Papoose Peak Jumps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Papoose Peak Jumps |
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| Location | Little Papoose Peak Squaw Valley United States |
| Opened | 1958 |
| Renovated | 1975 |
| Closed | 1976 |
| Demolished | Yes |
| Size | |
| K–point | K80 |
| Hill size | K80, K60, K40 |
| Hill record | Jim Denney (99.0 m in 1976) |
| Top events | |
| Olympics | 1960 |
The Papoose Peak Jumps was a special place for ski jumping in Palisades Tahoe, California, USA. It had three different jumps. These jumps were designed for distances of 80, 60, and 40 meters.
This ski jump was built on the side of Little Papoose Peak. It was made for the 1960 Winter Olympics. The biggest jump (80 meters) was used for the main ski jumping event. The 60-meter jump was for the Nordic combined event. A famous designer named Heini Klopfer created the jumps, which opened in 1958.
After the Olympics, the jumps were not used much. They were fixed up for the 1976 US National Ski Jumping Championships. But later, the jumps fell apart. They were taken down to make space for a ski lift called the Far East Express.
Building the Papoose Peak Jumps
When Squaw Valley was chosen for the Olympics, it was mostly empty land. This meant the organizers could design the whole Olympic area from scratch. They wanted everything to be perfect for the games.
They hired Heini Klopfer from Germany to design the ski jumps. He finished his plans in early 1957. Klopfer chose Little Papoose Peak for the jumps. It was across from another Olympic building, the Blyth Arena. He said it was "the type of hill one always seeks but seldom finds."
Construction started in the summer of 1958. A company called Diversified Builders worked on the jumps. They finished building them by the fall of that year.
The Papoose Peak Jumps were special because they were the first Olympic ski jump with three different starting ramps. Workers fixed small problems in 1959 and 1960. The jumps were also updated before the 1976 US National Championships.
After 1976, the jumps were not used for ski jumping anymore. The hill was later changed for speed skiing and snowboarding. Today, the Far East Express chairlift runs where the jumps once stood.
What the Jumps Looked Like
The Papoose Peak Jumps had three different ramps. These ramps led to a single landing area at the bottom. The jumps were designed for distances of 80, 60, and 40 meters.
The jumps were in the middle of the Olympic area. They were close to the ice skating rinks and the Olympic Village. Tall trees around the hill helped block the wind. This made it safer for the ski jumpers.
The location was also great because the sun was behind the competitors. This meant they could see clearly when they jumped. A special tower for judges was built on the side of the hill. Judges could reach it by stairs or by a chairlift that went to the top of the jumps.
The entire hill was about 140 meters (459 feet) tall. The starting ramp for the biggest jump was 113 meters (371 feet) long. The take-off ramp for the largest jump was angled at 8.5 degrees. Skiers would land on a slope angled at 38 degrees.
Exciting Competitions and Records
The first competition at Papoose Peak Jumps was a test event in February 1959. This helped prepare for the upcoming Olympics.
During the 1960 Winter Olympics, two main events took place here. On February 28, the 80-meter jump was used for the special ski jumping competition. Helmut Recknagel from Germany won this event. He also set a new hill record by jumping 93.5 meters (307 feet). Niilo Halonen from Finland came in second, and Otto Leodolter from Austria was third.
On February 22, the 60-meter jump was used for the ski jumping part of the Nordic combined event. Georg Thoma from Germany earned the most points in this part. Dmitriy Kochkin from the Soviet Union was second, and Tormod Knutsen from Norway was third. The cross-country skiing part of this event happened at McKinney Creek Stadium. Thoma won the overall Nordic combined gold medal.
In 1976, the US National Championships in Ski Jumping were held on the large hill. Jim Denney won this competition. He also set a new hill record with a jump of 99.0 meters (325 feet).
