...The Huntsville Ski Club started in 1963 with a handful of people that enjoyed traveling together and had a passion for alpine skiing. Later, as interest picked up, the group formalized itself by incorporating January 29, 1965 as a non-profit social club within the State of Alabama. The club officers for the first 'official' year were:
Bo Stokes President A. W. Galzerano Vice President Jo Anne Mattson Secretary Beverly Smith Treasurer
...Bo Stokes and his wife, along with Beverly Smith were very active in the club until the mid 1970's. ...Among the long time HSC members is Tom Foster. He has been an active club member longer than any other. Tom has been a member since 1965 and he is still an active skiing member today in 2009.
...In the early 1970's, Loren Gross and John Newton started the ski patrol at Cloud Mount Ski Resort. The Huntsville Ski Club has several active members who work at Cloud Mount during the winter ski season.
...The first western ski trip was to Crested Butte, Colorado where the HSC members rode a bus to and from Colorado - what a party that must have been. By the mid seventies, the club conducted back-to-back private air charters with one of the other affiliated ski clubs/councils. This was the time when the song The Streak was very popular. Need we say more...? So you might imagine what a flight to or from anywhere with HSC members was like. The first HSC trip using chartered airlines was run by Wayne Sparks in 1975 to Park City, Utah and at this time HSC still ran one trip per year and there were close to 100 travelers on the trips. The cost of that seven day trip with air was $330.00 per person, and the six day lift ticket was $39.00.
...Janet Emery ran the first trip using commercial air in 1979 to Breckenridge, Colorado on Republic Airlines. The HSC troop was nearly banned from flying with Republic Airlines as the HSC party hardy habits did not moderate with public transportation ...or so it seemed. Today, HSC would find themselves behind bars and talking to a judge with such behavior... Sound like charter is the way to go...
...In the mid eighties, the club started running two trips per year and the club has grown to a year round social club that skis the winter months; and hikes, bikes, walks, dances and travels all year long.
Jean Vreuls
Flakey Editor/Historian 2007
Contributing editors: Janet Emery and Tom Foster
Cloudy 52 oF