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DOWNHILL SKIING IN THE 50’s
by Shirley A. Ramaley
I slowly tightened my grip on the tow rope and let it pull me uphill
to the top of the ski run. I reminded myself not to suddenly grab it
or I’d fall for sure. It was 1952.
As usual, there were people ahead of me who fell. Somehow I managed to
maneuver around them without losing my grip on the rope. I knew what
it was like – I’d taken my share of falls on tow ropes myself.
I skied at Snoqualmie Pass, in Washington State, throughout my high
school years. The local newspapers sponsored ski buses to take high
school students to the Pass on Saturdays.
Every time I skied my arms ached. Not being a big person or strong,
holding those tow ropes took all my willpower and energy. By the end
of the day the muscles in my arms screamed. Of course, by the next
Saturday I was always ready to go again, because it was the thrill of
traveling downhill that made it all worthwhile.
When the T-Bar was eventually put into use at some local ski areas we
all thought we’d died and gone to heaven. While we still were pulled
uphill by the bar, with our skis on the snow, we could lean back and
hang on with one hand. There were some falls, but nothing like the tow
rope. But for my high school years, it was the tow rope that brought
us uphill so we could take that glorious ride down again.
In earlier years, in grade school, my dad borrowed some skis from a
friend. We played around on those on small hills in Washington State
for a few years. That experience made me realize I wanted to be on the
“big hills” where the “real” skiers went.
My first pair of skis was an old set that my dad found somewhere and
waxed himself. To measure the length of skis for our height, we raised
our right hand over our head as far as possible, bent our fingers, and
the ski fit right in the groove of our hand. Much, much longer than
today’s skis, stiffer, and made of wood, somehow we still learned to
ski. Plastic surfaces for skis weren’t developed until later, into the
50’s.
Safety equipment was unheard of in the 50’s, or at least on the slopes
where we skied. There were no quick release bindings available. In
fact, the top-notch skiers all seemed to use leather straps that were
attached to the skis, then wound around their ankles. In those days,
in a bad fall, the skis didn’t detach. You simply broke your leg!
There were many broken bones whether you used those straps or not. For
most of us, a metal strap fit around the backs of the boots and
another piece hooked onto them in front. Quick-releases were unheard
of.
If a ski got loose, it traveled downhill gathering speed like a bullet
on a straight course. You’d hear someone shout, “Loose ski!!” and
quickly look uphill, trying to see that missile shooting down the
hill, and hopefully manage to keep from being a target.
Our boots were leather and soft and did not give much support.
Overall, ski equipment is much better today!
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