Distinctly Montana Magazine

ry: isto kiS pment ki Equi tion of S e Evolu Th By Phil Knight L ong ago people discovered the pleasure and utility of sliding on snow. An intact ski was found in Sweden dated to 5,200 years ago, older than the Pyramids. Montana, with its long winters, deep snow and endless mountains, naturally lends itself to skiing. Early hunters in Montana may well have used some form of ski to navigate the cold winters of the late Ice Age. The word "ski" derives from the Norse word skio, meaning "stick of wood." Skis and ski gear have come a long way since early hunters scraped around on sticks and animal bones. Fashion and ski equipment have changed since 1974. 28 Cambered, side-cut skis were invented in Norway in the mid1800s by Sondre Norheim, allowing for lighter skis that were easier to turn, which eventually led to downhill skiing. The first recorded skier in Montana, Sven Peterson, was killed while skiing alone near Helena in 1868, pointing to the need for well-designed ski equipment from the get-go. Skiers soon developed skis of harder, stiffer hickory and laminated wood. Miners in Montana and elsewhere traveled and raced on long, handmade wooden skis for fun and competition. Metal edges were introduced in 1928, and sturdier, three-layer skis with better glue were available in Montana by 1932. Through the 1930s and 40s, ski builders experimented with aluminum and various types of plastics, such as Bakelite, to improve ski performance and durability. Montana was and still is at the forefront of skiing, with sixteen downhill ski areas and a huge variety of backcountry ski terrain. More than 60 developed downhill areas have operated at one time or another in Montana, including gems like Beef Trail, Karst Kamp, Z Bar T, Bear Canyon, Diamond Mountain, Pipestone Pass, Wraith Hill, and Hairpin Hill. Our modern resorts grew from mostly humble beginnings — Ski Whitefish was once called Hell Roaring; Great Divide started as Belmont; Red Lodge was Grizzly Peak; Maverick Mountain started as Rainy Mountain; Showdown began as Kings Hill; Snow Park became Montana Snowbowl. Early ski areas were modest, due to rather basic equipment and rudimentary ski lifts, built on what today would be considered intermediate or beginner terrain. Skiing as a sport started to take off in Montana in the 1930s, with ski jumping a major draw. Casper Oimen, Montana's first ski champion, set records in ski distinctly montana • winter 2014

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