WINTER SPORTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON: 1934 - 1950

An Excerpt from Early Skiing on Snoqualmie Pass Written for the Husky Winter Sports Club. Skiing at the University of Washington goes back to January 1934, when the University of Washington Ski Club formed with a membership of 100 men and women. The club developed a race course at Paradise on Mt. Rainier, rented a cabin at Paradise for the season, and formed a ski team that trained at Paradise and Snoqualmie Summit. The University Book Store ran a bus to Paradise on weekends in 1934, and in 1936, rented ski equipment and offered a bus service from Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass on Sundays. The Washington Ski Team dominated west coast competition during the 1930s and early 1940s, regularly winning Pacific Coast Championships. University of Washington skiers competed in many of the country’s major races, with racers such as John Woodward, Darroch Crookes, Bill Redlin, David Fairies, Gus Raaum and others establishing national reputations.