Cloudveil Community Service: Skilled Labor
Posted on Sunday, September 14th, 2008
The Jackson Ski Cabin is as much a part of our local ski history as Briggs skiing the Grand, the early pioneers of skiers on Teton Pass, and the first ski jumping and racing competitions on what would later become Snow King.
First built in 1954 at the head of Sheep Creek in the Gros Ventre Wilderness by members of the Jackson Hole Ski Club Walter Kussy, Dick Lang, and Neil Rafferty, with help from numerous volunteers, including Tiny Hagen, Johnny Curtis, and Dick Ashley. The cabin has rested many a weary skier over its 54 years. Initially built on National Forest Service land through a special-use permit, in 1984 the Wyoming Wilderness Act was passed and the Gros Ventre Wilderness area was formed with the cabin located right in it. Federal regulations require Wilderness Areas to be managed to protect the natural landscape, and structures like the ski cabin are considered inconsistent and inappropriate for the Wilderness. The cabin received a stay of execution in the early 90’s when the community overwhelmingly voiced their desire during a Forest Service public comment period to keep the ski cabin in the Wilderness. Wyoming Senators at that time, Malcolm Wallop and Alan Simpson even wrote letters to the Forest Service advocating leaving the cabin in the Wilderness.
The fact that the ski cabin is even still standing after 54 years in rugged wilderness is testament to the skill and labor of those first volunteers. In the early years, one visitor describing the ski cabin in a story for the local paper said “the cabin is rustic enough to make you feel like an outdoorsman and just comfortable enough to allow you to relax”. If it was ‘rustic enough’ then, the years since have made it damn near pioneer style.
The Forest Service has made it clear that the cabin needs to remain usable, or it’s gone. Two winters ago, group of volunteers led by Justin Watsabaugh hauled in a new 300 lb wood stove that was donated and installed by Keith Benefiel, local chimney sweep, and a Teton Pass pioneer in the 70’s. This summer, with Justin again at the helm, along with a generous grant from Leadership Jackson Hole to buy supplies, a hardy group of volunteers rolled up their sleeves and made numerous repairs to the cabin and outhouse.
Doing projects around your house is one thing, but having to do these repairs in a Wilderness area takes it to a whole new level. Lumber and supplies hauled in by pack horses, or one hiker at a time over a technical four mile trail, no power tools (not even battery powered), all cuts made by handsaw or chisel, and all unused scraps or supplies packed back out.
The Forest Service gave us two weeks to get all repairs done to minimize heavy foot traffic and site disturbance. At the close of the window of opportunity, the old roof was torn off and rebuilt, structural beams replaced, eaves repaired, new shelves and cabinets built, old outhouse torn down and a new one rebuilt (complete with a new, very deep pit), and a lot of tidying up.
The ski club members and other supporters who initially built the cabin saw their accomplishment as one that symbolized how cooperation and dedication from the community can accomplish a common goal. The cabin is one of those small institutions where a real sense of commitment and contribution is seen from all ages and outdoor interests. It’s not just the Ski Cabin, it’s our cabin, and all who enjoy it take great pride in assuring that the next visitors will find it in better shape than the previous.
Jeff Wogoman is the marketing director at Cloudveil. He still has marks on his shoulders from carrying in 2 x 12’s the old fashioned way.
Candid camera | Oronaut says: October 11th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
[...] my Dad just sent me a this link to the Cloudveil blog where they posted up a video of work being done on the Goodwin Lake ski cabin I helped out on a few [...]