Summers at Pink Panther

When I was a kid, I remember wondering what the ski hill looked like in the summer since all my visits were for skiing.  I remember two of my grade school friends cooking up a plan to take their bikes out there and check it out.  It sounded like fun, but I'm not sure if that ever happened.  If it did, I did not go along.

So when Mark Cain sent me a couple pictures of the A-Frame from the Summer of 79, I asked him what summers were like at Pink Panther.  Here is his answer:

"Summers at the ski hill were awesome as kids.  We camped a LOT, all over the place, but mostly back on the trails or down in the valley.  Yes, the Rathskeller had bands at night but during the day we would spend a lot of time getting ready for ski season.  We would also hang out with members of the bands.

"We’d paint the t-bar towers, replace broken t-bars, replace the ropes, build the bar in the A-frame, build the fireplace in the Rathskeller, cut and chop firewood, fix the snow cat (which always needed fixing).  The “Tucker” was what we called it anyway.  My Dad and Uncle always had some new plan going on and my brother Jeff & I were always happy to help.

"That summer in 1979, Jeff (Mark's brother) and I lived in the A-frame.  Those were happy times!!"

I also asked Mark about the tower connecting the two buildings.

"I remember helping my Dad and Uncle build the tower.  I particularly remember cutting the hole into the side of the A frame to add a door.  I also sort of remember hanging a big bell up there, but that’s a bit fuzzy."