SKI RUNS
“Attention turned once more to Mt. Wellington. The winter sport of skiing was gaining in popularity among Club members, and the extension of the road from The Springs to the pinnacle was providing access to areas suitable for ski runs. However, occasional blizzard conditions emphasized the need for some kind of shelter, and in 1938 the City Council was approached once more, this time with a view to interesting it not only in permission for a hut but also for the clearing of a ski run for public use.”
HISTORY
Tobogganing was always popular, but skiing became very popular during the 1920s. The idea of building ski runs had been mooted from 1923 by Clive Lord. The Mercury reported on the lovely weather tempting two men to try their skis on the Pinnacle in May, 1928. In 1937 the road to the Pinnacle was opened and locals were thrilled at the idea of increasing the availability of winter sports in their own mountain backyard. Skiing was at the top of the list. The Council agreed to a proposal by the Hobart Walking Club to removing trees and rocks from a natural snowdrift on the north-eastern face of the mountain and another ‘on the lower side of the Pinnacle Road’ in 1938. Two ski huts and four ski runs were constructed in the years following the completion of the road.