Pre-history of slope grooming

Luzi Hitz writes to us:

Here some info re groomers used in Switzerland in the 50ties and 60ties.

The photo 374 of the Slovenian book is neither from Grand St.-Bernard (Switzerland) nor Petit St.-Bernard (F). It may be above Crans-Montana (unfortunately the weather was bad the two days my son was there – so I may check it this summer). However, I met there an oldie who used these rollers to groom ski runs in the 50ties; he was an employee of the gondola owners.

By the way, the same photo is shown under http://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/damage.php with as a comment that the idea was brought by Emile Allais, the French ski racer, in the 60ties from the US to Courchevel (France) – which I doubt as already before there were many in switzerland.

The photo Wintersportmuseum show the groomer (roller) exposed in the museum at Davos. It was likely used at Lenzerheide (Switzerland) in the 50ties.

I was told that such rollers were already used in the 30ties for grooming roads at Davos and later for ski lifts trails.

The other photos show groomers used in Braunwald (Switzerland) in the early 60ties, see also the site of "my ski lift friend" Jakob Schuler who collects skilift and gonndola parts and which one day hopefully will end in a museum: http://www.skilift-nostalgie.ch/galerie/thumbnails.php?album=56

Best regards.

Luzi