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Category Archives: Ski Areas
Summer Skiing: Mount Hood
Is anyone headed to Mt. Hood in Oregon, the Southern Hemisphere or another destination for summer skiing?
Posted in Lifestyle, Ski, Ski Areas, Ski Racing, Snow Machines, Travel, Vintage Style
Tagged Mount Hood, Oregon, Summer Skiing, Timberline Lodge, Tucker Sno-Cat, Vintage Postcard
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Road Trip: Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse
A splendid view of the high alpine road leading to Austria’s highest peak, the Grossglockner (3798m).
Powder Ridge: The Festival That Never Was
Among other things, I am amused to learn that the ski lodge roof was intended to serve as the concert stage!
A very different use of a Hall double chairlift. Photo by Leonard Freed.
Festival View. Photo by Leonard Freed.
Life at Powder Ridge. Photo by Leonard Freed.
Campsite at the Powder Ridge Rock Festival. Photo by Leonard Freed.
POWDER HILL SKI AREA Middlefield, Connecticut – Home of Early Bird Skiing. 3 Chair Lifts, 2 T-Bars, Tows, Ski School, Night Skiing, Snow Making, Steak House and Cocktail Lounge. Overnight Lodging. Pre-1970 postcard, photo by Clifford Scofield.
A couple weeks ago at Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market, I came across this reproduction concert poster for the ill-fated 1970 music festival at Powder Ridge Ski Area in Middlefield, Connecticut. I was surprised and delighted with the find and also thought it would make for a varied yet quick blog post. Well, I was wrong about the quick part – I am totally lost in what was intended to be cursory research of this event.
Growing up just a couple towns away from Powder Ridge, the festival has always been a bit of local lore but I never stopped to find out the specifics. To me, it was primarily of interest because of the ski area venue. I am very late to realize, nearly 44 years after the fact, that this disaster of a festival was national news.
The short version – in the wake of Woodstock, the three days of music at Powder Ridge was poised to be the next big festival — a roster of top billed acts helped sell 100,000 $20 tickets — just days before the start of the festival, the concerned residents of tiny Middlefield fought for a court injunction to stop the festival — headlining acts never arrived (save for one, Melanie Safka) but thousands of fans did despite attempts by the state police and town to turn away attendees — the most common estimate seems to be that 30,000 people came, camped and essentially drugged away the music-less days at Powder Ridge – drug use was rampant and not the happy, peaceable marijuana high of Woodstock but a more angry and dangerous version with unprecedented numbers of bad trips (~ 50 people an hour) thanks to free-flowing tainted hallucinogens – lack of food, utilities and bathroom facilities added to the chaos.
A simple Internet search reveals no shortage of articles, accounts, photos and video of the Powder Ridge Festival. I am captivated by the photos by Leonard Freed, an esteemed photojournalist who spent most of his career documenting civil rights and social issues. Adding a wonderful layer to his stunning images and talent is that his wife, Brigitte, was his photo developer – an art itself. I love the practical and romantic dynamics of creative spouse partnerships – go team! (Click here for a lovely NYT article about the couple.) In keeping with the ski theme of this blog, I have selected photos featuring chairlifts – but please follow these links to see a wider presentation of Freed’s extraordinary portfolio and documentation of this event which now resides at The Davison Art Center at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, only a few miles away from the festival site.
As for Powder Ridge, the ski area shut down in 2007 but is currently in the process of rebuilding and resuming operations to become a year-round mountain park and resort.
If any readers attended this festival or have anecdotes, please write in as a comment to share!
Posted in Art & Graphics, Lifestyle, Ski Areas, Treasure Hunting
Tagged Connecticut, Mountain Music, Powder Ridge
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Stowe: Ski Racing Heritage
Ski racing runs deep in Stowe, Vermont. Every level of alpine racing has graced the slopes of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak from international championships to the beloved Sugar Slalom. The Mount Mansfield Ski Club, the oldest ski club in the country, has assembled a detailed history and timeline of racing in Stowe. Please click here for the MMSC website.
3/17/1957 Press Photo: SAILER OF AUSTRIA WINS – Toni Sailer of Austria shown crossing the finish line here today as he won the men’s downhill event of the American-International Ski Races being held here on Mount Mansfield.
3/20/1955 Press Photo: STOWE, VT., DOWNHILL SKI CHAMPIONS – Buddy Werner, 19-year-old University of Denver freshman who won the International Downhill race down Mt. Mansfield today is flanked by tie winners of women’s race. Andrea Mead Lawrence, 22, (left) of Parshall, Col. U.S. double Olympic champion and Madeleine Berthod, 24, (right) of Switzerland tied at 2:08.7 for the 1.2 mile course. Werner topped American and European champions for time of 2:07.5 for 1¾ mile course.
