The Unvarnished History of Intershack !
In the beginning, there was no Intershack - but there were several ski houses in the Jay Peak area. Many of the house members were from Commonwealth countries-England, Australia, New Zealand, India, etc., and were also members of the Overseas Canadian Club in Montreal. The O.C. Club had been formed early in 1968 by about ten people, of whom Mike Olsen and Jack Wilson were the prime instigators. It was modeled after the club in London where newcomers to England socialized and, similarly, the Montreal Club was a place where recent arrivals to Canada could meet their compatriots and have a good time.
Along came Omi Ohri of the Skiducers in Montgomery Village and Mike Olsen of The Establishment also in Montgomery Village, as well as Roy Clark and Eddie Bogomohny. They felt that the Jay Peak area was a bit too quiet and that it lacked the atmosphere they enjoyed at the O.C. Club. So, for the 1968-69 ski season, Omi decided that the area's houses should organize into a loose association and generate more fun for everyone. He and Mike felt that with the large number of people in the houses, a special rate for group members should be obtained from Jay Peak in appreciation of the regular business the house members were bringing to the hill. Signatures from 150 or so members of these houses were obtained and presented to Jay Peak, and ticket reductions were obtained.
The houses were mostly located on the Montgomery side of the mountain and so had frequent parties during the season. As the end of the 1968-69 season approached, Omi and Mike felt that the regular partying should be more formally organized, which culminated in a series of events in which everyone would participate, and have even more fun. This heralded the arrival of the first ski races between the houses and members which became the other reason for the formation of Intershack. To make the races more official the Carinthia Cup was contributed by Peter von Conta and Dave Baker of the Carinthia Inn, Montgomery Center, who were promoting the ski area. It would be awarded to the house team which won the Dual Slalom races. Other local hotels, bars and restaurants were approached for prizes such as season's passes from Jay Peak, a free weekend at the Village Inn (now the Black Lantern), etc. About 120 people from 15 houses took part in the Giant Slalom on the Interstate Trail and the Dual Slalom on the Mont L'Entrepride course, on Saturday and Sunday in March,1969.
To justify the races, and also to have another excuse for a party, a prize-giving banquet was organized for the following weekend. For a change of atmosphere, it was decided that everyone should come in suits and long dresses, instead of jeans and ski outfits. This proved difficult at the start of the evening when a lot of people didn't recognize each other because they were properly dressed, for a change! Roy Clark had also arranged for a Montreal based West Indian steel band to provide the entertainment, however, the U.S. customs officers stopped the band at the border because they didn't have a work permit. Roy was called to the border crossing. He and the group arrived at the banquet two hours late because they took the "highways and by-ways over hill and dale" to get there. The party had partially started but when the band arrived, it really took off and was a roaring success. This was the first year of the Intershack Association, in spirit but not in name, as yet. It took a few years before it was more formally organized.
In the beginning, there was no Intershack - but there were several ski houses in the Jay Peak area. Many of the house members were from Commonwealth countries-England, Australia, New Zealand, India, etc., and were also members of the Overseas Canadian Club in Montreal. The O.C. Club had been formed early in 1968 by about ten people, of whom Mike Olsen and Jack Wilson were the prime instigators. It was modeled after the club in London where newcomers to England socialized and, similarly, the Montreal Club was a place where recent arrivals to Canada could meet their compatriots and have a good time.
Along came Omi Ohri of the Skiducers in Montgomery Village and Mike Olsen of The Establishment also in Montgomery Village, as well as Roy Clark and Eddie Bogomohny. They felt that the Jay Peak area was a bit too quiet and that it lacked the atmosphere they enjoyed at the O.C. Club. So, for the 1968-69 ski season, Omi decided that the area's houses should organize into a loose association and generate more fun for everyone. He and Mike felt that with the large number of people in the houses, a special rate for group members should be obtained from Jay Peak in appreciation of the regular business the house members were bringing to the hill. Signatures from 150 or so members of these houses were obtained and presented to Jay Peak, and ticket reductions were obtained.
The houses were mostly located on the Montgomery side of the mountain and so had frequent parties during the season. As the end of the 1968-69 season approached, Omi and Mike felt that the regular partying should be more formally organized, which culminated in a series of events in which everyone would participate, and have even more fun. This heralded the arrival of the first ski races between the houses and members which became the other reason for the formation of Intershack. To make the races more official the Carinthia Cup was contributed by Peter von Conta and Dave Baker of the Carinthia Inn, Montgomery Center, who were promoting the ski area. It would be awarded to the house team which won the Dual Slalom races. Other local hotels, bars and restaurants were approached for prizes such as season's passes from Jay Peak, a free weekend at the Village Inn (now the Black Lantern), etc. About 120 people from 15 houses took part in the Giant Slalom on the Interstate Trail and the Dual Slalom on the Mont L'Entrepride course, on Saturday and Sunday in March,1969.
To justify the races, and also to have another excuse for a party, a prize-giving banquet was organized for the following weekend. For a change of atmosphere, it was decided that everyone should come in suits and long dresses, instead of jeans and ski outfits. This proved difficult at the start of the evening when a lot of people didn't recognize each other because they were properly dressed, for a change! Roy Clark had also arranged for a Montreal based West Indian steel band to provide the entertainment, however, the U.S. customs officers stopped the band at the border because they didn't have a work permit. Roy was called to the border crossing. He and the group arrived at the banquet two hours late because they took the "highways and by-ways over hill and dale" to get there. The party had partially started but when the band arrived, it really took off and was a roaring success. This was the first year of the Intershack Association, in spirit but not in name, as yet. It took a few years before it was more formally organized.