Ancient Skiing

[yabyum]

If you have any of the old 10th mountain ski troops around see if you get on of them to tell a few stories to the kids. The ski troops are living history and they are going fast God bless the 10th!

[jonesy]

Ski Jouring might be something you could incorperate into your theme. Animals helped Skiers rescue someone in the Woods during a Winter Storm. Ski Jouring is a blast. A Horse can really fly.

[Tri-Ungulate]

There's a pretty good article: "Skiing: From its origins to the modern practice of Nordic and alpine disciplines" with a very good account of ski history, even describing prehistoric use of skis Central Asia. Naheed Henderson, Dave Waag and Nils Larsen went to Altai in 2005 to investigate skiings putative origins (brief description here and here) with a full length article in the October 2005 edition of Backcountry.

[shera]

Rodoy rock carving

[shera]

There's a pretty good article: "Skiing: From its origins to the modern practice of Nordic and alpine disciplines" with a very good account of ski history, even describing prehistoric use of skis Central Asia. Naheed Henderson, Dave Waag and Nils Larsen went to Altai in 2005 to investigate skiings putative origins (brief description here and here) with a full length article in the October 2005 edition of Backcountry.

This is really good.

10th mountain is a great story too - especially how those guys all came back and started our ski areas in Colorado. Now I've got ideas for several years.

I got a nice PM from powndnstein with good ideas, caves reindeer and wolves. The story is starting to take shape in my mind.

Brother and sister get separated from their family in a snow storm, hide in a cave, the wolves are howling outside, they are hungry and cold, manage to shoot a reindeer and eat it and share with the wolves. Skadi rewards them with skis and they make friends with the wolves who can run joyfully with them as they ski down the mountain and they are friends forever. (Dog precursor).

Ha!!!

I still need some cute Scandanavian names for the boy and girl.

[Jim S]

Really neat thread. Thanks, mags.

[Fluffracka]

This thread reminded me of a movie I saw a lots of years ago: Pathfinder. A Norwegian film made in 1987. The thing is, there's not a single word of Norwegian spoken either. It's all in an ancient dialect of the Sami language. This movie is made by Sami filmmakers based on their history.

The feeling of the film is that of older scandinavian myths, it takes place in snowy harsh winter and maybe it is worth to watch if you would like to get some inspiration...

Its quite brutal and not for smaller kids though.

Plot in simple terms: Around the year 1000 AD warlike people, the so-called "tjuder", roam in northern winter Scandinavia. As they brutally kill a family in a remote area, including the parents and their little daughter, the families teenage son, Aigin, observes the slaughter. He manages to flee from these killers and plan to avenge his family...

[Endlessseason]

Plot in simple terms: Around the year 1000 AD warlike people, the so-called "tjuder", roam in northern winter Scandinavia. As they brutally kill a family in a remote area, including the parents and their little daughter, the families teenage son, Aigin, observes the slaughter. He manages to flee from these killers and plan to avenge his family...

Well.......I guess SheRa could try that story with the kids to see how they like it.

[shera]

Once upon a time, several thousand years ago, it was a cold and brutal winter in the northland of Europe. Food was scarce and the snow was deep. Everyone was cold and hungry. Even the tall pine trees seemed to shiver when the wind blew through their branches. It was the birthday of Jana and Jenz. They were twins and just turned eight years old. There was no food for a birthday feast so the whole family decided to go out and hunt.

They walked out on their snowshoes, which were very slow going and very hard work. At least everyone became warm as they climbed up the nearby mountain. A terrible storm rose up and the snow became a blinding white swirl. Jana and Jenz were separated from everyone else and struggled along in the cold. They became very frightened and even more hungry.

The snow cleared for just a moment and there was a deer. Quickly, Jana got it with her bow and arrow. She was already a great shot at her young age. The brother and sister dragged the feast to a cave. They heard a whimpering and crying sound inside and they were very afraid to enter. But they also wanted to get out of the snowy weather. Jenz was very brave and he went inside first.

There was a baby wolf pup, all alone and so thin and hungry that his ribs were showing through his coat. They decided to give the wolf cub the liver from the deer because they knew it would make him strong. He ate it quickly and then started wagging his tail! They petted him and were amazed that he could be so sweet and friendly. He even sat in their laps.

Jana and Jenz were starting to worry about getting home. They saw a little patch of blue sky outside and knew that the storm was over. Then there was a big whoosh of snow at the entrance of the cave and a beautiful woman appeared as if by magic. She said she was Skadi and her magic was in the skis she wore on her feet. They were like wings for flying through the snow.

Skadi said that she would give skis to Jana and Jenz since they were so generous and saved the wolf cub’s life. It was a special birthday present. They quickly strapped on their new skis and flew down the mountain toward the smoke from the fire they could see from far away. It was the most exciting thing they had ever done. And the wolf cub followed them, yapping joyfully the entire time.

Their mother and father met them at the fire, so happy to see that their children were safely home. And they laughed at the cub who was rolling playfully in the snow. There was a big feast and a celebration for the day that Jana and Jenz turned eight and Skadi gave them skis and the wolf cub became a member of the family. Then they feasted on roasted venison and red berry pudding and went outside and made skis for everyone, just like the twins’.

Then they lived happily ever after, with skis and a puppy too!

