,:{ ,JAN2 ~ 198G YOSEMITENATIONAL PARK RESEARCH LIBRAt,:~ BADGER PASS CELEBRATES... As wecelebrate the rich tradition of the first fifty years of joring. StonemanMeadow, just across the road from Camp BadgerPass, it seemsappropriate to take a look back to the Curry, wasthe chief center of activity for these andfor another beginningof winter sports in Yosemite. very popular sport, dog sledding. For thema path waspacked With the completionof the All-Year Highwayto Yosemitein across the meadowand towardthe stables, while the road past August, 1926, and the building of The AhwahneeHotel, which the stables to Mirror Lakewas rolled andpacked for sleighing, openedits doorsin July of 1927,the challengeof winter opera- andautomobiles were not permittedto useit. Onthe frozen river tion becamea serious one for the YosemitePark and Curry there werehockey games, curling, andfigure skating contests; Company,which had been formed by the merger of the two colorful ice carnivalswere a frequentfeature. previously operating concessionersin 1925. Therehad been little skiing in Yosemiteprior to 1928;it was Snowfallon the floor of YosemiteValley hadbeen consistently doneprimarily on the Valley floor andwas more cross country in goodthroughout most of the preceedingyears. With the excep- nature than downhill. For most people, skiing was simply a tion of just two seasons,the total fall Decemberthrough April matterof standingup as long as you could beforefalling in the had averagedover sixty inches, reachingas muchas 187inches snow! :ii in 1922,and this onthe floor of the Valleyat 4,000feet elevation! In 1928,under the dilection of DesBaillets, the YosemiteSki Considerablymore usually fell at higher levels andbetter roads Schoolwas established with instructors Jules Fritsch andRalph werebeing plannedto get peopleto those elevations. de Pfyffer, from Switzerland, GordonHooley, a Canadian ~t~ Thedirectors of the fledgling YP&CCo.decided to undertake jumper, and W.E. "Welf" Greeven.Ralph and Gordondoubled .i winter operation andthe developmentof winter sports. Ernst as skating instructors andall four menwere also cross-country DesBaillets, a Swisswho had beenvery successful with such guides. promotionat LakePlacid in NewYork, wasemployed in 1928as The "ski hill" then and for manyseasons after was on the the Directorof WinterSports, to organizeskiing, skating, hockey, "i moraineacross the roadfrom the YosemiteStables. It offered a etc. downhillrun of a fewhundred feet anda jumpof aboutsixty feet, TheYosemite Winter Club, the first of its type in California, on which Gordonand Greevenwould give jumping exhibitions was formed in 1928 "to encourageand develop all forms of on Friday afternoons, winter sports." Thesouth side of the Valley underGlacier Point The SnowCreek Ski Cabinwas completed in the fall of 1920 wasa comparativelycold region so an ice rink was built by on the slopesof Mt. Watkins,some 2,500 feet aboveMirror Lake. flooding the CampCurry parkingarea nightly andallowing it to It wasa rather primitive but cozylittle cabinwith bunksfor about freeze. fifteen people.Sometimes people rode horsesall the wayup to Overthe years, a tobogganrun wasconstructed west of Camp .i the cabin, and sometimesit wasa matter of snowshoes,skis on i’ Curry andanother site becamepopular for sledding on ash can shoulder,up to the rim. lids, hence"Ash Can Alley." Also, duringthe late 20’s andearly 30’s, a fewhorses were kept in the Valley for sleighing, andski- continuedon page4 A MessageFrom the President January Cooksand Sings! HappyNew Year! As we begin this newyear, it seems Beginning Sunday,January 5, festivities for the Second appropriatealso to be celebratingthe anniversaryof Badger AnnualChef’s Holidays will bring famousAmerican chefs and Passwhich has been providing healthful recreationfor fami- guests to The AhwahneeHotel for a cooking celebration! The lies andthe communityfor fifty years. With the early and holiday series of receptions, seminars,cooking demonstrations beautiful snowfallthis winter, we’reoff to anothersuccessful andspecialty tastings providesthe opportunityfor participants year. Maythe NewYear be healthful and happyfor you and to experiencethe talents of manyprestigious Americanchefs. yours. Someof the famouschefs whowill be in attendanceduring the Ed Hardy three-weekschedule include: NancyMain of The Ark in Wash- ington; MarceDesaulniers of TheTrellis in Williamsburg,Vir- ginia; Bradley Ogdenof CamptonPlace in SanFrancisco; Ken December9, 1985 Frankof La Toquein Los Angeles;John Sedler of St. Estephein ManhattanBeach; and Steve Singer of the ParkwayGrill in ~’.’