Skiing Since The 30s, She Has Seen Lots Of Changes.

In 1949, 23 year old Bebe Wood left her job at Dartmouth College and traveled to Idaho seeking adventure as a ski bum in Sun Valley. By then, she had already been skiing for about 10 years!  Thus began her long association with the ski industry. Today, approaching her 90th birthday, she remains actively involved as a Host at Ragged Mountain in New Hampshire.

As a youngster in Marblehead, MA, she and her siblings taught themselves how to ski at a nearby golf course. By the late 1930’s her sister, five years her senior, had a driver’s license so they started going up to Cranmore in North Conway, NH. It was there that she became immersed in the sport.

Bebe Wood was an original ski bum in Sun Valley in 1950. Credit: Bebe Wood
Bebe Wood was an original ski bum in Sun Valley in 1949-50.
Credit: Bebe Wood

Following graduation from college, she went to work at Dartmouth as medical secretary. She and her friend Jean Adams joined the Dartmouth Outing Club which was an opportunity for travel around Northern New Hampshire and Vermont—Stowe, Cranmore and Suicide Six. They also skied locally at the Oak Hill rope tow in Hanover. “The DOC was a wonderful experience”, says Bebe. “We all loved to ski, yodel and sing. We had a great time.”

In the winter of 1949-50 Bebe and Jean Adams headed west to be ski bums in Sun Valley. They worked as waitresses and had plenty of time for skiing during the day. Bebe also had time to be a Sun Valley model for a Life Magazine shoot there and appeared in a February 1950 issue. “We had the best time there,” Bebe says. “Dartmouth was connected to Sun Valley back then and we were able to ski with some top notch eastern skiers.”

During the following ten years or so there was not much skiing in her life as she and her new husband were starting a family and moving around. But in 1963 they moved to Bristol, NH. And that move heralded her return to skiing in a big way.

In 1964 she began her long tenure at Ragged Mountain where she directed the junior program for school kids. She continued in this role until the mid 1980s when Ragged closed. During the next few years, Bebe taught at nearby King Ridge in New London, NH where she was part of the ski school until Ragged reopened in 1989.

All along the way Bebe found time to become PSIA certified, a first aid instructor, make two trips to the Alps skiing in Switzerland, Austria an Italy and a return trip to Sun Valley.

Bebe learned snowboarding at 70. Credit: Bebe Wood
Bebe learned snowboarding at 70.
Credit: Bebe Wood

Bebe retired from instructing in 2007 but continued as head the Courtesy Patrol until it was phased out a few years ago. Not wanting to be idle, however, she remains active at the resort today as a mountain host. You can find her in the base lodge greeting skiers and boarders, chatting with folks as come in for a break, checking with patrol on the latest conditions and dispensing all kinds of local knowledge and information about the resort and the general area.

Bebe stopped skiing five years ago at the age of 85. “Not because I can’t ski,” she says, “but because I’m now too afraid of getting hurt. I have no one to take care of me if I were to get injured. I do miss it, though.”

Bebe sees the evolution of equipment and technique as a positive thing that has made the sport much easier to learn and continue. “Sometimes the technical details get confusing but if the continued development of new equipment and technique makes the sport easier that’s good for its growth,” she said. When asked about other changes she’s seen, she said that in the old days skiers were just one big happy family. They sat around the fireplaces in old ski lodges and never complained about rope tows that wore out ski gloves or conditions that were less than ideal. Now she says, skiers want everything to be perfect. And there are so many people you have to be a little more careful.

According to Bebe, “It’s still a wonderful sport. It should be available in all schools free of charge so all kids have a chance to experience it.” She thinks there are more seniors skiing now than ever before. “New and better equipment keeps people going longer,” she says, and hopes that “more people being on the hill does not discourage older skiers.” She knows some seniors in their late 70s and early 80s who still ski, including some 10th Mountain veterans. “But the group is dwindling.”

