Volume 35, Number 3 Red Bluff, California January/February 2016

The first president of the club, in 1930-31, was L. W. Collins, Superintendent of Lassen OLYMPIANS SKIED LASSEN PEAK National Park. Outstanding members Ted Rex and Si Brand skied in the name of the At least five past club at tournaments throughout the West, Olympic Ski Team members skied the winning various trophies in racing and spectacular Inferno Ski Race on Lassen jumping, which helped on publicity. Peak during the 1936-50 period it lasted, Participant Dave Altmann of except for the war years. There may have Red Bluff and Mineral told us a little about been a few more Olympians, but available the Inferno Race in the 2004 Memories. The records are limited. The known Olympians course started near the summit at nearly are Roy Mikkelsen (1932, Lake Placid), 10,000 feet and ended near the Park Road Gordon Wren, Bob Blatt, John Blatt (1948, at about 8,500 feet, about 1½ miles long, St. Moritz), and Dick Buek (1952, ). “with four gates and two turns.” [The course Coach Alf Engen, 1948 Ski Team, may have was not exactly the same each year, tackled the Inferno also. (He was the star depending partly on snow conditions.] He attraction in the professional class in the ski remembered “coming down the mountain at jumping tournament near Mineral in 1933.) horrendous speeds on 8-foot Army-surplus Several other champions who skis.” He recalled “some dreadful falls, but did the Inferno included Ted Rex and Si no casualties,” which was amazing, Brand. Again there may have been more. considering the primitive equipment and Ted Rex was clearly Olympic level, but was minimal slope grooming. He may have been considered professional, being much the last of the surviving Inferno skiers. At involved in exhibition ski jumping around the age 85 he could still be seen doing beautiful country. Incidentally, Rex fell in love with linked telemark turns on the slope across the Lassen area, moved to Mineral from from the Lassen Park Visitor Center. Just Michigan in 1931, and joined the staff at climbing up there on the snow would be Lassen Volcanic National Park. tough for most of us. Dave died in 2010 at The main reason these ski age 92. champions from all over the country were The fastest known time for the attracted to the Inferno Race on Lassen approximately 1½-mile Inferno course was 1 Peak was the usually abundant snow in mid min.17.5 secs. This was in 1936 by Yasi -summer. The Inferno was held on July 4th!! Teramoto, Sierra Club, San Francisco. This A secondary reason for the general success calculates to an incredible 70 miles per hour, of the Mid-Summer Ski Tournament, which on old-fashioned skis on ungroomed slopes! included the Inferno Race, for as long as it In 1941 there were 37 entrants, and the lasted, was the promotion efforts of the Mt. winner was (Continued on page 2) Lassen Ski Club and its key founder, Harold (Olympians-continued from page 1 “Husky” Beresford. Beresford was also the owner and proprietor of the Mineral Lodge. Sigfried Engl, Sun Valley Ski Club, at 1:35.4. This converts to 57 miles per hour. These

1 speeds are only approximate, since the are restricted to a certain number of photos for actual distance is only known the book, but we can certainly try our best with approximately. your help. The most famous of the ski champions mentioned was Alf Engen Memories is Tehama County Genealogical & (1909-97). He was born in Norway and Historical Society’s (TCGHS) yearly publication came to the United States in 1929 at age that chronicles the people, places, or events that 20. He settled in in 1931. are part of Tehama County’s colorful past. True He and his two brothers traveled the U.S. to its name, Memories seeks to preserve our as professional ski jumpers, breaking history so it can be celebrated and not lost to many records. He eventually became an future generations. international figure in the ski world, and won some 500 trophies and medals around the world. He established the Alf FROM THE Engen Ski School in Alta, , and assisted in the creation of 30 other ski MEMORIES EDITOR resorts in the . The Alf Engen Ski Museum is located near But we can’t do that without your help. Articles Park City, Utah. are being collected for the 2016 TCGHS When we admire beautiful Lassen Memories book. We welcome stories on any Peak on the horizon, usually covered with topic based on personal recollections, family snow, we can remember that several histories, oral history transcripts, biographies of Olympic skiers once tested their skills on personalities (famous, infamous, unknown), its challenging slopes. diaries/letters, or original research. It just has to Gene Serr relate to Tehama County. TCGHs is busy putting together a book about If you have an article you’d like to have Tehama County for the "Images of America" published, or ideas of what you’d like to see in series by Arcadia Publishing. As you know, future editions of Memories, please let me these popular books feature many historical know. As the new editor for Memories, I’m photographs. Our local library and museums interested in everything pertaining to Tehama County history, especially the lesser known NEW PUBLICATION stories because they help define the sense of place we call Tehama County. Here is my contact information if you have an article or idea are treasure troves for photos, but we are you’d like to discuss with me: Josie Smith, 530- reaching out to our readers to see if any of 345-0778 or [email protected]. your have old photos and the stories behind them that might be interesting additions to the book and add a little bit more to our history as a county. And, most importantly, you will be acknowledged in the photo caption as the source/contributor or any photo used. If you have any old family photos, photos of towns, scenery, farm, ranching, events, industry, etc., please contact Josie Smith (530- 345-0778 or [email protected]). We understand the value of family collections, and Josie can come to you to scan any photos so they never leave your possession. We can't guarantee every photo will be used because we 2 GENEALOGICAL & Due to the increased cost of HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS printing and postage, at the last meeting the board voted to increase the dues for President—————-—————--Carol the coming year. The new fees are listed Mieske above. We regretted doing this, but feel it [email protected] was necessary. The membership will still