~’r ~’~:~; "’ Mr. EdwardC. Hardy,President YosemitePark andCurry Company Pasadena. YosemiteNational Park, CA95389 Scheduled Sunday through Thursday, from January 5 throughJanuary 23, the event focuseson the various aspectsof DearEd: gourmetAmerican cuisine, and features special Chef’s Ban- t takethis opportunityto adda personal quets twice weekly in The Ahwahneedining roomhighlighting commentto the annualevaluation of regional menusprepared and presentedby the featured guest the YosemitePark and Curry Company. Chef. Yourcompany is not only the largest Later in the month,The Ahwahnee Hotel debutsthe latest of concessionerin the nationalPark Serv- its uniqueholiday eventswith the First AnnualMusicians’ Holi- ice, but it is also recognizedas the days. The festivities begin on Sunday,January 26, and will ~ "~I businessleader in the parks, andfor include "Meetthe Performers"receptions, seminars, musical goodreason. ensemblesand special concerts. Brrrrr!! Snowcones in Onemight assumethat a companyof The first of the two sessions scheduledis called "Opera January?You betl For the size andlong-standing tradition of Week,"and wil be highlighted by the participation of Opera the story of this the YosemitePark andCurry CompanyComposerConrad Susa, OperaStage Director Daniel Heifgot, uniqueYosemite phe- mightbe prone to rest onits laurels.But and The EugeneFulton Chorale, amongothers. nomenon,read the through your management,YP&CC Februaryissue of the continuallystrives to improveits ser. Thesecond session, titled "Musical TheatreWeek," features YosemiteSentinel. vicesto the publicand to beinnovative various Broadwaymusical selections presented by famed in its approachto the businessof the BroadwayComposers Forrest and Wright, CostumeDesigner park.The company definitely is notstanding still. In equalopportunity Charles Berlinger, membersof the SanFrancisco Conservatory hiring, quality control, laborunion relations, recycling,safety and Theatre, and a special guest appearanceby comedienneJo healthinspection, interpretation, logistics, publications,computer- AnneWorley. ization, andaudit control-- to namebut a fewaspects of youroverall Tuesdaysand Thursdays of each weekthe dining roomof The operation-- YP&CCis a concessionerwith a strong graspof the AhwahneeHotel will be the setting for DinnerTheatre Banquets professionalskills neededto assurecontinuing success. followedby theatrical performancesinvolving the musiciansan¢ It is little wonderthat youand your staff are lookedto by fellow performersin attendance. concessionersand National Park Service managers, alike, as being For further informationon the opportunityto experiencethe at the forefront of the govemment-privatesector partnership. talents of these prestigiousmusicians and chefs, call the Mar- I appreciate,too, that youstrongly reinforce that partnershipin your keting Office at ext. 1445or stop by the ConciergeDesk at The communicationwith me.You are straightforwardand entirely candid AhwahneeHotel. with me-- I havenever been surprised by hearingsecond or third handof a newpolicy or managementinitiative beingtaken by the company,I greatly respectthe importanceyou place on goodand clearcommunication, andthat yourfirst priority is to dealdirectly with the parkSuperintendent. YOSEMITESENTINEL Asanother hectic yeardraws to a close, I extendvery bestwishes to Editor ...................................... TomWilliams youand your staff fromall of us "onthe otherside of the mall," and ContributingStaff ............. Annette8ottaro, Garrett De Bell look forwardwith youto the challengesand opportunities of 1986. KimSaunders, Rick Vocelka Sjncerely. TheYosemite Sentinel is publishedmonthly by YosemitePark and CurryCompany for the YosemiteCommunity, Contributions are wel- comedat the Salesand Marketing Office or call 372-1445.Deadline . Binnewies for theFebruary ssue is Friday,January 3, 1986. Superintendent accessto the best possibleinformation, the Personnel Office will WELL-BEING provide educational materials on alcoholism, drug abuseand As an expressionof the Company’sdeep concern for the continuing health andwell-being of its employeesand members of the Yosemite variouscurrent health issuesas they arise. Futureissues of the community,the YosemiteSentinel is instituting a newcolumn. Beginning Sentinelwill describethe availability of suchinformation as well with this month’sintroductory column on the YosemitePark and Curry as other assistancewithin the community. CompanyEmployee Assistance Program, "Well-Being" will becomea The monthly "Well-Being" columnwill discuss individual regularfeature. issues of interest-related to health andwell-being, including fitness, medical information on various commumcabledis- EmployeeAssistance Program eases,diet, mentaand emotional wellness, etc. If you havea by Ed Hardy suggestionfor a particular topic youwould like to seediscussed, pleasesubmit your suggestionto the MarketingOffice. As a Companywe are concernedthat