Tag: Whistler Mountain

Skiing by the Book with Toni SailerSkiing by the Book with Toni Sailer

March 19, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

Book learning may not be the first method that comes to mind when teaching someone to ski, but looking through the museum’s reference shelf you’ll find multiple examples of publications aiming to improve skiers’ technique and ability, often attached to at least one notable name. One such book is Ski with Toni Sailer in Flip Vision Photographs from 1964, though the copy at the museum is a reprint from 1967.

The front cover of Ski with Toni Sailer in Flip Vision Photographs.

Toni Sailer, born in Austria in 1935, became the first ski racer to sweep all three disciplines at the Olympic Winter Games in 1956 when we won the downhill, slalom, and giant slalom in Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy) at the age of 19. Sailer acted (and skied) in films, recorded albums, developed business interests in ski equipment and clothing, worked for the Austrian Skiing Association, was named “Austrian Sportspersonality of the Year” from 1956 to 1958 and “Austrian Sportspersonality of the Century.” He also won four gold medals in world competitions before retiring from ski racing in 1959 and was awarded the Olympic Order in 1985. Around Whistler, however, he might be best known for his work with the summer ski camps on Whistler Mountain beginning in 1967.

Whistler Mountain hosted its first summer ski camp in 1966, the summer after the mountain had opened to skiers. The camp offered coaching to intermediate and advanced skiers, as well as junior racers. From 1967, the Racing Camp was run under the personal direction of Toni Sailer, described by Garibaldi’s Whistler News as “one of the greatest Alpine racers of all time.” Skiers from 9 to 20 came to Whistler Mountain to train with Sailer and the camp became known as the Toni Sailer Summer Ski Camp (the camp’s wooden sign is currently on display at the Whistler Museum). Over the years, other notable names came to coach on Whistler Mountain as well, including Nancy Greene, Wayne Wong, and Crazy Canuck Dave Murray, who took over direction of the camp in 1984.

Toni Sailer and Nancy Green on the 1979 Molson World Cup Downhill course on Whistler Mountain. Whistler Question Collection, 1979

While not as hands-on as coaching at the summer ski camps, Ski with Toni Sailer is an interesting (and often entertaining) look at Sailer’s approach to skiing. Costing only $1 in 1967 (adjusted for today, that would be just under $9), the book is meant to supplement rather than replace formal instruction and readers are encouraged also to visit a “reputable certified ski school.”

Ski with Toni Sailer opens with the statement “Skiing is the superlative of all sports” and goes on to say the “Skiing is more than just a sport. It is a way of life, an addiction that becomes a part of you.” After making it clear that there is no minimum or maximum age required to ski (Sailer describes his father introducing him to the sport at the age of two), the book moves to practical matters such as picking the right equipment and clothing. Though much of this advice has changed over the past sixty years as skis have gotten shorter and clothing designs have evolved, some advice, such as how to grip your ski pole, appears to be timeless.

Flipping through the book shows Toni Sailer move through four different techniques at once.

After stretching and strengthening exercises, the skier is led onto the hill and instructed on how to walk and turn on their skis. This is followed by chapters dedicated to specific techniques such as snow-plow turns, sideslipping, and slalom. Perhaps the best part of the book are the Flip Vision photographs that accompany these chapters. Skiers can watch Toni Sailer demonstrate twelve different techniques “as you would view a motion picture” simply by flipping the pages before trying them out themselves.

While this is not the only flip book produced to teach skiing, today the ease of making, viewing, and sharing videos means that books are an uncommon method of teaching the sport. If, however, you’re interested in perfecting your technique be seeing how Toni Sailer did it, come by and check out the museum’s reference section.

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Tokum Film NightsTokum Film Nights

March 5, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

When searching for a place to hold a film screening, a cabin in the woods in probably not the first venue that comes to mind. Tokum Corners, however, hosted multiple screenings of films captured by George Benjamin in the 1970s.

George Benjamin first came to Whistler Mountain on a ski trip in 1968 before moving to the area in 1970. He briefly stayed at Toad Hall before moving into Tokum Corners with Rod MacLeod and John Hetherington. Though they bought the building from Daisy Barnfield for $1,100 (about $6,800 today), they leased the land from BC Rail as it was right beside the train tracks on the southwest end of Alta Lake.

Tokum Corners, as seen across the tracks in 1971. Benjamin Collection.

