Who the first skiers were in Alaska? I find no records of the Native people here ever using skis. My theory is that the first skiers were the Sami people who came to Alaska with Sheldon Jackson in 1894 to teach reindeer husbandry to Alaska Natives. I know that the Sami used skis to herd reindeer, but I can find no proof that they brought skis in 1894. It would seem that they must have used skis then.
Dear Mr. Conger,
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
We suggest that you contact the Alaska Historical Society or the Alaska State Archives for possible information about the first skiers in Alaska. We searched the HathiTrust catalog and found the book 60 centuries of skiing by Charles M. Dudley that you may browse online for information on skiing history.
We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!