Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-04-14

winter in Switzerland was of a
vileness unparalleled for fifty
years, yet the number of peo-
pie who went to Alpine resorts
in search of health and amusement
suffered no apparent diminution. Da-
vos had its usual three thousand Eng
fish visitors, and other favorite places
were proportionately full The fact is
that almost everyone who has once
tried the sports practiced on snow and
ice not only returns to them himself,
but persuades his friends to accom-
pany him.
1t would be possible to enlarge the
purview of these notes by discussing
the attractions of Norway, Sweden, the
Black Forest and the Austrian Tyrol.
But we refrain from doing so because
at present it is in Switzerland only
that adequate provision is made for
those who wish to do something more
than ski all day and every day There
are toboggan runs and ice Kinks out
side the frontiers of the playground of
Europe, but they are little used, and
sufficient number of suitable compan-
ions is absolutely necessary for the
curler and eminently desirable for the
tobogganer or skater. Even in Switzer-
land itself skiing is so far the dom
inant sport that at some of the smaller
resorts a skater may discover that he
has the rink too much to himself and
the keen curler find himself unable TO
a |
heide, for example, was for two sea
sons the headquarters of the Winter
Alps club, and then there was much
excellent skating and curling on the
Kurhaus rink. But when that club
decided to become a migratory body
the visitors who filled at once the pla-
ces of its members, took to the snow
Skaters and curriers' became less
numerous, and less proficient Much
the same thing has happened at
Montana, where, as at LuZerheide the
ski slopes are of the first quality. In
fact, If we say that at most places
where only one or two hotels are open
in the winter skiing has, to some ex-
tent, swamped curling and skating,
we shall be stating general propo-
sition as true as most of it's kind.
1t is not very easy to find a satisfac-
tory basis of classification for the va
rious Swiss resorts. Perhaps it will
be best to arrange them according to
the special facilities which they afford
for different sports. Whatever sys-
tenn be adopted, st. Moritz, Davos and
Grindelwald must form the first class.
They resemble the golf courses on
which championships are decided, in
so far as they are the places where
the experts meet to compete and CO.
operate with one another Each has
its pecullarities. st. MoritZ is long
way off, and by a considerable num-
BIER of feet the highest of the three
Some consider that these accidents of
position are the great advantages of
the place; others are deferred by
them from going there. Everything,
the hotels, the Cresta Run, the skat-
ing and curling Kinks, is on a magni-
fcent scale, and consequently life is
expensive. But for those who can af-
ford the expense and are sufficiently
expert at tobogganing to go down the
Cresta, or at skating to take part in
long-combined figure, or at curling
to be welcome in rink which wastes
very few stones, st. Moritz is ideal.
Davos has of late years gone ahead
of it's ancient rival In the department
of English figure skating, and may be
described as the home of that art.
The curling is less good, and the ice run
Is not to be seriously compared with
the Cresta. Both places provide first
class facilities for bobsleighing and
skiing. Both also contain sanatoria
for consumptive patients, and there
are not few healthy people whose
enjoyment of the life is marred by the
knowledge that all is not we'll with
some of their fellow-visitors. 1t is the
boast of the Grindelwalders that their
ice Kinks consistently provide the best
surface for skating and curling which
can be found in Switzerland Their !
contention can hardly be gainsaid |
But their beautiful ice is purchased
at price; the sun does not shine up
oA NV AAhhS IN any dppi SSidDiN Ilu1S
until February is half wasted This Is |
delightful for the expert skaters and
curriers', who are to be found in large |
numbers at Grindelwald, but disap-
pointing to those visitors who have
come out to chase the sun. Such will be |
tempted to go skiing in order to get |
out of the shadow of the Eiger, and |
they will find good and varied country |
available for either long or short en-.
petitions. There is a long and toll |
srably amusing toboggan run, and the |