Temporary Ski Jumps

We have all been driving down the highway and gazed at a curved surface jutting away from the earth.  Wondered what it felt like to tip down from the top of one of those giant ski jumps to be thrust off a huge drop back to earth.  I've always found them particularly beautiful.  Here are some images of temporary ski jumps I ran across today.

Empire Stadium in Vancouver was home to this towering wonder in 1954.

Here is another wonderfully constructed specimen at Multnomah Civic Stadium in Oregon.

Here is on built in the Dodger's stadium in 1963.

Lastly two from Chicago, the first erected 1954 in Soldier Field.

The second from a bit earlier, in 1937, also in Soldier Field.

Another view, documented for the Timber Engineering Company, who erected the jump.  Here is more information about this one.

I am amazed by these old photos, such temporary wonders of engineering, and on such a huge scale.