Camp Bird Spruce

Every piece of wood tells a story—if you know how to read it. Sandy East, owner of American Antique Lumber, knows the wood for the Camp Bird Spruce veneers is some of the most special he has come across. It comes from a beautiful 120-year-old alpine spruce tree at the famous Camp Bird Mine between Ouray and Wagner’s hometown of Telluride. “There’s a picture of that spruce tree taken in the 1880s when it was about 6 feet tall,” East said. 

East and his crew removed the tree because it was threatening the historic Walsh Bird House, and they gave it new life as a topsheet in our skis. The dark intrusions in the otherwise light wood hint to its long life above 11,000 feet. “For me, making skis from wood in my backyard, where I’ve been skiing and guiding for 40-plus years, it’s just incredible.” 

For more about East and his historic hardwoods, read our recent interview with him.

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