1944-1945 Year Book - the Gatineau Valley Historical Society

Ottawa Ski Club Year Book 1944-45 9
The Season of 1943-44
by The Editor
Snow was rationed during the will he no snow left next week,
winter of 1943-44, but the ra- you know" found themselves
tioning, although severe, was paying as many as fifteen guests
done in such an intelligent and fees-over three times the yearequitable
manner that the coup- ly subscription. Pessimists are
ons obtaina:ble with the badge always in the wrong when it
of the Ottawa· Ski Club were comes to the Canadian winter.
valid at all times and practically
every week-end from December Being closer by a few hundred
12 to April 24. The total quota
feet.to the source of supply, the
of snow available. was ·barely
heights of Camp Fortune got
half that of the previous year perhaps the lion's share' of the
but it was meted out always in snow allotment, but the lower
the proper quantity and at the reaches of the ski zone, from
prO'per time, never in excess of Pink Lake to Wrightville, were
the week-end needs, instead of fairly comfortably padded at all
being carelessly dumped over times, and enjoyed by the ever
hills and plains in two or three
growing number of people who
big storms with long lapses of slide home from Camp Fortune
crusty surfaces in between. for the sake of their tires and
There. was no waste at any time.
gas coupons. Dome hill and its
Furthermore, the snow appeared
to be of a peculiar lasting were never in a very pleasant
satellites, Pine and Midway hills,
quality, wearing on amazingly mood however, but more on account
of heavy log traffic along
well. The covering lay·er was so
thin at times that it did not
the base of the hills than of lack
seem possible that it could outlast
the first warm rays of the The following notes, taken
of snow.
March sun, and there was great
anxiety among the ski fans lest
they should be deprived of their
spring skiing. Yet the white
stuff, refreshed by timely falls
every week - end, wore on
through March and all through
April and until almost the last
day of the month. In fact, as is
often the case with us, the winter
improved as it went, Felbruary
being better than Jan·
uary, March better than February
while April was the best
month of all. Some pessimists
who refused to join the Ottawa
Ski Club and paid only a guest
fee at each visit "because there
from our Secretary's diary tell
the whole story about the winter.
·
Sunday Dec. 12 (4° above) 18
inches of snow on trails. Snowed
all day, very enjoyable. -
Sunday Dec. 19 (30° above)
snow falling all day, a hit slow
but not sticky. Not a very exciting
day but worth the effort.
Sundlay Dec. 26 (16° above)
Lovely .fresh powdery snow.
Canyon, Pleasant Valley and
Highland Fling perfect. Best
day skiing yet.----Sunday, Jan.
2. A splendid day, save for a
nasty fall at Humdinger ravine.
Nice soft snow.~Sunday Jan. 9