Gatineau Park
A History of The Ottawa Ski Club
By Herbert Marshall
Chapter 1 - Genesis and Growth
Skis were used in Ottawa many years before the sport was organized in 1910. The earliest record found to date of their use here relates to Lord Frederick Hamilton. Brother-in-law and Aide to Lord Lansdowne when the latter was Governor-General of Canada, Hamilton wrote in his volume of reminiscences, The Days Before Yesteryear. “I" can claim to be the absolute pioneer of Ski on the North American continent for, in January 1887, I brought my Russian Skis to Ottawa, the very first pair that had ever been seen in the New World. I coasted down hills on them amidst universal jeers: everyone declared that they were quite unsuited to Canadian conditions”.
Lord Frederick Hamilton was not the first to introduce skis to North America, however. Authentic records do exist of their use in the United States much earlier. The honour may belong to Mr. John A. Thomson. Born in Telemarken, Norway, April 30th, 1827, he came with his parents to the United States, settling in Illinois. When he was 21 years old he joined the gold rush to California and, later, had a farm in the Sacramento Valley. Winter conditions in the Sierras precluded the carrying of mail by pony express. Brought up in Norway, Thomson was familiar with skis and made a pair from oak, ten feet long, more than four and one-half inches wide and weighing 25 pounds. These were known as Norwegian snowshoes and are preserved in the Sacramento Museum. He used a single pole, six feet long, for control. With this equipment he was accepted in 1856 by the United States Postal Service as mail carrier for the district, and for many years carried the United States mail over the passes of the Sierras.
The Canadian Amateur Ski Association Year Book for 1939-40 printed an article “California Pioneers on Skis," taken from the American Ski Annual. It was written by David C. Mills and contains the following:
Snowshoe Thomson had introduced the use of skis in the Sierras, for the purpose of carrying the mails, in 1856. Indeed, he is widely credited with the introduction of skis for all purposes in California. Thomson’s claims are amply verified.... Snowshoe Thomson is buried in the cemetery of Genoa, Nevada. On his tombstone appear crossed skis and the following epitaph: A pioneer of the Sierras who for twenty years carried the mail over the mountains to isolated camps, rescuing the lost, and giving succor to those in need along the way.
The Canadian Illustrated News, a magazine published in the 1870's, contained an article about a Mr. A. Birch, a Norwegian living in Montreal, who went on a ski trip in 1879 from Montreal to Quebec — approximately 170 miles. He used a pair of the so-called Norwegian snowshoes: nine feet long, six inches wide, with a foot-board and toe strap. He used the long pole and was reported to have crossed ice not buoyant enough to bear a good-sized dog.
While Lord Hamilton erroneously claimed to be the first North American skier, he may well have pioneered here the sport which by the tum of the century had taken a firm hold in Ottawa. The Year Book referred to above contains a photograph under the caption "Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa, 1895." Seven skiers with early-type skis and a single long pole are shown on a knoll in Rockcliffe Park. These were: J.A.D. Holbrook, Captain W.T. Lawless, Jackson Booth, J.M. Bate, H.Y. Complin, John Armstrong and Mr. Merritt. A few years ago Mrs. Miller of Manor Road, Rockcliffe, donated to the Ottawa Ski Club antique skis used by an uncle, Mr. W.C.E. Stewart, who lived at Meach Lake. Mr. Stewart had borrowed a pair brought by a Norwegian friend from Norway and had them copied by the New Edinburg mills. It appears they were first used in December, 1897.
The Honorable J.D. Edgar, a former speaker in the House of Commons, wrote in his book "Canada and Its Capital," published in 1898:
While snowshoeing has always been familiar to the residents of Ottawa Valley whose pleasure or business has taken them off the beaten track, the use of ski or skilobning has been recently introduced by the occupants of Govemment House and has become so popular that the ski are now made in the town. One is secured on each foot in such a way as to be easily cast off in case of accident. On the level or ascending ground the skilober can propel himself with a sharp-pointed stick, but the highest enjoyment is when, standing on his skis, he rushes down a hill with the speed of a hurricane.
