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001C97BA July 26. 1929. THE %FEST VAN NEWS A Sportsman Paradise By Rudolph J. Verne i President, Canadian Amateur Ski Association, 4V. B.) Commenting on the northward movements of some distinguish- ed American businessmen, who, ivith the approach of summer, found the Florida climate getting uncomfortably hot, Arthur Bris- bane recently made the Jules Verne-like prediction: "In times to come, when the aeroplane gets perfected and safe, it will be a rather usual oc- currence to see big flocks of fly- ing machines head north or south in true geesefashion." Th~ humans would, he asserted, get the same habits as the migrating birds; when it got too cold north, they ivould fly south, and when the sun got too hot south, they ivould trek north again. Brisbane is apparently located in one of the great Eastern cities ivhere the climates of the two contrasting seasons are disagre- ably inclined towards the ex- treme, offering an uninvited chance of a frost bite in IVinter n»d a sun stroke in Summer. For if he was fortunate enough to live in British Columbia, or more particularly in Vancouver, he would soon realize that we have no reasons for cultivating any migratory habit. Apart from the fact that our climate strikes a happy medium, and in this re- spect can compete with any place in the world, it offers wonderful opportunities for out door re- creation and sports of the most varied nature. It thus makes no difference whether you have the expensive habit of going to Switzerland for winter sports or to Florida or California for swimming and yachting. within an exceptionally easy reach of a few miles radius, you can enjoy all this right here. IVe have everything right at our thres- hold that in variety and proxim- ity, if properly cultivated and developed, in a not too far dist- ant future ivill eclipse the sport attractions of such world famous resorts as St. 5Ioritz, Davos, Fngelberg, Cortina, Klagenfurt nr Chamonix in Europe, or Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Banff or any of the numerous California sport places on this continent. I could ivrite volumes in support ot this statement but I might as ivell start an argument about ivho really discovered America. The ivorld, however, would say that anybody could have done tl at. That very assertion was made to Christopher Columbus, and ive all know his famous ans- iver. The ivriter of this article has iisited all the above named great recreation centers and takes pride in having discovered a lo- cation that makes Vancouver, or more definitely West Vancouver, a worthy competitor to them all, viz. Hollyburn Ridge mountain plateau. Since my first trip over its wonderful snowladen fields some eight years back, I have made an honest and unselfish at- tempt to prove the feasibility of Holly burn as an all-the-year- round mountain paradise. From its previous obscure existence, its name has become known all over the world. While it has not as yet attracted thousands of tourists, it HAS attracted thous- ands of our oivn sport loving young people to enjoy its facil- ities for healthy out-door sports, which is of far greater value. In the short time of a few years, EVest Vancouver with its Holly- burn has taken a leading position in western Canada winter sports. The Ski Club, formed in 1927, upon the initiative of the author, has furthermore helped to make the name of Hollyburn a household word in Western sport. I tholds the distinction of having arranged the first or- ganized ski meet in western Can- ada, April 15-17, 1927. 5Iembers of the same Club have also been instrumental in forming the Western Branch of the Canadian Amateur Ski Association, which Branch has been so successful that in the short space of two years, not less than nine other ski clubs have affiliated with it. This outnumbers the parent body with not less than three clubs, although the Eastern or- ganization has been in existence for some twenty years. In addi- tion our western Ski Champion this year brought the Dominion Championship to the )Vest for the first time in Canadian his- tory. Our own Hollyburn Pacific Ski Club simultaneously won Ae double laurels for our city in be- ing victorious in both the U. S. Pacific Coast Championship tournament at Portland and th~ Canadian Pacific Coast Ski Team Championship at Vancou- ver. In all the competitions the Club has partaken during a 4,000 mile ski trip last winter, West Vancouver ivas always ably rep- resented and boosted, and as an official of the Ski Association, I take this opportunity to con- gratulate the ~lunicipality of IVest Vancouver