1944-1945 Year Book - the Gatineau Valley Historical Society

4 Ottawa Ski Club Year Book 1944-45
Some one made the suggestion that a map of our trail be enclosed
in this issue. This will be done some time in a separate
Guide book, including a map for each trail. In the meantime,
our members may get the very good Federal District Commission
map at McGiffin's, 80 Sparks St.
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The Camp Fortune Lodge is being improved by the addition
of a large waxing room- which by the way looks good enough to
be used as a lounge room-a new cafeteria which will permit of
much quicker service, two fireplaces, one at each end of the Tweedsmuir
hall, a wood-shed where hardy ones could spend the night in
a sleeping bag, a first-aid room and new caretaker's quarters. You
won't know the place when you see it.
It is simply amazing the things that can be found around
Camp Fortune if one but takes the trouble to look around. Joe
Morin happened to look up one day as he was passing along, and
he found the Slalom Hill, 1200 feet high. In the same way the
other day, John Clifford found a splendid jumping hill, good for
a hundred feet or more, in the nursery slopes. Sigurd's hill will
have to do some stretching to stay in the run.
And now for our annual tilt with the Federal District Commission!
Last year, our grudge was the beavers. This year it is
that sign the Commission put over the entrance to the Canyon
trail, on the Meach Lake Road. The sign reads: "Ridge Road."
Ye Gods! Did the Commission get its signs mixed or did it imagine
that a "Road" would attract skiers or hikers more than a
"Trail"? "Trail" brings to mind the wild denizens of the forest,
~ babbling brooks, dark recesses of the bush, sunny clearings;
"Road" conjures up the sinister vision of motor cars and the vile
stench of fuel and oil. Better change that name to the one by
which it has been known for over twenty years and will always
be known by the members of the Ottawa Ski Club, who made this
oath-The Canyon trail. And get rid of the nefarious beavers too,
before they turn the country into a morass.
To HARVEY CLIFFORD, who was the first man to carry the
colours of the Ottawa Ski Club to victory at Lake P lacid, winning
the Slalom on February 20, and at Mont Tremblant, winning the
Taschereau race Class A on February 13 and the Laurentian Zone
Championships on March 13, our heartiest congratulations!
To all our contributors, our advertisers, and particularly our
advertising manager, M. J. Londeau, who is responsible for the
artistic lay out of this Year Book, I desire to express my sincere
thanks and appreciation. -------
To our members overseas-Greetings ! May God speed your
return to the Gatineau hills !