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It began in 1936 when members of the Alpine Ski Club (later re-named The Wasatch Mountain Club) designed and built a `skier tow' out of 1/2 inch wire rope and an old elevator drum. Brighton became the first serviced ski area in the state of Utah, among only a few in the country.Shortly afterward, in 1938, the group built a new T-bar which came under the ownership of Kay Smith (an Alpine Ski Club member). World War II and other economic changes led to the sale of the T-Bar to Zane Doyle. In 1949 Zane was joined by his father-in-law Willard Jensen and a second T-Bar was built.Having incredibly popular terrain and accessibility, it was only a matter of time before competition entered Big Cottonwood Canyon. In 1946 a group called Brighton Recreations built the first Brighton chairlift... A popular model single chair that accessed the now famous terrain of Mt. Millicent. Competition often leads to innovation. In 1955, Zane and Willard purchased the first double chairlift in the intermountain region. The success of the double chair was overwhelming, so with the heightened demand came a second double... The Mary chairlift. Brighton quickly became the local favorite among skiers. One of the greatest consolidations in Brighton's history occurred in 1963 when all of Brighton Recreations' operations were purchased by Doyle/Jensen. All lift operations were now accessible with one pass under one Forest Service permit.The largest step in Brighton's development was in 1987 when Boyne USA, a family owned corporation established in 1947 by Everett Kircher, purchased the resort. Everett Kircher, considered one of the great visionaries of the ski industry, led Brighton to where it is today... the favorite of locals and an extremely popular choice for visitors to Utah. Everett's son, John Kircher, now oversees the continued development of Brighton as well as Crystal Mountain, WA. Under Kircher's direction, in 1991 Brighton built it's first high-speed quad, Crest Express, replacing the Mary chair and adding more terrain. During the following summer the Great Western high-speed quad and Explorer triple chair were installed adding incredible new advanced and beginner terrain. Other improvements include expanded night terrain, over 200 acres of snowmaking, a new base lodge facility, a re-modeled Ski & Snowboard School and the addition of state-of-the-art grooming equipment to name a few. In 2000, the next phase of Brighton's development began with the replacement of the Snake Creek Triple Chair with a new High-Speed Detachable Quad... the Snake Creek Express. |
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Beaver Mountain Ski Area The Logan Canyon road was opened to year-round traffic in 1939. During this time, Logan City owned a cable tow at the present site of Beaver Mountain. It was not a successful operation for various reasons. The motor was at the top of the mountain and so every morning someone had to hike up to start it. There was no road into Beaver and skiers had to walk in from the highway. Because of the difficulties and inconvenience at Beaver Mountain, the ski operation was moved to the "Sinks" which is located a few miles farther up Logan Canyon. In 1945, the tow operation at the "Sinks" was disposed of.
Proposals were invited to take over the operation. Harold Seeholzer's
proposal was accepted. In 1947 Tony Grove and again Beaver Mountain were
considered as future ski area sites. Beaver Mountain was chosen, even
though everyone concerned was aware of the problems ahead of them. Water
and roads were needed badly, and no money was available. Through the efforts
of El Ray Robinson, county commissioner, and others, the roads and water
were obtained. Through financial and moral pledges made by the Mt. Logan
Ski Club, the Forest Service, and Cache Chamber of Commerce and a monetary
pledge by Harold and Luella Seeholzer, plans went into operation for the
new rope tow and T-bar at Beaver Mountain. In 1949, a 1,000 foot rope tow was put into operation for the public. There was also a warming lodge, which is still in use as the ticket office. In the Spring of 1950, a 2,700 foot T-bar was ordered, installed, and remained in operation from the winter of 1950-51 through 1960. In 1961, Harold and Luella Seeholzer called their family together and formed a corporation, with them at the head. The corporation included two sons, Loyal and Ted, and two daughters, Dixie and Nancy. The Beaver Face Lift was installed the same year. These same wheels of progress turned again the summer of 1967. A Poma
Lift (platter-type lift) was installed. Its purpose was to share the ever
growing responsibility for beginner skiers. It was a single-ride installation,
traveling almost twice as fast as the double chair. The capacity was 600
skiers per hour bringing area capacity to 2,400 per hour. It opened five
new trails. Harold Seeholzer, the father and founder of Beaver Mountain, lost a courageous
bout with cancer in April of 1968. Beaver Mountain and the surrounding
area sorely missed his presence. His lifetime dream during his half a
