Doors open at 6:30pm. $5.00 admission at the door. Beer, wine and soda available to purchase.
In 1925, the Mount Hood Loop Highway opened. Winter plowing began in 1926 and this new access to Mount Hood sparked an explosion of winter sports activity—beginning with Nordic ski jumping as a major spectator attraction.
Members of the Mount Hood Ski Club, soon joined by the Cascade Ski Club, built ski jumps at Swim and Multorpor and began hosting Nordic jumping competitions. These events were heavily promoted throughout the Portland area, and by the late 1920s the “Winter Festival” was established. Thousands of spectators would gather in Government Camp to watch thrilling ski jumping competitions, while also enjoying toboggan rides, dances, and other festivities.
For many years, this region became one of the premier Nordic jumping destinations in the United States. The renowned Multorpor jump—located at what is now Mt. Hood Skibowl—remained a centerpiece of the sport for decades, hosting competitions up until its final scheduled event in 1971.
As access improved and uphill transportation advanced—particularly with the introduction of winter plowing on the Timberline Road in 1937—skiing evolved from a spectator sport into a popular recreational activity. The enthusiasm for winter sports that began with Nordic jumping in the 1920s helped lay the foundation for the alpine skiing tradition that Oregonians continue to enjoy today.
This presentation will feature historic photographs and engaging stories that trace the full history of Nordic ski jumping on the south side of Mount Hood, along with a look at the present-day locations and conditions of these historic jump sites.
About the speakers:
Dave Winterling is the Executive Director of the Mt Hood Cultural Center and Museum. JJ Heldmann is our volunteer Collections Manager, and has been a part-time Collections Registrar at the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation in Portland for 18 years. Dave, JJ, and the rest of the MHCCM staff have always enjoyed the pics and stories of our local Nordic jumping history as retained in our museum archives, and have been looking for a good time to put this material together and share it with our members and community. Now’s the time!
SHHH-Nordic Ski Jumping on Mt Hood
In 1925, the Mount Hood Loop Highway opened. Winter plowing began in 1926 and this new access to Mount Hood sparked an explosion of winter sports activity—beginning with Nordic ski jumping as a major spectator attraction.
Members of the Mount Hood Ski Club, soon joined by the Cascade Ski Club, built ski jumps at Swim and Multorpor and began hosting Nordic jumping competitions. These events were heavily promoted throughout the Portland area, and by the late 1920s the “Winter Festival” was established. Thousands of spectators would gather in Government Camp to watch thrilling ski jumping competitions, while also enjoying toboggan rides, dances, and other festivities.
For many years, this region became one of the premier Nordic jumping destinations in the United States. The renowned Multorpor jump—located at what is now Mt. Hood Skibowl—remained a centerpiece of the sport for decades, hosting competitions up until its final scheduled event in 1971.
As access improved and uphill transportation advanced—particularly with the introduction of winter plowing on the Timberline Road in 1937—skiing evolved from a spectator sport into a popular recreational activity. The enthusiasm for winter sports that began with Nordic jumping in the 1920s helped lay the foundation for the alpine skiing tradition that Oregonians continue to enjoy today.
This presentation will feature historic photographs and engaging stories that trace the full history of Nordic ski jumping on the south side of Mount Hood, along with a look at the present-day locations and conditions of these historic jump sites.
About the speakers:
Dave Winterling is the Executive Director of the Mt Hood Cultural Center and Museum. JJ Heldmann is our volunteer Collections Manager, and has been a part-time Collections Registrar at the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation in Portland for 18 years. Dave, JJ, and the rest of the MHCCM staff have always enjoyed the pics and stories of our local Nordic jumping history as retained in our museum archives, and have been looking for a good time to put this material together and share it with our members and community. Now’s the time!