Museum Musings...Lula W. Dorsey MuseumYMCA of the Rockies

Spring 2012

2 Spring 2012

When the Transformation by Ned Linegar

The bitter wind is biting As it whips across your face.Naked cold is frightening, It beats the human raceInto submission.

Snow, a whited selpulcher, Now drapes the countryside.Lonely pins and knotted fir Stand in the eventideIn dark derision.

When will the springtime warming come To turn the grass to green?Where is sunlight coming from To change the forest sceneWith neat precision?

My Two CentsSpringtime, Goodbye and Hello

Spring is a wonderful time of year. It always seems to come along at the perfect moment, when it’s needed most. Just when the doldrums of winter are starting to get to everyone spring arrives! It starts staying light longer, there are a few pleasantly warm days, and everyone’s mood starts to lift with the realization that we’re past the worst of the long, cold nights of winter. When the green grass starts to peek up through the snow and the trees start to

bud there’s a freshness about the world that reminds us to look forward instead of back. Here at the Y we’ve been enjoying a Strawberry Spring for the last couple of weeks. 60 degree weather lifts everyone’s spirits. Everyone knows that winter isn’t over and there will be a few more cold days and a few more snow storms, but the first breath of spring makes the rest of winter tolerable, even fun.

Aside from the wonderful weather we’re also experiencing our own time of ‘budding’ on the Estes Park Center grounds. Every day to and from the museum I get to check on the progress of our new mini-golf course and ball field as I drive by. Walking to lunch I can’t help but notice the work being done on the pedestrian promenade in front of the Admin-istration Building. And out my office window I’ve been able to keep track of a handful of new centen-nial cabins that are being constructed just north of the museum. It’s man-made to be sure, but there is definitely a springtime excitement for me in see-ing our facilities being updated for the use of future generations.

Spring is a time of change, a time of new be-ginnings. But new beginnings are often bittersweet as before we can say hello we usually have to say goodbye. This spring we’ve said goodbye to retir-ing Program Director Gail Albers. We’re truly sorry to be losing someone who has had such a positive influence on so many aspects of our organization for such a long time. It seems like Gail touched the lives of every staff and guest that interacted with the program department for the last…well, it’s been a while. Gail liked to claim that she’d been

Thank you, Gail and good luck in whatever life brings you next.

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The Lula W. Dorsey Museum Mission:

The Lula W. Dorsey Museum preserves, interprets and presents the history of the YMCA of the Rockies to strengthen rela-tionships, educate and inspire our guests.

Museum Musings Spring 2012 (Vol. 29, No. 1)Lula W. Dorsey Museumwww.ymcarockies.org/museum.htmPO Box 20550Estes Park, CO 80511(970) 586-3341 ext. 1136/1240bhoerner@ymcarockies.org

From the Desk of Jeff Mabry Program Director, Estes Park Center

As a young boy I remember riding my bike to the North side YMCA in Oklahoma City with a couple of friends. We were not the most athletic bunch but we enjoyed playing basketball, running amuck on the indoor track, and overtaking the racquetball courts when nobody was using them. We were, for the most part, good kids just having fun. I remem-ber “Helga”, as I refer to her, swiping my card and glaring at me as I passed through the metal revolv-ing gate. I also remember thinking to myself, “I don’t think she likes kids….” every time I saw her at the front desk. She was a little scary. But we al-ways managed to get into the Y and have some fun. Helga did chase us out of the racquetball courts a

few times and reminded us that we needed an adult with us quite often.

Fast forward to August 2004 and I would not have guessed that I would be taking a job with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis’ Before and After School Program. I didn’t even know the program existed to be honest. In fact, I didn’t know the Y offered programs at all! Little did I know how much I would love it. I spent my first 3.5 years at Harrison Parkway Elementary as the Site Director and en-joyed watching my kids grow up and move into new adventures. After about 3 years there I decided I would like to pursue a career with the Y and my su-pervisor was very supportive in the process. About 6 months later I accepted a School Age Program Direc-tor position and went from overseeing 1 program to eleven. I spent a little over a year in that position and then accepted a position at the Flat Rock River YMCA Camp in St. Paul, IN. I oversaw summer camp, Outdoor Education, and groups & conferences for almost 3 years there. It was in this position that my passion for the Y really developed. I discovered a passion for staff development and their youth leadership experiences. One thing you quickly learn about YMCA Camping is it is a very close community. I have great friends and colleagues in the industry and realized what it truly meant to work in a com-munity.

