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Anniversary of the Snow Train
By Bill Schaefer
This the anniversary year of the first SnowTrain in 1934. February and March brought us a great look into SWC’s past and how much we as a club shaped the skiing industry as we know it today. SWC sponsored a series of 4 talks at Wolf Hollow Brewing and collaborated with the Tannery Pond Center in North Creek on several more. Wolf Hollow programs were attended by approximately 400 people and combined with those in North Creek, close to a thousand may have attended. A display of the SnowTrain assembled by Jim Schaefer is on display through the spring at the Rotterdam Town Hall in the 2nd floor display area.
Some highlights from the SWC program series:
- Wolf Hollow - This was the location of our clubs' earliest skiing adventures. An easy trolly ride or drive from Schenectady and folks were able to carpool to the hilltop and ski down. Now a brewery of the same name is located there. Our thanks to Wolf Hollow for hosting us and making the SnowTrain’34 Ale !
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- The first SnowTrain - March 4, 1934 has been recognized as a major historical event. SWC received great coverage by regional Newspapers; The Daily Gazette, The Times Union, The Adirondack Explorer all provided front page or feature articles.
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- SWC members were Pioneers of the Ski Industry - The stories of Freddie Andersen, for a lifetime of ski instruction, Dot Hoyt-Nebel for her Olympic racing and leading the ski schools in North Creek and Belleayre Mtn, Lois Perret who formed the First Aid Committee which developed the principles now used by the National Ski Patrol, Vincent Schaefer, club founder and visionary for the Snow Trains and Carl Schaefer who built the first rope tow in NY an first Ski Ski School. The lasting impacts of these folks are remarkable.
I would like to thank the SWC Board for supporting the program series (financially and with personal effort) and for providing public relations so important to making this a successful club recognition. Special thanks to Karen and Bill Simmons for personally attending each meeting and being sure we were well nourished.
(SnowTrain program presenters Bill and Jim Schaefer)
