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• HUMBOLDT HISTORY: Skiing Horse Mountain! Remembering the Scene’s Golden Era, When it Was Full of People and Fun, Complete With Tow Lines, a Lodge, a Snack Shack and the Hiouska Spirit

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Remember that cool Humboldt Historian story we ran back in January about downhill skiing at Horse Mountain?

If you missed it, go check it out at the link above. It was all about a very fun, very brash, very Humboldt scene that used to exist out there. The scene boasted a ski lodge, rope tows, a snack shack and all sorts of homespun lingo and legend particular to the place.

Well, back in August a local group called “The Horse Mountain Grippers,” dedicated to memorializing that scene, finally got the go-ahead from Caltrans and county government to install an interpretive kiosk at Berry Summit that will tell the tale of Horse Mountain skiing in really beautiful detail. The Grippers raised all the money to build the thing themselves.

Next week they’re having a big event out at Berry Summit to break ground on the project, and if you’re a historically-minded citizen, a hardcore ski nerd, a friend of the Walsh family or just someone infused with the Hiouska spirit, you are invited to attend! They’ll be gathering at the Summit on Friday, September 20 at 11 a.m. for “fun, refreshments, giveaways and celebration.” Ski apparel is very much encouraged!

Below, please find designs for the eight gorgeous panels they’ll be installing up at the Summit, so that future travelers who stop off to check the view might be edified about this quintessentially — and, alas, bygone — Humboldt subculture. Click to enlarge.