The St. John’s Ski Club, affectionately known for over 70 years as the Logy Bay Lump, was one of the most unique and challenging downhill skiing experiences in Newfoundland. Don’t let its size fool you; it was often said if you can ski The Lump, then you can ski anywhere, which many generations of our residents can confirm.

The Ski Club was first incorporated in 1969. The land was owned by Rudi Wasmeier (1920-2012) and May Wasmeier (1921-2012), and was leased to the St. John’s Ski Club/Sugarloaf Sports Inc. for $1 a year. It was run by a Board of Directors and volunteers. Rudi and May played an enormous role in operating the hill, spending much of their time there cutting trees, breaking rocks, servicing the lifts and splicing the rope tow, and ensuring the members of the club had an enjoyable experience. With the support of a 25-person ski patrol (Terra Nova Zone) and over 50 volunteers, the ski hill would normally operate on weekends, as well as Tuesday and Thursday for night skiing. At one point, the membership list of the club was over 500 skiers. Some of the most prominent family names in the region were on that list. The hill also welcomed tourists and other visitors each year.

In the last decade of operation, the ski hill began to deteriorate due to the changing climate, location, and age of the infrastructure in place (two J Bars and a rope tow). It is worth noting, the rope tow was one of the last operational rope tows in the country in the late 90s.  The rapid deterioration, coupled with the rising cost of operations, the hill was no longer sustainable. The Ski Club closed and was dissolved in 2005. The old infrastructure remained in place until 2013.

Over the years thousands of people have skied The Logy Bay Lump. Many local children grew up on the hill. It is and will always remain a big part of our town’s history.

Be sure to check out this NL Drone footage of the hill from just a few years ago.

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