WhitePassSkiPatrol.org

About Us - White Pass Ski Patrol History

Jim Van Norstern

97 Reunion

98 Reunion

99 Reunion

Our History

The White Pass Ski Patrol was founded during the Winter Season 1952-53 and is a member of the National Ski Patrol. The original objective of the National Ski Patrol System and its member patrols was to promote education regarding safe skiing and improved first aid treatment of winter accidents. These basic objectives were established many years prior to the founding of the White Pass Ski Patrol, even so, they still remain the basic objectives of our patrol organization.

The growth of the White Pass Ski Patrol is closely linked with the growth of skiing in general and the growth of the White Pass Ski area. We have changed a lot since our original founding. These changes are due largely to the changes in the the sport of skiing since the early 1950's.

Before the completion of the White Pass Highway and before it became a year-round travel route across the Cascades, there was a small ski area on the east side of Chinook Pass. This rope tow ski area was located on the Chinook Pass Highway at the junction of the American and Bumping Rivers. The American River Ski Patrol was affiliated with this area.

In the Fall of 1952, the White Pass Highway was opened to year-round travel. As a result, the American-Bumping River ski area and its activities, including the American River Ski Patrol, moved to White Pass. This was the genesis for the establishment of the current White Pass Ski area. The primary sponsor and promoter for this new ski area was the Yakima Ski Club.

The initial development at the pass in the winter of 1952-53 consisted of four rope tows. The tows were located in the general areas of the original Chair #3 (Chair #3 was realigned in 2002), the current "bunny tow" and Poma Hill. John Norbeck, U.S. Forest Service snow ranger for the area, owned and operated the gasoline-powered rope tows at that time.

Before the 1953-54 season started, the White Pass Company was formed. Its initial formation occurred at a Yakima Ski Club meeting where $75,000 was pledged to support the development of the area. This resulted in the installation of the Poma lift for that season. This lift was located where Poma Hill is today.

Among the early promoters and developers of the area were Lars Hoberg, Betty Leach, Dick Smith, Jack Nellship, A. McNamara, Mr. Hogarth, Charlie Renkin and Russ & Lee Minns. Others involved at the time were Chuck Hancey, who operated the Elk Ridge Lodge on Chinook Pass and Lee Maxwell who made many of the early surveys and layouts of the ski area.

The installation of the Poma lift in 1953 resulted in the expansion of the area in a gradual but steady basis. The first chair, Chair #1, was installed to the top of Pigtail Peak in the 1955-57 season. The second chair, Chair #2 was installed for the 1958-59 season. The third chair, Chair #3 was installed for the 1964-65 season. The fourth chair, Chair #4 was installed for the 1983-84 season.

The original day lodge was built on the knoll area where the base of chair #1 is located today. The first Ski Patrol headquarters was located in its east end.

In 1954-56 the original day lodge was moved and became the west end of today's Yakima Ski Club.

In 1956 the White Pass Company built a new 2-story 1600 square-foot day lodge and positioned it where the White Pass day lodge is today. The Ski patrol headquarters were once again placed in the east end of that structure.

The day lodge was remodeled in 1959-60 to double its size. During this construction, it caught fire and burnt to the ground. Astonishingly, like a phoenix arising from its ashes, a new 40' x 80' day lodge arose in just 22 days during the month of November, 1959. The Ski Patrol was once again sited in the east end of the day lodge, in the basement, about where the Rental shop is located today.

In 1968, the construction of our current lodge was begun. Its construction utilized the previous structure's foundation. The old structure was burnt down to make way for the new. During this construction, the new structure caught fire making it uninhabitable. So an old Army GP mess test was erected near the west end of the new structure for use as cafeteria and brown-bag rooms. The Ski Patrol headquarters were repositioned to northwest corner of the basement, adjacent to the men's restroom and has remained there since. In 2000, the Ski Patrol headquarters were remodeled to today's present configuration. The lodge was completed in 1970 and it was once again remodeled and expanded in 2003-04.

