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Wenatchee Public Library - Clippings, Skiing
Undated manuscript - Greene, Bernice, "Ski History"
Most of the noteworthy information in this short, hand written manuscript can be found in the Wenatchee World and other sources. During the 1920s and 1930s, a few Wenatchee young people skied downhill on the hills in back of their orchards. Matt Hickey's cut-over corn field in Nahahum Canyon was a popular spot. Simple toe straps were used for bindings and the skis were long and rather heavy. Walt Anderson grew up in the Cle Elum-Roslyn area. "He and pals built ski-jump (re: George Dennis) with kerplop on flat landing." Anderson was the first president of the Wenatchee Ski Club in 1935. He helped promote skiing at Leavenworth with Hermod and Magnus Bakke and Milt Cloke.Unknown newspaper, Jun 27, 1988 - "Magnus Bakke"
This obituary says that Magnus Bakke was born on June 15, 1899 at Lyngdal, Norway. In 1901 his family moved to Hurum, Norway, where he grew up and attended school. In 1923 he came to the U.S. and settled in Minnesota. In 1930, he and his wife Inga moved to Peshastin, where he worked for the Peshastin Lumber and Box Co. In 1932 he was employed by the U.S. Forest Service. He moved to Leavenworth in 1934. From 1942 until his retirement in 1965, he was superintendent of all road and trail construction and maintenance in the Wenatchee National Forest. With his brother, Hermod, he was instrumental in the building and promotion of the 90-meter ski jumping hill at Leavenworth, which has been named Bakke Hill. He coached ski jumping and cross country skiing for over 40 years and judged many national and international meets, including the 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley and the 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid. Following his retirement in 1965, he surveyed the Mission Ridge ski area with Wilmer Hampton. Bakke located and designed the ski runs, lift lines, and developed a jumping hill at Mission Ridge. In 1971 he was named to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame. He died on June 25, 1988, at age 89.Wenatchee World, Dec 6, 1993 - "Ridge Foundation honors skiing pioneers"
Magnus Bakke and Lea Brown were honored posthumously as the first inductees into the Mission Ridge Foundation Ski Archives Hall of Fame. Bakke (1899-1988) was honored for his lifelong involvement and commitment to skiing. With his brother, Hermod, he helped get ski jumps built at Leavenworth. He played a key role in the development of Mission Ridge. Brown (1912-1993) was honored for helping get thousands of people started in the sport of skiing. Brown and his wife ran the Squilchuck Ski Area outside Wenatchee during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The Squilchuck area was considered the forerunner of the Mission Ridge Ski Area.Wenatchee World, Dec 5, 1994 - Maher, Stephen, "Ski area pioneers honored"
Walt and Wilmer Hampton, two brothers who helped get the Mission Ridge Ski Area off the ground and were the first general managers, were inducted posthumously into the Mission Ridge Ski Archives Hall of Fame. The Hampton brothers began planning the ski area project in 1959. Their work led Wenatchee Mountain Inc. to select Squilchuck Basin for Mission Ridge. Wilmer Hampton died in February 1966, just prior to the ski area's opening that year. Walt Hampton served as general manager from 1966 to 1982. He died in October 1984. Wilmer Hampton was a champion ski jumper, learning to ski in the 1930s. Walt Hampton was a four-way competitor before WWII and joined the 87th Mountain Infantry in 1942. Following the war, both brothers were coaches and judges for many years.
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