Issue 17 A Periodic Bulletin of Ski Club Hochgebirge April 15, 2023

Welcome

I hope you enjoy this issue #17. The second issue published in 2023.

For you ski history types this is not to be left unread, Mark O'Connor's (m. 2022 ) article near the bottom of this issue. It's F'ing great!

Greg Anthony

We are always looking for content, member news, ski history, ski racing, photos so please: submit.

PIPE DREAMS
Spring Skiing-Snowbird’s Pipeline

by Greg Anthony

Sure anybody can ski 20 to 40+ inches of fresh pow at Snowbird and it is truly a wonderful experience. Floating down steep terrain is something that many of us eastern skiers relish the most. I've been lucky enough to have more than a few of those days. However spring skiing at Snowbird is highly under rated. In fact one of the the most memorable days I've ever had at Snowbird is skiing the Pipeline Chute and Bowl in mid April.

Located 1000 ft above Snowbird’s Little Cloud Chair and far to the right off the Summit of West Twin lies the Pipeline. The Pipeline Chute is at the top of the Gad Valley and dumps into the Little Cloud Area. To get there start off the Road to Provo and hike a steep and narrow ridge line to the top of East Twin. At points the track narrows to 3 ft wide. One misstep on this part of the journey and you might find yourself tumbling down a cliff and most likely end up taking a dirt nap!……..Read More

President’s Message

Happy Spring Hochies!

Here’s a brief update on what has transpired since the last Hearsay edition.

 Recent member Mark O’Conner and wife Joanne came up to the Hilton on March 11. They donated a new to the Hilton, leather couch, two side chairs and comfy lounge chair. This enabled us to trash the worn out fabric couch as well as the broken recliner that had been in the study. The living room and study are much improved. The comfy lounge chair is now in the cooler and enjoyed by many of the children that have been staying at the club this spring. Additionally Nick and Deb de Sherbinin donated a set of flatware. This is a total upgrade and we are grateful to Mark and Nick for their generosity.

On March 27th we welcomed new members Kate Isley (husband Mark and daughters, Oona, Winnie and Ada). Along with skier and sailor extraordinaire, Sinan Kunt. Yeah, I get it but you can’t pick your family’s last name.

Many thanks also to Chuck and Karen Thorndike who kindly brought a large load of firewood to the Hilton to help see us through the end of the ski season.

I am happy to report that with the late season snow the Hochie Hilton usage has been way up. Our treasurer, Lane Mann has communicated that we are now for the 2023 season in the black-barely! One of the benefits of this is that we will be able to afford firewood for next season. Thank goodness for mother nature. However we still need to raise funds to engrave our trophies.

There is an upcoming work weekend scheduled for May 20 & 21. I encourage as many of you as possible to attend as the Hilton needs some TLC. This is also the perfect time to introduce any potential new members to the club. Please RSVP to either Hans Huber at: hbrhnsp@gmail.com or Krystian Macek at: krystian.Macek@gmail.com

Remember the Hilton is a great place to spend some time during the summer for hiking, canoeing and biking. But please check in with the reservations calendar as there are a couple of events already planned.

Last but not least be on the lookout for Ski Racers who could take advantage of our new Racing Membership category (preferably under 100 years old).

Jules and I will be spending the summer racing our sloop, Wink and settling in to our new home which should be ready sometime after Memorial Day.

Hail Ski Club Hochgebirge!

…..Greg Anthony

The Ski Club Hochgebirge:

Pioneers in Ski Racing, Patrolling and National Defense

By Ski Club Hochgebirge Member, Mark O’Connor, 14 April 2023

Members of the Ski Club Hochgebirge (SCH) are familiar with the impressive Olympic skiing and US racing histories of many current and former club members. What may not be as well known is the key roles that some early SCH members played in the formation of the National Ski Patrol (NSP) and the US Army’s 10th mountain division.

The association of Ski Club Hochgebirge (SCH) and NSP founders extends back before the 1938 formation of the National Ski Patrol (NSP). The involvement of Alexander “Alex” Bright, Robert “Bob” Livermore III and James A. Lowell, however, was more than a peripheral contribution to the formation of these important organizations. This article touches upon some of their contributions, and those of other early SCH members.

NSP co-founder, Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole, conducted the first skiing safety study in 1936. That year he sent out a questionnaire to members of many ski clubs on skiing safety following the death of Amateur Ski Club of NY (A.S.C.) member, Franklin “Frank” Edson. In early 1936, Edson hit a tree in a race, breaking his arms and legs, fracturing several ribs and puncturing a lung. The incident occurred on the Thunderbolt trail at Mount Greylock in Pittsfield Mass. Despite his injuries, Edson survived for a time, and it was believed that if he had reached a higher level of medical care more quickly, he may have survived.

Read Article

2023 Calendar

05/20 & 21/23 Spring Work Weekend

07/27-31/23 Hilton Exclusive (Carlberg Wedding)

08/18-20/23 Hilton Exclusive (R. Traver Wedding)

11/10 & 11/23 Fall Work Weekend (tentative)

12/05/23 Annual Meeting and Dinner

Hochie Hearsay (Past Editions)