1st Vice-President————————-Doug include Memories (which we sell for $10), Dale plus 5 newsletters

2nd Vice-President——-—-————Josie Smith Secretary—————-———--—Clarisse LIFE MEMBERS Cottier Arthur Abbott, Chris Bauer, Chris Bedell, Jerry Bedell, B. Lee Black, Linton A. Brown, Treasurer—————————Teresa Charlene Burch, Charles C. Burch, Marguerite Lindeman Genealogy Chairman————— Carpenter, Richard Crooker, Douglas Dale, Leonora —-Carol Mieske Robbins Davidson, Elizabeth Dillabo-Mills, Alonzo Membership Chairman—--————-Sandy H. Eaton, Jim Edwards, Glenn Felder, Shirley Tuttle Felder, Leslie Floyd, Ann Forward, Richard Newsletter Chairman———--———Sandy Forward, Maylon Susan Friday, Janey Gibson, Tuttle Marilynn Gittings, R. Judd Hanna, Jean Hanson, Memories Editor—————— ——-Josie Neva Hardgrave, Melanie Headrick, William Smith Hedden, Hilda Kay Willard Hendricks, Dennis Holliday, Donald Houghton, Alma Hunerlach, Eletta Historian——-——-————--Opal Jacobson, Hub Johnson, Dave Kinner, Christine Mendenhall Klukkert, Jarith (Jary) Kraft, Ken Lindauer, Teresa Events————-—-—————-——Art Stroing Lindeman, Targe Lindsay, Dee Linton, Abbott Marilyn Long, Gloria Maples, Jon W. Mathis, DIRECTORS-at-LARGE Maylene McCoach, Nancy McCullough, Everett G. Carolyn Barber McDonough, Jr., Opal Mendenhall, Betty Joe Morales, Margot O’Dell, Venita Philbrick, Ann C. Janey Gibson Read, Hank Sandbach, Butch Sartori, Carol Sartori, Gale Gilbert Gene Serr, Carole J. Sobke, Frank Spanfelner, JoAn Alice Jackson Spanfelner, Carol Hall Sutherland, Kathryn Maurice Ness Thompson, Ray Wahl, Millicent Waits, Ren Gene Serr Wakefield, Dennis Whitehead, and Helen Young Directors-Emeritus John Bedford Pat Felthouse REGULAR/BUSINESS Mildred Williams MEETINGS Website: www.tcghsoc.org PHOEBE DEAN LARNE-Webmaster The next Regular/Business meetings of the society will be Tuesday, MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION January 12,

Individual—————————-—-$20 and Tuesday February 9, 6:30 at the Family————————————$25 Tehama County Library in Red Bluff. Supporting——————————-$40 All interested members are encouraged Sustaining——————————--$75 Life (per individual)———-———$300 to attend.

DUES INCREASE GENEALOGICAL DIGGINGS

3 REDDING HERITAGE Memories FAIRE Marti Roe-Online Newspapers

Heritage Faire 2016 is scheduled for Other Researchable Websites Saturday, February 27, 2016. Jane Witesman- Researching with Ancestry Institutional Version

Mike Witesman- DNA CLASSES OFFERED The Faire is held at the Redding Family Celeste Guillory- Castle Gardens, Ellis Island History Center: & Immigration Ports 3410 Churn Creek Road Lena Harmon -Beginning Genealogy More information will be available later on Navigating FamilySearch their website: Wiki FamilySearch www.familyhistorycenter.org Marian Ladd - Organizing Your Genealogy (530) 222-4949 Files Becky Riveros- FamilySearch Photos and 4