1/14/1963 Press Photo: Othmar Schneider (left) world’s ski champion from Austria after a fast run down Mount Mansfield, Stowe, Vt., with Sepp Ruschp (center) and Karl Fahrner, a Mansfield ski instructor. Schneider is favored to win the Vic Constant Memorial Downhill, Slalom and Combined races this weekend (Jan. 17-18) at Mansfield. Ruschp is general manager and newly-named president of the Mount Mansfield ski resort and Fahrner is a former European champion skier.
1966 AP WIREPHOTO: STOWE, VT., MARCH 19 — FLYING FRENCHMAN – Jean-Claude Killy of France leans into a high speed turn as he flashes down Mount Mansfield to win International Giant Slalom championships at Stowe, Vt., today. Killy, gasping for air, is “stepping up” or shifting weight from right to left ski for turn towards next gate to his left. Killy ran course of just under a mile in 1:45:67.
2/15/1970 Press Photo: Val Gardena, Italy – Bill Kidd of Stowe, Vt., flying in air during today’s Alpine World Championships downhill event in which he placed fifth. He won the Combined Alpine trophy beating top favorite France’s Patrick Russel.
Certainly the most enduring and beloved ski race in Stowe is the annual Sugar Slalom. It is a celebration of spring complete with racers in spirited costumes and fresh maple syrup on snow. The 2014 edition of the Sugar Slalom is this weekend, April 5-6, with races running Saturday and Sunday on Spruce Peak’s Slalom Hill, pictured here many years ago. Vintage real photo postcard by Harry Wendell Richardson of Newport, Vermont.
Posted in Ski, Ski Areas, Ski Racing, Vintage Ski Racing, Vintage Style
Tagged Andrea Mead Lawrence, Austria, Billy Kidd, Buddy Werner, Dynamic, Italy, Jean-Claude Killy, Lange, Nosedive, Sepp Ruschp, Stowe, Switzerland, Toni Sailer, Val Gardena, Vermont, Vintage Photo
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Vermont: Maple Sugar Season
It’s that time of year again. Maple sugaring activities are underway in the north country, especially in Vermont – the Green Mountain state produces the most maple syrup in the nation. On March 22 and 23, more than eighty farms will open their sugarhouses to the public for the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association’s annual open house weekend. Click here for details to plan a sweet little excursion.
If you are too busy skiing next weekend, hold out until April 5 and 6 to enjoy maple syrup on snow at Stowe’s famous Sugar Slalom race celebration.
Posted in Lifestyle, Ski, Ski Areas, Ski Racing, Travel
Tagged Stowe, Vermont, Vintage Postcard
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On the Snow: Burke, Vermont
Rapha on snow! More precisely, Rapha on Bruce Rychlik on top of Burke Mountain after a morning skin up. Was thrilled to see this coveted brand of cycling apparel and lifestyle put to use on snow. Combined with Arc’Teryx – it was a technical and stylish knockout.
PJ Dewey of Racestock Sports wears the Shred Half Brain D-Lux helmet in the very Vermont Slopeside edition. The maple sugaring graphics are by Shawn Rice (of Magic Hat graphic design fame), the artist who created the excellent packaging for the Cochran family’s Slopeside Syrup brand.
Kathy Herde is mad about plaid! Bonfire ensemble, head to toe, to ride her Burton snowboard one day after riding her Surly Pugsley fat bike at Winterbike.
It was the edelweiss that lured me in – but this classic Bogner one-piece suit reminded me of the German brand’s history in the Northeast Kingdom. In 1973, Willy and Sonya Bogner moved to Newport, Vermont to open a manufacturing facility for their family’s luxury ski apparel brand. I believe production was maintained for more than a couple decades. Sadly, but not surprisingly, Bogner no longer maintains production in the U.S. (Check out M. Miller of Boston for luxury ski apparel proudly made in the U.S.A.)
Camel’s Hump, Vermont’s third highest peak, seen through a hazy sunset from the top of the Mid-Burke Express.
Last weekend was a good one at Burke. . . I am ready for another! Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.
MooVM: Where do you Moo?
Introducing MooVM! The husband and wife team of Chris Rose and Sarah Baker saw an opportunity to celebrate the role of dairy farming in New England and Upstate New York with the iconic cow pattern. The graphic black and white “cow-moo-flage” of Holstein cattle is the foundation for distinctive baseball hats that carry a variety of classic and custom logos.
Working with New England Dairy Promotion Board, 8.02% (Vermont’s area code) of profit returns to support local farms by way of Must Be The Milk’s Keep Local Farms Fund. Please visit the MooVM web site to learn more about the brand story and mission.
MooVM baseball hats in classic Vermont designs are available at the MooVM Store, click to visit the web store.
Custom MooVM hats are available at a growing list of resorts and schools such as University of Vermont, Stowe Mountain Resort, Jay Peak, Mount Snow and Middlebury College. Contact MooVM directly for custom orders and wholesale inquiries. Minimum order quantity for custom logo is very reasonable. In addition to being a unique retail item, MooVM hats are an excellent fundraiser for schools, sport teams, events.
