Mar 22, 2009: Celebrate Mt Rainier skiing 100 yrs

http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/getimage.exe?CISOROOT=/social&CISOPTR=506&DMDIM=700&DMDIMW=800&DMDIMH=800

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The Milnor Roberts party at Longmire, March 1909. Milnor Roberts is second from right. The party included Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dabney, Miss Edith Dabney, Carl F. Gould, Milnora Roberts (sister of Milnor Roberts, far left), and Tacoma Mayor William W. Seymour and his wife.  Photo: U.W. Special Collections, Social Issues Collection (SOC 499), see link .

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On March 18, 1909, a party of skiers arrived at Longmire on Mount Rainier for a week of skiing. They toured from Longmire to Paradise (and beyond) during several day-trips. The party was organized by Milnor Roberts, Dean of the U.W.'s College of Mines, and included architect Carl F. Gould and Mayor William W. Seymour of Tacoma. Milnor Roberts later wrote :

We skied up to Paradise Valley and on to the Ranger's cabin of which only the ridge was visible. That was the only structure in the area at that time. As we traversed the open slopes, now smooth with a great depth of snow, our skis hidden deep in the powder snow slid quietly along to make the only marks of man's presence even for a day, or at least the only visible one. The possibilities of Paradise as a winter resort so impressed us that I wrote an article for the National Geographic Magazine, published it with some of our photos and two views by Romans in the June 1909 issue with the title "A Wonderland of Glaciers and Snow." Apparently this 8-page article was the first one on the subject to appear in a publication of national circulation.

It's unknown what skiing was done on Rainier before this time.  Surely there was some--but not much.  For me, the March 1909 outing by Roberts marks the beginning of recreational skiing on Mount Rainier.  His National Geographic article announced the birth of a new sport in the Cascades.  (For brief notes on the article click here .)

I think it would be fitting to mark the centennial of this event somehow.  Perhaps we should organize a gathering of skiers at Paradise later this winter. With a little publicity, this could be a good way to remind the public and the National Park of the long history of skiing on Mount Rainier. What do you think?

A gathering to pay homage to our heritage sounds good to me.

Maybe an attempt can be made to bring back the dress as a womens ski garment and fashion statement. Bring it on ladies!

Great idea Lowell!  Maybe we should all dig out & don our antique gear - of whatever vintage...or, hold another Silver Ski race?  Make whatever we do benefits the NWAC, or RNP? Or, a vintage rando race or tour?  All kinds of wild and fun possibilities!!

Sounds great. Being a Don with antique gear, it's a natural.

I'm floating this idea as a trial balloon. I'm curious to see if there is interest, and wondering how such an event might be put together. If we come up with good ideas, it may be worthwhile to contact one of the newspapers to put together a story.

A commemorative event like this would be a good way to raise the profile of backcountry skiing and its long history at Paradise. This could yield benefits down the road on some of the management issues that TAY'ers are concerned about.

I'm in ! Count on me for help. Please notice that these pictured skiers were on telemark gear. . Seriously, we could have contingents by decades possibly including some 10th mountain representation. A nifty 50s or sixties wagon with ski rack?Exactly right!

What a rare shot--telemark gear noted, but here's another surprising observation: the women out number the men! I'm inspired. A re-enactment sounds like fun, too. Keep me posted.

Here are more U.W. photos of the 1909 Roberts party:

content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewe...=/social&CISOPTR=504
content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewe...=/social&CISOPTR=505
content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewe...=/social&CISOPTR=503
content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewe...=/social&CISOPTR=507
content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewe...=/social&CISOPTR=508

The Leisure-Skiing (Ec) folder in the Social Issues collection contains other photos that are not available digitally.

If we wanted to do a re-enactment that a photographer and/or writer could take part in, I'd suggest a tour from the Paradise visitor center to Sluiskin Falls (or thereabouts). Sluiskin Falls was the high point of the Roberts party tours, according to the National Geographic article . If it was a nice day, the outing would be a skiing picnic. If it was a poor day--well--we'd have to play it by ear.

I wonder how hard it would be to dig up some old clothes and/or skis? Goodwill or Value Village?

Here's another very cool photo from that period. The description says "circa 1907," but it's hard to know if that's accurate:

content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewe...=/barnes&CISOPTR=133

I agree a celebration/skier convocation would be a great idea and invite those adventure guys from Tacoma News Tribune ....

Tom Bonce of NPR would probably want ot cover an event like this; he showed up for Slushcup 2007 and did a good story.
I think I have my old wool knickers buried under a bunch of sweaters....