Ottawa Ski Year Book of 1953-54 included a true copy of a letter in the possession of Mr, Dick Guy. It was dated February 14th, 1899, and was written by Mr. Tom Everson. In it he describes a Sunday morning trip. He started from Hurdman’s Bridge, proceeded to Hog’s Back where he attempted slides down ‘high’ banks to the Rideau River. In his own words,
Everything fine until I tackled a good steep one just below the rapids. I was sliding down like wind when one of my skis struck a stump that was hidden by a little snowdrift and down I plunged head first. I was completely buried in snow and nearly choked with laughing and struggling to get out. When I did.... there was at least half a bushel of snow down the back of my neck, to say nothing of being covered from head to foot with it outside. I started for home, then in by Cummings Bridge. It is as common a sight here now to see people with a pair of skis on their shoulder as to see them carrying an umbrella. (Italics mine.)
Since the popularity of a sport would scarcely develop in a single year to the extent indicated in that last sentence, it is a fair inference that there were numerous skiers in and around Ottawa earlier than the date of the letter, viz. December, 1899.
The Ottawa Journal of February 5th, 1901, contained an advertisement for skis imported from Stockholm and ski fittings in variety, sold by the Ottawa Despatch and Agency Co., 39 Sparks Street. Eleven years later, Ketchum and Company advertised skis made to order. The price was $4 and up. The advertisement is accompanied by a picture of a skier with a single long pole. An advertisement by Hurd and Company of 191 Sparks Street, appearing in the Journal of January 25th, 1912, offered Hagen skis made in Norway priced at from $3 to $9 per pair.
From 1900 the evidence accumulates of a growing interest in skiing. Indeed it is possible to obtain first hand accounts from some who participated. Mr. A.D. Watson recalls that when he came to Ottawa in 1906 there were many skiing in Rockcliffe Park. Mr. A.W. Brown remembers trips to Fairy Lake about 1907 and of night skiing there by torchlight. In the Ottawa Ski News of February 6th, 1924, Mr. J.A. Wilson reminisced from Chelsea to and up King Mountain and down the Ridge Road to Murphy's in Kingsmere.
In the Ski News of January 30th, 1924, Mr. C.E. Mortureux described a trip made about 1906 with Mr. Fred Burpee and family to East Templeton Hills. He had purchased a pair of skis at Ketchum’s eight feet long and nearly five inches wide, made of heavy Canadian maple and a splendid pole nine feet long. The fittings were a bit loose but they would adjust themselves, he was assured by the salesman. They covered four miles of flat country. He claims there were 63 fences to get over but that did not matter because his fittings came off every time he lifted his skis. For the rest of the trip here are his own words:
On the way back we talked about the poor girls who could never take hikes like those on account of their skirts. No one ever thought that the girls would discard their skirts and beat the men at their own game. When we got to the hills I was instructed to use my pole. The pole was a most essential part of the skier's outfit in those early days. It was used as a third leg to stand on, and if a man came down a steep hill without a spill he was congratulated on the strength of his pole.
We spent a very happy day over these hills which were really very good. — Suddenly the North wind started to blow, it dropped to 20 below and the return trip across the unprotected plain was painful. Louis Burpee, who was leading, lost the way and we had to climb over 273 fences on the way back.
I managed to get back because there was a Burpee in front of me and a Burpee behind me who kept urging me on and refused to be shaken off, or else I would have stopped in a hay barn to spend the night. I will never forget the crossing of the Ottawa River that night! On boarding the Rockclilfe car, the conductor advised me to stay out in the snow until one of my ears would thaw out. I dared him to put me out.
Any one could have got a pair of skis cheap that night; but I was out again the next Sunday, and almost every bright, God-given Sunday thereafter, counting as lost every week end that I was not on the hills.
While the interest in cross-country skiing was increasing, there was another development backed by a much smaller number of enthusiasts. These were the ski jumpers. Like the cross-country skiers they were unorganized but equally enthusiastic. A slope running down to the Ottawa River in Rockcliffe Park known as Suicide Hill was the scene of their activities. The first take-offs were constructed of cordwood covered with snow. Sigurd and Hans Lockeberg were the original jumpers and were soon joined by others. As the group grew they aimed at better facilities. It was this desire which led to the formation of the Ottawa Ski Club in 1910. T.J. Morin and Frank Bedard arranged for a meeting at which the Club was formed.
