The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-09
The Fascinating Sport of Snowshoe-
ing in Norway and
Sweden.
Some Of the Big Running Jumps
That Are Made on
Skis.
Athlethic Young Mon and Rosy Checked
MAidensG Gliding Down the Hill In
Picturesque Costumes.

sport of snowshoeing is known here In
America. II ia scarcely ever thought of sx-
cspt in connection with some hunting
expedition through the wilds Of snowy Ca
madam forests. II must DO admitted that
such clumsy affairs as She snowshoes USED by
the Canadians and tho Indians are scarcely
adapted to any ooasting or trials OF speed,
as they ara simply intended to prevent the
wsarer from sinking too deep in the snow.
In Scandinavia, especially in Norway. the
snowshoes are of an entirely different con-
struotion and used as a matter OF necessity.
az we'll a. for plsasurable reoreation. At a
first glance an uninitiated person accus-
toned to tho American snowahoe would
unhesitatingiy pronounce the Norwegian
product an unwieldy affair, saya the Chi
cago Tribune.
The fact is just the reverse. S%nowshoes,
or. as they are called, the ski" used in
Sweden and Norway are long. narrow
strips Of wood from three to four inches in
breadth and eight to twelve feet long, some
times even longer. They ought to be ono
inch in thickness at tho center. under the
foot. and gradually beveled off to about Il
quarter Of an inch at either end. In front
they are curved upward and pointed, and
they are often q little turned up at tho back
end. too. Th sides are more or less paral-
lei. though the best forms have their great
est width in front. Just where the upward
curve begins; otherwise. they are straight
and fiat, md the under surface 10 made as
smooth as possible. Abou the center OF
the 'ski' 10 a loop for the toe made Of
leather o, other suitable substance. and a
band which passes from this around behind
the heel of the shoe. The object Of this
fastening is to mako the ski" and the foot
ms rigid as possible for steering purposes.
while the heel 10 allowed to rise freely from
the ''skl" at all times,
There is no reason why any American boy
should not be able to mako himself a pair
of first-class ski" The mate ial used is
Scotch fir, birch as we'll as elm, ash, oak.
aspen and maple. Ash Is in great favor
with the Christiana "ski" runners but the
peasants prefer a peculiar kind OF pine
grown on tho edge of boys.
DIR. Nansen, the Arctic explorer. is a very
skillful ski" runner and an enthusiast for
this kind of sport. "Of all the sports in
Norway" says ths doctor, running ON the
ski il the most national and oharac-
teristic, and as practiced in Sweden and
in its sister country 1t takes q position
in the very first rank of the sports Of the
world. There is no form of sport which SO
evenly develops the muscles, which renders
the body 30 strong and elastic, which
teaches so thoroughly the qualities OF dex-
terity and resource"
Norway boys and girls are by their very
surroundings forced to take to their SKI"
almost as soon as they oan walk. Through
the whole long winter till late in the spring
the snow Is ever present. In many OF the
valleys thore are few roads or ways of any
l,~I a.l 49,. n-l all ,~n, 49,. o,,l
children alike. whom business takes away
from the cottage must travel OH their ski"
The boy has scarcely reached the age of
breaches before no knows the point of II
pair of ski" what n good bit Of wood
should look like, etc. Little tots. three or
with their ski" TO school, which Is gen
orally held in winter season. the children
20 on their ski" and the teacher often
takes the whole band for a SKI" picnic
when the weather is particularly inviting.
The management of the ski" is COM
paratively easy after a few trials. They q 9
d iven forward by a peculiar stride or slide.
They are not lifted and the tendency which
the beginner feels TO tramp away with
them, as if he were on mud boards in the
middle of a marsh, must be strenuously re-
sisted. All Skip runners carry II stout
staff, that ia used to steady ones self and
increase the stride. Some idea of the speed
can be gained when an ordinary ski run
ner is expected to maintain n gait of eight
or nine miles an hour for n very Consldera-
BILE length of time.
The longest race on ski was organized
by Nordenskiold some years ago in swed-
ish Lapland. The distance-nearly 40
miles-was covered by the winner in less
han twenty-five hours. rests included. A
Lapp took the prize, but did not have much
time to spare. rs the second man, n Lapp
40 years old. came in only five seconds
later. la a recent race at the great meet"
in ChristianjR the course was thirty.two
miles. laid out over very hiliy ground and
%lncluding all kinds of difficulties calculated
to test the competitors skill. This race
was won by a peasant in less than Ave
hours.
One great feature of this ski" sport,
that requires both courage and z eat skill,
is the ability TO take long flying leaps. The
jumping is done from steep hillsides. with
II alope of forty degrees or more. In the
middle of the hill a bank is built, il there
should not happen to be a projecting rock
TO answer the purpose. The jumper slides
from the top of the hill down to this FRO
speed al eady attained, throw him
far out into the air. In this way
a leap of seventy or ninety feet may
be cleared. One man has n record
OF jumpin ninety-nine feet and to have
kept his balance when he landed. Thu
po peHuicuiAF ihil OI sucu Jumps IL OFTEN
fully forty feet, tho height of al ordinary
three story building. This comparison will
give some idea of tho Tremendous leaps II
skiilful "skI' runner il able to make. And
this Is not enough. At the tournament he
is also required to show his ak i'll 10y turning
his SKI to one side or other ct given
marks and DO able to stop short before any
given obstacle. All this must be done Mt
full speed while descending the steep
course.
This s~alutary and delightful sport, vio-
lent though 1T seems. Is not Mt all exhaust
ing. At the minor ''mects'' there arc
numerous entries for young women md
girls, who enter heart and soul IN the fun.
To see the rosy-cheeked maidens in their
attractive costumes. with their eyes spark
ling with excitement hs they shoot down
the glistening snow with lightning sueed, is
rs pretty Il picture rs any one can wish 10
see.
But it is not for sport alone the ski" il
used in Scandinavia. Both IN Sweden and
Norway the ski have b en- introduced in
the amy. 1t has boon found thnt in times
of war n corps of soldiers equipped with
these could harass and overcome an enemy
far easier than II compelled to ma ch the
usual way through a snow covered country,
vhefo roads are IN unknown luxury.
These SKI cor s are kept in active D &C
tice during the winter season. Mnil ca
riers are all provided with their ''ski'' and
can lie seen sliding through the villages
with great animation,
Hunting on ski" is irdulged in RI u
matter of course. Hnic hunting is q favor
great speed. No tue sportsman in the
mo- II Ill thA ara Iu ,rt I.a II.