Cranmore NH Skimobile footage from 1957

[Friolator]

I have a bad habit of buying other people's home movies. And I own a company that scans film, so I'll probably never stop doing this. Anyway, last week I picked up a reel that looked interesting, promising some ski footage from the 50s. Turned out to be a couple of really nice reels of 16mm Kodachrome shot at Cranmore around 1957. There's a bunch of footage of the Skimobile lift, which I had never heard of. Had to look it up. It looks like the most insane way to get up a mountain. There are actually two videos (links below). The second has a bunch of good footage of the Poma lift, and a glimpse of a Tucker Sno-Cat.

 

[mdf]

I have heard of the skimobile, but I didn't know you hopped on while it was moving!

 

[LiquidFeet]

I have a bad habit of buying other people's home movies. And I own a company that scans film, so I'll probably never stop doing this. Anyway, last week I picked up a reel that looked interesting, promising some ski footage from the 50s. Turned out to be a couple of really nice reels of 16mm Kodachrome shot at Cranmore around 1957. There's a bunch of footage of the Skimobile lift, which I had never heard of. Had to look it up. It looks like the most insane way to get up a mountain. There are actually two videos (links below). The second has a bunch of good footage of the Poma lift, and a glimpse of a Tucker Sno-Cat.

Thanks so much for posting these. I ski in this area and have always heard about Cranmore's famous and unique lift but never had a good idea of how it worked. This is enlightening.

 

[Friolator]

My next search is for footage of the skis-on 2-person bubble gondolas or the crazy clicker chairs from Mount Snow, which I rode on all the time as a kid. There must be some film out there I can scan.

 

[James]

Very cool. I had no idea that thing just kept running and you hopped on. I wonder how bad the carnage was. Would never work today, though people still manage to ride the cable cars in SF which is more crazy and fun.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Thank you @Friolator. I grew up in North Conway and Cranmore was my home mountain. That lift has some history you can read about here: Gone but not forgotten: 80th anniversary of Skimobile lift The quality of the film and its reproduction in digital is amazing. Thank you.

I was born in 1957 and grew up in the Cranmore Inn in downtown North Conway. Here is a video of the skiing and people having fun in what was essentially my home: 1964 01 Cranmore Inn, North Conway, NH, 8mm home movie My bedroom was over the kitchen. I remember waking up to the smell of freshly made doughnuts. I'd walk into the kitchen to a huge tray of them, still hot and dredge them in the requisite plate of sugar next to the tray. My parents would find guests (most were frequent visitors and friends) to take me to the various ski areas on weekends. It was an easy way to get baby sitting for us.

Very cool. I had no idea that thing just kept running and you hopped on. I wonder how bad the carnage was. Would never work today, though people still manage to ride the cable cars in SF which is more crazy and fun.

It was a 'jerry' fest. If you stepped on or off with the 'wrong' foot, you'd trip yourself and fall. The 1/4 way station (half way up the first of the two sections) was particularly nasty as the platform was just a short wood porch with stairs to get down from it. If you missed a single step, you'd be toppling down the stairs.

There were 'service' cars that were an open box that had blades that would be manually lowered when it snowed to keep the track clear. The track was wood with a thin sheet of metal to protect it from wear from the wheels. The wheels (front and rear) actually steered around the top and bottom of the lift, much like the front wheels on automobiles do.

A friend claims to have regularly hung from the cable that runs under the track and ride it between the trestles. Much to the dismay of Herbie Schneider, the son of Hannes, and the manager of the ski area and head of the ski school. The Skimobile works like the SF cable cars although the Skimobile cars don't detach.

 

[johnnyvw]

I remember that lift was in operation when I started skiing in the 70's. Always wanted to go there since it was so unusual....alas, I waited too long.

 

[Tony S]

I have heard of the skimobile, but I didn't know you hopped on while it was moving!

Thanks so much for posting these. I ski in this area and have always heard about Cranmore's famous and unique lift but never had a good idea of how it worked. This is enlightening.

Very cool. I had no idea that thing just kept running and you hopped on. I wonder how bad the carnage was. Would never work today, though people still manage to ride the cable cars in SF which is more crazy and fun.

Thank you @Friolator. I grew up in North Conway and Cranmore was my home mountain. That lift has some history you can read about here: Gone but not forgotten: 80th anniversary of Skimobile lift The quality of the film and its reproduction in digital is amazing. Thank you.

I was born in 1957 and grew up in the Cranmore Inn in downtown North Conway. Here is a video of the skiing and people having fun in what was essentially my home: 1964 01 Cranmore Inn, North Conway, NH, 8mm home movie My bedroom was over the kitchen. I remember waking up to the smell of freshly made doughnuts. I'd walk into the kitchen to a huge tray of them, still hot and dredge them in the requisite plate of sugar next to the tray. My parents would find guests (most were frequent visitors and friends) to take me to the various ski areas on weekends. It was an easy way to get baby sitting for us.



It was a 'jerry' fest. If you stepped on or off with the 'wrong' foot, you'd trip yourself and fall. The 1/4 way station (half way up the first of the two sections) was particularly nasty as the platform was just a short wood porch with stairs to get down from it. If you missed a single step, you'd be toppling down the stairs.

There were 'service' cars that were an open box that had blades that would be manually lowered when it snowed to keep the track clear. The track was wood with a thin sheet of metal to protect it from wear from the wheels. The wheels (front and rear) actually steered around the top and bottom of the lift, much like the front wheels on automobiles do.

A friend claims to have regularly hung from the cable that runs under the track and ride it between the trestles. Much to the dismay of Herbie Schneider, the son of Hannes, and the manager of the ski area and head of the ski school. The Skimobile works like the SF cable cars although the Skimobile cars don't detach.

I rode it many times as a kid. It was by far the most difficult lift to ride that I've ever encountered. Of course I didn't have a frame of reference then because I'd never ridden a chairlift! (Wildcat gondola and t-bar, yes, after a little while.) When I was little my mom had to help me get on. (I would get on with my poles, and she would hand me my skis. My hand wasn't big enough to pick up the pair of skis by itself, which was mandatory because you were grabbing the car with the other hand to steady yourself as you stepped on - with the RIGHT foot, as Doug points out.) I clearly remember getting out at the "1/4 way" station Doug mentions and it was a major juggling act every time. I think I kind of just dragged the skis out after me, tucked under one arm, hoping the person behind me was not ALSO getting off at that station.

Edit: I posted the above before watching the clip. You can see the "handoff" move a couple times there. So it wasn't just me, I guess.

Also: The guy in the long tan coat from about 2:55 to 3:05 could easily have been my dad. Same outfit, same era.

 

[Uncle-A]

If you think about it those little children are senior citizens today if they are still alive. I wonder how many continued to ski as adults?