I took a hike at the original Edelweiss ski area on HWY 50. The foundations of the chairlift are still there. I even found some old bottles and cans. There was also an old sign from the ski lift. The ski area was on both sides of the road. The lodge has been torn down but the cable and some wheels from the lift are still there. Most of the ski run is grown over with trees.

Wow-I learned to ski here in about 1956 or so when I was about 9 years old.I remember when they built the chair lift as my brother, a much better skier, got very excited when it was installed. He took lessons from the instructors here and went on to learn from, I believe, Stein Erikson at Heavenly, and then became an instructor at Squaw Valley years latter. We spent many winters at Edelweiss. I remember some rooms in a second building next to the lodge. Great memories.

Upon further review, we believe that our father is in this film at the timer in the film itself at 09:50:05. He traveled with ski racers from Donner Ski Ranch in the early 50's and was probably there. In 1957 we moved from Truckee to Placerville as dad was then on the Highway Patrol and used to go up and down 50. Dad became good friends with the Sabich family mostly because Spiders' dad was also on the highway patrol. Dad later opened the Hangtown Ski Hut in the Fall of 1963. Great video!

What a gem of a video. Amazing to watch.

I wonder if anyone has researched whether Spider is one of the kids in this video. He was one of the Red Hornets and if the video was made in 1954 he would have been 9 years old. Seeing the horrible Caldor Fire brought back many memories of this area. I remember hiking through the Edelweiss area and to Lovers Leap. I’ve always been intrigued with this history and it’s awesome that this video exists!

Ernstbecker1, I just hiked to the very top of the Edelweiss Lover's Leap run. Pylons are still up there. I found quite a few large aluminum pole basckets. It's amazing how many remnants are still around. I wish I could have skiied there when it was in operation.

Ein sehr schöner Film, der schön kommentiert ist.

I'm surprised how similar the technique was to the modern style carves. The wider stance, the early edge change before crossing the fall line. They seem to be doing that in this film. Amazing how well were skiing on the crappy gear that was available back in those days.

@5602KK I think this film is about 1954. I ski-bummed there in '56, met my 1st wife there. Her brother ran the snow plow. Lutz taught me how to ski. We shunned safety bindings, used bear traps and long thongs. My claim to ski fame is the fact that I showed Spider Sabich how to put on his long thongs.

Thank you for this..:) I ski at a small resort in France.. But when I retire in 18 months I want to come over and ski Patagonia (July) and Colorado (Feb).... Those were such good little pistes.. with big old fashioned skis/bindings.. and no dammeuse (snow basher?)... The instruction was good too.. straight into stem turns,, no snowplough..Ha Ha.. Made my evening.. Cordialement,

I spent a lot of time there. My father helped putting in the ski lift. Bunny and Ken Cotten and their son Holly were our best friends. I love watching this film!!!

Great video! :D thank you for sharing! I love how the chairlifts go quite high above the slopes but there aren't any guards to prevent the skiers to fall off xD

yearn... how cool were things in the 50s... I want some of that.

Oh, such a wunderschön old skiing film! I love it! Thank you for sharing. (Would it be possible to upload without "the time numbers running"?)

Sometime during the 1960s. Lover's Leap Trail was reached via the Chair lift. There was one lift and a rope tow. The planted tress have since grown over both the lift and rope tow. .

Edelweiss was a great place. I knew Lutz. Hans Andetter was a good man and a skilled ski instructor.

Dan, Kevin, and Ernst, Great discussion. If any of you have any photographs, brochures, or correspondance that you can share regarding Edelweiss, Nebelhorn, or any other now-closed area, please let me know. I am beginning work on a book titled "Lost Ski Areas of Northern California." I recently finished "Lost Ski Areas of Southern California." Thank you! Ingrid P. Wicken

I recall that both Spider and Pinky Sabich were one of the original "Red Hornets".

All ski equipment from the chair lift, not the small rope run near the Chalet, were purchased by the Hula Bowl, near Mt,. Hood, Oregon. I used the rope tow many times. The Chalet was burned to the ground -- with the fire department standing by. As you said I also found the original "Edelweiss" foundations. Camp Sacramento is still operative.

I remember the Nebelhorn. My parents skied there. We had a cabin on Atwood Tract. I have one of Lut'z paintings. The remainder, those that hung on the restaurant's walls belonged to my late father. What happened to them was a shame. I interested in what Gordon Stangland said. Many thanks.

I was there too. I used the old "bear Traps". Hugo Winterhal taught me to ski. Kena nd Holly Cotton wee wonderful people. I remember Lutz Anydtter. Spider and Pinky Savich werein the ed Hornets. Eldel weis is gone for good. My Dad is also in this film.

