Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-22
The Kid on Barrel Slaves
Wouldn't Know the Slopes
BY JACK HAND
Associated Press star Writer

/. Nv 1hON MMAkND
.. Associated Press stan Writer
About 8 million men. women
and children ski at least once
q year in the United States.
They regard their nonskiing
fellow citizens as an under
privileged minority lacking in
appreciation Of the finer things
81 life.
A member Of the minority"
sroup may be surprised to learn
how things have changed since
the days when skiing meant 90
per cent hill climbing and 10
per cent riding and for falling.
The invention Of the ski lift
revolutionized the sport. No
more trudging through knee
deep snow in soggy galoshes.
You grab q cable. station your
self In front Of q Thar or ride
q chair while the tow whisks
you to the highest peak.
The kid on barrel slaves with
the stocking cap snug to his
ears and the mop handle In his
hand has given way to prog
ress. Gay form-fitting stretch
pants and colorful parkas dot
the hills. Metal-edged skis. Gus
tom-made boots. steel or plas-
tic poles and safety release
bindings are becoming stand
ard equipment.
This all costs money. That is
why some estimate that $l25
million win be spent this sea-
son by the skiing public. Lodg-
ing and transportation are the
major factors. Then come
equipment. lift charges. enter
tainment and instruction. I
All Types
Family groups ski together.
Some take winter vacations.
Others get away for week ends
only. Boy-meets-girl POSSIBLE
titles abound.
A cult-like atmosphere bathes
the typical ski center-and a
spirit of cameraderie distilled
from testing ones nerve and
skill on the slopes. In the eve
ming the roaring lodge fireside
and the (usually) handy cock
tail bar provide an agreeable
social touch. Il
For many years the only type
Of skiing known to Americans !
was the Norwegian or Scandi-
navian brand that emphasized {
Jumping and cross country
competition.
Scandinavians In Minnesota.
New Hampshire and Michigan !
were jumping of high hills as {
early as the 1905. OF course, !
they had been doing the same ,
thing back home for several |
centuries. h
The National Ski Association. 1
which now has seven geograph-
zeal units, was organized in 1904
to sanction a jumping event
at Ishpeming. Mich. To many
that remains the cradle Of
American skiing.
Skiing first captured the
imagination Of the sporting
public in 1882 when winter
Olympic Games were held at
Lake Placid, N. Y.
In the interval before World
War II many ski centers were
built. The first rope tow was
installed at Woodstock. VT. in
1884 and the first chair lift at
Sun Valley. Idaho. in 1887. w.
Averell Hartman, former Gov
ernor of New York, who then
was the head man of the Union
Pacific Railroad, developed Sun
Valley.
Thousands flocked to the new
ski resorts until World War II
and the resulting travel restric-
tons interviewed.
Since the war the ski bust
ness has been booming. Aspen.
Colo, and Stowe, VT. rival Sun
Valley with elaborate. expensive
plants. About 400 ski areas
now are operating in % States.
Some even have heated outdoor
swimming pools as an extra at
traction.
Roger Peabody, executive di-
rector Of the Eastern branch
of the National Ski Associa-
ton recently conducted a sur
vey on the skiing habits of
the members of his group, the
United States Eastern ANA
teur Ski Association. This unit
represents 40 per cent of the
organized skiers (who, Of
course, are far outnumbered by
the unorganized skiers).
Age Varies Widely
Peabody says 81 per cent of
the skiers are between the
ages of IS and 40 and that 81
per cent of them plan some
type of winter vacation.
In his breakdown of costs,