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Mt. Marathon Ski Run

1931 to Late 1930's
Name of Ski Area: Mt. Marathon Ski Run (actual name unknown)
Location: Seward, Alaska - on the lower slopes of Mt. Marathon (exact location not known).
Type of Area: Ski Hill
Dates of Operation: 1931 to Late 1930's
Who Built It?: Bob Hall and Jack Benson
Base/Vertical Drop:

Unknown
Lifts: Unknown
Facilities: Unknown
History: In Mary J. Barry's history book, "Seward, Alaska: A History of the Gateway City - Vol. III: 1924-1993" she writes:

"Sewardites found a good [skiing] slope in 1931 on one of Mt. Marathon's slides, along Lowell Creek Canyon.  In February 1932, Bob Hall and Jack Benson, two local ski enthusiasts, cleared a longer and steeper ski hill and runway on the lower Mt. Marathon."

"The Seward Ski Club formed around this time, and during the winter of 1932-33, skiers could be seen zooming down the sides of Marathon.  In 1933, the Seward Athletic Club built a toboggan slide on Mt. Marathon near Second Lake."

"The Mt. Marathon runs eventually became too tame for the expert skiers, so they started looking for likely runs that they could develop north of town." [See: Divide Ski Area web page]
Sources of Information:

Mary J. Barry, author of "Seward, Alaska: A History of the Gateway City - Vol. III: 1924-1993"; Mark Luttrell
Photos:

Does anyone have old pictures of skiing on Mt. Marathon that they would like to contribute to ALSAP ?

~  DOCUMENTS  ~
 

"Rushing the Season", an article by Frank Campbell that appeared in the February 1947 Alaska Sportsman magazine

This article documents skiing on summer snow IN SEPTEMBER above Seward

(Click on any of the images below to expand them to readable size)
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

 

Skijoring in Seward in 1912
This picture shows some early skiing action at the base of Mt. Marathon.
[Photo credit: University of Washington Libraries]

~  MAPS  ~

This topo map shows the slopes of Mt. Marathon descending to the City of Seward.  You can also see Lowell Creek Canyon.  The exact location of the ski run is not known.

(click on this map to expand it)

Research Correspondence 

[Mary J. Barry - 28 July 2006 email] 
 

I just ran across your website with the great articles on ski sites, with photos and historical information.  It's very interesting and well-presented.
 
I don't think these would really count as lost ski areas because they were so tiny, but when I was growing up in Seward, we used to ski down a portion of Mt. Marathon.  We also used to ski down a wooden ramp that led from the ground to the top of the Lowell Creek outlet.  We wouldn't have won any prizes as skiers, but it was fun!
 
Mary J. Barry

[TK Note: Mary J. Barry is the author of a three volume set of great history books on Seward, Alaska]

[Mary J. Barry - 16 September 2006 email excerpt] 

I should just add one little item to my mention of a kid's skiing sites -- There was a small area cleared on Bear Mountain behind the old hospital on Second Avenue, which the children used for skiing and sledding.

Mary J. Barry

 

Do you have further information, stories or pictures that you would like to contribute about this ski area?