Evening star., 1937-11-20

winter sports areas in national parks,
and are designed 10 meet all tastes and
| pocketbooks. The National Park
Service forblds charging fees for any
| special events within the parks.
THE c. C. c, boys stationed at camps
IN National and State parks. under
the supervision of the National Park
Service, have done much To improve
and increase winter sports facilities
| They have provided a network Of
splendid ski trails and winter areas
throughout New England States parks
| and developed winter sports center
| for the Southwest in HYDE Park State
Park, near Santa Fe, N. Mex. pro-
vIdlng toboggan slides and ski runs.
They have spent thousands Of days in
this work IN our national parks. So
that winter visitors may spend then
recreation moments IN invlgorating
sport.
The snOWbound isolation Of national
forest areas likewise Is beng invaded
by winter sports enthusiasts in large
numbers. Fishing rods. rifles and
canoes have been exchanged for skis.
snoWshoes and dog sleds in winter
sports areas provided as part of the
Forest Services huge program for
recreational development in the ma
tional forests.
During the past five or SIX wears.
winter sports have spread through the
national forests like an epidemic" D."
officers of the Forest Service explain.
Nearly all the national forests in the
/ country now have some winter sports
when sufficient snow makes skiing
possible"
The White Mountain National For
est IN New Hampshire. 1t was stated.
| is the outstanding traditional winter
( sports area IN the East The Nicolet
/ National Forest of Wisconsin recently
! opened large recreational area for
winter sports use, While the Pike and
| Roosevelt Forests in Colorado, Saw
tooth surrounding Ketchum in Idaho,
Mount Hood in Oregon, Mount Baker,
Olympic and Snoqualmie in Washing
ton, and the Tahoe, Eldorado and An
geles National Forests in California
are among those having outstanding
winter developments. Even the ma
tional forests of New Mexico provide
elevations.
While skiing is the principal attrac-
ton, snoWshoelng along isolated forest
trails is gaining in importance Many
OF the summer trails used by forest
rangers and mixers are available, and
special trails are frequently marked
for the winter sportsman. Skating is
possible in number of national for
eSts. Dog sleddlng is increasing in
popularity. Tobogganlng has become
one of the chief sports, and in some
of the Western forests these long sleos
shoot at high speed past tall pines on
toboeean slides constructed of heavy
tlnbers,
Clearing the ski trails, providing
automobile parking areas, and con-
structing sanitary facilities have been
the principal activities of the Forest
Service in developing recreatlonal ia
cllities at winter sport areas Warming
shelters are being provided In several
areas. In some cases, more elaborate
structures, such as the new Timberline
Lodge in the Mount Hood Forest, are
considered necessary, just below the
bowl of TuCkerman Ravine in the
White Mountain National Forest a
building is now available 10 supply
facilities IN this popular winter sports
area.
The present recreation program Of
the Forest Service points toward
increased facilities for the winter
sports enthusiasts. Additional shelters
and facilities for warming coffee and
cooking meals are planned in many of
the national forests The need for
further accommodations is seen from
the fact that frequently crowds of
tourists travel from the larger cities
on Saturday afternoon and attempt to
spend the night in small warming
houses now available Also entire
families have become enthusiasts, and
small tots on miniature skis slide un-
certainly down the more gentle slopes.
An outstanding problem, according
to the Forest Service. is to plow park
ing places for the hundreds of auto
mobiles that crowd into the larger
areas on week ends When important
tournaments are held, the parking sit
uation is acute.
The object of improving winter
sports areas in the national forests.
as explained by Federal foresters, is
to provide recreation for the general
public, for the amateur sportsmen,
and for everyday people, rather than
for the experts. The construction of
ski jumps for professional use is not
contemplated, although in some of
the national forests sites have been
made available under permit to ski
clubs or organizations for the con-
Structlon of such facilities. In several
forests, such as the Superior in Min
nesota, natural jumps are available.
and Tuckerman Ravine in the White
Mountain Forest provides an excellent
site where championship slalom and
downhill races are held.
Although national forests receiving
the most extensive use are located
near large cities, it is reported that
dozens of smaller towns throughout
the Northern Rockies and Pacific Coast
region have individual areas for their
winter sports. In many sections of
the country special snow trains" take
enthusiasts to winter sports areas.
The plowing and sanding of improved
roads is considered tremendous fac
tor in making the snow-covered slopes
more accessible.