century of skiing was to put a double chair lift from the bottom to the
very top of Beaver Mountain. This dream was fulfilled by his family. "Harry's
Dream", a most fitting and appropriate name for the lift, was started
in the spring of 1969 and was first opened to the public on January 31,
1970. It is a 4,600 foot double chair lift with 137 chairs and a capacity
of 900 per hour. Nearly 50 acres of runs were cleared for use from the
new lift. The runs having a length of over two miles. Beaver Mountain has progressed much in all the years and has been and is still completely family owned. With the passing of his father, Ted Seeholzer, Harold's second son, became the General Manager of Beaver Mountain. Ted's wife, Marge, worked in the ticket office full time and handled all ticket sales. Loyal, Ted's brother, contributed all his spare time and effort to the cause. He was responsible for bookkeeping and payroll, and was the president of the family corporation. Elaine, Loyal's wife, kept the ski report current and worked part time in the ski shop. Dixie, Ted's sister, and her husband Reed Schiffman, worked in the ski shop, along with Nancy Lauritzen, Harold's youngest daughter. The summer of 1997 brought big changes to Beaver Mountain. The ski area was sold to Ted and Marge Seeholzer as sole owners of the company with hopes and plans to bring daughter Annette West and husband Jeff, sons Travis and Corey, and Travis' wife Kristy into the operation. Ted does everything from go with the early crew at 5 a.m. every morning to the mountain to sell hamburgers or ski tickets, whichever needs him most. He is over all the employees and has the last say on the volunteer ski patrol of over 85 people and a ski school of about 60 people. He cleans toilets and unplugs them; he plows parking lots and grooms snow. He also personally oversees every check written out and signs them. Marge works very closely with him. She manages the ticket office and is in charge of all ticket sales. She also makes marketing decisions and does all advertising and ski reports. She is in charge of keeping the downtown office going although she is at the mountain most of the time. We have two or three secretaries in the downtown office. Travis and Corey, run the night ski business. There are two-way radios at the mountain, the down town office, as well as at the home of Marge & Ted. Phone lines were brought to the mountain in the summer of 1999 but the radio remains the main communication source for the mountain. Son-in-law, Jeff West, is the Hill Manager and does every single job at the resort. He keeps everything and everyone going. Midway through the 1998 ski season, the boss finally decided it was a good idea to let snow boards on Little Beaver, day and night, and the first Boarder-Cross Race was held on Little Beaver. This has become an annual traditional along with skier crosses and the Big Air contest held on closing day of the season. |
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Terry Peak Terry Peak Ski Area began originally with the Bald Mountain Ski Club in 1936, with the installation of a rope tow for club members. Slope grooming in these early days was undertaken by club members hiking up and down the hill with their skis on in order to pack down the snow. Many of the founding members of the Bald Mountain Ski Club left the area to serve in World War II. Ed Keene, who was one of the founding members of the club, taken around 1956!returned from serving in World War II with the 10th Mountain Division, and initiated the start of what is now known as Terry Peak Ski Area. In 1952, Ed Keene, Ken Keller, Ken Stormo, John Finola, and Richard Morcom formed the Black Hills Chairlift Company. The Ringer Chairlift was installed, but was originally used only for summer business. In 1954, the Black Hills Chairlift Company began operating the chairlift for winter ski business. In 1967, the Ringer Chairlift was replaced by the Blue Chair (#1). In 1975, the Empress Chair (#2) was installed and in 1978, the Surprise Chair (#3) began operating. Development continued during the 1980's with the installation of the Stewart Chair (#4) in 1985, which replaced the two surface Poma lifts. The new Blue Chair (#5) was needed in 1986 to eliminate the growing lift lines at Terry Peak. In 1996, the Beginner Chair (#6) was installed specifically for ski school classes and beginner skiers and snowboarders. Snowmaking was introduced to Terry Peak in the 1970's to ensure a reliable snowpack during the Black Hill's unpredictable winters. Snowmaking improvements have continued up through present day, with a coverage of 60 percent of the slopes. In the summer of 2002, Terry Peak aquired 3 wells and 3 holding ponds as part of the reclamation at the the Golden Reward Mine. The recent aquisition gives Terry Peak over 14 million gallons of water storage for snowmaking. The Stewart Day Lodge was built in 1988, replacing the old lodge, 2-K Bar and ski school buildings. In the summer of 2001, a 3,000 square foot sun deck was added to the lodge. In 1999, the Black Hills Chairlift Company approved a five-year plan for major improvments at Terry Peak Ski Area, beginning with