Berkeley

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University of California Ski Jump:

K-Point:	40 m
Hill record:	42.4 m (139 ft) (Roy Mikkelsen , 1935-01-13)
Tower height:	26 m

Further jumps:	no
Plastic matting:	no
Year of construction:	1934
Conversions:	1935
Status:	destroyed
Ski club:	Auburn Ski Club
Coordinates:	37.874433, -122.251248

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History:

In the 1930s, California was actively developing a winter economy based on snow sports. Berkeley had its own enthusiasts of these disciplines, connected with the Auburn Ski Club and other organizations, and several residents served as judges during the competitions. Already in the 1920s, many local members of the Sierra Club were learning to ski. Chemistry professor Joel Hildebrand was not only the club’s president in the late 1930s but also a distinguished skier who coached the U.S. Olympic team in 1936. His commitment to the development of winter sports contributed to their growing popularity in California.
In January 1934, the Auburn Ski Club organized a ski jumping exhibition in Berkeley, building a temporary ski jump on a hill at the end of Hearst Avenue, near Memorial Stadium and the Greek Theatre. This sporting event was made possible through cooperation between the California Chamber of Commerce, the San Francisco Winter Sports Club, and the Junior Chambers of Commerce of Oakland and Berkeley, together with the Auburn Ski Club. Since Berkeley does not receive snowfall, 43,000 cubic feet (about 1,217 cubic meters) of snow were transported from the Sierra Nevada in six Southern Pacific railroad cars and then delivered to the event site by truck. The structure stood 75 feet (about 23 meters) tall, and the event attracted around 50,000 spectators, many of whom watched for free from the nearby hills, which led to financial losses for the organizers. Skiers launched from an 18-meter wooden ramp ending 3 meters above the ground. After landing, they navigated a curve and came to a stop. Three athletes lost control and crashed into the crowd at 60 miles per hour. The spectators cushioned the impact—men, women, and children tumbled down the grassy slope with them. After the event, the crowd used the remaining melting snow and mud to engage in an impromptu snowball fight.
In January 1935, the second edition of the event took place, featuring a larger ski jump, 85 feet (about 26 meters) high and 170 feet (about 52 meters) long, inclined at a 45-degree angle. Participants reached speeds exceeding 60 miles per hour. Roy Mikkelsen from Auburn won the competition with a jump of 139 feet (about 42.5 meters). Despite improved organization, only about 4,000 people paid for admission, while another 10,000 watched the event for free from the surrounding hills.
The Berkeley events were part of a broader campaign to promote winter sports in California during the 1930s. The Auburn Ski Club, founded by Wendell Robie, aimed to popularize skiing by organizing exhibitions in cities like Berkeley and San Francisco. The goal was to increase interest in this form of recreation and encourage residents to visit resorts in the Sierra Nevada.
Although today the ski jumps in Berkeley are almost forgotten—except among historians—the city continued its winter tradition. A few years after the competitions, local leaders and snow sports enthusiasts raised funds and built Berkeley Iceland, a massive indoor ice rink that became home to local groups, hockey teams, and figure skaters, and also served as a venue for national figure skating championships.

	1935-01-13:	42.4 m	(139 ft) Roy Mikkelsen
	1934-01-14:	31.7 m	(104 ft) Roy Mikkelsen

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