Ausblick (which means "scenic view or overlook" or, if you rearrange the letters, spell "A Ski Club") ski area dates back to the early 1950's. Reverend Raphael Hockhaus, S.J., a WWII combat Catholic chaplain started the Marquette University's Avalanche Club in 1948. He sought out a ski hill site for the club, which had been skiing at other area locations including Slinger and just west of Menomonee Falls. He drove around and found the site in early spring, 1950, days after the Avalanchers learned they were losing the hill they used in the Slinger area. "One look at that big thing towering up into the noon sun," he said, "and we knew that was what we wanted - even though we were almost two miles away when we saw it." It was part of the John & Myrtle Condon farm. A contract (copy in Dennis Evinrude's file) shows that the university purchased the hill from John & Myrtle on November 1, 1950 for $5,000. The Condon's still own farm land south of our hill top (in their mid 80's as of January, 2002), leasing it out to other neighboring farmers.
While the boys used their talents and brawn to build the lodge, the girls used theirs to keep everyone nourished. The timbers and related lumber were scavanged from a garage located on the Marquette campus, Fr. Hockhaus being known for "recycling" any materials he could find. An Avalancher newsletter talks about this.