the installation of the Kussy Express high-speed detachable chairlift, replacing Chairs #1 & #5. The Surprise Express high-speed detachable chairlift was installed in the summer of 2002, replacing the old yellow chair. Heading into the 2004/2005 season, Terry Peak began the largest terrain expansion in over 25 years. New trails that were developed include North Side Glades, Ben Hur Glades, Maringo, Missing Link and lower Black Moon. The expansion is approximately 100 acres and accomodates the intermediate to expert skier and rider. The project will continue for the next couple years. Maringo was publicly skied for the first time on December 30, 2005. The next day, Missing Link and North Side Glades opened to skiers and riders, offering a new downhill experience unlike anything else in the Black Hills. |
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Elk Mountain Elk Mountain history dates back to 1959, when Elk became one of Pennsylvania's first commercial ski areas. During its opening year, Elk featured a small base lodge (now the picnic lodge), a 2,200 foot T-bar and several slopes, as well as some rope tows and a small warming hut built a few years earlier by the Scranton Ski Club. The mountain's first Hall Double chairlift was installed in 1961, heralding the development of five expert trails and various intermediate trails from the top. Elk's first expert trail, completed before the chairlift itself, was host to the 1960 Pennsylvania State Championships. Enthusiastic competitors and gatekeepers actually walked to the summit from the top of the T-bar to run the race. A year later in 1962, snowmaking was installed and a new A-frame base lodge was built. Skiing at Elk got a lift - quite literally - with the installation of a beginners J-bar in 1964 and a double chairlift from the lower parking lot to the top of the mountain in 1965. The original T-bar was replaced with a chairlift in 1969, and the J-bar was retired for a double chairlift in 1973. Skiers saw Elk in a whole new light when, in 1966, lighting was installed on the East and West slopes for night skiing. Lighting was installed along three summit trails in 1972. The 1980s saw a flurry of activity, beginning with the construction of the ski shop/ski school building in 1981. The base lodge was remodeled and expanded in 1982 to include a two-level restaurant and increased cafeteria seating. That same year the Lehigh and Delaware Trails were rerouted, and the Tuscarora Trail was completed. Elk's expanded operations led to the construction of a new maintenance facility and the expansion of snowmaking capabilities, both of which were completed in 1984. A wastewater treatment plant was built in 1988. During the 1986/87 ski season, Elk's ambitious tree planting program gained momentum. More than 13,000 trees - most of them Norway Spruce - were planted since the mid '80s. A rapidly growing base of skiers gave rise to the construction of seven new trails and the lengthening of two other trails between 1990 and 1996. The new Mohawk, Iroquois, Wissahickon, Hiawatha, Snow Bowl, Chippewa and Tecumseh Trails give skiers more choices than ever before. With these new trails came enhanced snowmaking capabilities, complete with a new snowmaking pump house (1992) and the addition of over 50,000 feet of snowmaking pipe. As Quad chairlifts gained popularity, Elk responded with a 4,000-foot Quad lift of its own. The Quad chairlift's 1994 completion added yet another new dimension to the mountain. Since 1994 the snowmaking system has been fine tuned even more. A fleet of new snow guns was added in 1998, and the Chippewa, Wyalusing and Tioga Trails were lengthened and rerouted. Elk Mountain now boasts of 27 slopes and trails with great variety and the most challenging terrain in Pennsylvania. In January 1999, Elk lost its compressor building in an early morning blaze that leveled the structure. In less than 72 hours, however, the resort recovered and was once again making snow. During the summer of 1999 a new compressor building and snowmaking headquarters arose. Both scheduled to be online for the 1999/2000 ski season. In the past decade alone, improvements at the forty year-old resort will exceed the 10 million dollar mark. Elk remains the proven leader for quality skiing in Pennsylvania. |
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Mt. Hood Skibowl Mt. Hood Skibowl's origin dates back to 1928, making the resort one of the oldest remaining ski resorts in the country. The ski area began as two separate resorts Skibowl and Multorpor. While Skibowl's name was derived from the natural shape of it's Upper Bowl, Multorpor's name came from the combination Multnomah County, Oregon and Portland. 1928 The famous Jump Hill on Multorpor Mountain was developed by Everett Sickler. 1929 The newly-formed Cascade Ski Club began holding competitions at Multorpor's Jump Hill. The area gained national recognition after holding an official National Ski Association event. 1935 Work began on the Historic Warming Hut located on the shelf between Lower and Upper Bowl at Skibowl. It was completed in 1937. 