The Ski Patrol's dispatcher operated out of the Chair #1 engine room from 1955 until 1958-59, when Chair #2 was installed. Dispatch was then moved to what was the snack bar shack, adjacent to the #2 engine room on Pigtail Peak.

The snack bar shack had originally been the "bunny tow's" drive shack. Soon after Chair #1 opened, the shack was moved to the top of Pigtail Peak where it served as a snack bar for the sale of hot chocolate, coffee, etc. When this service was discontinued, the shack was adopted by the Ski Patrol and it was used as a storage facility and as Dispatch for many years. It was finally moved back to the base area where it was returned to service as the drive/engine room building for the bunny tow.

In 1979 the ski patrol dispatch area was temporarily located in front of where it is today and was carried out by using a tarp and a tent for shelter. Earlier that winter a fire in the upper terminal had destroyed the dispatch area and most of the cached rescue equipment.

In 1953 the White Pass Company's first Chairman of the Board was Dr. Ditter from Yakima. The first Area Manger was Corky Erickson. The Ski Patrol's first leader (Director) was Louis Newhall, 1952-54. Among the "Plank-holder" patrollers were Gordy Malm, the patrol's next leader 1954-58, Brice Newhall, Don and Jean Christiansen, Marty Humphreys, Larry Semler and Jim Van Nostern. Harold Heacock began coming up regularly in 1967. In these early years, most of the patrol's members and leadership were from Yakima and its surrounding area. It was not until the late 1960's and the 1970's that substantial numbers of active patrollers came from the western side of the Cascades.

The district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service was Harold Bauerman.

Nelson Bennett was the White Pass Company General Manger through the 60's and into the 1980's. Bennett started at White Pass in 1960 after serving as Assistant Chief of Alpine Events during the 1960 Winter Olympic Games at Squaw Valley, California. Prior to that, he had been the Director of the Sun Valley Ski Patrol at Ketchum, Idaho.

Dave Mahre was one of the early volunteer patrollers and in the 1958-59 season he became one of the White Pass Company's full-time employees. Dave remembers that year, as he didn't start work until February 15. The 1958-59 season was a "no-snow" year and the area was open for only 28 days. Russ Foreman, Mountain Manager, was also one of the early volunteer patrolmen that became a full-time White Pass Company employee.

In the early days of the White Pass Ski area, its development and operation was very much a community effort by the users of the area. These pioneers were largely from Yakima and its surrounding communities.

The Ski Patrol "Plank-holders" were paramount in helping to develop the area. These early patrollers volunteered during the summer, cutting and clearing trails, removing stumps and logs from areas and in the winter, they filled propane bottles on a daily basis (used for fuel to heat the day lodge).

Before the acquisition of the first Tucker Sno-cat in 1963, heavy snows would shut-down hill operations until the hill was packed. Snow packing was performed not only by the company employees and ski patrol, but also by the guests who would only then be able to use their Ski Tickets. Occasionally, the entire hill would be side-stepped by skiers in order to pack the hill sufficiently to enable skiing.

During the 1950's and early 60's there were a number of heavy snow years and lot of shoveling was required, especially at the top of Pigtail Peak - to uncover both Chair #1 and #2. In the winter of 1955 the snow dept at the highway was 20 feet!

During this era, one of the patrol's functions was to provide assistance to the White Pass Company, performing trail maintenance, snow shoveling and other similar activities when necessary.

Electric power arrived at the pass in time for the winter of 1963. This event started a cascade of events. The ski lifts were converted from diesel to electric power, improving their reliability and resulting in improved conditions in Dispatch for the ski patrol. The original conversion to utilize outside electric power by the ski area was accomplished by Don and George Pacardi, Yakima, and the primary contractor was Eric Prader, Ellensburg.

Night skiing began in the winter of 1964-65. Until then, the Poma Hill run had a huge pile of slash and logs stacked in the middle it and there were many stumps remaining from the original ski area clearing. Only a heavy snow year would result in their covering. Even so, these obstacles were assiduously avoided by all skiers, even the most ardent. This debris was finally removed and lights installed to enable a suitable run for night skiing.