Tokum Corners had no running water and no electricity when they first moved in. Within the first couple of years, they managed to connect the property to the power lines running through the valley, followed soon after by the addition of a well and water system, though Tokum Corners never was connected to any kind of sewer system. The building itself was once described by Hetherington as “a shack sort of in the woods” and was reportedly often repaired using found materials, creating a somewhat hodgepodge appearance.

Thanks to Benjamin, who at the time was a semi-professional photographer, we have quite a few images of Tokum Corners in the archives. He donated over 8,200 images taken during his time in Whistler to the archives in 2010, all of which have now been digitized and many of which have been shared in social media posts, articles and more. The collection, which includes shots of ski patrol, baseball games, and trips to Squamish to do laundry, provides a candid look at life for some Whistler residents in the 1970s and early 1980s.

A creative approach to entering Alpine Meadows after a flood. George Benjamin Collection.

Along with thousands of photographs, Benjamin also shot 16mm films during his time in the area. He was able to follow along with ski patrol on Whistler Mountain while they worked on avalanche control and captured some impressive slides on film, as well as events and happenings in the valley. They films would be screened at Tokum Corners, usually with a soundtrack (at least one person has told us that Pink Floyd’s 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon was a fitting accompaniment to avalanches) and viewers crowded in.

Tokum Corners was dismantled by the early 1990s and no trace of the building remains on the site today. Evidence of its importance as a cornerstone of social life in the valley, however, remains in photographs, films, memories, and even “Tokum,” the ski run on Whistler Mountain that got its name from the residence.

An avalanche set off during control on Whistler Mountain. George Benjamin Collection.

Recently, the museum was able to acquire the Benjamin Film Collection and, thanks to the support of the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, purchase equipment to digitize 16mm film. Last summer, our collections student Liam McCrorie digitized the Benjamin films along with other 16mm films in the archives, such as the collection of Jim McConkey’s films that he donated in 2016. This spring, the museum will be hosting a couple of different events to share these films, so be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming announcements soon!

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Whistler’s Women’s World Cup DownhillWhistler’s Women’s World Cup Downhill

February 20, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

Though Whistler began hosting World Cup downhill races in 1982 (or earlier, depending on how you look at it), in early 1994 Whistler was preparing to host its first Women’s World Cup Downhill on March 5 & 6, followed a week later by a Men’s World Cup downhill and Super G. While there had been previous Women’s World Cup races held on Whistler Mountain in the 1970s, the downhill races had been cancelled due to weather, though the GS races had gone ahead.

In January, volunteers were still being recruited to join the ranks of veteran Weasel Workers and it was expected that they would start setting up the course on Dave Murray Downhill by the end of the month. According to the Whistler Question, the Dave Murray Downhill course was considered “one of a few ‘classic’ downhill courses” with jumps, flats, drop-offs, high speed turns and more. Some changes had been made to the course in 1992 to make it more exciting for racers and more accessible for fans, including the addition of two off-camber turns below Coaches Corner and the Hot Air Jump.

Weasel Worker Dean Fletcher prepares for the World Cup. Whistler Question Collection, 1994

As in many years, the weather was a popular topic in the lead up to the World Cup races and many people were concerned about whether the races would be able to go ahead. January 1994 was unseasonably warm, prompting the Question to ask readers “Is the recent warm weather giving you spring fever?” By the beginning of February, Whistler Mountain had to announce changes to the Peak to Valley race course because there was not enough snow to ski down to the valley. Instead, the start of the race was moved higher up to just below the Saddle entrance to the Glacier Bowl and the course was shortened.

Worries about the snow were eased on February 9, 1994 when 28cm fell overnight. According to a report from Bonny Makarewicz, “Skiers and merchants woke up with smiles on their faces as the countdown to the World Cup has begun in earnest.” The snow continued to fall and by the end of February the mountains had received nine feet of snow in nine days. At the beginning of March, however, the weather had turned again and planned training runs for the inaugural Warsteiner Women’s World Cup races were canceled. When team captains examined the course on March 2, they found that the snow was too soft to be safe for training runs and volunteer crews were scheduled to work all day to re-anchor nets and fences that had been left unsecured after the course lost 40cm of snow overnight.

Despite poor conditions, chief of race Joan Giannelli remained optimistic. The rest of her leadership team (which included Nancy Greene as race chair, Michelle Brown, Andrée Janyk in charge of gatekeepers, and Brenda Oaks as chief of timing) agreed and their optimism was rewarded. Training runs were held on Friday, March 4 and the race was able to go ahead on the weekend. Katja Seizinger of Germany placed first, followed by Pernilla Wiberg of Sweden and Michelle Ruthven of Canada.

