On Fri., Mar. 14, 1941, the “Michigan Mirror” column of The Cass City Chronicle said:
Lewiston's toboggan slide, the "baby" of 1941, is growing up fast.
Apparently the toboggan slide was new either that year or in 1940. They don’t mention skiing and I do not know if this slide was located where Sheridan Valley came to be located.
Sheridan Valley was 7 mi northeast of Lewiston on Co 612. It had 7 slopes from 600′ to 1800′ long, 4 rope tows, rentals, instruction and hot lunches. This information from a Consumers Power brochure circa 1959. On Jan. 4, 1968, The Cass City Chronicle printed the AAA Guide to Winter Sports Fun in Michigan listing Sheridan Valley with 8 slopes, Pomalift and 3 tows.
The tobaggon slide was on the south side of East Twin Lake not far from where the Lewiston Lodge is located. There was also a fire tower on the same hill. I never saw the tobaggon slide, but I did get to climb up the fire tower before it was torn down. My dad owned and operated a private airport next to the Lewiston Elementary School from 1960 until he sold it in the 1990s. He built a hanger next to the cemetery and stored his airplane in there. We also have a cabin on the north side of East Twin Lake.
I learned to snow ski at Sheridan Valley Ski Club in Lewiston, Michigan. Our family 4 children ranging in ages from 2 to 10 were part of the charter members of this club. My dad, who was an electrical engineer by trade, often spent time working on the ropes and poma lift. We have a cabin on East Twin Lake and came up as often as we could to ski. We lived just north of Detroit and it was bitterly cold coming into a unheated cabin on Friday nights. When I was a teenager we quit going. So probably the years we were there were 1961 to 1970.
The one big hill there was called “Norway”. I attempted it a few times, but not with much hesitation. My hotdog brother skied it like a pro. The clubhouse had a wonderful round fireplace where we warmed up after hours out. I loved the chili that Lyn and Chloe Cauchon made from scratch in the kitchen. Lyn and Chloe stayed close with my family through the years until they passed away. I remember the Mays, Hustons, Mayers from Clarkston, Mich. and I had a crush on a John Barney when I was a very young teen. The club has closed and it is now a sportsmans club. I now have my own cabin in Lewiston, Michigan and will miss the skiing.
Our family were members of Sheridan Valley during the mid to late ’70s, we were there every weekend in the winter and always during the week of Christmas. We made a lot of friends and we all have awesome memories, the Girt family, the Cassidys, the Reynolds, Tom was the son of the lady that ran the kitchen, can’t remember their last name, Jeff Turpin; what a great way to grow up and get introduced to a great sport.
Every year they would have the annual races. We all participated and had such a good time, even when the manager caught us skiing down the poma lift lne using the people as gates and he threw us off the hill. (rightfully so!!)