Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-12-24

The Mount Helena Ski club of
Helena, formed on a more or less
spur the moment bunch in jan
uary, 1887, has grown to be one Of
the largest of its kind in the
country.
This year, organized more cohesively
than ever to bring entertainment to
young and old during the winter
months, the Mount Helena Ski club
is awaiting only general, heavy snow
fall before turning loose with a new
program of interesting developments.
The Mount Helena club was organ
lied on Jan. %, 1887, through the eff
forts of a few Helena winter sports
fans who thought 1t would be fun to
form an organization of their own. In
Guided in that original group were
Turner Clack, who really propounded
the idea; Owen Perry, Chick Reifen-
rath, Myron Wilson, Brooke Kicker,
John Morrison, John Fem and Dean
Eckles.
Outing at Rimini
They formed an organization, got
little publicity and decided to promote
q supervised outing at Rtmini. Quite
a few people turned out for the trip
and seemed to have a lot Of fun so
another one was decided upon for the
following Sunday. But the weather
that particular Sunday was frigid-
the temperature was 20 below and even |
the officers Of the club didn't know
whether 1t was worth while to go out. !
But along towards noon they did /
and found 200 people had preceded /
them and we're having a swell time.
The Mount Helena Ski club was
made.
Snow trains to BloSsburg caught on
with spectacular success and member
ship in the club grew by leaps and
bounds. So the club was incorporated
under the laws of Montana. Helena
was a convenient stopping off place
for some of the big shots of the ski
ing world on their way to exhibitions
ena club members got the benefit of
watching such experts as Casper
Omen, captain of one United States
Olympic ski team and member of an
other; ALT Engen, one Of the nations
great jumpers; G. E. Strand, Sven
Ramsey and a lot of other names
comparable to Babe Ruth, Lefty Grove
and Dizzy Dean in baseball. And that
didn't do any harm.
state Races in 1887
Last year the state downhill and
slalom races we're held under the
auspices of the Mount Helena Ski club.
There were no accommodations at the
run, the snow was deep, there was no
place to sit down, the road to the
course wasn't too hot-and 2,10O people
turned out.
You see, there's something about a
man on skis.
Now take membership. Seattle, Port
land and Salt Lake City have big ski
clubs, clubs whose membership runs
from so to $50 people, many of whom
prefer to sit around the clubhouse and
sip warm drinks. At the close Of the
season last year the membership In
the Mount Helena club was 283. And
they all skied-maybe not well but
enough to get by. This year the mem
bership is going to be greater because
a junior organization has been formed
In Helena high school which will pro-
mote activity among the younger set.
New Course Ready
During the year the Mount Helena =
club has been busy building new and i
improved run on Macdonald pass where 4
they found the maximum snow depth e
during the winter averaged from 8 to
81 feet Of snow left in April. With the
aid of the forest service and the WPA 4,
and the Northern Pacific, which do q
mated some right of way, more indus q
trious members Of the club have carved 3
1ut run which starts about 200 yards =
below the highway section house and =,
which carries for 5000 feet through the
timber through which a trail has been
feared from Is to so feet In width. y
Additional open slopes make another Y
1000 feet Of the run available. 81