In the late 1940s, Paul Bunyan Days was a logging competition held not only at Lassen College, but other community colleges that had forestry programs. Tom Gilfoy who graduated from Lassen in 1951, said it was Ralph Throop who was instrumental in starting Paul Bunyan Days at Lassen. At that time it was held behind the high school, since the college was located on the same property. Tom stated they made an impromptu dam on the Susan River for log pond events that included log rolling. Other contests involved burling, pole climbing and two-man bucking saw., In 1950, Rex Coalson was the overall winner, followed by Ted Pankey in 1951.
Some time in the late 1960s, no doubt due in part with Lassen College separated from Lassen High School, Paul Bunyan Days was moved to Willard Creek. It was rather fitting since in 1938, it was the forestry students who developed the Willard Hill ski area, later converted into a sled hill. Mike Moyers who later taught at Lassen stated that around 1981 or 1982 was when the last Paul Bunyan Days was held. In 1984, the forestry program at the college was terminated due to lack of students.
My brothers and I were probably there in 1970. Our dad, John Hamilton, taught in the Lassen College forestry program. We went to the Paul Bunyan Days events every year as kids.