- July 10, 1937 – Henry Ives Baldwin (Hillsboro, New Hampshire) to JSA
Dear Mr. Apperson:
In the leaflet “Adirondacks are ideal for Winter Sports” published by you in Jan, 1937 there was the statement that you had climbed Marcy on skis “about 1908” and also ascended other peaks about that time. This, to me was one of the best things in the publication, but the date isn’t really exact enough. Could you tell me the exact dates of these trips, and also more about them, and other early Adirondack skiing?
Nat Goodrich has asked me to write up a short account of early skiing in the Adirondacks for the Ski Annual, and I would like to include an account of your exploits. There was a good deal of skiing at Saranac Lake as early as 1892, and a lot of us were hard at it in 1907. Godfrey Dewey tells me the first skiing he knows of at Lake Placid was 1904-5.
Please give me details of the equipment you used, and photos, if possible.
Incidentally I agree with you that they better not widen trails on the Forest Preserve. Cut them on private land or land purchased especially for the purpose. Competitive skiing to me means cross-country racing, so I can’t agree with your statement on page 3. A plague on the downhillers.
Very sincerely yours,
Henry I. Baldwin