fbpx

Episode 2 Part 1 provides a sweeping overview of the history of skiing in America as told through the experiences of one of the 10th Mountain Division’s greatest unsung heroes, John Andrew McCown II. Episode includes interview excerpts with Paul Petzoldt, the Teton climbing legend who would join the 10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale in 1942 and be put in charge of developing its mountain rescue system. 

Episode also includes an extended interview with Dr. E. John B. Allen, professor emeritus of history at New Hampshire’s Plymouth State University and the author of numerous books, including From Skisport to Skiing: One Hundred Years of an American Sport, 1840–1940, on the evolution of skiing in America before the war.

See here for an overview of the characters mentioned in this episode.

Available only to patrons, the Unabridged episode of Episode 2 Part 1 features an exclusive interview with Ninety-Pound Rucksack Advisory Board member Jeff Leich on the explosion of skiing’s popularity in America in the 1920s and 1930s.

The Unabridged episode also includes an excerpt from the working draft of the book, Ninety-Pound Rucksack: The True Story of John McCown, the 10th Mountain Division and the Dawn of Outdoor Recreation in America, that details John McCown’s experience in the 1939 Grand Teton National Park 4th of July ski race.

Patrons are the heart of Ninety-Pound Rucksack. Their support allows us to pursue the show’s journalistic and educational objectives as we inform and inspire the public about the Division’s living legacy. In return, they receive exclusive access to all Unabridged content.

If you haven’t already, please consider becoming a patron. Our goal with Ninety-Pound Rucksack is to inform and inspire the public about the Division’s living legacy. Patrons make that possible. In return, they receive access to all Unabridged content.