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Modesto Ski Club History


The Modesto Ski Club was founded in 1936 by a group of pioneering skiers who held their first meeting at Modesto Junior College under the leadership of Fred Earle. About sixty charter members joined that year to promote the new and growing sport of skiing in California’s Sierra Nevada.

In 1938, club members built their first mountain cabin at Strawberry, California, for just $450. The small structure sat on the hillside with a ladder to the loft, a curtain dividing the bunks, and a potbelly stove to keep everyone warm. Electricity reached the cabin two years later in 1940. Staying overnight costs 50 cents on weekends or 25 cents on weekdays, and a hot pot of coffee was always on.

As the club grew in popularity, members looked for a larger gathering place. In the 1950s, they converted a vacant Pinecrest post office building into the club’s second lodge. Owned by members Vernon Baird, Bob Mensinger, and Paul Smith, it was leased to the club at no charge until the mid-1960s. The cozy Pinecrest lodge became a favorite spot for family weekends, ski carnivals, and laughter around the fireplace. A night’s stay costs $2.00.

In 1970, property scouts Cliff Wagoner and Ken Lugliani located a parcel of land near Truckee, California, that could finally become a permanent mountain home. The lot was purchased for $5,000, and on May 18, 1974, members broke ground on what would become the Mile High Lodge. All construction labor was volunteered by members, with families pitching in to pour concrete, frame walls, and prepare meals. The total project cost about $37,000 and was completed later that same year.

Since then, the Truckee lodge has stood as a testament to the dedication and friendship of its members. Generations have gathered there to share powder days, potluck dinners, Oktoberfest’s, and quiet mornings watching snow fall across Donner Summit.

For nearly nine decades, the Modesto Ski Club has remained true to its founding purpose: to promote the enjoyment of skiing and the spirit of fellowship among those who love the mountains.