1920s - 1940s: Prestige in Skiing (Page 2)
Club used a shack at the foot of Multorpor for headquarters
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For a short time the club used a shack at the foot of Multorpor for headquarters, but there was a great push for a club house. This was the same year that the Mazamas were building their log structure northeast of Summit. Cascade Ski Club contacted the school board for Portland District #1 and secured some portable World War One schoolhouses. These were hauled up in sections and erected just south (behind) of the old Government Camp Hotel. The old original Norwegians of the club were right in their element, doing the carpentry and finishing needed to make the place a home. By mid-December all the building was enclosed, with doors and windows set |
| It was during that autumn that a tremendous push was made to increase membership. The club held meetings in Portland with films and music. Memberships were sold for a dollar to anyone who wanted to ski, or watch skiers jump, or even watch movies of skiers jump. On December 10, 1931, McNeil reported a membership of 450, and he met with treasurer Fed VanDyke to plan and order a bookkeeping with proper cash book, membership ledger, invoice file, and voucher forms. The club was dealing with money in four-figure amounts, and it was time to up it on a business like basis. A publication was started to keep membership aware of the club happenings. |
In 1931, a publication was started to keep membership aware of the club happenings
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Cascade Ski Club quickly picked up the art of slalom running and dominated
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The building programs on the ski hill and the New Lodge placed the club in a severe financial position made even more acute by The Depression. On February 25, 1932, they were faced with current payables of $1,256, with only $513 in the bank to cover them. In addition there were long-term notes on money borrowed to make the improvements. Needless to say, the Cascade Ski Club building was saved. In January 1934, a new type of skiing was brought to Mount Hood, the downhill and slalom races. The Mazamas sponsored a series of races at Timberline. Boyd French, J.J. Jones, and Grant McConnel won the first one. The expert skiers of Cascade Ski Club quickly picked up the art of slalom running and dominated the field. Hjalmar Hvam and Roy Tangen were two of the men who immediately made good showings. |
| This big change occurred in skiing when such men as Bierly and Boyd French Sr. came into the area with the new parallel techniques. This allowed far more people to get the most out of skiing as individuals, but it also added a great new dimension in racing. Slalom and downhill races, added to the traditional jumping and cross-country events, and created four-way competition. Most competitors specialized, as they do today, but some tournaments were conducted using a four-way combined score. It did not take very many years until slalom and downhill took over the sport. After World War Two jumping and cross-country became practically a legend, seldom run. |
Slalom and downhill races, added to the traditional jumping and cross-country events, created four-way competition
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The clubhouse halls no longer rang with the accents of the old Norwegians
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Cascade kept a very strong position in maintaining the larger stable of racers all through the Thirties. By the time World War Two was over a great many of the original members had retired to the armchair. The clubhouse halls no longer rang with the accents of the old Norwegians who skied and played hard all day and ate and drank far into the night. The new membership of the 1950s consisted of good-to-expert skiers of social prominence who gave the club and aristocratic tone on the mountain. |
By Jack Garasier, Mt. Hood, A Complete History