[shera]

It's time for me to write this year's letter to the kids and tell them a ski story. Definitely want to do Haakon's rescue, they'll just love it.

I found a children's book in the Vail library, but would certainly appreciate any other sources and any other ideas you guys can come up with.

Thanks.

[Lone Star]

I have no history to add but the info in this thread is sweet. it's also sweet to see ski instructors do this for their kids. now might be a good time to mention that shera pretty much kills it with the kids. the kids she works with soak in her passion and end up rippin' it pretty quick in all kinds of conditions and terrain. if you find yourself at Keystone, you should look her up because your kids will have a good time and quickly begin skiing better than you

[wannabe]

You can also research the local skiing history, the Father Dyer church in Breck was named after Father Dyer of course.

Any way back in the mining days he was also the mail man, he would deliver all over summit county as well as Leadville all on skis.

That takes the whole through rain, sleet and snow thing a bit farther.

[shera]

I have no history to add but the info in this thread is sweet. it's also sweet to see ski instructors do this for their kids. now might be a good time to mention that shera pretty much kills it with the kids. the kids she works with soak in her passion and end up rippin' it pretty quick in all kinds of conditions and terrain. if you find yourself at Keystone, you should look her up because your kids will have a good time and quickly begin skiing better than you

Bwa! Spamming for me!

Skiing with kids is fun. Really fun. I tease them a lot and laugh at them when they fall and I make them do whatever I say like a nazi, but they always come back for more.

It just amazes me that all they want to do is jump, even if they beater over and over. Little hucksters.

And since I'm not the biggest fan of groomers, I just use them for drills in the morning and then we go on the hunt for the goods with an emphasis on using the skills we worked on.

But sadly, I don't come cheap. Vail Resorts is setting the prices.

[TOLOCOMan]

The Birkebeiner celebrates the Rescue of Haakon Haakonsson

So I too would like this as a poster, but the link H-Man put up shows the product as no longer available. Anybody have any other ideas on where I might find one?

As a side note, all participants in the Norwegian Birkebeiner must wear a pack (around 15lbs) I think, to represent carrying the young king during the race.

P.S. Sorry for the partial hijack, but I came across this thread (and it had been updated recently) while searching for the poster through google, and figured I might get some insight here. Google sure didn't give me any.

[shera]

Sorry I can't help you with the poster, but I did a version of the story for my ski kids that I sent out, maybe you want to read it: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=136166

[Franz]

yo-just a thought, theres an interesting article in this months skiing magazine, about skiing in iceland and searching for trolls, and about the belief held there that all of the large cliff faces used to be trolls that were turned into rock...you might be able to use a rescue theme for that...
GREAT JOB btw. Your making me all nostalgic for the ski instructors i remember teaching me as a kid...way to go.

[TOLOCOMan]

Sorry I can't help you with the poster, but I did a version of the story for my ski kids that I sent out, maybe you want to read it: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=136166

Nice story. It certainly worked on me when I was a kid. I already skied, but when I was 8 my Dad went and did the Norwegian Birkebeiner, and I remember thinking that story was the coolest ever. Your students are lucky to have an instructor that puts this much time and effort in.

[dps]

I'll second the Pathfinder recommendation. It is an amazing film... definitely worth seeking out.. the music is otherworldly, the story is mythical, and it even has has straightlines and hucks.

[shera]

I'll second the Pathfinder recommendation. It is an amazing film... definitely worth seeking out.. the music is otherworldly, the story is mythical, and it even has has straightlines and hucks.

Thanks, I'll see if I can get a copy for myself. Don't know if I'll show it to the kiddies though...

[shera]

Can't find it at Blockbuster. Seriously, how do I buy this?

[DJMingus]

So I too would like this as a poster, but the link H-Man put up shows the product as no longer available. Anybody have any other ideas on where I might find one?

As a side note, all participants in the Norwegian Birkebeiner must wear a pack (around 15lbs) I think, to represent carrying the young king during the race.

P.S. Sorry for the partial hijack, but I came across this thread (and it had been updated recently) while searching for the poster through google, and figured I might get some insight here. Google sure didn't give me any.

TOLOCOMan - the poster is a very washed-out print of the painting so cool as it is you didn't miss all that much. Good luck - I looked around for that for a while years back and gave up. *someone somewhere* has to have a good print of it available. Post up, please, if you find one.

[jarlybart]

I am not sure if it's been said yet(sorry didn't ready every word ;-) ) but the long pole in from Norway is called a Lurk. I ski with one about half the time and it's feel like the most natural way to Tele-Ski. People tell me I have bad form when I do but I don't really care as again...it feels more natural. I think every Telemark skier should try it at least once and you don't even need anything special. Mine is about 7 feet long and made out of a plant/tree growing in the yard. Fast growing plant even so I can make a few new ones every year :-) Enjoy the story telling and when I get home I will try to remember to look up the name of a really cool book I have with all kinds of great folk stories. Cheers!!! Jarl

[irul&ublo]

Ancient skiing? Ask Splat....he was there.

[adam]

I'll second the Pathfinder recommendation. It is an amazing film... definitely worth seeking out.. the music is otherworldly, the story is mythical, and it even has has straightlines and hucks.

If you are referring to the 07' movie, a huge

Terrible, terrible film.

[dps]

not that one... Pathfinder 1987, also known as 'Ofelas'

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093668/