CAMDEN — Did you know that the roots of the Toboggan Nationals date back to 1937, when the first chute at Hosmer Pond opened to the delight of local residents, who both built it and played on it?

According to history annals (thank you, Jack Williams, and your book, The History of the Camden Snow Bowl), the work that went into building the toboggan chute, the original lodge, hockey rink and first ski slope of the Camden Snow Bowl, with its electric tow rope, was about volunteering, and the spirit of community.

That tradition continues today, as locals by the hundreds have contributed is some way to the success of the Toboggan Nationals, celebrating this weekend its Silver Anniversary.

You will see them out there at Ragged Mountain, manning the top of the chute, helping the 425 teams of race participants register their sleds, climb aboard, and speed down the hill. You will see them on Hosmer Pond greeting visitors, parking cars and otherwise keeping things going smoothly at the three-day event.

The first runs begin this afternoon, and with the cold temperatures predicted, those runs are bound to be fast.

Shuttles will run from downtown Camden, in order to avoid parking congestion (and fees — it is $10 this year to park a car at the mountain), and the activity throughout town and at the mountain will be nonstop.

Teams are congregating at Ragged Mountain Recreation Area from all over the country, with one coming from California. Participants arrive from across the globe, some from Europe, others from the Caribbean and Canada. 

On Saturday, Camden’s selectmen will again be judging the costumes at the noontime costume parade (See below for the schedule).

“Is that the zero degree day or the 20-degree day,” they asked weekend organizers, at their Feb. 3 regularly scheduled meeting.

“It’s the 20-degree day.”

“We’ll do it,” the selectmen agreed, in unison.

The entire town of Camden begins gearing up for the Toboggan Nationals in mid-January, although its committee works from August through February. This year, organizers threaded Winterfest and the Toboggan Nationals together into one week-long festival of events that began Jan. 30 and culminated Feb. 8 with the awards given to national winners at Ragged Mountain.

Mother Nature this year could not have been more productive, creating her own mountains of snow that locals are still contending with, and temperatures that ensure a thick layer of ice on Hosmer Pond. The snow, there, however, has created insulation on top of the ice, which means there is also standing water between the snow pack and the Hosmer Pond ice. Wear appropriate boots, is the underlying advice.

It’s about winter

But who’s complaining? The Midcoast has celebrated winter for decades.

 The Camden Outing Club, in 1936, scoured Camden Hills for suitable terrain for the development of a winter sports spot. They settled at the base of Ragged Mountain, with Hosmer Pond at its base.

It was at deepest, darkest point of the Great Depression, and the project began with the help of the Camden Fire Department, which built the original lodge with weekend labor.

New England Telephone donated poles to makes rafts to float planks and other construction material across Hosmer Pond, given that no road had been constructed to what would become the Snow Bowl.

"Did this volunteer labor drift in casually around noon? It did not," according to a 1938 report. "The bulk of the men started work at 7:30 a.m. They were fed a nutritious dinner at an adjacent camp, cooked by wives, sweethearts and friends, and donated by local merchants and generously interested individuals, and back they went to get in a full day's labor for nothing flat."

From 1936 to 1941, a winter carnival was held every year at the base of the mountain.

Acitivities included ski dashes and races, hockey games between high schools, nighttime dancing on the ice with "music, brilliant lights and a good time," fireworks, a "mammoth bonfire," horse racing, wood chopping, church services, and of course, tobogganing down the chute.

Then, World War II demanded the country’s attention, and there was pause.

Forward to 1990, when Jack Williams made the sage suggestion that the toboggan chute be rebuilt. At that point, local contemporary chute history begins again, with the intent to help a financially struggling Snow Bowl.

“The first work party was the weekend of Sept. 9-10,” wrote Williams, in his book, The Camden Snow Bowl. 

“At this time, much of the heavy work was done with the telephone poles being moved across the brook and set in position. Dave Dickey, Bill Gilbert, Bob Oxton and Chris Lowe were instrumental in accomplishing this. Mort Strom and Hal Smith framed up the starting platform in mid-week and on the second workday, Sept. 15, the frames and joists were cross-braced. Dave Dickey, Bill Gilbert, Tom Amory, John Morey and Tom Williams were the crew for that day. Eight workers showed up for the Sept. 22 work party and more progress was made on the starting platform. In the meantime, Gregg Haining and his four helpers were manufacturing chute sections in Gregg’s workshop....”

Since then, the Toboggan Nationals have grown in scope and size. The event has served its purpose; on some years, it has injected as much as $65,000 to the Snow Bowl’s bottom line, and has contributed to the town, and region’s, overall winter economy.

But, its mission has not changed, nor has its spirit of community involvement. 

The weekend promises to be lovely — yes, maybe frigid on Sunday, so don’t forget your mittens and long johns. See you at the chute!

2015 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Racers: Arrive early and plan to spend the day!
Ice conditions in chute subject to change.
All times are approximate. Announcer will update the schedule.

Friday, Feb. 6
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. — Team registration and toboggan inspection in Tobogganville
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Toboggan chute open to public, cond. permitting, $5/ person
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. — Bonfire, food vendors, souvenir sales, and skiing and snowboarding on Snow Bowl slopes
3 to 7 p.m. — Down the Chute Beer & Wine challenge - West Bay Rotary Tent
4 to 6:30 p.m. — 2-and 3-person division FIRST RUNS (optional)
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. — Bonfire, food vendors, souvenir sales, and skiing and snowboarding on Snow Bowl slopes

Saturday, Feb. 7
7 to 11 a.m. — Team registration and toboggan inspection in Tobogganville
7 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Bus shuttle service from downtown Camden $2 roundtrip–Shuttle bus pick-up @ Village Green ($10 limited on-site parking)
8 a.m. — FIRST RUNS* for remainder of 2- and 3-person division; Optional SECOND RUNS immediately after first runs
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Snow Bowl open for skiing and snowboarding
10 a.m. — SECOND RUNS for 2- and 3-person division (Second run is optional for fast times)
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — Chili Challenge - West Bay Rotary Tent
11:30 a.m. — EXPERIMENTAL DIVISION FIRST RUNS
Noon to 1 p.m. — COSTUME CONTEST PARADE in Tobogganville with guest judges
1 p.m. — FIRST RUNS for 4-person teams

Sunday, Feb. 8
7:30 to 9:30 a.m. — Pancake Breakfast, West Bay Rotary tent
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Bus shuttle service from downtown Camden $2 roundtrip –Shuttle bus pick-up @ Village Green ($10 limited on-site parking)
9 a.m. — SECOND RUNS for 4-person teams (Optional for fast times)
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Snow Bowl open for skiing and snowboarding
11 a.m. — EXPERIMENTAL division SECOND RUNS (Optional for fast times)
11:30 a.m. — WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (4-person winning teams, past 25 years, one run, fastest wins)
Noon — FINAL RUNS - begin with 2-person teams, then proceed with 3-person, 4-person and experimental teams (two runs, fastest total wins)

TOP 25 — 2-person division
TOP 25 — 3-person division
TOP 50 — 4-person division
TOP 25% — Experimental teams

3 p.m. (approx) — Awards ceremony in Tobogganville