Substantial progress has been made over the years in improving the quality and quantity of rescue equipment. In the early 1950's the patrol used a rescue toboggan called a Cannon Mountain. This toboggan was similar to the Sun Valley type in appearance and was generally operated by 2 patrollers, one patroller straddling the handle in the front to control direction and the second patroller riding on the rear-end that would manipulate the brake lever to control speed. Sometime later these "sleds" were replaced with Sun Valley rescue toboggans.

A Sun Valley type sled is essentially a wooden toboggan with an upturned bow with long metal handles on the front and a rope attached to the rear. A metal frame basket (stokes litter) is mounted on top of the wooden frame and the patient is bundled inside and held in place using leather straps. Some Sun Valley sleds also had a device similar to a large steel garden rake attached to the stern of the sled and a patroller would step down on it to apply "braking" pressure. The tail rope was tied around the "Brake-man" and the patroller would assist the "driver" in the front by helping change direction and speed of the sled. The patroller in the front, the "driver," would guide the sled down the hill. Eventually, the Sun Valley's were replaced with the modern fiberglass rescue toboggans and by the 1970's all Sun Valley's were mercifully retired from service.

In the early 1960's a new style of toboggan was developed called the "Cascade" and then in the 1970's another style was introduced called the "Crystal." The "Crystals" offered some considerable advantages over the some of the earlier "Cascade" and Sun Valley toboggans and soon gained wide popularity. The "Cascade" and "Crystal" toboggans are still in use today and their development continues. For more information about these toboggans, see www.CascadeToboggan.com.

The contents of toboggan rescue packs have remained essentially unchanged since the beginning of use. These packs contain wool blankets and Johnson or Stake Jones quick splints . These quick splints are also commonly called "DJ's."

In the 1950's when the trails were first opened on the top of Pigtail Peak, communication between the top and the base area was attained by U.S. Forest Service sound-powered or magneto telephones placed at several hundred yard intervals along the trails.

If a person was injured, a call would be made to the ski patrol dispatcher at the top of the lift who would then send a patroller down with a rescue toboggan. These telephones remained in service until the initial Citizen-band (CB) radio system was adopted by the patrol in the early 1960's. The CB radios were an improvement representing the "then-available" technology over the magneto phone system. Unfortunately, numerous problems were encountered with the CB system and a "modern" dial telephone system was installed by the patrol connecting the major lift terminals, first aid room and dispatch facilities in the late 1960's.

In 1980, the CB radio system was replaced by the then modern FM radio system under the leadership of Gus Pooler and Jocko Burks. This system consisted of two base stations and 15 handheld units and had proven to be very effective and useful. This FM radio system, still in use today, coupled with the land-line telephone system is a very effective communication system.

In the early days of the patrol, the guiding principal for ski patrol first aid was the standard established by the American Red Cross (ARC) Advanced First Aid program. In these early days there was a tendency by all Pacific Northwest Division ski patrols, including White Pass, to provide substantially more first aid care than what was endorsed by the ARC.

By the 1970's the increasing standardization between patrols and the ever-present threat of legal action due to misapplication of the ARC first aid principles, there was a marked tendency to restrict the quality of the first aid provided, by patrollers to the injured, to what was described in the ARC advanced first aid standards. This is also evidenced by the growth of the complexity of the forms that were used to report the accidents at that time (and remain with us to this day).

By way of contrast, in the 1950-60's, the ski patrol routinely applied Plaster of Paris splints to leg injuries, including fractures. These splints were applied to both sides of the leg and then the entire leg was wrapped with a heavy gauze tape to form the splint. Mercifully, the use of these plaster splints was discontinued and the current cardboard box splint with kemsel padding has been used since, with very positive results.

In 1988 the National Ski Patrol discontinued its patroller requirement for ARC advanced first aid. In it's place it launched it's own first aid program called Winter Emergency Care (WEC). WEC became the new NSP first aid standard and requirement for patrollers. This program stresses first aid care for injuries and medical emergencies that occur more commonly in the winter environment rather than urban settings. In the early 1990's this program was expanded to also include the additional first aid techniques commonly used by EMT-B's, with emphasis in outdoor related activities. The course was renamed to Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) and is the standard applied and taught today.