Ben Ardet, Brenda Oakes, and Louis Sohar take shelter from the rain in a makeshift cover on the Dave Murray World Cup Downhill Course. Whistler Question Collection, 1994

World Cup events in Whistler included more than just the races. The Kokanee Rock N’ Ski Party featured eight different bands performing on the bar circuit and the Whistler Village Art Gallery featured works of BC sports artists Dale Cooper, Brent Lynch and Ken Wesman in the second annual World Cup Show. Other newsworthy events that took place during the World Cup races included the announcement by Canadian racer Kerrin Lee-Gartner of her retirement and the gathering of Canada’s Olympic and World Downhill gold medalists at a benefit dinner for the Whistler Health Care Centre.

Canada’s Michelle Ruthven, Germany’s Katja Seizenger and Sweden’s Pernilla Wiberg share the podium after Whistler’s first Women’s World Cup Downhill race on Saturday. Whistler Question Collection, Doug Alexander

Despite continued uncertain weather, the Men’s World Cup Downhill and Super G races were also able to ahead the following week and the 1994 World Cup in Whistler was considered a success. However, while the Men’s World Cup races did return in February 1995, the Women’s World Cup did not and the Canadian stop of the tour was moved to December in Lake Louise.

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Park-and-Ride the Olympic WayPark-and-Ride the Olympic Way

February 13, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

When speaking with skiers who skied Whistler Mountain in the 1960s and 70s, we often hear stories about skiing down to the dump where the Whistler Village sits today. When Whistler Mountain opened in January 1966, the only lifts up the mountain began at the gondola base in today’s Creekside and there were no runs heading down the north side. With the additions of lifts such as the Blue Chair (1966) and Green Chair (1968), new runs were cut leading to the dump area, but no new lifts were installed north of the gondola area; instead, Garibaldi Lifts Ltd. built the Olympic Parking Lot.

The Olympic Parking Lot got its name from the Olympic Run, the “easy way” that skiers could take down to the valley (the Olympic Run still forms part of the ski out today). The Garibaldi Olympic Development Association, which had close ties to the lift company, worked on bids for multiple Olympic Winter Games and the Olympic Run ended at the proposed site for the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Villages. By the 1970s, Garibaldi Lifts was actively promoting the parking lot located there, in part to ease traffic and parking further south down the highway. For skiers, however, skiing down the Olympic Run and using the parking lot required a bit more forethought.

The Olympic Parking Lot eased parking at the gondola base in today’s Creekside. Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation Collection

In 1972, the lift company urged skiers to check the Information Booth for the schedule of the free bus that ran between the bottom of Olympic Run and the gondola base and to “be sure to allow in sufficient time to catch the last Olympic bus” so they were not stranded at the end of the day if the ski out took longer than expected. Garibaldi Lifts also encouraged skiers, particularly those staying or living north of the gondola area, to leave their cars at the Olympic Parking Lot and catch the morning bus to the lifts, thereby avoiding the lineups for the afternoon buses.

Heading down the Olympic Run would have taken skiers to the Olympic Parking Lot before these two lifts (Black and Olympic Chairs) were built. Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation Collection

In the spring of 1974, the lift company again promoted their free Olympic Parking Lot in a letter to their customers published in Garibaldi’s Whistler News. They stated:

At the Olympic Parking Lot, your car will be safe, off the highway and you will avoid problems with the highway authorities. Also, you will not be held responsible for causing traffic jams on the highway, or an accident in the case of illegally parked cars.

Garibaldi’s Whistler News, Spring 1974

From their letter, it would appear that parking around the gondola area had become a problem and the lift company had most likely been contacted by the highway authorities.

While the Olympic Parking Lot was convenient for those skiing on weekends, weekday skiers still had to get themselves to the gondola area as the lift company’s bus only ran on weekends. Janet Love Morrison first visited Whistler Mountain on a class trip in the early 1970s and recalled that Lower Olympic Run was only open on the weekend because of this. She and some classmates decided to rebel by skiing down the run anyways and had to rely on a passing tow truck driver to get them back to their bus by the gondola before it left for Port Coquitlam.

Concrete forms are piled up on the Olympic Parking Lot. Whistler Question Collection, 1979

By the end of the 1970s, the Olympic Parking Lot and the dump had been replaced by the early construction of the Whistler Village. In 1980, Whistler Mountain opened its first lifts going up from the Village, including the Olympic Chair that connected the Village Chair and the Black Chair.

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