In 1913 an event of great importance for the development of skiing in the Ottawa region took place when Joe Morin, who was the organizing genius of the club, persuaded C.E. Mortureux to join. In the Ottawa Ski Club Handbook of 1942 there is an article entitled “The Saga of the Ottawa Ski Club" written by Mr. Mortureux:
The Ottawa Ski Club was born in the YMCA in the year of our Lord 1910 and its birth was announced to the Ski World in an issue of the Free Press. Its godfathers were the jumpers, although there was no lack at the time of other members of the ski fraternity — the pleasure skiers or cake-eaters — the chaps who did not jump — but the latter could not have the same interest in shape of towers and landing hills. The officers of the club were a president, Sigurd Lockeberg, a son of Norway and the most enthusiastic jumper of the lot; a vice-president, Frank Bedard; and a secretary-treasurer, Joe Morin. The following year a board of directors was appointed, made up of G.W. Ross, Ormond Haycock, Alex. Haultain, and Jack Ryan — The writer (C.E. Mortureux) only came in in 1913 as a representative of the cake-eaters — a second fiddle. He was allowed to arrange for little trips on ski, provided the said trips should start from Rockcliffe tower and come back there.
There was a pressing need for an organization that could deal on equal terms with the Ottawa Improvement Commission, a body that often proved a stumbling block in the path of skiing. Composed of old snowshoers, the Commission held rather vague and strange ideas about the embellishment of the Capital; the ideas of the ski jumpers were clear and definite. Having found a hill to their liking in Rockcliffe Park, they wanted it stripped of its trees and adorned at the top with a tower from which the able-bodied population of Ottawa would be invited to take leaps into space while the halt and lame would sit around and clap — and pay an admission fee, of course. The Commission failed to see that this would be an improvement. They preferred the trees and the people to stand; they would not let themselves be convinced that the good folks of Ottawa had any such frog-like tastes; and so the fight was on.
While the pourparlers were going on with equal determination on both sides, the directors of the newly-formed Club, working like beavers in the dead of night, gradually removed the most obnoxious trees from the hill and built a small inconspicuous tower at the top, under the shadow of the pines. It was suspected that the Commission's Superintendent of Works, bribed by an offer of a season’s ticket to the show, had closed his eyes to what was going on. Whatever the cause was, the Commission found themselves one day in the presence of a “fait accompli". They decided to wait and see, probably thinking the new craze, if allowed to go unhindered, would burn itself out in time.
It did not, however. Through the yearly addition of new stories and “cattle chutes", the tower gradually rose to an imposing height of 145 feet in the short space of four years, and the new craze, far from dying out, seemed to be gaining strength every year.
The activities of the 1910 version of the Ottawa Ski Club were centered in Rockcliffe Park and the emphasis was decidedly on ski jumping. The Club's constitution specified that its aim was to promote all phases of the skiing sport but the development of cross-country skiing moved more slowly in the Club’s activities. In a sense it forced its way into the program because of the fact that successful operation depended upon a more widespread appeal, The Club was not attracting to its membership the numerous skiers who preferred the less spectacular but amply rewarding ski touring to jumping. A statement which appeared in the Free Press, January 15th, 1914, is illuminating in this connection:
The Executive of the Ottawa Ski Club wants to bring this to the notice of the skiing fraternity; heretofore skiing competitions in this country have been entirely restricted to jumping. The Executive believes this handicaps the growth of the sport, making it appear that ski-jumping is a dangerous and difficult art open only to the select few. The Executive wishes to encourage jumping but also to attract wide attention to cross-country running and encourage that form of the sport which is within the possibilities of the average skier.
For this purpose cross-country runs and relay races were to be organized, and several were, in fact, organized and successfully executed during the rest of the winter. It was in this connection that the name of C.E. Mortureux first appears in Club notices. He had joined the Club in 1913 and in 1914 was arranging cross-country events. Most of these started and ended in Rockcliffe but at least one started at Murphy's in Kingsmere and ended at the foot of the Rockcliffe jump.
