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Winter 2012
Escarpment Magaz ine
www.CandAsteakcompan
Come enjoy our new wine cellar.
Taste exquisite cuisine accompanied by
one of our many award winning wines.
Private dining room available.
166 Jozo Weider Blvd. Blue Mountains 705 444 8877
Spoil Yourself
www.gordonjleecelandscapes.ca
•
Installation by Qualified Landscape Technicians
•
In-House design service
•
5-year guarantee on all Hardscapes
•
Landscape Architect available upon request
Talisman was a favourite ski destination in the seven-
ties, eighties and nineties. I recall how the runs all
seemed to look the same… a steep drop at the top
then a long gradual run-off to the bottom. When I
stopped there last winter, the resort was closed. There
was plenty of fresh snow waiting to be skied but no
skiers… a sad turn of events for this once vital, ener-
getic ski destination. It was downright eerie. The re-
sort opened with fanfare on Christmas Eve in 1963.
A group of wealthy London, Ontario businessmen
built the resort from the bottom up with plans to make
a western style destination ski resort close to home.
Because of the isolated location in the Beaver Valley,
the resort proved to be a tough sell to potential skiers
in Metro Toronto and after twenty years of trying to
make it work, the original owners began to lose inter-
est in the ski business.
In 1983 former Talisman manager, Jake Hammer,
purchased the resort. Jake used his vast experience
in the ski industry, his promotional bravado and hard
work to bring Talisman Mountain Resort to its fullest
potential. He offered a $99 season pass, added two
quad lifts, snowmaking and promoted the resort as a
family destination. Jake said, “ I could see the $99
season pass had done its job when I saw middle
aged skiers on the hill on outdated equipment and
wearing out of style ski suits. I knew these people had
skied years before and had come back because they
could again afford to ski.” Jake also tried all kinds of
crazy schemes to promote the place, professional ski
ballet demos and a thing called ‘Those Magnificent
Men and Their Flying Machines’ among them. Each
entrant in the event had to wear some sort of wing or
flying device, so when they skied down the run they
would hopefully take flight. Sadly most ended up
crashing in a heap, before take-off. Nonetheless, it
drew thousands of skiers and spectators to Talisman
to watch and laugh.
*
Above: well attended 1985 Talisman Ballet comp
Below: Talisman as it sits abandoned today