Blyth Arena

Blyth Arena was an ice skating arena in Squaw Valley, California. It was built in 1959 as venue for ice hockey, figure-skating competitions and the opening and closing ceremonies at the 1960 Winter Olympics and held 8,500 people. Standing-room crowds of 10,000 people were reported for the hockey games between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and the U.S.-Czechoslovakia ice hockey game during the final day.

Named for Charles R. Blyth, an investment banker who led the California Olympic Commission, Blyth Arena was open on its south side, enabling a view of the mountains. The 400m speed skating track was just to the south of the open side of the arena. This side of the arena also faced the 70m and 90m ski jumps and the slopes of Squaw Valley now known as the Red Dog. Following the Olympic Games, the wood constructed ski jump facilities were left unmaintained and slowly deteriorated over time. In 1963 the 400m speed skating track was replaced by a parking lot in spite of protests from California speed skaters; since at the time it was known to be the only mechanically frozen 400m track in the country. From 1963 to 1983, the Squaw Valley ski area operator appealed regularly to the state of California to have the arena torn down to provide still more parking.

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