The first person to measure the snow, and the first to truly understand it.
This 1930 article from the Nevada State Journal highlights how the selection of Truckee for the 1932 National Ski Association contests marked a turning point in public awareness of the Sierra Nevada—particularly for the Reno area—as a viable winter sports destination.
By the early 1930s, Galena Creek had become more than just a backcountry hill—it was now a focal point for a burgeoning ski community.
What began as a rugged fire road near Galena Creek evolved into Reno’s first local ski hill—marking the true beginning of organized winter sports in the region.
Event infoIn the early days of skiing and snow play in Northern Nevada, access to the high country was half the challenge. Before the 1930s, what would become the Mt. Rose Highway was little more than a seasonal wagon road—rutted, narrow, and often buried beneath snowdrifts for months at a time.
By January 1939, skiing in the Mt. Rose region had gained enough momentum that the University of Nevada was hosting intercollegiate winter carnivals, inviting teams from across the West, including Washington and Dartmouth
By the close of the 1930s, skiing in Northern Nevada was evolving from a rugged pastime into an organized pursuit. And no one embodied that transition more clearly than Wayne Poulsen—a gifted Reno-born skier, collegiate champion, and visionary of Western ski culture.
Wayne Poulsen and Ed Heath operate a rope tow at the Sky Tavern area owned by Robert Neeman. This is the first time skiing is happening at this elevation.