1941 Honorary Member Profile : John Myers

The man who kept a lonely vigil as winter caretaker for the Mt. Spokane Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp was honored for his "helping hand" to Mountaineer ski enthusiasts. In 1941, John A. Myers was named the seventh honorary member of the Spokane Mountaineers. An old news clipping explains.

His interest in and unselfish service to the Mountaineers and other groups who pioneered the use of Mount Spokane as a winter sports area and his example of sportsmanship were outstanding. He aided the Mountaineers in selecting and developing their present winter sports site on the mountain.

We also know he was along on the Club's fourth annual New Year's Eve climb of Mt. Spokane in l935. His life on the mountain was described in a l937 news article. "Living snugly in snow-buried Cooks Cabin, he seldom gets off the peak and seldom sees a human face except on Sundays."

There are clues to the nature of those contacts. In November l941, the Board approved a $1.75 transportation bill "for taking Ross Palmer and John Myers up to the Ski Cabin to work."

And, in l942, the Spokesman-Review said, "John Myers and Ross Palmer explain their reason for soaking up so much heat back of the big oil drum heater in the Spokane Mountaineers ski shack on recent Sundays is to compensate for the appalling chill they got one windy night last fall while working at the ski grounds."

Personal information is sparse. John appears on Club membership lists from l941 through l950 with an address at E. 2011 16th and an L 2964 phone number. There's no listing from l951 on. His mention in the City Directory begins in the l920's at various Spokane addresses with occupations described as "logger," "timber man," "lumberman" or "laborer." Through l943, "Etta" is listed as his wife; in l950, "Grace E." appears.

This man who contributed so much to development of the Club's 40-acre Mt. Spokane Chalet property where members have skied, snowshoed, hiked, and held potlucks and overnighters for more than half a century apparently died in 1950 or 1951. In the l952 City Directory, Grace E. Myers is listed alone.

Lorna Ream