The first race under the new program took place January 25th, 1914. “Sticks”? manufactured by the Lockeberg Brothers for the occasion were used by the competitors. Leaving Murphy's in Kingsmere after lunch, the skiers went via Pink Lake and Fairy Lake and were to finish at the Chaudiere Bridge but the party was in such good form that it went on to Rockcliffe. “At five minutes past three exactly, the first 12 skiers headed by President Holbrook, with Joe Morin close on his heels, rounded the Rockcliffe point and ended at the foot of the Jump." reported the Free Press. The 12-odd miles were covered in exactly two hours.
The period, from 1910 and earlier up to the time in World War I when the jumping activity finally ceased, was a heyday for the jumpers. Even before the formation of the Club in 1910, spectators went to see the dare-devils display their skill. Other sports of the time, hockey, skating, toboggan sliding, snowshoeing, were abundantly available but earth-bound. Here was a new sport in Ottawa whose devotees emulated, if even for only a brief moment, the flight of birds soaring into the air and descending in graceful balance to the slope below them.
The erection of a proper jump tower, and subsequent improvements to it, the take-off and the hill itself, increased the interest for there was always the chance of previous records being broken. Every good week-end the jumpers practiced before hundreds of spectators. On those occasions when there was a special competition the street cars arrived at Buena Vista station jammed with people eager to watch the show. On at least one occasion the number of spectators was estimated to be 5,000.
By the beginning of 1912 ski jumpers Sigurd and Hans Lockeberg, Paul Iverson, Hans Kihl and others were well known in Ottawa sporting circles. Looking for other fields to conquer, they decided to try their luck on the Cote des Neiges Hill in Montreal, but unfavorable weather conditions and a hill and tower of unusual difficulty were against them. It was reported that the take-off (leaping point) from the tower had a pronounced upward slant and the jumper “instead of making a descent parallel to the declivity of the hill is shot up in the air like a sky-rocket, thus making a landing very difficult as the impact is much greater.” In this competition Paul Iverson, Sigurd Lockeberg, Arthur Pinault and Hans Kihl of the Ottawa team all broke their skis, as did several of the Montreal Ski Club jumpers.
On March 9th, 1912, the first annual jumping competition of the Ottawa Ski Club was held at Rockcliffe Park with jumpers from other cities participating. On their home grounds the Ottawa skiers distinguished themselves. Sigurd Lockeberg was first for style and distance and won the Count Malensky trophy. He defeated Alec Oslen of the Montreal Ski Club who had won the championship at the meeting of the broken skis in Montreal a couple of weeks earlier. In the intermediate jump for style and distance the Ottawa jumpers, George Snelling, Arthur Pinault, Wm. Ross and Hans Kihl finished in that order.
At this meet the large crowd of spectators was entertained with an exhibition of tandem jumps by Alec Olsen and Frank McKinnon of the Montreal Ski Club. The most daring feat of the day was performed by Adolph Olsen of Belin, New Hampshire, who successfully executed a somersault jump.
On February 6th, 1913, at the annual mecting of the Club held in the Carnegie Library, Sigurd Lockeberg relinquished the presidency to J.A.D. Holbrook. A new Executive concentrated on preparations for the next Canadian Championship jumping competition in Montreal. Since snow conditions were poor at Rockcliffe, a temporary jump was erected at Fairy Lake — constructed on the same lines as the Montreal jump so that the Ottawa jumpers could better prepare themselves. However, these special efforts were not sufficient to enable them to bring back the championship. Hans Kihl managed to take second place.
Early in 1914, due to additions to the jumping tower, records were being broken. Three thousand people saw Sigurd Lockeberg clear 94 feet and Adolph Olsen, who had moved to Ottawa from Berlin Mills and joined the Ottawa Ski Club, jumped 93 feet.
On February 28th, 1914, the Canadian Championship jump was held at Rockcliffe and drew 4,000 spectators. The Duke and Duchess of Connaught, Princess Patricia and party were interested onlookers. Soft weather prevented records being broken. Sigurd Lockeberg won events for style, distance and the long standing jump and became the Canadian champion. His long standing jump was 87 feet. Adolph Olsen did 84 feet and Frank McKinnon of the Montreal Ski Club jumped 83 feet. In the intermediate jump for style and distance Ottawa skiers took the first four places in the following order: Ben Thackery, Hans Kihl, A. Pinault and Wm. Ross.
