History

1950's Ski Garb - Marion Meehan (née Anderson)

of Queenstown

In the early 1950′s keen skiers formed the Vincent Ski Club, receiving permission to repair an old miner’s stone dwelling above Mitchell’s Cottage on the Old Man Range. For longer runs the keener members carried their wooden skis to the crest of the Range. Four such runs in a day was considered a good effort!

In 1958/59 the younger members were aware that poor snow cover and violent and sudden weather changes on the Old Man Range would lead to the demise of the club and, with developing potential of Coronet Peak, a special meeting was held at Arnold Hubbard's home. There, the decision was made to purchase the original Wakatipu ski hut on Coronet Peak. This was financed by debentures bought by six members who in return received life memberships. We would like to acknowledge these men for their foresight to provide future generations with this wonderful facility – Arnold Hubbard, Larry & Raynor Kinnaird, Roly Lopdell, Stan Taylor, Ernie Smith, and Gray Suillivan who put up 100 pounds each to cover the 600 pound cost of the hut.

The members upgraded the hut replacing the malthoid roof with aluminium and interior fittings including bunks using shelving given us from a disused dairy factory near Speargrass Flat. The resultant ‘cheesy’ smell lasted a long time!!! Pre PC days, the men lit a few sticks of gelignite to excavate a couple of ‘long drops’, ‘Pointers’ and ‘Setters’, and a candy striped pole marked the location of the fridge, the outside spot where butter, milk and other perishables were buried in the snow.

We are grateful to the members whose dedicated work over the years have ensured that today we have an asset which the club can be very proud of. We have always focused on attracting young people to the sport and still encourage families and groups to enjoy the rustic, although comfortably upgraded, charm of our lodge.

The Vincent Ski Club came into being in 1953. Vincent is a county within the region of Central Otago. The Otago Ski Club had built their “Big Hut” on the Rock & Pillar Range, an exposed and isolated site which required many hours of effort and determination to reach and therefore attracted only the fit and dedicated skiers.

Initially there was no tow and skiers skied down twisting snow filled gullies, then carried their skis back up ad infinitum, a truly heroic age!

Some keen members would spend many freezing hours on motor bikes or as pillion passengers, skis lashed to the sides, traveling from Dunedin to the base of the Rock & Pillars or up past Oamaru to the Awakino Ski Club near Kurow. Not the best way to spend a night in midwinter!

We’ve come a long way since those early days but the club is still run and nurtured by it’s dedicated, mountain loving members.

1960’s