Have you been to a CCC ski lodge? If so, where? MA, OR, or ?

[marzNC]

In the last few years, I've had a chance to ski at a few places where the CCC or WPA built trails and ski lodges in the 1930s. There are a lot more than I thought. Have you been to a CCC building? If so, was it a small structure or a building large enough to be used for overnight stays? Where was it? Was it still in good shape? Have you skied or hiked trails originally cut by the CCC?

Any pictures to share?

One of the best known WPA buildings is the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood in Oregon. It was built in two years, 1936-38. Not just the building, but all of the interior items such as furniture and rugs were made by local people with local materials. It's an upscale ski in/out resort lodge these days.

https://www.timberlinelodge.com/about-us/history

New England is full of trails cut by CCC teams of young men. Wachusett near Boston was started as a CCC project. Mount Greylock in western MA is home to the Thunderbolt trail, where races were held for a while. No lift. Had to hike up to the summit before the race.

https://www.boston.com/sports/skiing/2017/04/09/massachusetts-skiing-new-deal-ccc-legacy

 

[marzNC]

Here's an article from 2013 about skiing CCC trails. The author is a tele skier. He went to three states to ski on Mount Greylock, Mt. Mansfield, and Mt. Washington.

Skiing Old Trails of the New Deal

 

[marzNC]

Some CCC lodges were not maintained but are in the process of being restored. Hopefully I can visit the Santiam Pass Ski Lodge in Oregon the next time I go skiing at Bachelor.

https://restoreoregon.org/santiam-pass-ski-lodge/

 

[marzNC]

The Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood is well worth a visit if anywhere near Portland. The public areas are set up as a museum. Outside tourists are welcome to look around during the day. The view of Mt. Jefferson is cool.

 

[marzNC]

Was it a small structure or a building large enough to be used for overnight stays?
Bullock Lodge at Wachusett is a small building built as a warming hut.

Where was it?
Mid-mountain at Wachusett near Boston, used to be the base lodge when CCC cut trees for the first ski trails.

Was it still in good shape?
Fully functional. The two fireplaces are kept stoked during ski season for people to enjoy while having hot chocolate, hot cider, fresh apple doughnuts, or apple dumplings. The doughnuts and dumplings are baked right there.

Pictures are from October 2017 when I hiked up on a cloudy day. The white animal sculpture pulling a wagon is a polar bear.

 

[Christy]

I spend most of time as an NPS historian working in historic preservation programs and we have tons of CCC buildings and structures, though most are much smaller than those pictured above. Staying in them is generally pretty special until you turn out the lights and the mice come out. There are always mice, and besides the ick factor hantavirus is a thing. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Indian Bar trail shelter, Mt Rainier NP



Schonchin Butte Fire Lookout, Lava Beds National Monument. You can't really tell here but they use the same rock for the foundation as is found in the area so the lookout appears to be growing out of the butte.

 

[marzNC]

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Nice photos! I'm mostly interested in the CCC and WPA structures that are on ski trails or associated with a ski area that's still operating.

The first small CCC building I explored is at the top of Mt. Greylock in the Berkshires of western MA. It's at the beginning of the Thunderbolt Trail that CCC built in 1934. Lots of history around the races held in the 1930s and 1940s on the Thunderbolt. The building was meant to be a warming hut. There is also a lodge at the top of Greylock but I haven't been there when it was open yet.

https://www.thunderboltskirun.com

 

[alison wong]

What is "CCC" stand for?

 

[marzNC]

What is "CCC" stand for?

Civilian Conservation Corps. During the depression in the U.S. in the 1930s, the U.S. government put unmarried young men without jobs to work on various types of projects. A lot of work was done in parks. At one time, 300,000 men were working for the CCC. Basic room and board was included in barracks, plus a small amount of money. The young men were required to send most of the money home to help support their families.

WPA was the Works Project Administration provided jobs for both men and women of all ages. The Timberline Lodge in Oregon was a WPA project, as were other large lodges in national parks.

 

[TeleChica]

We are lucky as there are oodles and gobs of CCC trails in New England, and I've skied quite a number of them.

Doublehead has a CCC cabin at the top--it's a fun swoopy trail in NH. Pics here (not mine): https://www.newenglandskihistory.com/cccskitrails/NewHampshire/doublehead.php#doubleheadskitrail

I've skied both the Bruce and Teardrop on Stowe, and the nearest CCC cabin is the Stone Hut, which I've been to but not when skiing. https://vtstateparks.com/stonehut.html The Hut burned down a couple of years ago, but has been beautifully restored using the same foundations/stonework.

I have hiked but not skied Greylock--usually a short snow window for snow--and the Bascom Lodge at the top of Greylock is beautiful. Would love to stay there at some point. https://www.bascomlodge.net/ Not sure where the ski trail is relative to the lodge.

Other CCC trails I've skied are Tuckerbrook and Coppermine on Cannon, Gulf of Slides and Sherburne on Mt Wash, Duke, Alexandria, and Kimball on Cardigan.

 

[marzNC]

I've skied both the Bruce and Teardrop on Stowe, and the nearest CCC cabin is the Stone Hut, which I've been to but not when skiing. https://vtstateparks.com/stonehut.html The Hut burned down a couple of years ago, but has been beautifully restored using the same foundations/stonework.

I have hiked but not skied Greylock--usually a short snow window for snow--and the Bascom Lodge at the top of Greylock is beautiful. Would love to stay there at some point. https://www.bascomlodge.net/ Not sure where the ski trail is relative to the lodge.

Other CCC trails I've skied are Tuckerbrook and Coppermine on Cannon, Gulf of Slides and Sherburne on Mt Wash, Duke, Alexandria, and Kimball on Cardigan.

I remember hearing about the restoration of the Stone Hut. It's nice that people appreciate the CCC buildings these days.

The Bascom Lodge is just on the other side of the summit of Greylock from the Thunderbolt hut, less than a five minute walk. The Appalachian Trail goes along the ridge of Greylock and right across the summit. The start of the Thunderbolt trail almost crosses the AT. It's great that there is a special rate at the Bascom for thru hikers on the AT.

Just for fun, the last time I drove up to the top of Greylock I parked at a trailhead lot just below the summit. Then hiked up a very short section of the AT. The MA State Park at Greylock is one of the oldest state parks in the country. Like the NY Adirondack Park, it was created before U.S. National Parks existed. It was late October, just after Bascom Lodge and the lighthouse tower closed for the winter. The road closes well before winter starts.