Sometimes it’s hard to determine the exact time when seasons change.

Late October gives us the closing days of summer activities, including golf. Sure there are those who will bundle up and play with gloves at the few courses that remain open, but most of us will switch our focus to a coming season.

Anticipation is what sports are all about. That’s why over 8,000 skiers turned out at a ski show in Portland two weeks ago. And that’s one reason a capacity crowd of 260 skiers gathered to recognize 10 new members of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame at Lost Valley in Auburn.

The second annual Maine Ski Hall of Fame Induction Banquet took place at Lost Valley on Friday, Oct. 22, and the hall now has 20 members. And that’s just the beginning. This year’s program book listed the class of 2003: Chummy Broomhall, Aurele Legere, Bunny Bass, Amos Winter, John Bower, Otto Wallingford, Al Merrill, Wes Marco, Doc Des Roches and Russ Haggett.

The evening started with a pair of historic figures. Sam Ouellet won races in Maine and Quebec, covering distances that dwarf today’s 50 kilometer events. Imagine racing 171 miles in three days from Bangor to Caribou. Ouellet won that and many other races in the 1930s. A decade before, Birger Olsen was Maine’s first promoter of the sport. He actually built a jump on Portland’s Western Prom and his winter carnivals attracted thousands.

Ouellet’s son, Edward, accepted for his late father, and Olsen’s granddaughter, Linda Maier Gordon, accepted for her mother, Dora Maier (Olsen’s daughter) who was too frail to attend.

Ouellet told how his father had purchased skis and given them to local kids to get them involved in the sport, and Gordon noted how her grandfather was ahead of his time when he suggested building ski centers to promote the sport in the 20s.

Next up was a more contemporary figure. Greg Stump won national freestyle championships before the sport was recognized by the Olympics, then went on to make ski films that introduced extreme skiing to the world.

Unfortunately, Greg could not make it from his home in Hawaii, but his father, Walter, accepted for him.

Zeke Dwelley made his name at Edward Little, winning one ski championship after another at state and New England levels. His son, Richard, couldn’t make it from his home in Oregon, but Bill Cummings, a close friend who had skied for his father, accepted in his place.

Two more coaches followed: Paul Kailey, who oversaw prep school powerhouse teams at Gould Academy, and Tom Reynolds, who directed winning teams at the University of Maine at Farmington and has trained countless coaches and instructors. Paul’s son, Peter, accepted for him, and Reynolds in his acceptance paid tribute to Kailey and Dwelley as coaches who influenced him.

Jean Luce became the first woman (She won’t the last with the likes of Gail Blackburn, Leslie Bancroft and Julie Parisien sure to be nominated in the future.) inducted for her extensive work in competition. She has worked at every level if skiing, dedicating over 40 years to the sport.

Stub Taylor is the first ski patrolman in the Hall. Not only was he the first patrolman at Sugarloaf, but he directed the patrol for 40 years and helped cut every trail on the mountain.

Don Cross was recognized for his work in starting and operating Mt. Abram. His devotion to grooming and creating the first Learn to Ski Free program in the state brought a lot of new skiers into the sport and set a standard of grooming that all areas work on today.

Roger Page was recognized for his achievements in PSIA and his part in getting Saddleback going in the 60s. The Roger Page Ski School was known for its high standards and the high percentage of instructors who went on to certification under his tutelage.

These 10 individuals represent almost every aspect of skiing and all played important roles in the sport in Maine. The standing ovation each recipient received when they walked to the podium showed how much they were appreciated for their achievements.

The tentative date for next year’s induction banquet is Friday, Oct. 21, 2005. Over the next few months, the Hall of Fame will be considering candidates for the next class of inductees. If you know of a skier who has made a major contribution to the sport, you can get involved. Enter the Ski Maine web site, www.skimaine.com and click onto Maine Ski Hall of Fame where you can download a nomination form.

And there is another Hall of Fame looking for potential members. The Maine Golf Hall of Fame celebrates in early September and their deadline for nominations is Dec. 1. For information call 207-799-0983.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.