During the years there continues to be an increasing emphasis throughout the National Ski Patrol System on training, testing and upgrading the quality of our first aid, skiing and tobogganing performance. As a result standards have evolved by the national and individual organizations for these skills, particularly for the training of new patrollers and are much more rigorous than was originally available. This has included the uniform adoption of common standards for senior testing and the availability of avalanche and ski mountaineering training.

Basic avalanche and mountaineering (circle "A" and circle "M") as well as the advanced avalanche and mountaineering training programs (the old "patch" courses) were initiated largely through the efforts of Adrian Hale in the 1960's and 1970's. These programs have continued to be offered and taught on a yearly basis since that time. Currently, the successful completion of the basic avalanche course is required for all patroller candidates.

Over the years there have been several incidents involving either Chair #1 or #2. For instance in during the 1958-59 season, 13 chairs were torn off Chair #1 when the haul rope was caught on the tower just below the upper terminal. Sometime later, a similar incident caused 9 chairs to be ripped off when the cable was caught once again, but by Chair #1's tower #2 this time (near the lower terminal). In each of these cases, and for others as well, there have been no serious injuries.

In 1971 the first and only serious major incident occurred that was related to White Pass Company equipment. In February of that year, at the end of a dark and stormy day, the hold-down sheaves on one of Chair #1's compression towers failed causing a rapid tightening of the haul-rope by the the counterweights. This action caused considerable damage to the lift and injured approximately 6 of the people that were riding the lift. Shockingly, just outside of the accident area and also riding the chair was Governor Evans, who at the time was the current Governor of the State of Washington. The lift failure required its immediate evacuation and simultaneous treatment and evacuation of the injured guests. This occurred very near to closing time and the guests were evacuated and treated in the dark. The rescue operation was performed by the White Pass Ski Patrol and for their efforts in this extreme situation, a Letter of Accommodation was awarded from the Pacific Northwest Division.

Over the years the White Pass Ski Patrol has responded to and participated in numerous search and rescue operations in the immediate back-country of the White Pass Ski area. All have been carried out successfully.

In 1983 a young man was reported lost on a Sunday night after our closing sweep. The usual "bastard" searches came up empty. An additional ski area perimeter sweep was done that evening and tracks leaving the area on the Holiday side were discovered. Apparently, he had strayed out of the area and was not found during the search sweep. The Sheriff was called in. The ensuring searches went on for a week. Harold Heacock, Russ Foreman and Dave Mahre flew over the surrounding areas in a helicopter. Still no results. About two years later, hunters, discovered young man's bones under a log. Evidently, Locke, from Vancouver, had crawled under this log for shelter during a snow storm and perished.

The ski patrol has also been called upon, on several occasions, to assist in the treatment of injuries and fatalities from U.S. 12's motor vehicle accidents and also to provide first aid to residents of nearby communities.

The financing of the White Pass Ski Patrol has been performed on a self-sustaining basis by the patrol membership. In the early years, considerable support in terms of first aid supplies and equipment was provided by the U.S. Forest Service as part of its general supervision of the area and ski patrol activities. During those days funds were raised by the "nickel a day" and "nickel a ride" surcharge on ski tickets, the sale of ski patrol booster buttons and the receipt of voluntary donations from the injured.

Beginning in 1967, before the ski season, the ski patrol carried out a very successful ski swap in Yakima. Since then, the proceeds from this yearly ski swap have provided a relatively secure base for funding the operation of patrol activities, including the purchase of rescue equipment and first aid supplies. See www.YakimaSkiSwap.com for more information regarding our current ski swap operation.

Substantial funding has also been provided to the patrol by the White Pass Company through the Pacific Northwest Ski Operators Association. Occasionally, special fund drives have been performed for special purposes, such as the FM radio communication system and to support the Pacific Northwest Division administrative requirements.

Over the years a number of awards have been established throughout the National Ski Patrol System to recognize its leaders, the outstanding contributions of time and effort by individuals or expressions of appreciation by the patrol for special activities to individuals.