I am interested. Probably could interest my son in going too. I would try to make such an event but it might be tough going in the heat of baseball season, however.

I think an article in the news would be a gentle reminder to the park service and all citizens regarding the area's use and history of such use. Precedence is important, in my opinion, as to future use claims.

Alan

I have lots of old ski's w/bamboo poles. Would be fun to get out and play with them.

If I understand the law correctly, the copyright for the following article expired about 5 years ago. So it's okay to reprint it here in full. Enjoy:

A Wonderland of Glaciers and Snow

By Milnor Roberts, University of Washington, Seattle 
National Geographic Magazine, Vol. 20, 1909, pp. 530-537

The Editor of the National Geographic Society recently asked the members to name those articles in the last volume of the Society's Magazine which seemed most interesting.  Opinions on such a question naturally would differ widely, but it must be admitted that in the remarkable array of subjects treated some of the most striking articles consisted of illustrated descriptions of snow-clad mountains and polar regions.  The remoteness of these scenes may add to their charm, but it also lessens our chances of ever seeing them.  The Mount Rainier National Park, a wonderland of glaciers and snow in our own country, is so easily reached in summer that it is becoming fairly well known to travelers.  A recent visit to the park made by the writer and a party of friends has shown that the slopes of Mount Rainier may be reached even in winter without discomfort. 

The Mount Rainier National Park, of 324 square miles area, includes the symmetrical, glacier-clad slopes of the mountain and a broad belt of magnificent forest land around its base.  In 1883, Professor Zittel, the geologist, and Prof.  James Bryce wrote of Rainier: 

"The peak itself is as noble a mountain as we have ever seen in its lines and structure.  ...  The combination of ice scenery with woodland scenery of the grandest type is to be found nowhere in the Old World, unless it be in the Himalayas, and, so far as we know, nowhere else on the American Continent." 

The altitude of Rainier has been reported between 14,394 feet and 14,526 feet, placing it either first or second among the peaks in the United States proper.  A difference of a few feet, which can be determined only by accurate measurement, is of slight importance to the ordinary observer.  The noteworthy facts are that Rainier stands absolutely alone, is snow-clad throughout the year, and may be seen in its entirety from sea-level at distances of forty to one hundred miles to the westward. 

The Cascade Range, in its north-south course across the State of Washington, has a general summit elevation varying from five to seven thousand feet, above which tower the volcanic peaks of Mounts Adams, Saint Helens, Baker, and Rainier.  Glaciers still linger on nearly all the higher peaks, as relics of the ice-sheet which once covered the whole range.  Many cirques of former glaciers are occupied now by fields of snow and neve of great thickness.  The snowfall is heavy throughout the mountains, due to the chilling of the warm, moist winds from the Pacific.  In spite of the glaciers and snows, the winter climate of the Cascades is mild. 

The railway station nearest to the Mount Rainier National Park is Ashford, on the southwest, fifty-five miles from Puget Sound by the Tacoma and Eastern Railway.  Camping parties with wagons or automobiles must come in from the lower country by the county road passing through Ashford, but pack-trains can be driven into the park by four or five other routes.  The county road from Ashford continues up the Nisqually River for six miles, to the western boundary of the park at which point it joins the government road.  The latter has a maximum grade of 4 per cent, and extends to Paradise Park, a favorite camping ground near timber-line, between the Nisqually and Paradise glaciers. 

In summer the Ashford stages run thirteen miles, to Longmire's Springs, where there are two hotels.  The road is open however past Nisqually Glacier and Narada Falls several miles farther up. 

During the season of 1909 a temporary road with steeper grades will be completed to Camp of the Clouds, at an altitude of 5,600 feet.  Eventually the permanent road will reach 7,000 feet, where trails will branch off.  An automobile party leaving Seattle or Tacoma in the morning can pitch its evening camp in one of the dense groves of stunted trees at timber-line in the shadow of the great peak, looking out upon the jagged pinnacles of the Tatoosh Range and the vast forest wilderness to the westward. 

On March 18 our party found three feet of snow at the National Park Inn at Longmire's Springs.  On the morning after our arrival a dense cloud-bank hung a few hundred feet overhead.  Frequent flurries of snow came drifting down from it, now in matted bunches of moist flakes an inch wide, again as separate crystals, these in turn giving way to little rounded pellets like dry sago, which hopped from bough to bough down through the evergreens. Our skis settled silently through the fresh snow, as we trailed up the government road along the Nisqually River, intending to break a trail part way to Paradise Valley, the goal of our trip. During the midday thaw, masses of snow clung to the worn spots on the sole of a certain ski in the outfit.  After many gyrations and contortions had been made by its fair owner in removing the burden, she announced piously, "My soul is ready for Paradise," and on we "mushed" again. 

