old ski-hills, Uncategorized

Mt. Brenton’s Forgotten Ski Hill

by Adventurer1

  • Operated by: Sno-Birds ski club Victoria.
  • Years of operation: 13 (1948 -1961)
  • Location: Mt Brenton north-west slopes at the mouth of Silver lake
  • Mountain summit: 3996ft. Lodge elevation: 2815ft.
  • Number of lifts: 2.  

Lift # .1 Length:    700ft. Elevation top: 2,963ft. Bottom: 2815ft. 

Lift # .2 Length: 1,000ft. Elevation top: 3,270ft. Bottom: 2975ft.

The creation on the Mt Brenton ski site is tied hand in hand with the creation of the Sno-Bird ski club, one wouldn’t have gotten its start with out the other, the history and timeline below are about the rise and setting of the Mt Brenton sight. 

Mt. Brentons stump covered ski fields

A brief history 

The Mount Brenton ski site began when members of the Outdoor Club of Victoria discovered that the snow lasted longer on the northern and western slopes of Mount Brenton compared to other areas they were skiing, such as Crown, Coronation Mountain, and Mount Hall. In early 1948, the club received verbal permission from the logging company to use the private logging roads and permission to sleep in Dr. McLeod small 6 man, fishing cabin built in the 1930’s on the shores of Silver Lake.

rope tow and ski field at the east end of Silver Lake on Mt. Brenton

Two years later, skiing had become so popular within the Outdoor Club of Victoria that skiers outnumbered all other activity groups. On October 30th, 1950, a separate meeting was held with 160 people in attendance to establish the Victoria Ski Club. That evening, directions were given to the ski grounds, plans were made to clear the land, and a call was put out for a more colourful name for the club.

During the first season of the Victoria Ski Club, winter hit the South Island hard, cutting off access to Mount Brenton. Government-funded dry ski camps were held at Victorias Crystal Garden lower ballroom for new skiers, and beginner ski classes were conducted on the eagle heights slopes, off Renfrew Road behind Shawnigan Road. At one point, lessons were even held at Beacon Park in downtown Victoria.

A ski patrol of 8 was formed, trained by St. John’s Ambulance, fully equipped with supplies and international ski rescue insignia. 

Mt. Brenton ski cabin

Sometime in mid to late 1951, the name “Sno-Birds Ski Club” was adopted. Over the next few years, a 30×18 ft cabin was built beside the mouth of Silver Lake, and shortly after, ground was cleared and a 400 ft ski tow was constructed just outside the cabin. Hiking in from the snow-line where cars would park became a regular occurrence, so a trail was cut called “the shortcut,” as is cut between the switchbacks on the road, making hiking into the cabin much quicker. Mount Brenton experienced huge snow dumps; in a single weekend on January 1 1954, a blizzard dumped 6 ft of snow, completely burying cars where they were parked on Mt Brenton.

The club was accepted into the Western Division of the Canadian Amateur Ski Association, and in 1955, Mount Brenton hosted Vancouver Island’s very first Western Canada Ski Association-sanctioned competition against the Nanaimo Ski Club. That year, the rope tow was lengthened to 500 ft.

ski fields on Mt. Brenton

A few years later, in 1957, the rope tow was extended to 750 ft, and that year saw a flood of inquiries and new members joining the club after CHECK TV did a piece on Mount Brenton and the Sno-Birds. The following year, a second 1,000 ft tow was added above the original tow.

Over the next few years, Mount Brenton seemed to receive less and less snow, resulting in less skiing on Mt Brenton, fewer club members and more trips to other mountain locations like Hurricane Ridge and Forbidden Plateau. The situation wasn’t helped by the logging company’s dissatisfaction with the club’s tree-clearing activities, which often led to the closure of access road gates to the mountain.

