Ski Racing On Hollyburn Mountain

The first cross-country ski races on Hollyburn sanctioned by CASA, the Canadian Amateur Ski Association, took place during the 1927/1928 ski season and were organized by the newly-formed Hollyburn Pacific Ski Club. There were races for both men and women. The race course began at First Lake, climbed to the Hollyburn plateau, and then descended to First Lake. Contestants in the first men's race on January 1, 1928 included Finn Fladmark, (a strong cross-country ski racer from Norway), Jack Turner, Walt Kennedy, Abie Knight, Scotty McRae, Gary Billingsley, Neil Thompson, Harry Collins, and Bill Cripp. The first race for women, won by Doris Parkes, also included Daisy Bourdon, (a Hollyburn skiing star in the 1930's and 40's), Millie Kennedy, Kittie Franklin, Dorothy Sully, Aileen Irwin, Helen DeCew, Buddy Barker, Kay Park, Betty Sharland, and Bobby Huddock. By the mid-1930's, downhill skiing was growing in popularity. The Viski Classic race course was created around that time and included a steep downhill section from Hollyburn Peak, down Romstads run to the plateau. From there, conpetitors used their cross-country skills to reach the top of the Wells Gray run which took them down to the Hollyburn Ski Camp at First Lake. Slalom races were also held in the 1930's. The first slalom course was located just west of Romstads run. In the late 1930's another, wider, steeper and longer slalom course was cut on the southeast side of the Hollyburn shoulder. During the 1930's, cross-country, downhill, and slalom race courses were also developed on nearby Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour.