With the D. O. C.
FAVORED by continued freezing weather and frequent snowfalls, the Club's winter program is off to an early start. By mid January the official snow depth on Observatory Hill was 22 inches, the Oak Hill ski lift had operated for 23 successive days, and Carnival was only four short weeks ahead.
The varsity ski team, well conditioned from week-day workouts in Hanover and week-end ski sessions at the Moosilauke Ravine Camp, took off for Sun Valley at the start of Christmas recess. This year's team is coached by Ja Densmore in Walter Prager's absence and captained by Malcolm McLane '46, recently-selected Rhodes Scholar from New Hampshire. A contribution of $1200 from Monte F. Huebsch of Milwaukee, father of a Dartmouth student, made possible the Big Green's first postwar competitive appearance at the Union Pacific's ski center on the boundary of the Sawtooth National Forest in central Idaho.
When the four-day meet ended, Dartmouth was in third position behind Middlebury, the current ISU champion, and University of Washington. The team derived considerable satisfaction from the fact that it had beaten full six-man teams from six Western colleges, including Utah, previous year's winner; had produced the top scorer in all combined events and recipient of the Bradley Plate, Tor Arneberg '50; and had demonstrated with Middlebury that the West holds no monopoly in intercollegiate ski competition.
On December 21 fifteen Dartmouth skiers were among the 138 entrants in the pre-season downhill race staged on Cannon Mountain by the Franconia Ski Club. Brooks Dodge '51, 1947 Eastern downhill champion, finished second, but the competition was later called "no race" because of timing discrepancies.
By the week-end of January 7-8 three ski teams were in action. The Dartmouth "A" and "B" teams competed in a 7-college downhill-slalom meet at Pico Peak sponsored by Rutland Junior College. Middlebury again placed first, with Dartmouth "A" and "B" second and third respectively, although Dartmouth placed 10 men in the first 20 places in the combined scoring.
The freshmen, under Coach "Spiff" Little '4l, lost to Vermont Academy but beat Hanover High School in a close triangular meet conducted by the winning school at Saxtons River, Vermont. Veteran observers agreed that prep school skiing proficiency today is at the same standard shown by college skiers not so many years ago.
Aside from the 80 men competing for places on the ski teams, 190 freshmen and sophomores are meeting their "rec" requirements by skiing, and countless upperclassmen are making the most of generally excellent slope conditions at the golf course, Oak Hill, Cemetery Hill, and other nearby favorites.
The same recurring snowfalls which aided the skiers kept the Occom Pond crew removing snow most of the time, but there have usually been available two hockey rinks for intramural, Clark School, and High School games; an eight-lap-to-themile course for speed skaters; and a large area at both ends of the pond for figure and general skating.
ADDS TO BRUNDAGE MEMORIAL
Charles E. Brundage '16 has added $3,500 to the memorial fund established in memory of his son, Pete '45, director of winter sports, who was killed in action. This fund, which is in the nature of a general endowment for Club activities, now totals $15,500.
Moosilauke Ravine Camp, highest ski camp in the East, is well-nigh buried in snow this winter, despite its massive size. Many alumni family groups spent the holidays touring the trails radiating from the Camp and enjoying the traditional informality of Dartmouth's own ski lodge.
The College schedule defies both superstition and the likelihood of warmer weather in mid-February by delaying the 1948 Winter Carnival until Friday, February 13. Among this year's changes is the holding of Outdoor Evening at Memorial Stadium with its advantages of convenience, comfort and accessibility. Ten colleges have entered the ski meet, which promises to be a thrilling duel between Middlebury, last year's winner, and an up-and-coming Dartmouth team.