1937 The first ropetow was installed at Skibowl by French Boyd. The Warming Hut served as the bottom terminal and carried passengers halfway up Upper Bowl. Powered by an automobile engine, the tow was fast and riders held on with custom hooks. If you carried a gallon of gas to the top, you could ski for free. 1938 Raymond Hughes built Multorpor Mountain's first rope tow. The tow was powered by a Dodge truck engine and operated on the run now called Raceway on Cascade Chair. The resort charged 5¢ per ride or $1 per day. 1946 The first Lower Bowl chair was installed by "Sandy" Sandberg. Built with wooden lift towers, the single chair ran from what's now the Rental Shop up the west side of Skibowl's Lower Bowl. 1949 The current Multorpor Lodge was built by George Beutler, who operated Multorpor's ropetow at the time. Upper Bowl Chair. This new Riblet double chair was the first chair to use steel towers. 1961 The Multorpor Mountain Company erected the Multorpor Chair. It was the fastest, highest capacity, most advanced chair of its time. The A-frame addition to Multorpor Lodge was also built at this time. 1964 Carl Reynolds and Everett Darr bought Skibowl and the two resorts were joined under the name Multorpor Inc. 1965 Multorpor Inc. installed a Riblet double chair on Lower Bowl at the present location. 1966 Skibowl's world-famous night lighting was installed. 1967 The Starlight Lodge was built. 1975 The current Upper Bowl chair was installed. The old Upper Bowl Chair moved to Skibowl East and became the Cascade Chair. Some of the towers from the old Upper Bowl chair are still in use today on the existing Upper Bowl Chair, a testament to the engineers of the day. 1980 Summer recreation began at Skibowl with the installation of the Alpine Slide. 1987 Kirk Hanna purchased Skibowl out of bankruptcy and formed H-Ski Corporation. He then makes major improvements to the resort by adding the 300 acre outback, cutting the Olympic Certified Reynolds Run and expanding the night skiing to 34 lit runs making Skibowl "America's Largest Night Ski Area". He also remodeled and reopened the Historic Warming Hut. 1988 Hanna also built upon the summer activities, adding mountain biking, Indy Karts, Miniature Golf, group functions, and some inflatable summer recreation. 1993 Skibowl purchased the first winch cat in the northwest, which enabled it to groom the steeps of Upper Bowl. They also add to summer attractions by putting in the 100' Bungee Tower and adding several other activities. 1998 The Lower Bowl is completely rebuilt. Everything was replaced but towers and chairs. Upper Bowl also received a new drive, motor and additional towers to shore up what was the highest chairlift span in the northwest. 2005 Multorpor Chair and the Lower Bowl lift terminal are completely rebuilt, resulting in shorter rides, faster chairs and more seating. Also, the Rental Shop is remodeled and the bathrooms are finished at the Warming Hut. 2006 A new Summer Tube Hill is added to The Adventure Park at Skibowl's East side. Skibowl is constantly seeking to improve, expand and provide a better experience for our customers. Stay tuned for new and exciting developments. |
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Greek Peak In 1958, New York's Governor, Averill Harriman, conducted the Opening
Day Ceremonies for a new ski area called Greek Peak. The Governor called
it a "first class development" and predicted that it would "make
a real contribution to skiing in New York State." In 1965, a Poma Lift was installed on what is now Apollo's Hollow. Installation
of permanent snow-making was also added insuring more consistent skiing
for the first program sales. In 1966, fifteen full-time and one hundred
part-time employees took over the formerly concessioned operations of
Ski School, Food Service, and Rental Shop under the wing of the corporate
operation. With skiing becoming more and more popular, Greek Peak added Chairs I
in 1971 and IV in 1970. The Taverna Bar and Restaurant was constructed
in 1970, with the Katalima going up the following year in 1971. Many innovative programs were developed at Greek Peak for example: By 1978, Greek Peak was marketing to the "vacation" market and sales, for the first time, exceeded two million dollars. Skier visits began breaking the 200,000 barrier consistently. In the summer of 1978, trails were cleared at Greek Peak East and our first Triple Chair was installed. Destination sales became a major priority and Greek Peak expanded its ski week activities to provide all of the amenities of a full-service destination resort. In the early 80's, Greek Peak turned its attention toward aggressive marketing and selling to expand its place in the market as well as positioning itself for continued competition from Vermont resorts for the vacation skier. In 1994, Greek Peak installed a lift called the Magic Carpet. This conveyor-type lift made learning to ski/ride less intimidating for the beginner skiers/riders. The Magic Carpet, similar to the people-movers in large airports, was the first lift of its kind in the East. In addition to the Magic Carpet, a new Children's Learning Center was added to the resort. The building, designed for