On February 8, 1961, it was officially announced that the Mount Brenton ski site and the $6,000 investment would be abandoned to make way for the Green Mountain ski site. A subsequent announcement detailing Mount Brenton’s departure stated that the two ski tows on Mt Brenton would be used for beginner runs on Green Mt; by September of that year, they were removed.

As a final hardship for Mount Brenton, a group of three Boy Scouts embarked on a day hike up Mount Brenton. On their way, a storm rolled in, quickly turning into a blizzard dumping 4.5 ft of snow on them. Attempting to reach the Sno-Birds ski cabin for shelter, one of the Boy Scouts could no longer continue and succumbed to exposure 300 yards from the cabin.

people learning to ski at the dry ski camp (Times Colonist Jan, 8, 1951 Page 9)
Mt. Brenton ski cabin.
Mt. Brenton ski race
club Members Packing in tope for the extension of the rope tow
Upper ski tow on Mt.Brenton overlooking Silver Lake.
Ariel photo of Green Mt. prior to Ski Development (Nanaimo Daily News Sep 22, 1961 Page 10)

TimeLine:

1948 – (Mt. Brenton)

A group of ski enthusiasts in the Outdoor Club of Victoria began exploring areas for skiing on the southern part of the island, behind Ladysmith and around Renfrew Road behind Shawnigan Lake. They discovered that the northwestern slopes of Mount Brenton were ideal. Permission was granted by the logging company to use their roads, and regular ski trips were held from early November to late April.

The club also received permission to stay in an old cabin near Silver Lake, owned by Dr. McLeod of Chemainus, although it was mostly occupied by rats.

1950 – (Mt. Brenton) 

Skiers in the Outdoor Club of Victoria outnumbered other members of the club. On October 30th, 1950, a separate meeting was held, consisting of 160 people, and the Victoria Ski Club was formed. Directions were given to the northwestern slopes of Brenton by the mouth of Silver Lake. Plans for the club included clearing the grounds and choosing a more colorful name for the club.

1951 – (Mt. Brenton)

In 1951, Vancouver Island was plagued with too much snow. As a result, only a few trips were made up Mt. Brenton due to limited road access. Early in the year, the club held multiple dry-ski schools indoors, and at one point, they even held a ski school with skiing activities at Beacon Hill Park in Victoria. A ski patrol of 8 members was formed, receiving first aid training from St. John’s Ambulance. Throughout the summer, the club conducted clearing work at the Mt. Brenton ski grounds. By the end of the year, the club officially adopted the name SNO BIRDS Ski Club.

  • Source: Times Colonist, Monday January 8, 1951 Page 9  Link: N/A
  • Source: Times Colonist, Saturday February 3, 1951 Page 9  Link: N/A

1952 – (Mt. Brenton) 

In April, the idea of constructing a cabin was discussed. Construction work commenced in August and was finished just before the arrival of snow in November. The cabin, measuring 30×18, was situated by the mouth of Silver Lake. Later in the year, preparations were made to clear the ground for a proposed ski tow. In December, the Mount Brenton Cup was donated by a group of American skiers who had visited the ski grounds.

  • Source: Times Colonist, Wednesday, May 14, 1952 Page 8 Link: N/A
  • Source: Times Colonist, Tuesday, September 23, 1952Page 8 Link: N/A

1953 -(Mt.Brenton)

Hopes were high for a 400 ft ski tow to be operational by Easter of 1953. However, the construction of the tow was delayed until the summer due to the need for additional ground clearing. During this time, an addition to the cabin was made. Additionally, a new access route to the cabin, referred to as “the short cut,” was established.

The Sno-Birds ski club was accepted into the Western Division of Canadian Amateur Ski Association, allowing the club to host official ski tournaments, and take part in Canadian and international ski meets.

  • Source: Times Colonist Thursday April 16, 1953 Page 8 Link: N/A
  • Source: Times Colonist Tuesday November 24 1953 Page 8 Link: N/A

1954 -(Mt.Brenton)

The year began with a blizzard that dumped 6 feet of snow in a single weekend. Large snowfalls persisted throughout the winter, resulting in a snow base of over 10 feet on the Brenton slopes and the cabin, which required a 10-hour hike to reach.

