Lost Sierra; Gold, Ghosts & Skis: Legendary Days of Skiing in the California Mining Camps [Hardcover]

William B. N. Berry (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: W & a Communications (January 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963172107
• ISBN-13: 978-0963172105
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,789,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars A history of development of snow sports in the Far West, September 1, 2011

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This review is from: Lost Sierra: Gold, Ghosts & Skis- The Legendary Days of Skiing in the California Mining Camps (Paperback)

Each chapter of this fascinating book tells a unique story. Illustrated with 231 photos and maps. Lots of text in a small but easily readable font, 227 numbered pages, plus 2 appendicies, a photo portfolio and index.

Chapter titles:

Chapter 1) Setting For a Legend: show-shoe era in La Parte results in the birth of skiing in California
Chapter 2) Eve of an Era: fable of a lake of gold draws thousands to challenge the lost Sierra winters
Chapter 3) Wipsaws for Spruce: pioneer tools hew show-shoes and lightning dope adds speed to the first snow-shoe racing in the lost Sierra
Chapter 4) Quicksilver Charlie: snow-shoe clubs dominate skiing and races are formalized - California's first ski winter
Chapter 5) Stake Racing Days: miner's race - mining camps claim "firsts" in snow-shoeing history - racing rivalries draw big crowds and big bets
Chapter 6) The Alturas Snow-shoe Club: La Porte is the racing wheel of the club - first "world champion" more communities form clubs - new speed records
Chapter 7) The Man From Silver Mountain: first mountain winter mail routes
Chapter 8) A Silver Link: Snow-shoe Thompson's defeat at racing - editorial duels
Chapter 9) Dope Was King: Dopemaker's recipes set new ski racing records
Chapter 10) Volunteer Corps: stories of heroism, broken bones and avalanches
Chapter 11) The Luck of Bob Francis: skier's rivalry brings death to the loser
Chapter 12) The Feather: a collection of old-timer's legends
Chapter 13) Southern Threshold on the Yuba: men of destiny and new county lines
Chapter 14) Table Rock: burials in the snow - new racing champions emerge - the best woman snow-shoer
Chapter 15) The Ladies: civilizing the Lost Sierras with matrimony and courage
Chapter 16) Miners Unite in Spirit: fraternities and churches
Chapter 17) Tracks of the Iron Horse: the first snow trains - challenges of railroad construction
Chapter 18) A Ski Center in the Sierra: the Lost Sierra becomes a destination for sports and recreation
Chapter 19) The Lost Sierra Revisted