The River Journal: Schweitzer Artifact Unsnowed

Schweitzer Artifact Unsnowed
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Sandy Compton on 12/29/2009 07:45:00
 
On Friday, November 27, opening day of the 2009-10 ski season, sisters Morgan
and Emily Armstrong, 7 and 9, respectively and Brooke Bowerman, 10; all from
Spokane, brought something to light that had been hiding in the Enchanted Forest
at Schweitzer Mountain Resort for nearly two decades.
Morgan, Emily and Brooke, all skiers in the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School,
were getting an early start on their Enchanted Forest snow fort, when they
unearthed an artifact from the days when the lift on the learning slope was a
T-bar. As they excavated snow for the fort, the girls found “something red”
under the snow.
“I thought it was a ski pole,” Emily said, “and just passed it by.”
Morgan thought it was a ski, but when Brooke tripped over it, she started
digging.
“Then we saw the white cross on it,” Brooke said, and they got excited.
What they dug out was a ski patrol toboggan that had been laying under the trees
to the skiers left of Chair Two for long enough to be nearly buried by needles
and forest duff. Inside the toboggan was stenciled “T-Bar.”
“It took us forever to pull it out to the run,” Brooke, but when they did,
patroller Kim Ann Loosemore spotted them from the lift.
“I’d gotten a call that three girls needed help,” said Loosemore, “and
when I saw them, I thought they had a sled. People aren’t supposed to have
sleds on our runs, but then, I got closer and saw it was a toboggan. An old
toboggan.”
Loosemore called for a snowmobile and the toboggan was taken to Patrol
headquarters in the basement of Lakeview Lodge, where it caused Patrol head John
Pucci some amazement.
“I have no idea how long that toboggan’s been there,” he said, “but
Chair Two replaced the T-Bar almost 20 years ago.”
Morgan, Emily and Brooke were well-rewarded for their discovery and diligent
recovery effort. Hot chocolates, T-shirts and other “swag” were provided by
the Resort.
Photo: Toboggan rescuers (L to R) Brooke Bowerman, Emily Armstrong, Patroller
Kim Ann Loose and Morgan Armstrong and Schweitzer Patrol head, John Pucci, show
off the toboggan the girls found in the Enchanted Forest.