CONVAIR SKI CLUB ---How it all began……..(as related to Helen Harris)
Late in 1952 Jim Fields, head of the Convair Recreation Dept., called Joe Harris into his office for a discussion about starting a ski club. Joe was then the commissioner of the ice skating club and had been introduced to skiing earlier that year and had not stopped talking how great the sport was.
He had given his sister Alice a new pair of skis for Christmas. She, in turn, handed over her old skis to him. On New Year's Day they drove up to Snow Valley to check out their skis. Alice who had skied for a couple of seasons showed him how to herringbone up the bunny slope, turn around, and schuss down. At
the bottom Joe automatically executed a hockey stop, not realizing he had accomplished the skier's christie stop. This feat amazed his sister, so she confidently skied off with her friends. When Joe saw all the "dollies" (translation-females) in their trim Bogner outfits, he was convinced this was the sport to pursue. He invested in ski equipment, ski clothes, and ski lessons. He was a natural skier, using his experience from ice skating to skiing, claiming both utilized the same technique - that of riding the edges to execute turns, even though the ski blade was about 3 inches wider and 7 feet longer than the skate.But I digress, so……
Joe accepted the challenge of forming a ski club at Convair; even though he was only a novice skier he knew how to run a CRA club. He posted notices on all the company bulletin boards announcing the formation of a ski club for all interested employees. A little over a dozen curious personnel showed up at the first meeting. The nucleus grew in successive meetings. They met twice a month. They elected officers for the club, but Joe assumed the role of trip leader and program organizer, since he had previously checked out most of the ski areas in the San Bernadino and the San Gabrial mountains. Since the club was still small, the members decided which ski area they would travel to the following weekend. Transportation was by car pool. Members were divided into two categories: those who could ski and those who could not, consequently taking lessons was a high priority for the could nots.
The club continued to grow in size and popularity. Club meetings and trips were announced via penny postcards and bulletin board notices. After the business portions of the meetings were completed, there was music, square and round dancing, and socializing -- with Joe supplying the Alpine and swing records as well as sound equipment. Contests were initiated to select a club logo. Activities also included inserting metal edges in wooden skis, talks on new equipment and where in the L.A. area one could buy them. In those days Joe Smith was the only local sport shop carrying ski equipment and the selection was very limited.
The annual week trip was always to Sun Valley, Idaho, in late February where everybody was signed up for ski school for the entire week to improve their skiing skills (This was the precursor to Technique Week). Joe also encouraged the group to enter the races: downhill (in tuck) racing the bottom of Baldy for the Silver Sun and mixed-gate racing down the face of Dollar for a Gold or Silver or Bronze Ram pin (if you made the time). Lodging was either at the Challenger Inn in Sun Valley or in the Red Top Cabins in Hailey. These digs were on a higher level than the earlier "Learn-to-Ski Weeks" which included 6 people per dorm room in bunk beds (bath down the hall), all meals, lift tickets, lessons --- for the amazing price of less than $100 for the week! After a week at Sun Valley, Mammoth seemed less frightening and more like a giant practice mountain.
Mammoth trips were only scheduled on long or holiday weekends because the drive up 395 took over 12 hours and sleeping bags were required due to limited lodging facilities. The club became 100% Far West club at Joe's insistence. Membership to FWSA at that time was on an individual basis costing $1.00 per person.