5 - Growing Up and Winter Sports

We never had many bought playthings. It was up to us to keep occupied. We played cards and if we went outside in the winter there was always ice and snow. It got colder stayed colder and we had more snow. The river Columbia almost always froze two feet thick so we had skating on the river at Porteus Road at the foot of 23^rd street. It was a round pool (seepage) from the river about 150 feet across. Everyone for miles came (walked) carried fire wood and old tires for a big bonfire to get warm by. Skates were passed down after they got too small. Three Lakes south of Wenatchee would freeze so there was skating on both sides of the river.

We coasted on the streets as most everyone who drove a car tried not to venture out on the hills. The county sanding crews left our hills unsanded except at the bottom so we could stop. All the sleds were full for the trip down then we would all pull them to the top for the next ride. After all the dam’s were built the river never gets much ice and we now have an ice rink and coasting parties are almost unheard of. In the 50’s it seemed that we got less snow and it didn’t stay as long. We used to have world class ski jumps at Leavenworth. In the 50’s they had to haul snow from Lake Wenatchee and pack it on the hill. After that they stopped trying to hold the jumps and the ski trestle rotted and fell down.

Joe Gurnard built a bob sled that would seat about ten kids. It had a tiller for steering with steel runners and was built out of two by twos. It was hell for stout but not much on control. Riding down the hill was always an experience in an uncontrolled crash. It was probably a good thing as if we had even made it all the way to the bottom we would have probably been killed as there was no brakes and it would get to flying if it stayed on the road very long.

The Wenatchee Valley 1-Family Matters 2-The Family Farm 3-When I Was A Boy 4-Olden Days Travel <Previous 5-Growing Up and Winter Sports Next> 6-Events