On the trail up the narrow valley of the Paradise River the snow was found to be a foot deeper for each two or three hundred feet of elevation gained.  So quietly had the flakes fallen in the sheltered valleys that each stump and fallen tree was covered almost as deeply as the surrounding ground, as some of the photographs show.  On the exposed ridges, however, the winds had piled huge drifts over the brow of every leeward slope. 

Cornices of snow overhanging the crags of Eagle Peak had broken off and shot down its precipitous northern side, coming to rest on a long talus slope near the stream.  There we reveled in ski sliding and jumping.  Huge boulders in the talus beneath the seven-foot covering of snow had caused hummocks on the surface which served us in place of the artificial take-offs used in regular ski jumping. 

Two divisions of our party made the ascent to Paradise Valley. The first group consisted of three men, including the writer.  We followed the general course of the horse-trail, but made frequent cut-offs by crossing Paradise River on the snow bridges.  The only toilsome part of the journey was at Narada Falls, where we were forced to navigate our skis sidewise, in crab fashion, up the steep slope.  Half a mile farther upstream, on the second bridge of the government wagon road, the snow measured more than two ski-lengths in depth, at least fourteen feet, without a sign of drifting.  Under the bridge was a pool of open water overhung on all sides by rounded cornices of soft snow.  A few inky-bottomed wells marked the upper course of the stream for a short distance, until it disappeared entirely under the deepening load of snow. 

The long, open meadow in Paradise Valley lay like a smooth floor of snow, rising slightly until it merged into the final slopes of Mount Rainier.  The surrounding ridges, dotted with the tops of stunted trees, had been so rounded and smoothed by drifting that the small gulches and hillocks of ground were almost blotted out. Constant shifting of the dry snow had produced a fine, powdery surface everywhere.  All appearances indicated that the snow in the open meadow of Paradise Valley was much deeper than at the bridge where we had measured it.  The difference in location and elevation of the two localities may be held accountable for such a condition.  Some marks which we made on a tree trunk at the surface level of the snow will be interesting reading in summer. 

Excellent views of Mount Rainier and its southern glaciers were had on a brilliant sunny day from the Ramparts, a long ridge covered with standing burnt timber, extending southward from the mountain.  A series of cascades in the South Tahoma Glacier caused the ice to stand out in jagged blocks against the skyline. The surface of the Kautz Glacier was perfectly smooth with snow except at its cascades.  From Gibraltar Rock a snow banner as large as the rock itself waved to the eastward. 

On March 24, another cloudless day, two young ladies of our party, accompanied by James McCullough, watchman at the National Park Inn, made a ski trip to Sluiskin Falls, considerably beyond the point reached by the first party.  As both the ladies had ascended Rainier in summer, they could enjoy to the utmost the wonderful view of the snow-clad range spread out before them. 

The Cascade Range in its winter garb is just beginning to be appreciated.  Hotels at several mountain resorts now remain more or less open throughout the winter.  The great advantage of visiting the higher altitudes lies in the drier snow usually found there, with only a slightly lower temperature.  The beauties of the forests and the snow-fields may be seen without hardship by any visitor, while experienced mountaineers have unlimited opportunities for climbing and exploring on trips of two or three days.  The writer's experience, gained through mining work in various parts of the range at all seasons, has been that only the severest storms or the heaviest rains make the Cascades unpleasant.  So far as ski sport is concerned, it would be difficult to imagine more perfect riding than can be had on the many miles of varied slopes in Paradise Park.  Judging by the fresh tracks of snowshoe rabbit, weasel, marten, fox, wildcat, white goat, and bear which our party saw in a few days, it is safe to say that the Mount Rainier National Park offers good chances to the camera-hunter. 

Interesting snippet from the article: "it would be difficult to imagine more perfect riding than can be had on the many miles of varied slopes in Paradise Park"

Even back then they were anticipating the use of snowboards.

How enlightened!

Alan

"The combination of ice scenery with woodland scenery of the grandest type is to be found nowhere in the Old World, unless it be in the Himalayas, and, so far as we know, nowhere else on the American Continent."

I agree!!  What a great article!

Bring the reporters, press, and even those folks who do promotional interviews for the park service.  I agree with the others, establishing precedence is important.  Regardless, I would love to participate in a 100 year celebration of skiing on this magnificent mountain simply because I love skiing there.

Great Idea! I would love to drag my 93 year old Dad along to tell stories. He just taught his last ski lesson at Stevens in January, and now only wants to ski on nice days with good snow.