Change has always seemed to happen for a reason, when it comes to my career with the Y and this new adventure as the Estes Park Center Program Director is no exception. My wife and 2 daughters moved to Estes Park after accepting the position in late January 2012. So far, my experience has been fantastic. As a Summer Camp person I am looking forward to the craziness of summertime at the YMCA of the Rockies. I continue to hear stories of the love of this facility and the longevity of our members and guests. The wonderful thing about programming is this: It’s about having fun. I am very fortunate to be here and work with such wonderful people. It is my hope to continually develop and offer quality pro-gramming to our members and guests that creates a passion for the YMCA of the Rockies. I encourage you to stop by the Sweet Memorial building and visit. I look forward to hearing your stories and love for this center and how we can continue to serve you!

Sincerely,

Jeff Mabry Program Director

here,”longer than many of you have been alive.” In my case that happens to be true. I’ve only known here for a short span compared to most of you but she’s been a wonderful professional example and a tremendous inspiration to me. I wish her all the very best in her next adventure.

Shortly after saying our goodbyes to Gail we welcomed her successor, Jeff Mabry. Jeff has joined us from the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, Flat Rock River Camp with extensive camp, conference and Outdoor Education experience. And I think I’ll let him tell you a little more about himself.

4 Spring 2012

Despite over a century of service to families and groups, the YMCA of the Rockies hasn’t always been the year round destination we know it as today. The first summer schools were once a year events that lasted ten days to two weeks. First as popular-ity increased and then as changing demands led to evolutions in structure, the timeframe of operations gradually lengthened as well. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that offseason business truly began.

Walter Ruesch, hired as Managing Director in 1950, was the main proponent of year round opera-tions. He faced many obstacles, not the least of which was the fact that none of the buildings were winterized. Despite obstacles and skepticism prepa-rations were made for offseason operations, includ-ing a 3,000 gallon redwood water tank insulated with sawdust, and on April 7, 1951 the Westminster Fel-lowship from the University of Colorado was the first offseason group served by the YMCA of the Rockies. With the employee Recreation Hall serving as dining room and meeting facility, the staff counselor’s office being converted into a kitchen and Ruesch himself as the lone staffer the conference had an air of infor-mality about it. Ruesch lived in the unheated Bide-A-Wee cabin and worked extremely long days as the conference cook, dishwasher and housekeeper. Despite the jerry-rigged accommodations and long hours, Ruesch declared the experiment a success. The very next offseason the staff was increased to four, 18 different groups were accommodated and the YMCA of the Rockies’ offseason business gradu-ally increased until it became a truly year-round operation.

The designation of Rocky Mountain National Park’s Hidden Valley as a Winter Sports Area fol-lowed by the opening of the Hidden Valley Ski area in 1955 helped to increase the demand for offseason operations. With the increase in wintertime vaca-tioners the Estes Park Conference began marketing ski vacations and also developing on grounds activi-ties for those who weren’t skiing. The old ice house near Dorsey Lake became a warming house for ice skaters and Grounds Superintendent Carrol Maha-gan constructed a toboggan run by spraying water from a standpipe onto the admin field. A fifteen-foot stairway led to the start of the 400-foot-long sled run, at the time the only one in the area.

