If it had not been for the discovery of gold on Red Mountain in the late 1890s one wonders if ski-racing would have ever taken place on its precipitous slopes. Would the Red Mountain Racers be one of the most prestigious racing programs in the country? Would their graduates have attained such unprecedented heights in national and international ski racing?

"Gold Fever" attracted prospectors from far and wide in the late 1800s. It is well documented how Olaus Jeldness came to Rossland from Norway, to seek his fortune. Perhaps it was a twist of fate or a happy coincidence, that he was also the Norwegian national team champion. Alpine events - ski-running (as it was then known), jumping and Nordic skiing - were well established in Europe, so it was inevitable that Jeldness encouraged his fellow miners to have some fun and relaxation on the steep and snowy slopes of the local mountains.

Ski racing, as with other aspects of our lives, has changed over the past 100 years. Jeldness became the first racer on Red Mountain to win the first Canadian National Race after trekking to the top through heavy snows on snowshoes. In those days everyone started together, taking one's own course to the finish (where the Rossland Museum is now located). To be The Champion, one had to excel, not only in ski running, but also in jumping and Nordic events.

Today, alpine events - downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom - are held on groomed and regulated courses, dependent on volunteers and officials to determine a fair race for each competitor. Chair lifts whisk skiers to the top of the mountain. The pocket watch has been replaced by sophisticated timing devices and computer systems recording times to the 100ths of a second. Hand made wooden skies have given way to thigh-tech parabolics which are preened to such a science that races are won by the wax used! Racers wear gloriously coloured form-fitting clothing, depicting their club or nation. Gone are the heavy work-a-day boots and woolen clothing of yester-year.

Red Mountain has also been witness to change. Gone are its gold mines, which rocked stock exchanges in North America and Europe in the early 1900's. Now it yields gold in a different form - medals! We can all recall the names of golden boys and girls, men and women who have upheld the tradition of excellence set by Olaus Jeldness, which continues today by Red Mountain Racers.

During the past 100 years, groups of people dedicated to skiing have come and gone. The Red Mountain Racers evolved under the auspices of the Red Mountain Ski Club in the 1970's to provide a ski program for as many local children as possible. The original philosophies are upheld today: the enhancement of skiing abilities coupled with fun and sportsmanship. Countless children have learned a healthy, lifelong skill and many have attained the fame of the elite racer. Over the years the Red Mountain Racers have striven to provide an affordable program, relying on volunteers and fund-raising projects to off set the ever-increasing costs.