Bear Mountain

Data | History | Hill records | Competitions | Map | Photo gallery | Comments

Ski Jump:

K-Point:	45 m
Hill record:	54.9 m (180 ft) (Torger Tokle )

Further jumps:	K20
Plastic matting:	no
Year of construction:	1928
Operating until:	1990's
Status:	destroyed
Coordinates:	41.311668, -73.992380 ✔

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History:

From 1930’s on Bear Mountain in New York State was the ski jumping center of whole USA and there more competitions were hosted than anywhere else. The place on Hudson River was candidate for organizing the 1932 Winter Games, which were finally given to Lake Placid, too. Still on 1960-01-16 more than 10,000 spectators came to watch the “Doerr Memorial Cup” competition.
Since 1990 the jumps haven’t been used any more.

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Comments:

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14) Mark Siciliano wrote on 2024-09-07 at 17:46:

remember

HI! folks, My dad use to jump at Bear Mt. back in the 50's. They built a practice jump in West Harrison just of of Park Ave. in Silver Lake. Anyone remember this?

13) Ellen wrote on 2023-04-17 at 02:17:

Norwegian carpenter ski jumped Bear Mt.

My Norwegian father immigrated in 1958 now 88 years old and lives in Somers NY. He loves his days ski jumping on Bear mountain with other fellow competitors. He still good memory of his youth and when he began as a child in Norway.
As a surprise, I’d like to gather one or two archives either of photos or footage of my dad ski jumping. He won at least four large trophies, and some small . We have four in glass casing. Always a conversational piece. I think he competed B team competitions, which my mom said he was so embarrassed to even talk about his wins ; that’s how humble my father is.
Anyway, he competition likely 1958- ended 1962? My mom, said no more ski jumping because money tight and family obligations had become priority.
If you have any footage or photos you my father Reidar Gundersen
My father is now 87 years old. Seeing my folks in 10 days.
Just noticed my cousin Stanley from Norway posted comment in 2015. He has since then passed away.
Ellen Didier

12) Dave Austin wrote on 2021-12-05 at 16:40:

Good Memories of the Bear

Being from Brattleboro,VT. I grew up in the junior jumping program starting in the late 50's. My first trip to Bear MT. was in 1961, I was 9 years old and could only ski the small hill. Several years latter I graduated to the 'Big' hill!. I jumped at Bear Mt. till 1986 when I retired from jumping. Some of the best memories of my life are being at Bear Mt. with my ski jumping family!

11) karen Pettigrew wrote on 2020-07-15 at 21:32:

My dad, Arnold Berge, used to jump in the 1930's and 40's at Bear Mountain and then again as an Old Timer in the 1960's. Since he worked for Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930's he was able to arrange for FDR to sponsor a jump and Mrs. Roosevelt attended and presented the prizes. He also worked with the youth training them to jump here and in Fishkill and Rosendale.

10) Rose-Emma Calabrese wrote on 2020-04-02 at 20:56:

Retired

I used to go there year-round with my family. We skated,ice and roller, tobogganed, at at snack bar and Inn, boated and watched the ski jumping when they scheduled it. I know I was there in 1965. I was 14! it was impressive to watch them jump! My face was right at the fence! I love that state park. It was a short "Sunday" drive seasonally for us. another place we stopped while going up or on the way home: The red apple Rest in Tuxedo-Southfields area, Old 17.

9) Marty Bischoff wrote on 2020-04-01 at 17:27:

Col, US Army (R)

While I never skied there, I ran up that hill many times in NYS cross country championship races in the 70s. A lap around the lake and then a brutal slog up and over what looks like the spot where the jumpers started to land.
The pictures and video brought back some interesting memories. I now snowboard at Hunter though! Such a beautiful area of the state.

8) Carol Dashnau LeBarron wrote on 2017-02-09 at 14:40:

Torger Torkle

My mom was a waitress at Bear Mountain Inn and dated Torger before he went off to war and lost his life. We are lucky to have some of his correspondence with her. I learned to skate on the rink as we went round and round to the organ music, followed by watching the jumpers, which was quite a thrill.

7) Stanley Gundersen wrote on 2015-04-02 at 11:00:

Old result lists ...from Bear Mtn.ny. ski jumping.

My uncle Mr. Reidar Gundersen won several ski jump titles at Bear Mtn. ny. during the 1958-1968 time periode. I'm looking for result lists of that time periode. Does anyone have any information about that, Reidar just turned 80 years old and is still in great shape. I would be thankfull for any info. about his results or participation on him.

6) peter claus wrote on 2015-02-09 at 18:03:

enjoyed jumping at the bear... fun times of my life... to the editor you should make mention of the 70 meter hill we had in rosendale ny in the 1960,s

5) Brad Nolen wrote on 2015-01-02 at 07:51:

Jumped the hill in a club meet 1980 or 1981.
Coach Harry Brown from Vermont Academy drove us all over NE to meets.
A lot of the jumpers were jumping old school as they had in the day,hands forward.Hockey helmets and horned rimmed glasses didn't stop them from showing the greenhorns how to jump elevator shaft style hill.
In run track set amongst the saplings takeoff +/- 35 mph (?) takeoff.
Only work road ,viewing tower and knoll visible at takeoff.
Clear the knoll and reach for the K point. A big drop and a real thrill to jump with the old timers

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