The Hochie Hearsay Issue 22

Issue 22

A Periodic Bulletin of Ski Club Hochgebirge

February 28, 2024

Welcome Gregory Anthony

Winter Issue 2024

We are always looking for content, member news, ski history, ski racing, photos and a touch of skier braggadocio so please:

submit.

Hope to see you at the Hilton for some spring skiing!

Onward through the deep snow!

A Bright Idea

By Meghan McCarthy McPhaul———Excerpted from : A History of Cannon Mountain: Trails, Tales and Skiing Legends-- A must have for every skier's library…. Purchase here

A series of serendipitous events through the 1930s contributed to Franconia's rise as a ski center: the ski school at Peckett's, construction of the Taft Trail, and the Hochgebirgers and their introduction of racing to the local ski scene. But it was the 1938 opening of the first passenger aerial tramway in North America that cemented Cannon's place at the summit of American skiing and launched the mountain's development as a modern ski area.

The idea of building an aerial tramway in New Hampshire was introduced in 1933 by Alec Bright and was intriguing enough to garner national attention. At the time, there were no means of uphill travel at ski slopes in the United States. The first rope tow would open in January 1934 in Woodstock, Vermont; the J-bar lift would not be introduced for two more years; and the chairlift, which became the favorite of ski areas everywhere, would not make its world debut until 1936 in Sun Valley, and not in the East until 1937, at the Belknap Recreation Area in New Hampshire.(1969) The thrill of a mountain descent in the early 1930s came only after a strenuous climb.......

Wife Deb & SCH President Nick de Sherbinin (m.1999)

Message from the President

I’m honored to take the helm of Ski Club Hochgebirge from Greg Anthony, serving as president once again. Long-time members may remember that I served as president of the Club twenty years ago. It’s a pleasure to find the Club in stable financial condition with an active membership bringing renewed vitality to the Hochie Hilton. Greg has moved over to Club secretary duties and long-time treasurer Lane Mann volunteered for the Vice President position. Both bring what the business world calls ‘institutional knowledge’ to Club operations and we all benefit from it. Mark O’Connor has ably taken on the role of treasurer and House Chair Krystian Macek is becoming familiar with the maintenance challenges of a 75-year-old house. Lili Winslow remains as race chair, having successfully overseen the recent 84th running of the Hochgebirge Challenge Cup at Cannon Mountain’s Mittersill race course.

My priorities for the Club are to......Read More

Fun Fact

Who is the Taft Trail named after?

Answer

Hochie Hilton Wish List

Please consider donating to the Hilton. We could use the following items.

Area Rug no larger than 5' x 8'
Runner rug no larger than 3' x 15'
2, Large Ceramic mixing bowls to act as salad bowl or a large batch pancake batter bowl
Small couch or loveseat no longer than 5'
3, Bath mats
2, medium to small size waste paper baskets

Contact Krystian Macek

2024 Calendar

01/08-18/24 UNH Alpine Ski Team exclusive at the Hilton

01/19/24 NESM 2023 Spirit Skiing Award Reception

01/20/24 Hochgebirge Challenge Cup Race

03/8-10/24 27th Hannes Schneider Meister Cup

05/4-5/24 SCH Spring Work Weekend

?????? Sumer Outing ?????

TBD SCH Fall Work Weekend

12/3/24 SCH Annual Meeting & Dinner

Secretary's Report & Meeting Minutes

Despite an iffy start to the 2024 ski season weather wise. I am happy to report that UNH Alpine ski team loved staying at the Hilton for their training in early January. I was there the day they departed, for college kids they left our Hilton in remarkably good condition. We are now making plans for next year with hopefully UNH taking possession of the Club on January 2, 2025 for nine consecutive days.

Sadly on Jan 13th we said good bye to long time member Mark Standley (1969). His memorial service was held at the Annisquam Village Hall. It was a packed house full of friends, sailors, skiers and a number of our members. There were several speakers. Representing SCH, here’s what I read,

“Dear Mark,

This is a letter I should've written long ago. I'm so sorry you're only getting it now.”……Link to remembrance

Member usage at the Hilton has been good and lodging revenues are helping our treasury. We do have a housekeeper however in order to keep costs down (currently only $50./week) she only washes the kitchen floor, vacuums rugs/floors and cleans the 5 bathrooms. I'd love to remind everyone we should all treat the Hilton as if it were our own home. So please ensure all dishes/pots & pans are washed, dried, put away, stove cleaned from any residual cooking mess, surfaces cleaned and do not leave any leftovers in the fridge. This makes for a pleasant arrival for our next member guests. Above all please sign into the lodging book upon arriving at the Hilton.

Additionally we are responding to a member's comment concerning our executive committee meetings. So here is a link to the meeting minutes from January 29, 2024 for everyone's review.

Read Meeting Minutes

Lastly Ski Club Hochgebirge is pleased to welcome Alicia Elliott as our latest member. We all look forward to Alicia's participation in all things Hochgebirge.

On Course at the 2024 Hochgebirge Challenge Cup

Race Report:

The 2024 Hochgebirge Challenge Cup Race was held Saturday, January 20, 2024. This was the 84th or 85th running, depends to whom you listen.

The weather was good enough for the Franconia Ski Club to open the Taft Trail at Mittersill, the first time this season, with mostly man-made snow.

Thirty-nine racers showed to ski the two run Giant Slalom Hochgebirge Cup Race. A second two run New England Masters Race fit into the afternoon.

Matt Dodge skied the fastest to win the Alexander Bright Trophy for the third consecutive year! Becka Padgett won the Clarita Bright Trophy as the Fastest Woman for her second consecutive year!

The racers put together four Men's Teams and one Women's Team. The Hochgebirge Challenge Cup was awarded to the Scary Larrys led by Matt Dodge with Kyle Anderson, Lee Ormiston, and Bruce Pratt. The J. Michael Harding Trophy for the fastest women's team went to Ronnie's Rocket with Margaret Vaugh, Patti Lane, and Becka Padgett. The Thomas N. Dabney was presented to Mike Rooney as the Fastest Oldest.

Our huge thanks go to the Franconia Ski Club for the course and timing. Thanks also to New England Masters Matt Mitsis, Lucy and Kip Blake. Special thanks to our own Derek Griggs for the always entertaining Ski Club Hochgebirge Trophy Awards.

(Folks, we have some work to do to get the numbers back up and to recruit Ski Club Hochgebirge Racers.)