Little Wolf Mountain, Nanaimos first ski hill

Little Wolf Mountain 

• Location: Blackjack Ridge, southern lower slopes (estimated lat/log – 49.116583, -124.025386 )
• Operated by: Nanaimo Ski Club. 
• Mountain summit: 2,400ft. Lodge elevation: 2,300ft. lift elevation top: 2,300ft. Lift elevation bottom: 1,600 ft.
• Years of operation: 9

A brief history:

Little Wolf Mountain was a small club run ski hill operated by the Nanaimo Ski Club. The club itself was founded in 1950 and first settled on Round Mountain near Ladysmith that same year but a few years later moved to on the southern lower slops of blackjack ridge for better skiing closer to Nanaimo. The club acquired a permit for the land that came with a cabin on top of it. from there, trails were cleared, the cabin was fixed and an old truck was driven up the slopes and converted into a 400ft long rope tow. 

in the mid 1950’s the club expanded its trails including one to wolf mountain that reached 1000ft higher and the ski tow was improved with a new motor and extended to 700ft.

In the mid and late 1950’s the ski hill ran into difficulty’s. vandalism took place on 2 separate occasions and the Mountain experienced mild winters that brought no snow to the lower slops. 

In the early 1960’s the club reactivated under a new name as the Sno Birds of Nanaimo and moved on to Green Mountain development. people continued to ski at Little Wolf Mountain for yeas after and it is unclear what happened to the facility and equipment but for the most part it had be come forgotten. it remains that way today.

Timeline:

– 1950 – (little Wolf Mountain) Mid November the Nanaimo Ski Club was organized, and first settled there own sire at Round Mt. behind the Dimond Ridge near Ladysmith (a 20 min drive), but skied at Mt Benson, Lookout Mt, Mt Brenton and Forbidden Plateau as well.

– 1953 – (little Wolf Mountain) An old truck is purchase and converted into a 400 ft long ski tow that was able to pull 3 skiers at once.

Source: Nanaimo Free Press. December 07, 1953 page3 Link: N/A ( www.newspapers.com

Source: Nanaimo Free Press. January 30, 1957 page 19 Link: N/A ( www.newspapers.com)

– 1956 – (Little Wolf Mountain) A new motor for the tow replaced the old one in a permanent location with a shed built over it. The tow was lengthened to 700ft and a centre pilot was added for stability. The tow was now able to pull 5 skiers up the mountain.

Source: Nanaimo Free Press. December 10, 1956 page 14 Link: N/A ( www.newspapers.com)

Source: Nanaimo Free Press. April 20, 1956 Link: N/A ( www.newspapers.com)

– 1957 – (Little Wolf Mountain) The cabin was vandalized and destroyed by fire. The club plan’s to build a new 30×40 lodge.

Source: Nanaimo Free Press. December 19, 1957 page 5 Link: N/A ( www.newspapers.com)

– 1958 – (Little Wolf Mountain) The old cabin was vandalized for the second time as well as the tow rope was cut. The club begins construction of the new lodge. Mountain operations were curtailed dew to lack of snow.

Source: Nanaimo Free Press.  November 22 1958 page 5 Link: N/A ( www.newspapers.com)

– 1961 – (Little Wolf Mountain) After a 2 year laps the club reactivated under the name Sno Birds Ski Club of Nanaimo, as an affiliate of the Victoria Sno Birds Ski Club and moved their efforts to the Green Mountain ski hill Development. Little Wolf Mountain would only see the occasional ski group after the clubs departure. 

Source: Nanaimo Free Press. 1961 September 22 page 10 Link: N/A ( www.newspapers.com)

all the information has been pieced together from hundreds of articles over meany year from multiple sources in an attempt to bring an accurate historical account.

A special thanks to all those that Helped in the research of this post, Sharen Colzza Malone.

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