Archive for 2014

The museum received a donation of the book “Powder Perfect” by Barbara Fritschi Morgan. The book tells the little known story of the Fritschi Family as avid skiers and early investors in the Squaw Valley Ski Area. The book recounts bootstrapping up a new ski area at the dawn of the modern winter sports era in California. The Fritschi’s were real pioneers in the industry and deserve much credit for the early success of the ski area. The book includes Theodora Fritschi Heric’s reminisces of early ski adventures in the Eastern Sierra near Mammoth and Robert Fritschi’s restoration of Glen Alpine Springs Resort, near Fallen Leaf Lake.  It will be included in our Squaw Valley Ski Area collection and serve as an important resource for future researchers. ~ To purchase a copy of “Powder Perfect” go to the “books” page on this website…. Read more

The Topol Family of Tahoe Pines donated two rare Sports Illustrated magazines devoted to coverage of the 1960 Winter Olympics. The donation was made in memory of Nate Topol. These are the kind of things that keep the museum growing and provide further insight into our wonderful ski history past.  We will try to present these magazines in such a way that the stories within the magazine are shown.  Thank you so much, Topol Family, for your gift!… Read more

Museum Co-founders David C Antonucci and Stan Batiste (pictured 2nd and 3rd from the left, next to Billy Kidd) are so happy to have hosted a reunion reception for the members of the 1960 and 1964 US Ski Team at the Museum. It was a fun night with 1960 US Ski Team members;  Beverly Anderson Brockway, Tom Corcoran and Joan Hannah  and 1964 US Ski Team members Billy Kidd, Chuck Ferries, Joan Hannah, Barbara Ferries Henderson, Bill Marolt, Ni Orsi and Starr Walton Hurley.  Everyone had a great time with food and drinks again provided by Joe Lanza and Eli Covell of the Hacienda restaurant and talks by Tom Kelly of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, Museum Co-founder David C Antonucci and Olympic medalist Billy Kidd.  Thanks also to photographer Sarah Brunson and US Olympic team logistical manager Jen Desmond for helping to make it go so well.  Another wonderful time ~~and  we are already planning the next museum party!… Read more

Joseph W. Smith has found and donated the original 1960 Winter Olympics, State of California/ Olympic Commission engineering plans for transportation and snow compacting.  These are fantastic, very rare books with over 110 pages describing the Olympic facilities plans for traffic and parking.    Tahoe City and Truckee are among the areas included in many charts, maps and drawings detailing the transportation and parking plans for the event.  We know of no other copies of these books in existence. Once these are copied we will put them on display.  ~~~ Thank you so much Joseph for your valuable donation!… Read more

Norm Sayler, the icon of the summit, president and manager of Donner Ski Ranch for 46 years, owner and operator of the History Museum in Soda Springs and the man singled out for his “forward-thinking” contributions to Donner Summit and the entire Tahoe region will be joining us.  Doing things his way he can be credited for many important things such as being instrumental in making Donner the first ski resort in America to open its slopes to snow boarders in the 1980s, which led to a resurrection of the snow sport industry.  As Norm stated: “My philosophy is simple. I don’t show people how to have fun, I let people have fun. That’s what skiing is all about.”  ~~ Norm was instrumental in saving both the Rainbow Bridge which looks over Donner Lake, as well as ensuring that large parts of highway 40 were preserved. Norm has a great ski history collection at his museum which is available for all to view in downtown Soda Springs, CA.   We are so happy that  Norm will be working with us to preserve the skiing history of the west…. Read more

What a great time for both the Cub scouts of pack 264 and our museum host Olympian Joe Pete Wilson.  The scouts learned about ski history of our area and were able to hear stories of the 1960 Olympics from one who was there.  These are the types of experiences and gatherings that we hoped for when we created the museum.  Thanks so much to all the leaders and parents of Cub Pack 264 hope you can return next year!… Read more

Craig Beck can be characterized as a Renaissance man and truly one of the first Extreme Sportsman. Craig’s first introduction to skiing was as a press runner at the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley, USA.  One of the original Lake Tahoe ski “hotdoggers,” he went on to produce the iconic ‘70’s ski film, “Daydreams,” which he also shot and starred in.  His love of skiing and other board sports is constant. For many years he resurrected an interest in the historical longboards by designing and honing dozens of pairs himself for a National Longboard competition, which he organized and held for many years in the Lake Tahoe region. This led to an Olympic demonstration spectacle at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.  Craig and wife, Cindy, are the parents of Clay, Emily and David and also the doting grandparents of four active grandsons! Come by and see examples of Craig’s longboards which he has placed on display as well as informational materials about the great sport of longboard racing.  Thanks so much Craig and Cindy!… Read more

It is through great donations like this rare 1960 Olympic Map from the Grunwald /Howarth family that allows the Museum to grow and ensure that we are able to preserve our history.  This very unique map was available at the 1960 Olympics and features an overview of the mountain courses and the valley Olympic venue.  The framed map will be on display in the museum shortly.  We thank the Grunwald /Howarth family for becoming part of our museum!… Read more

The museum made its primetime television debut on NBC during the night of the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics Closing ceremonies.  The story included an overview of our museum with interviews of Co-founder~David C. Antonucci, 1960 winter Olympian ~Joe Pete Wilson and Blyth Arena model builder Doug Yates. The story preceded the Olympic Games during KCRA’s “Olympic Zone” broadcast. You can watch the coverage under the “PRESS” page of this website.  Thanks so much Mae Fesai and Chris Riva for your great reporting…. Read more