Thursday, 22 November 2012

STOKE! Part 2. A blast from the past - the Mica Mine Ski Jump.

Back in the day, there was a bunch of skiers from Huntsville that formed a ski club and naturally, built a jump. A good one at that, too. Here's a look at the Mica Mine ski jump that had it's outrun onto Fairy Lake.

 From Huntsville: With Spirit and Resolve: "The Mica Mine Ski Jump, located on Mica Mine Hill beside Fairy Lake, was built by the Huntsville Ski Club and opened on January 13, 1934. At the time, Huntsville was actively encouraging winter tourism in an effort to offset the effects of the Depression. Billed as the "largest, longest, and steepest ski jump in Ontario," the Mica Mine jump had a 170-foot takeoff ramp that allowed a takeoff speed of 70 miles an hour. At the time only two other jumps in the world could beat it for thrills (one in Banff, one in Lucerne). The jump dropped off so steeply that skiers could not see the bottom of the hill from the ramp tower. The jump remained in use well into the 1940s, when it was popular with members of the Norwegian Air Force, which had a training facility in Muskoka during the Second World War. The remnants of the Mica Mine Ski Jump takeoff tower are still visible in the bush on Mica Mine Hill. "

Note, to add: the only remaining remnants as of 2011 are the old concrete piers. You can still find them on the North East side of the Mica Mine hill that can be accessed off of Forbes Hill Drive. (Note: this is currently private property.)




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