The Lockeberg brothers, Anderson and McKinnon, Barmes and Pinault did tandem jumps. Towards the end of the meet it was announced that the Countess Stagnai of Norway, the champion woman jumper of the world, would give an exhibition, wearing the colors of the Montreal Ski Club. There was a murmur of astonishment and admiration from the crowd as the attractive-looking countess shot into the air and made a perfect jump. The Countess, however, on making her wary back from the end of the run, forgot to continue the feminine role and expectorated with such skill and ease that the spectators realized they had been duped.
On this same week-end a 12-mile cross-country race for the provincial championship was run on a course set by Mr. C.E. Mortureux. The order of the finish was: O. Anderson, Montreal Ski club; Alec Olsen, MSC; Adolpth Olsen, OSC; and Frank McKinnon of the Montreal Ski Club.
During the first quarter of 1915 there was much ski jumping activity in Canada. John Hougen set a new record of 122 feet from the tower of the Edmonton Ski Club. There was jumping at Winnipeg, Cobalt, Toronto, Sherbrooke and Quebec City as well as Montreal. The Ottawa Ski Club jumpers set out to gain the Canadian record.
At the annual meeting of the Club held in the Carnegie Library on January 18th, 1915, it was announced that the jump tower was to be rebuid on the same lines as the rebuilt Holmenkollen in Norway and that its height would reach 115 feet. It was predicted that jumps of 125 feet would be made from it. C.E. Mortureux, who had done so much to develop cross-country skiing, was made a director.
On January 21st, 1915, a competition was held on the new jump. Stands had been erected on both sides and reserved seats were available. The proceeds were to be donated to the Red Cross and Belgian Relief funds and, eventually, they received $200. No records were broken because of soft snow conditions. Alec Olsen, who had moved to Ottawa from Montreal, jumping under Ottawa Ski Club colors, was first with 86 feet; Adolph Olsen, second, and Sigurd Lockeberg, third.
A special event was arranged for February 20th at which Ragnar Omvedt, professional jumper from the Norge Ski Club of Chicago, was to give an exhibition. He had established a record of 169 feet at Ironwood, Michigan, in 1913. At the time there were 32 affiliated Ski clubs in the Northern States Ski Association so Ragnar represented the cream of the jumping experts there.
Omvedt was credited with introducing “an entirely different style of ski-jumping. When leaving the take-off he throws himself with all his might head foremost, with the hands above his head, wedge fashion, to shear the atmosphere. His skis hang almost over his back and just when it looks as if he will land on his head and come to grief, he straightens himself up and takes the landing with perfect style and absolute control.” For this meet another extension of the tower had been erected and Omtvedt made a magnificent jump of 145 feet. He said afterwards that the Ottawa Ski Club slide was as good as any in America.
At Montreal on Saturday February 27th, 1915, the Ottawa Ski Club jumpers, strengthened by the addition of Alec Olsen, who had been three times Dominion Champion, carried off the honors in this Montreal Ski Club annual competition. In style and distance the winners were Adolph Olsen, OSC; Adolph Olsen and Hans Kihl of the OSC; F. McKinnon, M.S.C., Alex Olsen, O.S.C. In the long standing jump, Alec Olsen and Hans Kihl of the O.S.C. finished in that order.
On Saturday March 6th, 1915, before a large crowd at Rockcliffe Park, the Ottawa Ski Club jumpers won the annual event for the Dominion Championship. The meet had the distinguished patronage of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught with a large party. Alec Olsen of the Ottawa Ski Club broke the Canadian record made by John Hougen of Edmonton by leaping 125 feet. He took first place both for style and distance and long standing jump.
This Dominion Championship meet of March, 1915, brought to an end the jumping activities of the Ottawa Ski Club until after World War I. The ranks of the jumpers had been depleted by enlistments for overseas service. The neglected tower succumbed to a violent gale in the fall of 1915 and ski-jumping passed out of the picture for the time being. However, the loss of that aspect of the sport proved to be a gain for another phase, that of ski-touring. The cross-country men roamed far and wide over the Gatineau Hills and a substantial start on the future trail system was made. Kirk's Ferry, Kingsmere, Crilly’s, Ironsides, were all linked up by what came to be much-used trails. In fact, the work done on the trails in this period prepared the way for the rapid achievements which resulted from the re-constituted Club activities in the year 1919-1920.