kids, has a cafeteria scaled so children can serve themselves. The Children’s Learning Center has various teaching levels such as PEE WEE ski instruction for 2 1/2 to 4 years, MOUNTAINEER for 4 to 8 years, and RANGER for ages 9 to 14. Babysitting is available for pre-ski family members with soundproof sleeping room, child-sized restrooms and plenty of room for play indoors and out. Also added to Greek Peak in 1994 were two new two-thousand foot glade trials. Aesop's Glade was created by expanding and widening Ronnie’s Run. The other new glade, Alsos Glade (which means thicket in Greek), is located in the Chair V area off Mars Hill. The Olympian has-been widened at the top and more snow-making has been added. Arcadia Village added a new outdoor hot tub. The ski key international ski locking system was also added during this timeframe. In 1997 Greek Peak put in their first terrain park with jumps, spines,
a rail and walls. 1998 brought the end of the T-Bar lifts, which were
replaced by double chair. The Alcmene Trail was installed under the lift
and our first long-awaited half-pipe was built. In 2005, Greek Peak introduced the Activities Based Learning Program (ABT) as a new way to bring excitement and fun into the learn to ski/board process. The Program was awarded the “Best Program to Increase Trial by Participants” by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) in 2006. |
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Catamount Catamount first opened in 1939. The mountain was served by three rope tows - two 1,000' long, the third 800' long. A 500-vertical-foot climb was required to reach the summit. On the morning of December 7, 1941, an article appeared in the New York Times touting a wonderful new ski area in the Berkshires. Unfortunately, that same day brought tragic news from Pearl Harbor. With the nation on a war footing, Catamount closed until the winter of 1946-47. Catamount's current owners began their ski industry careers seven years later, when Bill and Don took over management of the small ski area Fahnestock. The following year, the partners leased land from the State of New York and opened the Silvermine ski area. Skiing really started to grow in the Berkshires in the late 1950s, with the opening of the Jiminy Peak and Butternut Basin ski areas. In the late '50s or early '60s, the Brodie Mountain ski area - now closed - also opened. Also in the early '60s, Bill and Don created the Sterling Forest ski area in New York State. Sterling Forest is still in operation; Fahnestock and Silvermine have long since closed. The partners and Catamount remained on parallel courses through the '60s. Bill secured his place in ski operation history by creating and marketing the first airless snowguns - a highly energy-efficient snowmaking process that utilizes electrically-powered fans, rather than compressed air, to create snow. The company he founded, SMI, became a leader in fan-type snowmaking, and remains so today. At approximately the same time, Bill joined the newly-formed New York State Tramway Board - one of the first such boards in the world. In that position, Bill played an instrumental role in creating the tramway codes now used to ensure ski lift safety worldwide. In 1974, Bill sold his interest in SMI and, together with Don, purchased the Catamount ski area. In the subsequent 30 years, Catamount has remained one of the top recreation draws in the Berkshires, thanks to philosophy of continually improving and expanding the ski and snowboard product. Since acquisition, the team has added lifts - including two chairlifts and a Wonder Carpet; greatly upgraded facilities for beginner skiers and riders; and nearly doubled the amount of skiable terrain at the mountain. Trail expansions and improvements included such popular runs as Sidewinder (originally built in 1990, and re-cut and re-graded in 2001; Catapult, the steepest run in the Berkshires; Upper Promenade, which now gives beginners a mile-long run and affords more experienced skiers a 2 ½ mile route from the summit, and one of the Berkshire's best snow terrain parks. This year, Catamount replaced the old Ridge Run Double Chair with a new Summit Quad Chair Lift. Now it's easier to get your whole family to the top! Also, Boardercross has moved to Sunrise and has been expanded for double the fun. Snowmaking has been continually expanded as well. Upon purchase, less than 25 percent of the mountain's terrain was covered by snowmaking. Today, more than 98 percent of terrain is covered - using updated versions of the snow guns Bill invented nearly 40 years ago. |