MooVM founders Sarah Baker and Chris Rose with Amos and Hobbs in East Burke, Vermont.
Posted in Accessories, Art & Graphics, Lifestyle, Shopping, Ski Areas, Style
Tagged Burke, Jay Peak, MooVM, Mount Snow, Stowe, UVM, Vermont
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On the Snow: Burke, Vermont
Lilias Ide, all-around ripper and Program Director of Kingdom Trails, on her DPS skis for a fresh snow ski day! Love all the color of DPS and Flylow gear.
Maryanne in her pretty Astis Sacagawea mitts and Peak Performance kit.
Me keeping warm in my Astis Erling mittens.
Sacha McGuire snowboarding in her colorful and cozy Skhoop down mini skirt. Local Northeast Kingdom retailer, Village Sport Shop carries Skhoop.
Mallory and Cody of the Burke Mountain Ski Patrol cleaning up the trails with a Husqvarna.
Retro rainbow ski sweater working the retro j-bar lift.
Lift mechanic Chris swears by Cabela’s Trans-Alaska III Pac boots for warmth during long shifts on the mountain.
Full-on Green Mountain State park style.
Love the zing of this unexpected color combo and a unique Nike jacket.
Burke is a ski racing hill. Lucky for me, I love all that goes along with that – including ski racing fashion. Spyder Julia Mancuso race suit featuring trail map graphics of Squaw Valley, her home mountain.
Posted in Accessories, Outerwear, Ski, Ski Areas, Ski Racing, Snowboard, Style
Tagged Astis, Burke, DPS, Flylow, Kingdom Trails, Peak Performance, Rossignol, SKHOOP, Ski Patrol, Spyder, Vermont
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On the Snow: Jay Peak, Vermont
Bold color in the Jay Peak 180 mini park.
Raised Jay grom waiting for the tram.
Snowboard instructors in fresh uniforms.
Nice sleeve placement of Burton Riglet Park logo.
Greetings: Sun Valley, Idaho
Greetings from Sun Valley, Idaho
2/8/1951 Sun Valley News Bureau Photo: MIDWINTER HOLIDAY AT SUN VALLEY, IDAHO – Mrs. Montgomery Orr, Wayne, Ill., leaves the Lodge for a day of skiing on the snow-covered slopes. Mrs. Orr will be a guest at the famous western skiing village until February 10.
4/5/1958 Sun Valley – Union Pacific Photo: AT SUN VALLEY, IDAHO, Friday, the Washington boy’s American Legion Junior team won second place in team standings in the Giant Slalom held on Baldy mountain in the 15th annual Western States American Legion Junior Championships being held this week end. From left: Jim Brule, Yakima; Mike Buckley, Yakima; Brent Whiteman, Yakima; Erik Giese, Seattle; and coach Walt Taulbee, Seattle.
3/31/1939 International News Photo: DARTMOUTH SKIER, POINT-SCORER AT SUN VALLEY Sun Valley, Idaho. . . Dick Durrance, of Dartmouth, two-time winner of the Harriman Cup, pictured in action during the third annual Sun Valley Open Skiing Tournament recently. Durrance placed fourth in the Open this year and won the national four event combined race.
“On the way to the top,” the Ridge lifts and the Roundhouse, Baldy Mountain, Sun Valley. Photo: Lou Holliday
WARMUP HUT Baldy Mountain Sun Valley, Idaho Photo: Union Pacific Railroad
SKIERS AT SUN VALLEY, IDAHO Coming down Holiday Run, Sun Valley can be seen in the background.
SUN VALLEY, IDAHO Crowds of skiers at this famous resort. Photo: Union Pacific Railroad
TRAIL CREEK CABIN SUN VALLEY, IDAHO During the summer months Trail Creek Cabin is a popular place for horseback parties to take early morning breakfast. It is also the scene of picnic parties, steak fries and barbecues. In winter it is a favorite goal of bobsled parties for late supper, followed by dancing.
The handwritten note on this vintage postcard reads: July 1, 1952 Tuesday This is a very exciting place. There are things to do every minute. This afternoon we went for a swim in a beautiful pool, also went bike riding. Tonight there is dancing and ice skating. Tomorrow morning we’re going horse back riding. Love, Reeva
Exciting thrift store find – vintage jigsaw puzzle with exquisite Sun Valley dogsled scene.
Vintage hotel luggage label: Sun Valley, Idaho America’s Foremost Year ‘Round Sports Center
I have lost my favorite East Coast ski buddies for a couple weeks to their vacation in Sun Valley, Idaho. So this post is a kind of reverse postcard to them. Greetings from home – hope you are having fun, sun and lots of bottomless turns!
Built by the Union Pacific Railroad and home to the world’s first chairlift (1936) – the role of this resort to ski development and heritage in the U.S. and abroad is beyond compare. I am not going to tackle any Sun Valley history or anecdotes at this time – so please let these vintage images tell some of the story.