Ski racing gained prominence, with participants and results being posted weekly in newspapers.

During the summer, work was carried out on the cabin to expand sleeping accommodations, and clearing efforts were focused on the upper slopes.

  • Source: Times Colonist, Friday January 8, 1954 Page 9 Link: N/A

1955 -(Mt.Brenton)

The ski tow was extended to 500 feet early in the year and then relocated to a new location by the end of the year.

On March 29th, 1955, Mt. Brenton hosted Vancouver Island’s very first Western Canada Ski Association sanctioned competition against the Nanaimo Ski Club.

  • Source: Times Colonist, Monday March 28 1955 Page 13 Link: N/A

1957 -(Mt.Brenton)

The rope tow was further extended to 750 feet. CHECK TV produced a “movie” highlighting the Sno-Birds on Mt.Brenton, which led to a significant increase in new club members.

During the summer, a second 1,000-foot ski tow was built above the original 750-foot ski tow, situated just outside the cabin. Additionally, two primary ski slopes were bulldozed to remove any stumps.

  • Source: Times Colonist, Thursday February 14, 1957 Page 33 Link: N/A

1961 -(Mt.Brenton)

On February 8, 1961, an announcement was made that Mount Brenton would be abandoned as a skiing location to make way for the development of the Green Mountain ski site. Another announcement indicated that the ski tows would also be relocated to the Green Mountain site. It was noted that the logging company, with which only a verbal agreement had been established for access, actively closing off the roads to the Mt. Brenton ski hills.

Due to the combination of road closures and unfavorable winter conditions resulting in a lack of snow, the ski season was significantly shortened. By September, both ski tows had been successfully relocated to Green Mountain.

Tragically, during a hiking trip, a group of three Boy Scouts encountered a  blizzard resulted in the unfortunate passing of one member, only a few hundred feet from the cabin.

  • Source:  Times Colonist, February 8, 1961 Link: N/A
  • Source: The Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle, Thursday February 16 1961 Page 2 Link: N/A
  • Source: The Province, Wendsay April 12, 1961 Page 2 Link: N/A
  • Source: Nanaimo Daily News, Tuesday September 12, 1961 Page 10  Lnk: N/A

What happened after?

The cabin continued to be utilized by cross-country skiers, Boy Scouts, fishermen, and hunters for several years.

The final documented use of the former “ski lodge” was recorded when a writer sought refuge from the rain while working on a book about fly fishing at Silver Lake.

It is unclear if it burnt down or was removed but there is no remittance of what once stood in its place.

The small fishing cabin, owned by Dr. McLeod, built in the early 1930s, where the club originally stayed, still stands – holding onto the good times and memories left behind by all those who stayed there.

  • Source: Times Colonist, Wednesday February 16, 1977 Link: N/A
That first year, though, the skiers enjoyed the hospitality of a Dr. McLeod of Chemainus, who owned a tiny cabin built in the 1930’s on the lake, and gave the skiers permission to sleep there. six persons was a tight squees, and when the mine started their shenanigans at night six was defiantly too meany to carry out revenge against the mine. – The Daily Colonist, April 8, 1956. (Photo take Aug 2022 By Mark Dobbs)

The Mount Brenton timeline was meticulously constructed from an array of newspaper articles, firsthand recollections, and visits to the Nanaimo archives.

Other documents & links:

A heartfelt thank you goes out to Russ Leech and Bill Verchere for their invaluable contributions in shedding light on a place once forgotten, where countless moments of happiness were experienced. Your efforts are sincerely appreciated.

One thought on “Mt. Brenton’s Forgotten Ski Hill”

  1. Pingback: Vancouver Island Ski Hill Timeline – westcoast island adventures

Leave a comment