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Taos Ski Valley Taos Ski Valley was founded in 1955 by Ernie and Rhoda Blake. They lived in an eleven foot camper as there were no buildings in the area except an almost-completed Hondo Lodge (now the Inn at Snakedance). Even after they moved into the lodge, they lived without power until 1963. The first lift was a Bridger-Boseman J-Bar which was installed in the fall of 1956 by Ernie, sixteen men from Taos Pueblo, and a mule named Lightening. After one day of dragging lift and tower parts through the snow up what is now Al¹s Run, Lightening quit. Rancher Chilton Anderson, after 37 years of service, retired from the Ernie Blake Ski School at the close of last season. Chilton, hired in 1956, is extremely tall and was in charge of lifting the cable back on to the towers when it would fall off, which it did regularly. The only run down the mountain in 1956 - 57 was what is now Snakedance. In fall of 1957 a Poma (platter) lift went up Al's Run and ended where Tower 8 of Lift One is now. The lift pulled passengers along the ground at twice the speed of a modern lift. People would ski down around the lift riders because the run was so narrow. Small people were lifted completely off the ground in certain spots and hung spinning in the air. The first rental fleet was purchased from the army at Camp Hale when the base there was closed. The skis sold for $1 per ski and had holes in the tips through which a rope could be strung so the skis could be used as a sled. Rhoda was in charge of mounting bindings on all the skis because Ernie wasn't handy with mechanical objects. Many of the original staff of Taos Ski Valley, from Jean Mayer (the technical director of the Ernie Blake Ski School who came to TSV in 1958) to Walter Ruegg (the head of lift maintenance since 1967), still work on the mountain. Look for them as well as four generations of Blakes working and playing on the slopes. TSV remains one of the few family owned and operated ski resorts in North America. To this day it is still run by the founders' children and grandchildren. Because of this long tradition of family, no other ski resort can make you feel as welcome |
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Sipapu It began in 1952 when Lloyd and Olive Bolander sought to establish a higher quality skiing area than was available about two miles down the road at the now defunct Agua Piedra Ski Club. That year they installed a 100 foot long portable rope tow. The next year, 1953, thirty pairs of used rental skis with bear trap bindings were purchased and the rental shop was started. Skiers were charged 50 cents a day to ski. In 1954 Ernie Blake, Taos Ski Valley owner, imported three ski kulis. Sipapu was fortunate to get one of these jib back T-bars. The other two were for Taos Ski Valley and an area back East. The ski kuli was 1,000 feet long and offered a vertical lift of 250 feet. At that time the total ski area consisted of the bottom half of what is now the practice slope and the bottom half of Don Diego and Salt Lick. 1950's Ski School "Skiing was new and not alot of people were doing it," Lloyd Bolander related. "A lot of the ones who participated at the time received financial assistance from a recreational fund. We charged 75 cents for lifts, lessons and rentals. Some of the kids couldn't afford that then." "If you're going to be in any business in a community, you have to reach out to the community," founder Lloyd Bolander says. "It doesn't matter what kind of business you've got." So since the opening of the ski area in 1952, the Bolander family has been serving northern New Mexico school children with an affordable ski school program. In 1956, the portable rope tow was replaced with another rope tow, extending 1960's Skiing at Sipapu its length to 500 feet with a vertical of 100 feet. From 1956 to 1960, Lloyd and Olive built the original lodge, three rental cabins, a warming shelter at the bottom of the ski area, and added a few more skis to their rental shop. The original lodge included a store, personal living quarters, cafe and four rooms to rent. The lodge had wood heat and cold running water. 1960's Skiing at Sipapu The next lift, a pomalift, replaced the ski kuli in 1960 and doubled the size of the ski area. The pomalift had a length of 1,660 feet and a vertical of 437. This lift extended to what is now the midway station. Four years later in 1964 another pomalift, which replaced the rope tow, was installed and is still in use on the practice slope today. The next 11 years were spent clearing and widening existing trails, making new trails, constructing the current base lodge, and building additional lodging facilities. The rental shop was also expanded and by 1975 had 600 pair of skis, boots and poles. The rental shop was located in the base lodge along with a full service restaurant, a snack bar, gift shop, grocery store, gas station, sporting goods, and group accommodations for 60. 1970's Skiing at Sipapu Bruce Bolander joined his parents in 1975 and the ski area once again doubled in size with the installation of another pomalift. This lift is 2,800 feet long and has a vertical of 800 feet. The next few years were spent clearing the network of trails which exist today. In 1983, the capacity of the ski area was increased with addition of a triple chair lift. The new chair lift added 65 more vertical feet to the area for a total of 865. Since 1983, the rental shop increased to 740 complete sets of rental equipment. There is now lodging accommodations at the ski area for 175 people with an additional 300 available at the other facilities in the canyon. Since that time the number of trails has increased to nineteen. They are served by three lifts: a 2900 foot triple chair, a 2800 foot Poma, and a 500 foot Poma. The trails offer a diversity of skiing, from beginner (20%), to intermediate (50%), to expert (30%). 1960's Fishing Heaven Sipapu is still owned by the Bolander family, and is being managed by the founders' son, Bruce. Bruce carries on the tradition and ideals of his parents - affordable skiing, comfortable accommodations, great service and a down to earth atmosphere that can't be beat. You don't come to Sipapu to compare ski outfits or collect autographs, but there's always a roaring fire in the fireplace and a smile on the face of some friendly staff member ready to help. |