Offseason Operations in Estes Park

Known for narrow runs that verged on har-rowing, skiers had been enjoying the slopes of Hidden Valley since the winter of 1933. That year in an effort to increase winter use Rocky Mountain National Park announced that it would keep Trail Ridge Road open to the top of Hidden Valley for skiers to drive to the top. The following year the 1934 National American Ski championship was held at Hidden Valley. Following the event consideration was put towards developing a ski area at Hidden Val-ley but Park Superintendent David Canfield wanted only natural ski runs with not tree cutting or perma-nent structures. Despite being undeveloped Hidden Valley was still a popular spot and by 1941 local high school students had installed a rope tow. After World War II with ski vacations gaining popularity and resorts popping up all over Colorado a group of locals lobbied Congress to develop Hidden Valley as a ski area and on December 18, 1955 Hidden Valley Ski Area officially opened.

Through nearly 40 years of operation the Hid-den Valley Ski Area developed as one of the premier small ski areas in all of Colorado with affordable prices and high quality staff. Unfortunately the snow conditions weren’t of the same quality. A series of poor snow years and the expansion of Western Slope ski areas contributed to a consistent drop in lift ticket purchases from 1977 until 1991, when the Hidden Valley Ski Area closed for the last time.

Wintertime Fun

Making turns at Hidden Valley Ski Area

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From the earliest planning stages Snow Mountain Ranch was developed with consideration to wintertime activities. In fact the original prereq-uisites for land acquisition included the presence of a mountain suitable for developing a downhill ski area and an average of five to six feet of snowfall per year. The Just Ranch with approximately 2,600 acres, 1,200 feet of elevation change, and the near-by Blue Ridge was a near perfect match.

Snow Much Fun at Snow Mountain Ranch

The rumble of snowmobile engines was com-monplace during the first few winters of operation at Snow Mountain Ranch. Originally a rental program, snowmobiling at Snow Mountain Ranch developed into guided touring. Though a popular activity, the fleet of snowmobiles was difficult to maintain and could be dangerous for inexperienced guests to handle. Combined with an increase in Nordic Ski-ing and a desire for a quieter wilderness experience snowmobiling was eventually cancelled.

Snowmobiling at Snow Mountain Ranch

Gliding along Nordic ski trails has become the backbone of wintertime activity at Snow Mountain Ranch. In the winter of 1971-72 Nordic skiing first began on an experimental basis as a possible re-placement for the snowmobiling program. It proved to be so popular that equipment was doubled in preparation for the winter of 1974-75. The success of Nordic skiing and the boom in popularity of Alpine skiing in the late 1970s prompted an exploration of the development of an Alpine ski area at Snow Mountain Ranch. With multiple new ski areas al-ready planned for development in the Fraser Valley it was decided that our guests would be better served by continuing to develop our Nordic skiing program. That proved to be a good decision as our pictur-esque setting and ample trail mileage helped Snow Mountain Ranch became a large part of the Nordic ski scene in the 1980s. In addition to guests, Snow Mountain Ranch hosted several Nordic ski events including NCAA Regional Championships and a leg of the Great American Ski Chase, a nationwide mara-thon ski racing series. Local high schools, colleges, and even the US Olympic Biathlon Team all trained at Snow Mountain Ranch during the 1980s.

Snow Mountain Ranch’s Nordic skiing and snowshoe trails, ice skating pavilion, family sledding hill and close proximity to Alpine ski areas provide a range of wintertime activities. No matter what win-tertime fun families enjoy most, there is something to keep everyone happy and busy, if not always warm.

6 Spring 2012

SMOKE SIGNALS FROM CAMPFrom the Campfire of Marty Ferguson, Camp Chief Ouray Director

One of the most unique and beneficial parts of camp is the opportunities for leadership that campers have. Camp Chief Ouray has recently added another opportunity for campers in the form of the Youth Leadership Board. This group of 10 chosen campers has been given the task of raising money for camper scholarships. Who better to as-sist with this all-important task? They’re passion-ate and full of poignant camp stories. And they can tell those stories of how CCO impacts campers better than anyone because they are still experi-encing those benefits first-hand. What better way to learn about the responsibilities of leadership than to work to make sure others receive those same experiences?

The new Youth Leadership Board is just one more in a long list of camp experiences that takes youth out of their ordinary environment and gives them the opportunity to learn life skills and leadership lessons. Just as important as those les-sons, the Youth Leadership Board will help Camp Chief Ouray serve campers that otherwise would not be able to afford the experience of Camp Mag-ic.

