NEWS pholo Cindy Goodman LEFT TO right: Patti Leveille and gymnasis Alana Webb and Lauren Askew sort through assorted clothing for sale at the recent Flicka Gymnastic Club garage sale at 23rd Street and St. George’s Avenue in North Vancouver. Reunions rekindle fond memories From page 14 on grass. The Games wound up Feb. 12. They got home in March. Today, the North Shore moun- tains, all three of them, are adorned with chairlifts and groomed runs. y “nistler and Blackcomb ‘have more 4ifts and runs than any mountain in North America. A dedicated skier can get ina dozen runs before lunch and anoth- er dozer in the afterncon — maybe 10,000 to 15,000 feet in a day and never break a sweat. Here’s how it was in those _ dinosauric ski days almost beyond recall, except for the 200 up there at First Lake eating their sandwiches and swatting away the black flies. No ski lifts. If you lived in the city you came over on the West Van ferry to the foot of 14th Street. Your backpack was full of gro- ceries and you walked all the way up. In one respect, Grouse Mountain skiers had it a little easier. They . could ride the streetcar up Lonsdale _ to Queens and then hike through the Mosquito Creek intake to the foot of the mountain before the real climbing started. One drawback: Grouse is a lot steeper than Hollyburn. “We had more flat spots on Hollyburn,” recalis Don Tyrell, whose column “Ski Heil” appeared in the Province in the 1930s. “That’s why there were so many cabins up there: more than 200. “We built ours in 1924. Paid $10 a year ground rent to West Van. In the late °30s, they doubled it to $20. We screamed bloody murder.” His was typical — 24 feet by 18. For heat and cooking: an old-fash- ioned kitchen stove at one end, 4 45-gallon oil drum converted into a Stove at the other end, His buddies and he carried the main stove up the mountain, the removable pieces strapped to their backs, the main part balanced on a couple of 2 x 4s, One guy at either end carrying it like a litter. The ski season started in September, bucking logs into stove- length and splitting them. No power saws; just the old fashioned cross- cuts, These pioneers cleared and groomed the runs. Really, just one tun — from the top of the Romstaads (now out of bounds in watershed territory) to First Lake. The Dirty °30s weren't particu- larly enlightened times in the work- place. Saturday was seldom more than a half day off. So, when the snow came there was just time to catch the ferry, walk up the moun- tain, and light the stoves before dark. Sunday mosning, hike to the peak and ski back down. Same thing in the afternoon. Then it was dark and time to hike to the bottom and the ferry dock. Flashlights — who who could afford them? A four-pound jam tin, a candle jammed inside, provided a mod- icum of reflected light. There was one guy, Dave Mathews, who found a faster way down. A summertime bike racer, he’d take his bike to the top of 22nd Street, leave it at the last house on the street, then pick it up on the way down and ride to the ferry. One trip he lost his brakes, hit Mathews at warp speed and took off. Landed face first in a ditch and broke his jaw in six places. “I should have been dead,” he recalls. Good thing he survived. He was a prime mover of the reunion. IPRE-SEASON SKI SALE! THE PERFECT COMBINATION! | Wane @PRO $495 Now $578 H SP9SLC $675 Now $469 HSP9 RT $675 Now $469 BSP9SL $695 Now $489 ERaichle $295 NOW $199 COMP 9.1 $400 NOW $249 COMP 9.9 $650 NOW $389 TNT AVS Racing $690 Now $449 c$80 LAREAVOGIY M29 $200 NOW $125 M34 $222 NOW $149 MSCIR $390 NOW $269 MRR Racing $375 Now $225 MORE IN STORE « PHONE ORDERS WELCOME « LIMITED SIZES & QUANTITIES “THE BEST SKI WEAR IN TOWN - UP TO 60% OFF” SWISS SPORTS HAUS 490 - 15TH STREET, WEST VANCOUVER 922-9107 | Single | Res.Spouse B (Plus GS.T) Wednesday, August 24, 1994 - North Shore News - 15 N. Van Open nears THE DEADLINE for entry to the 13th Annual North Vancouver Open Tennis Tournament is less than two weeks away (Tuesday, Sept. 4). Spots are still open in all cate- gorics for the Sept. 10-17 tourna- ment. ‘This year, the public courts tournament is sanctioned by B.C, Tennis, and will feature compzti- tive and non-competitive draws for all ages. ~ gt HLM. FITNESS rat CONSULTING In conjunction with the tourna. ment, sports psychologist Dr. David Cox, of West Vancouver, will be giving a lecture on “Winning the Inner Game.” Cost is $8. Entry forms are available at all North Vancouver recreation cen- tres, but are only accepted at the Delbrook centre (600 West Queens Rd., North Vancouver). Call 987- PLAY for more information. 924-0124 Meeting your personal, recreational & corporate fitness needs * Fitness counselling & program design * Personal training * Fitness appraisals * Golf fitness counsulting * Ski Fit training * Private or group fitness classes GOLF ACADEMY CS AVAILABLE Personal Trainer Heather McCullough tL ) At Big Sky Golf and Country Club, going back to school means fun—and lower golf scores. Our one-day golf school offers 3 hours of professional instruction, gourmet lunch, 18 holes of golf with your pro at B.C’s finest new golf course, and one night accommodation at Whistler—all for only $179! This offer ends September 30 so enroll now and see how much fun going back to school can be! For information call {-800-668-7506. { Purchase a membership now at d the new reduced price and pay } NO Green Fees for the balance I of 194, NEW PRICES $3000 $1000 A LIMITED NUMBER OF MEMBERSHIPS WILL BE OFFERED AT THIS PRICE. PEMBERTON VALLEY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB BOX 547 PEMBERTON, BC VON 2L0 894-5122 or Fax 834-6033