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February 17-20, 2009, Schweitzer Resort, Idaho
22 Feb 2009 08:33 - 22 Feb 2009 16:14 #214635
by Lowell_Skoog
Top: "Schweitzer Sam" Wormington, the area's first manager, in 1965.
Bottom: Sam at the Selkirk Lodge in 2009.
During the Seattle Schools winter break, several families from our neighborhood headed to Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Idaho. A few inches of new snow fell the day before we arrived, but no additional snow fell while we were there. Brief summary:
Tuesday, Feb 17: Clear skies giving way to high clouds. The snow on the groomers was outstanding, with almost no ice. Off-piste was tracked out but plenty of fun. I did a dusk patrol on skins to the top of the mountain after darkness fell.
Wednesday, Feb 18: Inside-a-milk-bottle visibility with freezing fog. (At least the snow was good.) Rumor has it that a Schweitzer local once offered to print bumper stickers saying "May The Fog Be With You" but the ski shops and management didn't go for it.
Thursday, Feb 19: Clear dawn changing to clouds and fog by the time the lifts opened. Disappointing, but not as foggy as Wednesday. The groomers were still excellent.
Friday, Feb 20: Clear morning again. I did a dawn patrol on skins up the Great Escape lift and along the ridge to the Lakeview triple, keeping a low profile because I don't know what the ski area policy is. The clouds increased then cleared by afternoon to give us a great last day of skiing. The groomers were getting hard-packed, and some new snow would be welcome.
We packed up the cars Saturday morning and met at the cafe in the Selkirk Lodge before driving home. There we encountered Sam Wormington, Schweitzer's first manager in the 1960s. Sam's picture hangs prominently in the lobby of the hotel. After chatting awhile, I asked Sam to pose for a photo (above). In addition to being super nice (and fit!) in his eighties, Sam is author of The Ski Race, a book about early skiing in the Inland Northwest (British Columbia, Idaho and Washington). I bought a copy of his book and Sam graciously autographed it for me. Meeting him was a real treat.
Scenes from Schweitzer. Upper left: At the top of the Lakeview triple chair. Upper right: Tom skis the bumps. Lower left: Girls just wanna have fun after skiing. Lower right: Dawn patrol on the last day.
February 17-20, 2009, Schweitzer Resort, Idaho was created by Lowell_Skoog
Top: "Schweitzer Sam" Wormington, the area's first manager, in 1965.
Bottom: Sam at the Selkirk Lodge in 2009.
During the Seattle Schools winter break, several families from our neighborhood headed to Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Idaho. A few inches of new snow fell the day before we arrived, but no additional snow fell while we were there. Brief summary:
Tuesday, Feb 17: Clear skies giving way to high clouds. The snow on the groomers was outstanding, with almost no ice. Off-piste was tracked out but plenty of fun. I did a dusk patrol on skins to the top of the mountain after darkness fell.
Wednesday, Feb 18: Inside-a-milk-bottle visibility with freezing fog. (At least the snow was good.) Rumor has it that a Schweitzer local once offered to print bumper stickers saying "May The Fog Be With You" but the ski shops and management didn't go for it.
Thursday, Feb 19: Clear dawn changing to clouds and fog by the time the lifts opened. Disappointing, but not as foggy as Wednesday. The groomers were still excellent.
Friday, Feb 20: Clear morning again. I did a dawn patrol on skins up the Great Escape lift and along the ridge to the Lakeview triple, keeping a low profile because I don't know what the ski area policy is. The clouds increased then cleared by afternoon to give us a great last day of skiing. The groomers were getting hard-packed, and some new snow would be welcome.
We packed up the cars Saturday morning and met at the cafe in the Selkirk Lodge before driving home. There we encountered Sam Wormington, Schweitzer's first manager in the 1960s. Sam's picture hangs prominently in the lobby of the hotel. After chatting awhile, I asked Sam to pose for a photo (above). In addition to being super nice (and fit!) in his eighties, Sam is author of The Ski Race, a book about early skiing in the Inland Northwest (British Columbia, Idaho and Washington). I bought a copy of his book and Sam graciously autographed it for me. Meeting him was a real treat.
Scenes from Schweitzer. Upper left: At the top of the Lakeview triple chair. Upper right: Tom skis the bumps. Lower left: Girls just wanna have fun after skiing. Lower right: Dawn patrol on the last day.
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