In over a century of operation Camp Chief Ouray has constantly evolved in order to maintain the high standard that campers and their parents have come to expect. One part of that standard is the mission of insuring the camp experience for as many youth as possible regardless of financial standing.

Scholarships for campers have been a part of Camp Chief Ouray nearly as long as the camp has been in operation and fundraising methods have evolved almost as much as programs and facilities. I once came across a grainy black-and-white photo of a group of campers in the 1920s. The photo caption explained how a Denver busi-nessman had financed camp for many of the boys pictured. At the CCO Centennial Celebration in 2008 a handful of camp alumni shared stories of selling candy bars door to door in order to fund their trips to camp. In 1980 when CCO became part of the YMCA of the Rockies, individual camp-ers selling candy bars door to door were replaced with letter-writing campaigns seeking funds on behalf of all campers who may have a financial need. Over the years that campaign has evolved to include testimonials from campers and parents to help illustrate the impact of camp and the ben-efit of scholarships.

Leadership, Responsibilty and Paying it Forward

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8 Spring 2012

Family traditions abound at the YMCA of the Rockies! Do you remember sitting for hours on the Administration Porch at Estes Park Center? Playing mini-golf with family and friends? How about a rous-ing game of kickball on the ball fields? For so many of our guests these family activities, among many others, play a major role in the memories and tradi-tions that they create while visiting us. At the YMCA of the Rockies we are committed to continuing those traditions while helping to create new ones and we’re working to enhance our Centers in order to do so.

The first miniature golf course at the YMCA of the Rockies was constructed just after World War II. Initially a simple clay surface, the course was updat-ed with boundary rails, carpeted greens and various obstacles. In 1966 the most recent miniature golf course was completed at the Estes Park Center. At Snow Mountain Ranch Wendel’s Lay Out, a course conceived and constructed by Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Dale Frederickson was opening in 1986. This summer the Estes Park Center and Snow Mountain Ranch will each have redesigned mini-golf courses featuring 18 holes of regular mini-golf and a nine-hole toddler course.

Birds eye view of the YMCA of the Rockies: Estes Park CenterThe fenced area in the lower right portion of the photo are dirt tennis courts and miniature golf.

Keeping Tradition Alive

Checking out equipment at Snow Moutain Ranch (above). Miniature golf at the Estes Park Center in 1948 (top left) and

1957 (bottom left).

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Ball field games have been a part of the YMCA of the Rockies from the beginning. Following a long-standing YMCA tradition, the early summer school days provided plenty of time for recreation and the wide open field in the middle of camp provided the perfect space for team sports. In the early years of the Estes Park Conference baseball tournaments were held between teams made up of players rep-resenting their home states. With nothing less than regional bragging rights on the line the games were always spirited. As the YMCA evolved from its sum-mer school roots to the family camp we have today, the less competitive and more family friendly sports of softball and kickball began to rule the ball fields. This summer the Estes Park Center will have an up-graded ball field for those contests.

Above: Family fun at Snow Mountain Ranch. The sometimes frustrating, always entertaining loop-the-loop hole of Wen-

del’s Ley-Out. Below: Swinging away at Estes Park Center.

In addition to the mini-golf courses and ball field, the Estes Park Center will unveil a beautiful Promenade in front of the admin building. At Snow Mountain Ranch we’re still working towards com-pleting the yurt village as well as adding new play-grounds and a portable climbing wall. As part of our Building to the Vision Capital Campaign these proj-ects are made possible through the generosity of our committed friends and donors. Thank you for helping to build and strengthen relationships, for advancing our Mission and for keeping old traditions alive and creating new ones!

Aa a retirement gift, departing Program Director Gail Albers (with a little help from Grounds Supervisor Kelly Wilkerson)

finished off the old golf shack.

2012 Annual Support

Since 1979 the Lula W. Dorsey Museum has been preserving, interpreting and presenting the history of the YMCA of the Rockies. Your generosity helps us continue that tradition.