Harry Majors graciously sent me newspaper clippings related to
snowshoeing and skiing in the greater Leavenworth area. His
research in the Leavenworth Echo focused on North Cascade history
and thus included only a few articles about Leavenworth ski
jumping.
Snowshoe References
The following clippings refer to the use of snowshoes or sleds
but not skis. Most, but not all, of these references are for the
Royal Development Co. mine at Red Mountain above Trinity.
- Leavenworth Echo, 1904, Apr 22, p. 3, col. 2, "Drowned in Nason Creek"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1907, Jan 11, p. 2, col. 2, "Wenatchee Lake News"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1910, Mar 11, p. 1, col. 4, "Dug out of slide at Red Mountain"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1913, Jan 17, p. 1, col. 3, "Timber cruisers go to Lake Wenatchee"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1923, Dec 14, p. 5, col. 1, "Seven feet of snow" (Red Mtn)
- Leavenworth Echo, 1924, Jan 11, p. 1, col. 6, "Freezes feet on trip to Red Mtn. Jany. 1st"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1924, Dec 19, p. 1, col. 3, "Sick man brot in from Royal Wednesday"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1925, Jan 30, p. 5, col. 4, "Billy Smith, who came down from the camp"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1928, Apr 27, p. 5, col. 3, "Royal Development Co. notes"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1932, Jan 29, p. 6, col. 1, "Hikes out from mine"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1936, Jan 10, p. 8, col. 4, "Plain ... W.O. Burgess"
Jimmie Naughten and Joe Whalen came down from the Red Mountain
mine and reported progress there. According to Naughten, Whalen
has developed into quite an expert on skis. "Coming down this
expertness was tested out and Joe claimed that he was carrying a
burden of 90 pounds--40 on each foot and 10 in his pack. He says
he is obliged to use the skis going back, but that when he
reaches camp he'll make firewood of them."
Frank Finnigan and Carl Norine came down from the camp of the
Royal Development Co. for a short vacation. They made it out in
about a day's time whereas a few weeks ago the trip required
three days. "The reason is that now the men can use skis, the
snow having become settled. While the snow was loose they had to
use webs and the going on them is much slower than on skis."
As "Blue Mountain Ole" [Ole Olson, according to Harry Majors] and
Jim Cavanaugh were coming down from the camp of the Royal
Development Co. they were caught in a snow slide about a mile
above the Little Giant way-camp. Ole was on skis and Cavanaugh
on foot when the slide occurred. Ole spurted forward, avoiding
most of the slide, then returned and found Cavanaugh partly
buried. Fortunately neither was seriously hurt.
"With the closing of the road to the Royal Development Co. mine
at Red Mountain by heavy snow, no more shipments of concentrates
to the Tacoma smelter will be made until spring." Seventy-six men
are employed at the mine during the winter, the largest winter
crew in several years. The road to the mine is open to vehicles
as far as the Vern Shore ranch. "From there to camp, skis or
snowshoes are the only means of getting in or out." The 1/29/32
article (listed above) says the distance from the mine to Shore's
ranch is 28 miles. (A map check suggests that Shore's ranch must
have been near Lake Wenatchee.)
Boy Scouts from Wenatchee and other towns are in their "winter
camp" at Leavenworth. Their activities will include skating,
coasting, and skiing near town and a ski hike up Icicle Creek.
The author writes: "We should get together and form an outdoor
sport club. Personally, I prefer a ski club. We need to find a
good hill not over a mile from town, get permission from the
owner of the land to clear a strip for a ski course and toboggan
slide and then get busy and clear it before winter advances any
farther." He describes in detail how to build a good ski jumping
hill. Last winter, Carl Solberg, "ex-world champion ski jumper,"
instructed skiers near Cle Elum in the art of ski course building
and ski jumping. Articles on 11/23/28 and 1/4/29 describe the
preparation and opening of the new ski course. An article on
2/22/29 says that Anderson, forest ranger and ski jumper, lost
the cup he had won at Cle Elum a year ago in this year's
tournament. A crowd estimated at 3,000 was present for the
event.
Another article on this page reports that the new 8-mile
Cascade Tunnel under Stevens Pass will be ready for train
operations on December 28. At opening, the $14 million tunnel
will be the longest in America and the fifth longest in the
world.
The Leavenworth Winter Sports club is considering a new ski
course location on government land a quarter of a mile north of
the old site and about one mile north of Leavenworth. The
10/11/29 paper (p. 1) reports that the site was selected and
that efforts will be made to have Sigurd Hansen of Ione,
Washington, "world's champion ski jumper in 1916," supervise the
building of ski jumps. A life membership in the club was voted
to Walt Anderson, "who fathered the ski and toboggan course idea
and who has always been one of the best workers and most
enthusiastic boosters." The following articles describe later ski
jumping at Leavenworth:
- Leavenworth Echo, 1930, Jan 24, p. 1, "Ski jumping"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1930, Feb 28, p. 1, unknown title
- Leavenworth Echo, 1931, Jan 23, p. 1, 3rd Leavenworth ski jump set for January 25
- Leavenworth Echo, 1931, Jan 30, p. 1, describes ski jump
- Leavenworth Echo, 1932, Feb 26, p. 1, col. 2, "Sunday's tournament bringing West's best jumpers"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1933, Feb 10, p. 3, two photographs of ski jump
- Leavenworth Echo, 1934, Feb 16, p. 1, col. 1, "Championship ski tournament"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1936, Feb 21, p. 1, col. 2, "Sather's magnificent hop of 242 feet"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1937, Oct 8, p. 5, col. 3, "Hermod Bakke, ace jumper"
Deciding that the 1932-33 winter sports season was too short at
Leavenworth, Mr. and Mrs. Earle Little and Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Woldtvet motored up to the old Cascade Tunnel at Stevens Pass
equipped with skis and snowshoes. They found 11 feet of snow
piled along the highway and five inches of fresh snow. "These
enthusiastic skiers and snow-shoers recommend the trip for any
one who desires to prolong the winter sports season." The following
articles also describe skiing at Stevens Pass:
- Leavenworth Echo, 1938, Mar 11, p. 1, col. 5, "Ski 'special' Sunday"
- Leavenworth Echo, 1940, Jan 19, p. 1, col. 4, "Fire destroys the Stevens ski hut"