As for the women skiers, my grandmother taught me to ski in the early 50's since my Dad was too busy working when it snowed in Seattle. She taught us on a big hill at the West Seattle golf course around where Alaska way intersects 35th SW. My grandmother probably learned to ski out of necessity since she was from Nebraska, but moved to Seattle around the turn of the century and took the skill to the recreation level. This whole phenomenon requires all grandmother's to keep up their skiing skills to teach the future generations how to have fun without spending much money.

Some of my earliest ski memories were driving up to Rainier to find the road closed at Nerada Falls. Then Dad waxing our old wood skis with cable bindings for the climb to Paradise. Those days it seemed to me that we passed all kinds of folks en route to Paradise. It was the place to go.

Jane

I've put out feelers and there may be newspaper interest in this story. I'll know more in a few days.

In any case, I'd like to commemorate this event even if the media isn't interested. A good case can be made that the 1909 Roberts outing represents the birth of recreational skiing in Washington state. The centennial of this event is too unique an occasion to pass up.

I'd like to propose Sunday, March 22 as the day to gather at Paradise to celebrate 100 years of Rainier skiing. The Roberts party began their week-long outing on March 18, 1909, so the March 21-22, 2009 weekend is the right one to shoot for. For strictly personal reasons, Sunday works best for me.

Dig up the oldest gear and clothing you can find--or just come as you are. I'm planning to visit some second-hand stores to look for wool clothes and maybe a jaunty hat like the guy on the right is wearing in the opening photo of this thread. I've also started applying TLC to a pair of hickory skis from the Mountaineers clubhouse dungeon. I'm hoping to use them with a pair of leather climbing boots. Anybody know where I can find a bamboo ski staff? If you'd like to dress like the pioneers, look at the photo links posted above. Is anyone daring enough to wear a dress?

If you'd like to come, or if you have ideas or suggestions, feel free to post here. We can work out the details later, but I wanted to put the date out here and move the planning along.

Ski heil!

A few shots of the skis I've been working on. A little cleaning and polishing goes a long way.

Voile straps--is there anything they can't do? 

I've been in touch with Craig Hill of the Tacoma Herald Tribune. There's a good chance the paper will do a story about the Rainier centennial before the March 21-22 weekend.

I've been thinking about activities for March 22. Tour to Sluiskin Falls? Costume contest? Picnic? Other ideas?

I went to Value Village the other night and picked up a tweed golf cap. Rather small. I'd like to find a larger one...

Nice set-up and nice work!  I've got some old mountaineering gloves...maybe a small race...short and sweet - both downhill and skating?

I'd like to propose Sunday, March 22 as the day to gather at Paradise to celebrate 100 years of Rainier skiing.

I'll put this date on the calendar and am planning to be there. Sounds great!

I spoke with Craig Hill of the Tacoma News Tribune this morning. He is filing a story about the Rainier ski centennial that should appear in the paper on Thursday, March 19. From our conversation, it sounds like this could be a nice story that discusses the changes in skiing that have occurred at Mt Rainier over the last century.

The story will also provide information for anyone who might like to come celebrate the centennial on Sunday, March 22. I told Craig that we would be meeting at the new Paradise visitor center after the Longmire gate opens in the morning. But I also said he should mention turns-all-year.com as the place to find the latest planning details.

In the meantime, I've been gradually putting together an old-fashioned ski outfit. Photo below (click thumbnail to enlarge).

Vest and shoulder bag: Value Village. Bamboo pole: Sky Nursery. Socks: REI snowboard department. Skis: The Mountaineers Archives. Hat: Byrnie Utz Hats in Seattle (yeah, I splurged on the hat).   The rest of the stuff I had already.

Anybody else want to dress up? There's no requirement, but it would be great to see more costumes.

My rough idea is to meet at the Paradise visitor center, take some photos, then tour to Sluiskin Falls. Getting there and back on the old skis I'm bringing may be a challenge. If the weather is nice, we'll ski a little, have a picnic, maybe a little commemorative ceremony. Then return to Paradise (or split up and seek your favorite stash). I'm planning to bring modern gear in the car for afternoon skiing. My wife and son will probably come as well.

If you have other ideas for making this a fun day, feel free to post them here. I'll post more details on the meeting arrangements in the coming days...

barring unforseen circumstances, I'll see you there!

I sent a message to Randy King, acting superintendent of Rainier National Park telling him about the Sunday March 22 celebration and inviting him and any of his park staff to join us. I received a reply from Chuck Young, chief ranger. He wrote:

Sounds like a fun time, and I wanted to let you know we would be very interested in having one or two of our staff join you on the ski up to Sluiskin Falls and back.
...
Can't guarantee our ranger(s) well be dressed in circa 1900's garb, but we would enjoy meeting with your group.

