Happiness is Skiing at Meany
Or
Where Else Can You Find a 2½ Mile Long Rope Tow
Anonymous - The Mountaineer Annual 1968
It's 7: 30 as we leave Seattle. It's cold and crisp with the morning sun shining on new snow in the Cascades. It looks like a great day for the Meanyites as we pass an endless succession of ski-school busses-by count, 160, twice the number of people ever seen on Meany hill. With Snoqualmie Pass behind us, it is 12 miles to the Stampede Pass exit road. To the left up Gold Creek are Huckleberry and Chikamin Peaks covered with a dusting of new powder snow.
Ten past nine and we pull into the parking area, unload gear and put on skis for the 2&fract12;mile long "ropetow" to the lodge. But where is this rope tow? There is a dog sled with an eager team of white Alaska Huskies ready to take an exercise run up the road, but can they pull 40 skiers? Suddenly an apparition appears around the corner. An immense flat-roofed version of Snoopy's "Sopwith Camel" ( doghouse version) , gaily painted with alpine flowers and fantastic creatures moves into view. Could that be Snoopy himself in the cockpit in his World War I flying helmet chasing the Red Baron? On closer scrutiny it turns out to be our driver, Tom VanDevanter. He roars on by as two long ropes are unhooked from the tractor and 'thrown out onto the road behind. Beginning skiers climb aboard the tractor while the old pros shoulder their packs and take a loop in one of the two ropes. Nine-thirty has arrived, and the driver is champing at his microphone to get going. Tail-end Charley radios all clear to start, and with a roar we take off down the road, scattering teenagers into the snow banks like scared chickens.
Somebody halfway up the rope has a loose safety binding, loses his ski, and goes down: This should really make a walloping pig-pile, but no, the tractor has stopped--oh the wonder of Citizen Band Radio. Now we see why Snoopy wears that WW I flyers helmet--it's got earphones.
It is every man for himself crossing the Milwaukee tracks while the tractor waits on the other side; then off again, a long double line of brightly colored parkas and from which come random puffs of condensed breath. Now and then a snowball is scooped up to land upon and unsuspecting victim.
Soon we cross the bridge, up the slope to a peculiar little structure below the N.P. Tracks full of "gas" drums, and affectionately called the "Edifus Wrecks," the end of the line. The driver calls out "All out, and don't forget ot take up a box a food!" A long nomad migration slowly starts the perilous ascent to the tracks up the "N.P Icefall." An unfortunate newcomer is seen with two suitcases, a 17½ pound loosely rolled sleeping bag and poles and skis sticking out in all direction from under his arms. He soon learns that a pack is a necessity at Meany and flounders off to the side in knee-deep powder to let the-others by.
Finally the lodge. The committee turns on the lights and water, the furnace is stocked with wood, and the girls start heating a large kettle of soup. The work sheet is posted--at Meany all the chores are done by skiers. Taped Austrian yodeling and zither music fill the rapidly warming lodge, as we roast numb toes over the floor furnace and recall our efforts last fall, rolling logs and splitting firewood at the work parties.
The lodge dates back to 1928, when Mountaineers built it on land purchased and donated by Professor Meany, who among others recognized the necessity 0f relieving the population explosion at the old Snoqualmie lodge. The new site was a natural, the scouters said, opened terrain, good snow at Stampede Pass.
That same year it was ready for winter use--easy access by train made it popular. These were the years--1929-1941--that various race: began: the slalom and downhill for men, and the famous ski patrol races between Snoqualmie and Meany hut. Three-man teams, carry the equivalent of present-day 10 Essentials, plus more, started of at 10-minute intervals over Olallie Meadows, Tinkham Pass, around Mirror Lake, then down Yakima Pass, with a steep climb up to the Cedar River watershed. Then down, over, up, around obstacles till finally, Meany hill in view, and the steep lane to the ski hut--average time 5-6 hours.
During the war years and gas rationing, trains made Meany the salvation of skiers until the trains rescheduled, inconveniencing skiers, and then came the time they no longer stopped at Meany. the new highway over the pass, in spite of the long haul in, is now the only access.
After hot soup and sandwiches back to the slopes again. And hill packing! "Everyone up as high as you can go, to sidestep the hill: calls the tow chairman over the speaker. to the rousing strains of the Deutschmeister Band, we tramp out long stairstep strips in the broken up hill, with a final sideslip to give a smooth slope.
Is time for a run down South Slobbovia. From the top of the tow we traverse Green Pastures to Tombstone Canyon, cross to the Bullmoose Glacier where some take off for a run down Bullmoose Ridge, but we "druther" cross Druthers Gulch and run Upper South Slobbovia. It's over the edge for a turn in the deep-sheltered powder of Phogbound Gulch, then back to S. Slobbovia for a fast run down the ridge to Brockman's Knob. A hard right turn around Jacobs Ladder ( power-line tower) brings us to wide open skiing over bumps and hollows. We finally cross the bridge over Tombstone Canyon head back through the woods to the tow.
Daylight wanes, lights go on at the bottom of the hill, and Slobbovia is abandoned for a few last runs down the lower half of the "lane" before dinner.
Dinner, then wash up, do a pot, pay the fees, and be ready to shake a leg to folk dance tapes. Beginners and newcomers are urged to join in and wit a little instruction are soon womping out a rollicking "9-Pin Reel" or Schottische with the best of them.
Dorm lights are out at 10 p.m. to accommodate those who want to survive a Meany day. The hardy, however, continue With dancing until lights blink at 10:45--maIn floor lights out at 11:00.
Breakfast at 8 a.m. and out to the slopes. There is the tour to the Stampede Pass weather station or Meany Woods or even to Mt. Baldy. It's good to tramp up through the unbroken snow through the frost-covered trees watching the Snoqualmie peaks and Mt. Rainier come into view. A talk with the men at the weather station over a cup of hot coffee affords a well-earned break.
Another skiing day comes to an end. The lodge is put to sleep for another week and packs are shouldered for the hike to the tractor. Beginners climb aboard while the rope-riders take a wild schuss town the road to the bridge. The tow lines are really long now, for everyone who comes in goes out on this one trip. As the procession snakes through the woods, those on the end seldom catch a glimpse of the tractor and Tail-end Charlie has to be assisted by another radio operator in the middle of the line.
Shovels emerge from car trunks and everyone is busy digging out his car and loading gear. It's only 5½ more days till the next trip to Meany.
Sign up with the clubroom secretary ( check page 99) Snow tractor for Meany hut leaves parking area 9:30 and 10:30 Saturday for lodge; returns to road at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and when the lodge is closed on Sunday. For details, check with lodge chairman.
woods and mountains; a decent respect for minorities should
dedicate the other tenth to wilderness.
From "Wilderness as a Tonic," Joseph Wood Krutch,
Saturday Review, June 8, 1963