Among these awards is the the BED PAN. This annual award is given to that patroller, who in the opinion of his peers, has made the greatest "boo-boo" in carrying out his or her patroller duties. This particular award is "eagerly" sought by many, Several patrollers have obtained the special distinction of receiving it on more than one occasion. The physical "trophy" is a hospital bed pan and the recipient is required to sign it. The Bed Pan is displayed proudly and prominently in the patrol room.

Another award is the PATROLLER OF THE YEAR. The criteria for this award varies somewhat from year-to-year, but the recipient is judged by his or her peers to have made the greatest contribution to the patrol's activities for that year.

The OUTSTANDING FIRST YEAR PATROLLER is another annual award. This award to given to the first year patroller who is considered to have made the greatest contribution to the patrol and also achieves his or her training objectives in that year.

Other awards may be given to a patroller in recognition of service or performance of duties. These include several merit stars.

Gold is awarded to the outstanding patroller in the entire NSP for that season.

Silver is awarded to the "runner-ups" to the outstanding patroller in the Nation.

Purple is awarded for saving a life/s.

Blue is awarded for assisting in saving a life.

Green is awarded for participating in a hazardous rescue of a person/s.

Yellow is awarded for outstanding administrative service to the patrol.

A final means of recognition of performance for a patroller is provided by the awarding of the appointment to the rank of National Ski Patroller. This appointment is made upon the recommendation of other national ski patrollers and is purely an honorary recognition of achievement as a patroller beyond the rank of the regular patroller.

Throughout the years the subject of the relationship between a patrol and the ski area's operators has received increasing emphasis by the national organization of the National Ski Patrol. Every effort has been made by the White Pass Company and the White Pass Ski Patrol leadership to maintain a close cooperative relationship. The selection of the patrol leadership is subject to the review and approval by the company.

In the very early years of the White Pass Ski Patrol, the U.S. Forest Service maintained a very close overview of the ski patrol's activities and many of the patrol's functions were actually performed under the direction of U.S. Forest Service personnel. As time has passed, the U.S. Forest Service has withdrawn from a substantial, direct and active role in the administration of the ski area, except from the overview of the White Pass Company operations with regards for compliance with their special use permit.

Initially, much of the rescue and first aid equipment was provided to the patrol by the U.S. Forest Service and a Snow Ranger was normally on duty in the area. The Snow Ranger took an active part in the ski patrol's duties and activities.

When the White Pass Ski Patrol was organized, the National Ski Patrol's (NSP) organizational structure was already in place. The NSP's organizational headquarters were and are still today located in Denver, Colorado. The Pacific Northwest Division (PNWD) was located in Seattle. In those days, the White Pass Ski Patrol, along with the Satus Pass Ski Patrol, the Loop Loop Ski Patrol and the Wenatchee area ski patrols, made up what was then the Central Region of the PNWD. In 1981 the Central Region was discontinued and the White Pass Ski Patrol became a far eastern affiliate of the Seattle Region of the PNWD.

Today the White Pass, Crystal Mountain, Mt. Baker, Hurricane Ridge, Cascade Nordic, Alpental, Summit West (Snoqualmie Summit), Central Snoqualmie Summit (Ski Acres) and East Snoqualmie Summit (Hyak) ski patrols comprise the Northwest Region (formerly Seattle Region) of the PNWD.

The National organization continues to evolve and with it, its structure. Who can foretell the what the National organization will look like in the years to come?

A very special Thank you to Harold Heacock Natl# 1182. Without Harold, this patrol's history may have been lost forever.

When I originally took on the "mission" of Webmaster in 2002, I wanted not only to post our meeting minutes, duty schedules and so on, but I wanted to tell and share the rich history of this patrol. The word was spread and one day I received a large envelope in the mail from Harold Heacock. I opened it and inside was a "White Paper" titled HISTORY OF WHITE PASS SKI PATROL. The paper was written in the early 1980's, 14 pages of double spaced type. What you find above is largely based on that paper.

William Legg
Natl# 9540
January 28, 2005