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Chena Ridge Ski Jump 1956 to 1960 |
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PHOTOS ~
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~ MAPS ~ |
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This topo view shows the where the Chena Ridge Ski jump was located. To the west of the airport on Chena Ridge by Broadmoor Acres (click on this map to expand it) |
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A zoomed in topo view shows the area where it is believed the Chena Ridge Ski Jump was located. Note: this location still needs to be verified, it may not be that accurate. (click on this map to expand it) |
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Research Correspondence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[Dave Brann - 05
February 2005 conversation with Merritt Mitchell]
It was great fun talking with them, he came to the University in 1947-48 and so did Liz. Both were members of the Univ. Ski Team. They married in 1950. [Merritt had] pictures, nice pictures of the ski jump at Chena Ridge, just the jump and with a jumper. In the Alaska Atlas, it was located just west of the airport by Broadmore Acres, just above the e and below the o, you have to look at the map to understand where I am talking about. Chena Ridge Ski Jump was started in 1956 by a loose bunch of skiers. There was no official organization but they did hold the Nugget Ski Races there for 2-3 years. The group got a permit from BLM and included 10-15 active jumpers. The group included but was not limited to Harvey Turner, Donn Huber, Mel Hackala, Ron Sundberg, Ray DePriest, Art Stubbins. Also good pictures of the jump at the University. located on the Alaska Atlas just below the g and e of the word college, built by students, it was small, about 1/4 mi. from campus. (I know we have some of this). [Dave Brann - 07 February 2005 conversation with Merritt Mitchell] Tim, I talked with Merritt, he didn't help build the Chena Ridge jump, isn't sure why he wasn't involved. He guesses the jump was 30-35 meters and lasted only 2-3 years, four at the most so 56-60 looks like the dates. The Nugget Races were four event races, jumping at Chena ridge, Cross Country on the Univ (Skarland) Trails, downhill and slalom at Cleary Summit. Said they went on for a number of years after he left-maybe they jumped somewhere else. He said the people at Beaver Sports in Fairbanks would be a good source but the best he said is Harvey Turner-he has newspaper clippings, pictures etc. Here are two pictures of the jump at Chena Ridge, the first picture of a jumper coming over the lip (white sign in the background) is of Al Paige. I don't know who the second picture is of at this point, I will check with Merritt but I'm not sure he knows as it wasn't labeled. [Dermot Cole - excerpt from a 26 March 2006 article in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner entitled: "In 1950s, local skiers took flight from Fairbanks ski jumps"] For full article click here. Their site [ALSAP] contains some great accounts of the ski jumps at
the University of Alaska and on Chena Ridge in the late 1940s and early
1950s. The UAF jump was on the hill just beyond the Patty Center, while
the Chena Ridge jump was up on the hill above the Pump House restaurant. |
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Do you have further information, stories or pictures that you would like to contribute about this ski area? |
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