Russian Jack Ski Hill

Russian Jack Ski Hill

1968 to 1979 / 1983 to 2003

Name of Ski Area:	Russian Jack Ski Hill, Russian Jack Ski Jump, Russian Jack Springs Ski Hill
Location:	Anchorage, to the north and south of Debarr Road, to the west of Boniface Parkway.
Type of Area:	Ski Hill, Jump
Dates of Operation:	Rope Tow: 1968 to 1979 (when original lodge burned)/ 1983 (date new lodge was built to 2003. Ski Jump: 1968 to 1971.
Who Built It?:	Anchorage Parks and Rec built both old and new lodges. The jump was built by Anchorage Parks and Rec, Manpower Training School of the IBEW and the Nordic Ski Club (Lou Strutz and Ralph Anderson were involved in this project).
Base / Vertical:	Base: ~125' / Vertical: ~100'
Lifts:	1 Rope Tow, rope tow served both the ski hill and the ski jump
Facilities:	25 meter jump (until 1971). Lodge for warm-up, food, rental and ticketing. The tow engine was enclosed in the lodge.
Miscellaneous:	The original rope tow for the RJS ski hill was moved from the Forest Park Ski Hill in 1967 or 1968. The 1958 Onan gas engine for this tow operated until 1971 when it was replaced by the current tow engine. In 1979 the Russian Jack Springs lodge burned. The tow engine was in a separate shack that did not burn. In 1983 the lodge was rebuilt and a tow engine room was incorporated into the building. After the snow-less winter of 2002-2003 ski lift operations at RJS were ended. The takeoff ramp of the ski jump at RJS was constructed out of telephone poles in 1968. The jump was removed in 1971 due to use conflicts and liability concerns.
Sources of Information:	John McCleary (Municipality of Anchorage, Department of Parks and Recreation); Ronn Randall (Municipality of Anchorage, Department of Parks and Recreation); Tim Kelley; Adem Boeckmann
Photos:	Does anyone have pictures of skiing or jumping at the Russian Jack Ski Hill or Jump that they would like to contribute to ALSAP ?

~ PHOTOS ~

Fall 2005 photos from the Rope Tow Room in the lower level of the Russian Springs Chalet

Photos by Tim Kelley. Thanks go to Ronn Randall of the Municipality of Anchorage, Parks and Recreation Department for allowing Tim access to the rope tow room.
(Click on any picture to enlarge it)

The rope tow power plant is well built, engineered for safety and in excellent condition. The tow rope itself is also in great shape. The rope would send and return through a slot in the building's wall.

Grooves in the dive wheel hold the tow rope. The drive wheel is likely a military surplus truck wheel. Possibly a "deuce and a half", 2 1/2 ton, Army truck.

The axle differential is connected to a gearbox which is driven by an electric motor. All rotating parts are covered by diamond grate for safety. The gear box.

The electric motor. The last State of Alaska rope tow inspection: October 1997.

Electrical boxes for starting the rope tow motor ... ... and stopping it.

All of the ski area signs are preserved in this room. Prices like these helped make skiing an "every-person's" sport. And that was a good thing.

Behind the front desk there is a great view of the ski hill and rope tow. And a rope tow safety control switch is an arm's-length away.

Plus - a few Fall 2005 photos of the Ski Hill and Rope Tow Towers

Rope tow tower and the Russian Jack Springs Chalet - a very nice public parks building owned and run by the Municipality of Anchorage. The "slot" in the chalet where the tow rope enters, to the power plant, and exits. Rope tow towers leading up to the chalet, with the ski hill on the right. As far as beginners' ski hills go - this facility was just about perfect. Many Anchorage-ites took their first ski runs here.

~ MAPS and AERIAL VIEWS ~

This large scale topo map shows the location of Russian Jack Springs Park in Anchorage.

(click on map to expand it)

This 2002 aerial view shows the location of the Russian Jack Ski Hill. During the summer the ski hill is park of a golf course. Russian Jack Springs park is a gem of a park in east-central Anchorage, it spans to the north and south of Debarr Road.

Zooming in on the aerial view, red lines depict the rope tow emanating from the lodge, and the former location of the ski jump (a shadowed clearing in the trees is the far extent of the jump outrun).

On the right is a 2008 picture of the old ski jump landing hill and outrun. A fence is placed at the top of the hill to discourage sledders from using this hill, as several sledders have been seriously hurt here in the past.

[Photo credit (right): Tim Kelley]

Research

[John McCleary, MOA Dept. of Parks and Recreation - excerpt from 29 November 2004 email]

The original Chalet was built in 1968. The rope tow was operational as early as the 1968 season by my records. By a letter from the Recreation Superintendent dated July 18, 1974, it sounded like the rope tow engine was moved from what he called the Forest Park Ski Hill after the 1966-67 season to RJS. Downhill skiing may have been occurring just prior to this without a tow. The rope tow and shack was at the top of the hill separate from the Chalet. The tow served the downhill skiers and jumpers. After the chalet fire, the location for the replacement chalet was moved to the top of the hill, incorporating the tow engine room, ticket shack, warm-up and rental functions into one facility. The tow operation ended after the miserable winter of 2002-2003.

The RJS ski jump hill was built 1968 jointly by Anchorage Parks and Rec, Manpower Training School of the I.B.E.W. and the Nordic Ski Club. Materials were donated by Chugach Electric Assoc, M.L. & P. and AK. R. R. It was a 25 meter jump constructed from telephone poles. Due to use conflicts and liability concerns, the hill was removed in 1971.

By a letter from the Recreation Superintendent dated July 18, 1974 ... He states that the 1958 Onan gasoline engine had broken down in the spring of 1967. He also stated that the idler wheels were too small and that the tow rope kept slipping off and would not stay on. He indicated that it remained in operation at RJS until 1971 after which when lack of replacement parts required it to be replaced and sold at public auction. A new tow engine was purchased and is the one currently installed.

During my information quest on the RJS jump, found a memo dated March 7, 1963 from Council Person, Sewell Faulkner, an advocate of downhill skiing and jumping. He requested that the Parks and Recreation Department investigate the possibility of construct a 25 or 30 meter jump and constructing a separate 10 meter jump by diverting the $5,000 approved P&R budget item for a warm up hut at the Romig Hill. The author stated that the hill for the past 5 years [Romig Hill] (placing the hill starting around 1958) was a victim of weather and winds resulting in poor snow conditions. He felt that the new warm up hut would receive limited use and that jumping would bring more users and would help pay for the city operations of the hill/new jumps. A drawing was attached showing a tower near to the top of the hill and the jump about mid way on a modified slope.

[Adem Boechmann - 23 November 2007 email excerpt]

I ... have recently purchased the Russian Jack Springs rope tow from Anchorage, hoping to start up the [Nome, Alaska] Newton Peak rope tow again.

[John McCleary, MOA Dept. of Parks and Recreation - 22 September 2008 email excerpt]

It is true that the RJS rope tow power plant was removed last year and sold as surplus, to who was not shared with us. The poles were not part of the sale and are still standing.

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



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