Kevin: Closure was sometime in the early 1960s. Lover's Leap could and still can be reached on foot. There was one rope tow lift and a chair lift. The chair lift was sold to the Hula Bowl, Oregon.

Apres ski drinking game idea: watch this film and do a shot every time the narrator says 'Edelweiss'.

@egreenspot The painting, when we last spoke,was the snow capped Matterhorn.

Thanks for the info. I was hiking the run behind the chalet on Saturday and found a large powder basket. I also found a cast iron pot. What ever happened to Lutz Aynedter?

@egreenspot Karl: I remember you. I recall your mother and father, Lutz. The painting is of the Matterhorn with his name. It's a long story what happened ot the others: Storm over Dent du Jon, Aptizpe, Austria, and others. I don't know your e mail and or telephone. Those were good years. We lived on the Echo Summit long ago.

I researched Lutz Aynedter and he died in 1965. It's very sad. He was sketching some scenery in the Oakland Hills where he lived when he was attacked by some rowdies. He suffered brain damaged and passed away three weeks after.

Hello, What year did Edelweiss close? How did one get to Lover's Leap trail? Was it a traverse? I was also wondering how many lifts were there total? Thanks, Kevin Morton

@ErnstBecker , Mr. Becker, my father is/was Hans. I am Karl and still live in lake Tahoe. what painting do you own?

Skiers that are a classy couple. Very nice! Well actually skiers are still a nice respectable bunch compared to the more rugged and rowdy snowboarders! And 2:14. You didn’t have whitening toothpastes or dental treatments back then unless you had good genes or dentures!

Yes, she became the "black widow" of the Aspen area. When she entered a bar there, someone would stamp on the floor and say, "A spider!! Kill it!!".

Wasn’t skiing a lot harder and more risky back in that time compared to today? Not just the equipment, but as far as I know, until the 1990’s, a downhill ski was a downhill ski. Now you have different types for racing, powder, backcountry, etc.

I happened upon this vid via reading about Spider Sabich and where he learned to ski as a kid and it was here at Edelweiss. Read up on him it's very interesting unfortunately his death was also another sad one like Lutz's, maybe it's the Edelweiss curse. This is now Camp Sacramento

The Red Hornets which Lutz coached originally were the Nebelhornets, the small resort at the summit of Hwy 50. I was in contact e/ one of the Nebelhorn partners (Gordon Stangland) and got from him a history of the Nebelhorn last year shortly before his death. Let me know if you're interested in what he said.

I'm trying to send you Gordon Stangland's letter about the Nebelhorn, but it's too long to fit in here. How may I email it to you?

I gather from some of the other posts that Edelweiss is now closed and defunct. Where is it or where was it?

14:15/24:54 That's my Da ! What surprise. Also I believe that the narrator is Ira Blue. He was one of San Francisco's first talk show hosts.

Ernst, do you have a Facebook page? I created a page about the edelweiss. It has some old photos and some pics of how it looks today.

Awesome info. I backed into this vid reading about Spider Sabich and apparently his dad would bring he and his brother to Edelweiss in the patrol car. He went to the University of Colorado, Boulder in the later 60's and I also went there but not until 1976.

As the poster of the previous comment, it would be my grandfather, not my father. However, my dad, Aunt and Uncle all believe it to be their dad in the video.

spider sabich in the lineup? 2nd to last?

Kevin: True. During WW II he had been captured 3X; however, he escaped from the Allies each time.

How old is this?

Too bad about Spider, cool info. CL gets to live to a ripe old age after murdering him, that was no accident just a terrible injustice.

LOL ! Very true ........

гыы.у меня такие крепы в децве тоже были)))

Go to Facebook and type in edelweiss ski area/strawberry ski hut

my life was full of constant night mares back then and now i know why there was no conflict

I'm still on the move. I'll contact you when I have a permanent addy.

I regret to inform you that Lutz Andeter passed on years ago.

Ernst: Do you have a permanent email address yet? I'll send you a copy of Gordon's letter. I've also spoken to Lutz's ex-wife who's still up at Tahoe. Dan Schell

Nasty things -- bear clamps.

Talk about injustice, she gets to live to a ripe old age and not pay for here crime, just how she got out of the whole thing shows our justice system doesn't apply to the rich and famous. Sad.

It's just an INFO-COMMERCIAL for the hotel and shop--not for skiing!

I feel bad for peoples ankles back then. It basically looks like the ski "boots" are regular shoes.

broken ankles everwhere. No wonder why stiff ski boots were invented.