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Sunapee In 1909, summer resident Herbert Welsh asked area residents to help save Mount Sunapee from lumbering operations. Through his efforts and the Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 656 acers were acquired. This included the summit, Lake Solitude and almost the entire north side. By 1934, the Society has acquired 1,185 acres on the mountain, which was turned over to to the State of New Hampshire for a state park in 1948. On December 26, 1948 Mount Sunapee opened with the 3,300 foot North Peak single chair, three trails, two rope tows and the North Peak Lodge. In 1953, a 2,500 foot Summit T-Bar was installed and in 1957, a poma lift was installed on what is now the Eggbeater slope. Between 1960 and 1963, the Elliot T-Bar, Summit double chair, Duckling double chair and J-Bar were installed. The base Lodge and Summit Lodge were both built in 1963, and the North Peak single was converted to a double chair. In 1966, the summit double chair was converted to a gondola for summer rides. In 1982, snowmaking arrived with the capability of covering 6 of the 24 trails. More trails and lifts were added. From 1987 to 1989, triple chairs replaced the North Peak and Summit lifts. The Spruce Triple was added and snowmaking pumping capacity continued to improved. November 25, 1989 was recorded as the earliest opening date in 41 years! On July 1, 1998, Tim and Diane Mueller, owners of Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont, acquired the first lease ever given by the State of New Hampshire to operate Mount Sunapee. That summer, the Summit Triple was replaced with a high-speed quad, and the Sun Bowl lift was replaced with a quad chair lift. Snowmaking capacity increased and we purchased three new grooming vehicles and a Pipe Dragon for grooming the half-pipe. A halfpipe and a terrain park were created to enhance the skiing/riding experience. The summer of 1999 brought about exciting changes. The North Peak Lodge, originally built in 1948, was replaced with the 24,000 square foot Sunapee Lodge. Three new trails – Summit Glades, Lynx and Sunnyside Down - were added and snowmaking expanded. In 2000, the new Clipper Ship quad chair lift replaced the old Province Double chair lift, a 50-foot moving carpet was installed and the Ski Rental building was expanded. In 2001, we added a new primary water pump, a new booster water pump, installed new snowmaking intake lines, and built an addition to the ski patrol building. In 2002, we installed a new 320 foot moving carpet lift on the old Pony handle tow line, relocated the handle tow to a new teaching area above the Kinder rope tow, and built the Lemon and Lime trails. Snowmaking pipe was added to the South Peak/Province area. In 2003, we constructed the Children’s Learning Center building adjacent to the South Peak/Province novice area and constructed two new gladed ski zones, the Ridge Glades and the Cataract Glades. A Zaugg was purchased and our first superpipe was added. In 2004-2005 Mount Sunapee gave the Spruce Lodge and the Rental Shop a new coat of paint to match the color scheme of the Sunapee Lodge and Children’s Learning Center. The Alpine Racing Team received a brand new clubhouse in place of the Yurt! Construction on the Alpine Racing Clubhouse started in September was completed before the 2004-2005 season started. New bag storage bins were put in place to reduce congestion in the cafeteria sitting areas. Plus boot warmers were added in each lodge and more ski racks were purchased to better accommodate our guests. In 2005-2006 the grooming fleet was upgraded with two new BR-350 grooming machines and a new Zaugg 13' pipe cutter. The Rental Shop received 350 pairs of new skis, snowboards and boots from Salomon, Fischer, Burton and Atomic. For 2006-2007 the Summit Lodge was completely refurbished with a new, more efficient food court, some additional seating and painting inside and out. Snowmaking was added to Elliot Slope and Portage trail. The Hearthstone Room, a unique meeting and function facility for groups of 20-40 people, was built in the Spruce Lodge featuring a large fieldstone fireplace. The restrooms in Spruce Lodge were completely renovated. Mount Sunapee along with Okemo Mountain in Vermont and Crested Butte in Colorado converted to 100% renewable wind energy for electric power. |
