This photo shows the Auburn Ski Club building in Cisco Grove, approximately the 1930s. There is a toboggan last in line, waiting for its owner to return. Another group is milling around the front, and the ubiquitous Coca-Cola sign hangs in the doorway. I cannot see the snow shed over the railroad tracks on the mountainside, so I was wondering if this is facing north? Most photos are from the 1930s.

Now that the formalities have been taken care of, it’s time to ski! We see people skiing “this way and that” in the above photo. I’m not sure if the rope tows or jig-back are available yet, so many of these folks may be “cross-country skiing.”

In the above photo we see the unusual and likely first “ski lift” in California, The “Jig-Back”. It’s all metal and you rode backwards to you wouldn’t be thrown out when it started! It still sits, rusted, near the railroad tracks on the side of the mountain.

This is what amounted to skiing before the “Jig-Back” and tow ropes were installed. You ski jumped from here. Don’t be afraid, it looks farther than it really is.

Here we see a man taking flight from the ski jump at Cisco Grove. It doesn’t look so far from this angle.

The jump from a different angle. This gentleman has figured out how to do it with excellent form.

There were competitions. Here we see a lady receiving a trophy for some event. Everyone seems pleased with the result! Can someone identify the people or events in this photograph?

Photographs from: Placer County Museums and Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler collection.