Pray for Snow: The History of Skiing in Southern California (2002)
The definitive book on the birth and development of skiing from Los Angeles to San Diego. Illustrated with many never-before published photographs. Pray for Snow was awarded the Far West Ski Association's Western Ski Heritage Award in 2002 and the International Ski Association's Skade Award in 2003.
Skiing in Southern California (2007)
Known for its sunshine and sandy beaches filled with bathing beauties and musclemen, Southern California is a Mediterranean-climate haven for winter-weary Americans from Michigan to Maine. But for those with a hankering for winter sports, one could scarcely ignore the snowcapped peaks of Mount Baldy and San Gorgonio shimmering in the bright California sunshine. By the 1930s, skiing was all the rage, with the towns of Big Pines, Lake Arrowhead, and Big Bear Lake evolving into popular snow-sport locales. Southern California was also home to many who made their mark in the world of American skiing: Walter Mosauer, the father of skiing in Southern California; Tyler Van Degrift, owner of Los Angeles's first ski shop; Clarita Heath Bright, talented member of the first U.S. Women's Olympic ski team; Dorothy McClung Wullich, first woman member of the National Ski Patrol; and Sepp Benedikter and Tommi Tyndall, both leading the way with ski schools and instruction. These and many others are documented here in this collection of rare and vintage images of Southern California skiing.
"Walter Mosauer: Father of Skiing in Southern California”
Presented at The 2nd FIS Ski Historical Conference at Helsinki/Lahti, Finland, February 16-18, 2001.
“Ethel Severson Van Degrift: Southern California’s Ski Ambassador”
Presented at the 2002 International Ski History Congress at Park City, Utah, January 20-24, 2002.
“Scandifornia: Ski Jumping in California in the 1930s”
Presented at the 2009 International Ski History Congress at Mammoth Lakes, California, March 29-April 3, 2009.
“Milana Jank: A Woman Ski Mountaineer in the United States in the 1930s”
Presented at the Winter Sport and Outdoor Life Conference at Bø, Norway, February 23-26, 2011.
“Milana Jank: A Woman Ski Mountaineer in the United States in the 1930s”
Published in the Journal of the New England Ski Museum, Summer 2011.
Lost Ski Areas of Southern California (2012)
The snow-laden slopes of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains have beckoned Southland skiers since the 1930s. Many once-cherished ski areas have disappeared, yet their history remains. A short drive from the sun and sand, places like Rebel Ridge and Kratka Ridge offered snowy escapes. Thrilling races were held at the First International Pine Needle Ski Tournament in North Hollywood, while the San Diego Ski Club boasted Dorothy McClung Wullich, the first female member of the National Ski Patrol. This book chronicles Southern California's lost mountain getaways and the vanished ski areas that introduced everything from rope tows to artificial snow.
License to Jump: The Story of Women’s Ski Jumping (2015)
Edited by Marit and Annette Hofmann, internationally renowned sport historians. License to Jump aims to give insight into the at least 150-year-history of women’s ski jumping from its beginnings until it became an Olympic sport in the 2014 Sochi Games. It is the first book to chronicle the long battle that women fought for the right to compete on national, international, and Olympic levels. Ingrid contributed one chapter: “Pioneers of Flight: Women’s Ski Jumping in the U.S. and Canada 1900-1950.”
50 Years of Flight: Ski Jumping in California 1900-1950 (2017)
Ski jumping was the king of winter sports in the 1930s, captivating Californians from Mount Shasta to Lake Arrowhead. There were eight major ski jumping locations throughout the state, as well as many smaller, local jumps. Fifty Years of Flight chronicles the story of California ski jumping from its rudimentary beginnings in the 1920s to its world class jumps and star jumpers who steered the way to California’s second gold rush…white gold!
Lost Ski Areas of Tahoe and Donner (2020)
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Lake Tahoe and the Donner Summit region became California's first developed winter sports areas. Plentiful snowfall and newly built highways opened up the summer playground for visitors year-round, and skiing flourished. The Sierra Ski Club formed in 1925, attracting members eager to experience everything the mountains had to offer. People flocked to the slopes, visiting places like Clair Tappaan Lodge in Soda Springs, boasting one of the summit's earliest ski tows, and the Yuba Gap Lodge, a pioneer in night skiing. The stories of these and many other forgotten areas bring the history of these pioneer ski areas back to life.
Walter Mosauer: Father of Southern California Skiing
Published in Skiing History, Jan-Feb 2021
Chris Schwarzenbach: Racer, Pilot, Manufacturer
Published in Skiing History, May-June 2023
Dorothy McClung Wullich
Published in Skiing History, March-April 2024
