Tim Collins / News staff
A plaque commemorating ski jumping at Mount Revelstoke has finally been installed on Mount Revelstoke by Parks Canada so that visitors to the “Big Hill” can begin to understand the significance of the name “Nels Nelsen Hill” and the importance that ski jumping once had to the region.
The plaque (in part) reads, “Between 1916 and 1975, championship ski jumping took place here, on the magnificent “Big Hill”. Revelstoke produced many outstanding ski jumpers… Dazzling crowds with their thrilling jumps, they set world records in ski jumping and helped enhance Canada’s international stature in the sport. (The activity) helped turn Mount Revelstoke into a venue for vibrant festivals and international competitions.”
The “Big Hill” was eventually renamed “Nels Nelsen Hill” in honour of the man who, in 1925, broke the world record for ski jumping when, in 1925, he jumped 240 feet at the site. His feat was soon overtaken, but his fame survived.
The plaque was first unveiled by Parks Canada in July along with the Nels Knickers attraction, an interpretive experience exhibit at the site, but remained uninstalled until last week.
The Nels Nelson Historic Area at the base of Mount Revelstoke allows you to explore this historic site and, although the old ski runs are slowly growing in, the judges’ tower is a prominent local landmark and, if you close your eyes and listen very closely, you may still hear the roar of the crowds, gathered to watch Nelsen launch himself into history.