What keeps her coming back? Why does she continue to work even though she no longer gets out on the hill? Love of the outdoors, a desire to keep up with the sport and the people in it, the opportunity to meet new people with similar passions are just a few of the reasons. “You don’t have to be young to enjoy it. It brings family and friends together.” Of teaching she says, “I can still look at skiers and tell what they’re doing wrong. I can tell who has had lessons and who hasn’t.”

Bebe Wood today.
Bebe Wood today. Tuckerman’s Ravine was a favorite spot. Credit: Joan Wallen

Approaching her 90 th birthday in a few months and summing up her lifetime involvement in a sport she loves, Bebe states, “I wouldn’t have changed a thing.” Including, or perhaps especially, her ski bumming year in Sun Valley. “If young people have a chance to be a ski bum, they should go for it. It’s an experience to always remember.”

15 Comments

  1. Bebe has been a wonderful ambassador of the sport and a great asset in recent years at Ragged Mountain. I enjoyed working with Bebe for about 3 years when I was president at Ragged. Happy Birthday Bebe!
    Bob Fries

  2. Great article. She is a wonderful inspiration testifying that skiing is a lifetime sport.

  3. Frank Wysocki says:

    About seven years ago, I had the very good fortune to be hired by Bebe for the Courtesy Patrol at Ragged Mountain. That was the start of a friendship with a wonderful ski enthusiast.
    Because of people like Bebe, Ragged Mountain is still my favorite place to
    ski.
    Thanks Bebe, and Happy Birthday. 🙂

  4. Mike Vercellotti says:

    We enjoy visiting with Bebe every weekend at Ragged Mtn. Her enthusiasm for the sport is fantastic. I partially blame her for my son becoming a ski bum (patroller) in Park City UT. Thank you for posting this tribute!

  5. Bebe Wood taught me to ski she also taught me to live life to the fullest, what an amazing example.
    She is my mother!!
    Thanks mom love you lots
    Your oldest boy
    Brad Wood

  6. Jim and Brad Tonner says:

    Bebe is an inspiration to all who are lucky enough to know her,
    her “adopted” sons 🙂 🙂
    Brad #2
    Jim

  7. i have been comming to ragged mountain 4 years ago , i got back into the sport again thanks to my friend frank wysocki,, he introduced me to bebe when i first came here at ragged a very very nice lady i always enjoy talking with bebe .you can learn alot from the older folk like bebe.. shes done more in her life than most people would do in two… shes had a lot of interesting experiences. bebe you could write a book , and i dont think i could put it down on the table until i finished it that day…………….well happy birthday………………i wish you health…… happiness ..throughout this year and many more …god bless you bebe happy 90th…………………david .m. mcgrath……the happy k2 skier………

  8. Bebe wear the party hat for the rest of the ski season! Love seeing you weekends at Ragged a true inspiration to keep active and give back to the sport!!!!

  9. She taught me how to snow ski on a little hill with a rope tow behind her house in Bristol in about 1960. Also taught me how to water ski on Squam Lake in the 60’s. She is still amazing and whatta family.

  10. Dana, Wendi and Ryan Fuller says:

    Bebe is what makes Ragged ragged!!! So enjoy her smile☺ we are so honored to know her!!! HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY

  11. Love this story about skiing ‘s best ambassador ever! Lucky Ragged!

  12. Donna Ohanian says:

    I was fortunate to be a Ragged Ambassador the last 2 seasons with Bebe. Bebe is always fun, helpful, and dedicated to her family at home and her family at Ragged. So glad to have worked with you!

  13. Priscilla & Alan Toshack says:

    Happy Birthday, BeBe from the Toshack’s including Peaches!

  14. Frank Wysocki says:

    Happy Birthday Bebe. I hope that you are having a wonderful day.
    I am looking forward to seeing you in December. Until then, keep well. 🙂

  15. Debbie Russell says:

    So happy to see this article and to see you again. I think about Squam alot and maybe will visit this summer with daughter, Barbie. Best wishes to you and your family – Debbie Russell

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