That sounds great to me. The current forecast is calling for a good shot of snow or rain on Friday, with showery and cooler weather on Saturday. This morning's NWAC extended forecast predicts "Weak upper ridging offshore should yield decreasing and more scattered showers Saturday night with a brief clearing trend likely Sunday."

With advice from a frequent Rainier skier, I've been mulling over a meeting time. I suggest arriving at Longmire at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning, March 22. If the gate is open, we'll continue immediately to Paradise and gather in the Visitor Center around 10:30 a.m. This meeting time is a compromise based on my gut feeling (neither too early nor too late, I hope).

The rough plan is to meet at the visitor center to welcome everyone and get organized. Then we'll ski toward Sluiskin Falls. Conditions permitting, it might be nice to climb to Mazama Ridge near the Stevens/Van Trump memorial. If the weather is not too bad this could be a good place for a lunch break. After lunch I expect to return to Paradise. Others could do the same or split and hunt for powder. I'm assuming that all the skiers attending will be self-sufficient.

I hope to see you there!

Words of support from Acting Superintendent Randy King:

I very much appreciate your note and the invitation to park employees to participate in the commemorative outing on Sunday.    One hundred years of skiing is a noteworthy event!

Mr. King has expressed interest in joining us if his schedule permits.

Lowell ,
as usual you have done a lot of hard work. I wish I coud be there but this morning the schedule board at work reminded me I'm on call this weekend.
Bummer because I was looking forward to skiing on my A&T olympic models with army surplus skins,

Thanks for your work on this great idea, Lowell!  A well-written publicity article was just posted:
www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/677149.html   Hope the weather cooperates on Sunday...

I corresponded with the interpretive ranger at the Jackson visitor center today. He's given the okay for me to show a short movie on Sunday on their projection system. I was thinking it might be fun to do this after the ski tour (for those interested) as a way to regroup and warm up. I'm thinking to show Bob and Ira Spring's "Skiing Above the Clouds," which is described on the following web page.

www.mountaineers.org/history/notes/movie/spring-movies.html

"Skiing Above the Clouds", Circa 1955, 16mm color with sound, 12-1/2 minutes

This film was sponsored by Fisher Flouring Mills, the makers of Zoom instant cereal. A party of four skiers plans a traverse from Paradise to the White River across the glaciers of Mount Rainier. They are shown packing their 60 lb. loads including Zoom. They climb to Camp Muir carrying huge packs and using canvas climbing sleeves on their skis. The next morning they leave their packs behind to tour and ski among the crevasses. This scenic segment was filmed on the Emmons Glacier below the north face of Little Tahoma Peak. Later, the skiers pack up and travel to a camp on the other side of the mountain. In the morning they prepare Zoom and Paul Wiseman enjoys it for breakfast. They set out again without packs and explore scenic crevasses, making delicate crossings on skis. On the last day, they descend through timber to their waiting car.

Some of you may have seen my showings of this film before. It's an enjoyable film that's appropriate for the occasion.

Thanks for your work on this great idea, Lowell!  A well-written publicity article was just posted:
www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/677149.html   Hope the weather cooperates on Sunday...

Nice full page spread in the Adventure Section (just a little sliver at the bottom on the upcoming Coho season).

Lowell, Folks - Doug and I will plan to attend. This gives me a chance to use some of my Dad's old equipment. Mostly 40's or 50's era stuff so more for personal nostalgia perhaps than history. Not sure at this point how well we will get around on it. It it pretty level to Sluiskin Falls? I'll bring some modern skins in case. Looking forward to it!

Mostly 40's or 50's era stuff so more for personal nostalgia perhaps than history. Not sure at this point how well we will get around on it. It it pretty level to Sluiskin Falls? I'll bring some modern skins in case. Looking forward to it! 

Sounds great, Garth! Below is a thumbnail of the route I'm thinking of (click to enlarge).

Topo! shows a climb of 768ft over a distance of 1.36mi. I may try to do this using cross-country ski wax, but I'll have strap-on skins along for backup. Bring plenty of duct tape! Did they have that in 1909?

I was thinking of following the road from the parking lot to the head of Paradise Valley and, if weather and snow conditions are okay, maybe climbing to the Stevens-Van Trump memorial, which should provide a bit of a viewpoint. This seems like a pretty avalanche safe route, but we'll see. If any Paradise regulars have other suggestions, I'm all ears.