and its resid- ents on the splendid sporting achievements since the Holly- hurn Ridge was opened up for ivinter sport activities. The said development deserves the full support of the residents of the municipality and its coun- cil and Reeve,who in the past have shoived a keen interest in the new movement. A fine ex- piession of appreciation has been shoivn by one of the local resi- cients, ex-Councillor James B. Leyland, whose donation of a fine cup has done much toivards encouraging the ivonderful ski sport. which is gaining in popu- larity the world over. If the sport and its attractions are to continue to develop in the same splendid manner, it is nec- essary that the municipality lend its full support towards continued developments. This cannot be done ivithout a clear i ision for the possibilities of Hollyburn Ridge and a whole- hearted community spirt. The Q Spry& ~ ++r re'~~~ first step in the direction o fsafe- guarding the future development of the Hollyburn Ridge and on which the West Vancouver Coun- cil is to be congratulated, is the Council's decision to bring about a reservation of the plateau as a national park. The importance of this cannot be overlooked and the matter should be very seri- ously taken up so as to get the Ridge and adjacent mountains under a safe control. When this has been done, and it cannot be too early, the Ridge ivill come a step nearer its great destiny of an unequalled recreation centre for both ivinter and summer. Plans for a development such as the municipality has never dreamed of, could then material- ize in the form of easy accessa- bility by means of overhead in- cline automatic railivays ivhich in tiventy minutes could bring thousands of its residents and visitors up to the ivonderful scenic and sportive resources on the mountain plateau, ivhere the more lazily inclined, as ivell as the robust sportsmen, ivould find an ideal paradise. Appreciation of ivhat hns so far been accomp- lished in the form of hard pioneer ivork of a feiv sport enthusiasts, ivho built trails and cabins and si.oived faith in the possibilities of the Ridge, ivill stimulate a continued development and fost- er the right kind of sporting spir- it that does not seek its reivard in commercial alienation and ex- ploitation. Without that genuine sporting spirit, a sport enter- prise ivill be a failure. ~ ' ~ F P ~ g r ~ ' ~ ~, The Ridge H oily burn Ridge, the great forest clad hog's back, on the loiver slopes of ivhich )Vest Van- couver is built, stretches from the Capilaon ivestivard to the shores of Hoive Sound. It is ap- proximately 3000 feet high, and on the top it spreads out in a large plateau containing miles of forest and park areas and a beau- tiful chain of lakes. From this p!ateu are visible marvellous panoramas of beauty. To the north and east are the great sur- rounding mountain ranges, to the ivest the eye looks doivn on the waters of the gulf, ivhile to the south there is Burrard Inlet and Vancouver ivith ~Iount Bak- er and the Olympic mountains in the distance. "The amazing thing is that it is possible to get into such char- acteristically delightful moun- tain country in one day from Vancouver. Starting from the city in the morning with light packs, a hiking party can be in a magnificent mountain fastness by early afternoon. The most popular trail leading from EVest Vancouver is well known as the Twenty-second street trail. It is a continuation of Twenty-second street, Dunda- rave. an old skidroad ivhich climbs the mountain on very easy grades. The other trail, n little farther ivest is reached by Twenty-fifth street, Dundarave. Both go up about 1500 feet to ivhat is known as the box-flume trail, which runs east and west along the mountain. The TN'en- ty-fifth street trail continues up the big sidehill until the ski camp is reached. The Twenty- second trail climbs from the head of the street to the box flume, folloivs the flume west to where the Twenty-fifth come up. From tber one trail leads to the ski camp. The Twenty-fifth trail is a more direct path to the ski camp, but it is a little steeper and rougher than the Tiventy- second. Alpine grandeur, sylvian beau- ty and every aspect of ivild nat- ure that the devotee of the iioods and mountains could de- sire, are here at their best. The amateur photographer, the land- scape painter, the botanist, or the lover of birds and ivild ani- mals can ask no more than this high green plateau affords. The admirer of bird life finds here many species which he has had no opportunity to study at low- er altitudes.--J. Pollugh Pogue. g ~ The Lions, from Hollyburn Peak, West Vancouver.