hood River and Cle Elum. In 1932, and for several years previously, thousands of spectators came to the tournaments. The last tournament was held in 1933. A new site for the jump (above Bullfrog Bridge) was found that was more accessible and had a better hill, but due to lack of funds and interest, the idea was dropped.

Photos on p. 99 depict the ski jump scaffolding, Ted Rooks jumping in one of the tournaments, and ski club members holding a banner for the 5th Annual Tournament on February 19, 1928.

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