11 weird ski resort facts and other winter oddities

We snow sport fanatics are really a weird lot. Maybe it’'s the cold. Maybe it’'s the altitude. Maybe it’'s our appreciation for living in the moment. Here’s a short roundup of odd, interesting and really strange facts and stories about winter.

Before Ullr was made into an action figure, he was the Norse God of winter. In Norse mythology, Ullr (meaning “glory”) is the God of justice, duelling, agriculture and skiing. Back in the days of gods and goddesses roaming the mountains, Ullr was pretty swift on skis that were probably keg slats tethered to his feet by caribou tendons. He was said to keep his technique hidden from other gods and mortals alike, streaking across the sky leaving a trail of stars. Lucky for us his secret didn’'t stay hidden. While he may have left a trail of stars, you can leave a trail of kickass turns through thick powder.

Another note about Ullr. For all you male skiers who think you are the gods' gift to skiing and should be worshipped, forget it. Ullr was not only the God of skiing but also the son of Sif - the Goddess of fertility. We bet he could really work the après ski crowd!

Skiing is the only six-letter word in the English dictionary with a double “I” in the middle. (Remember that for trivia night!)

The first snowboard was built in 1965 by Sherman Poppen from Michigan. He wanted to build a single ski for his daughter. He took the wheels off a skateboard and ran a rope through the nose. There were no bindings on what he called a “Snurfer,” due to it’s resemblance to a surfboard on snow. Roughly one million Snurfers were sold over the next 10 years.

Around 1893, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said of skiing, "“It is as near to flying as any earthbound man can.”" Roughly 10 years later the Wright brothers in North Carolina proved him wrong.

Did you know that Whistler was once named London Mountain? It was renamed in 1965 to honour the hoary marmot who whistles while he works among the rubble and scree.

Peak to Peak gondola is both the longest and tallest unsupported span gondola. It spans five kms (three miles) in 11 minutes.

The Burfield chair at Sun Peaks Resort, near Kamloops, B.C. has the longest fixed grip chairlift in North America and is the 9th longest in travel length at 3,898 metres (9,510 feet.)

Talk about long! The T-bar at Murray Ridge in Northern B.C. has the longest T-bar you’'ll want to ride. It's two kilometres (four miles)) long and takes 12 minutes to reach the top. Once you are there, that thigh-burner is worth it. Check out the history and the runs at Murray Ridge here.

What'’s with the beads and the bras? Cover your eyes kids. Supposedly all those bright and lacy bras and Mardi Gras beaded necklaces draped in special trees along chairlift lines are tossed there after an evening of sexual conquest. It all started in the 1950’s at a ski resort in the U.S. and has worked its way north. By the looks of some trees, some resorts must be more fun than others.

Cleaning up this story, there is a Jesus statue at the top of Whitefish Mountain in Montana. It was erected in 1954 by army veterans and members of the Knights of Columbus to honour fallen soilders from WWII. Some days, Jesus stands there with his arms open to the heavens, while other days, he is ready for a rip wearing goggles and a helmet.

Speaking of shrines, Aspen, Colo. is said to have over 100 shrines hidden in the trees at Aspen and Snowmass. From the Beatles to cats, golfing, Guinness, Snoopy and the Boston Red Sox, there is a shrine.

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