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Mt. Rose Since 1930, long before the present Mt. Rose Highway was built, or even chairlifts were constructed, Reno and Washoe County locals have been skiing in the area currently known as Mt. Rose - Ski Tahoe. Shortly after World War II, a lodge called Sky Tavern was built in the area where a few surface lifts had been operating since the late 30's. Sky Tavern was, and continues to be located on the Mt. Rose Highway (SR 431), 11 miles west of US 395, just south of Reno. Eventually this historic ski lodge would be sold to the City of Reno where it still operates the cityâs Junior Ski Program. From Sky Tavern, devoted skiers hiked up to the 9,700' peak of Slide Mountain and skied in the location of the present Mt. Rose - Ski Tahoe. By widening the existing logging trails for better ski terrain, these former powder hounds were cutting some of the first ski trails in the Sierra Nevada. In 1950, the old Mt. Rose Hwy was merely a summer road connecting Reno with beautiful Lake Tahoe. As the years marched on, the old SR431 continued to be improved allowing winter travel to higher elevations; therefore more ski terrain became easily accessible. The original Reno Ski Bowl was constructed on the east slope of Slide Mountain (currently the East Bowl of Mt. Rose), and at one point was connected to the Sky Tavern area by the old Ringer Chair. This lift spanned Bum's Gulch, taking it to the base of the Reno Ski Bowl. Remnants of this lift can still be seen on the highway about 2 miles below the Mt. Rose main lodge where a lone, rusty lift tower remains standing. When Squaw Valley hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics, the Reno Ski Bowl was actually chosen as an alternate site for skiing events if Squaw did not have adequate snow coverage. old chair liftThe 60's saw large changes on the slopes of Slide Mountain. The Reno Ski Bowl evolved into the Slide Mountain Ski Area and in 1964, the north face of Slide Mountain became Mt. Rose Ski Area. The Mt. Rose Development Company was formed to direct the future of the ski resort. Over the years, Slide and Rose operated independently, each expanding in their own ways with more lifts and lodge improvements. The Mt. Rose lodge rented 42 hotel rooms until they discontinued lodging guests in 1984. In 1980, 180 acres of new trails were cut at Mt. Rose between the Sunset ski trail and the Mt. Rose Hwy. Also, the Lakeview chair was built, offering spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and increasing uphill capacity. The 1984-85 season saw the 20th anniversary of operation and two new chairlifts. The existing Northwest Passage double chairlift was replaced with a new triple chair, and the Galena triple chair was installed providing increased terrain for beginner and novice skiers. In 1985, Around the World was cut adding a new 2.5-mile long ski run for long relaxing cruising. The Iron Curtain between Slide and Rose finally came down in 1987 when Mt. Rose acquired the Slide Mountain Ski Area terrain under a lease agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. Combining the two ski areas increased the overall terrain of Mt. Rose to 900+ acres, now making Rose a significant player in the Lake Tahoe Basin. As Rose moved into the 90's, improvements continued to take place on the hill with the upgrading of the Zephyr chair to a quad lift in 1989, and later the Ponderosa lift also evolved from a double to quad chair in 1993. Both new lifts vastly increased uphill capacity and aided in boosting the overall image of the resort. The expansion of U.S. 395 to SR 431 created a six lane freeway now extending to the Mt. Rose highway providing high speed, non stop access for the 22 mile trip from Reno. 1994-95 shined as the 30th anniversary for Mt. Rose and this landmark year produced some of the most significant facility improvements in the resorts history including a 2.5 million dollar remodel tow lineof the main lodge, which included a monster outdoor BBQ deck and a 300% expansion of the indoor dining area. Over 550" of snow blanketed Mt. Rose that season putting an alarming end to the eight-year draught and rewriting the record book with the most snow in history for Mt. Rose. Top to bottom snowmaking was also introduced to the resort in the late 90's giving the mountain the insurance policy it needed to have consistent early season openings. Mt. Rose screamed into the 21st century with its first high speed lift when the Northwest triple became the Norwest Magnum 6. Following in its wake was the upgrade of the Zephyr quad lift to the Blazing Zephyr 6 high speed chair in 2004 giving Mt. Rose dual high speed, base-to-summit rides to the top. But big fast chairs were the only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Separating the east and north slopes of Slide Mountain lives the extreme terrain known as The Chutes. After 10 years of groundwork, Mt. Rose officially adopted these 200 acres into its trail system including the addition of the Chuter lift providing an exit back to the Slide lodge. There was a time when skiers were allowed in the Chutes area at their own risk. Shuttle busses actually ran from the Slide Mountain Junction to the base of the Reno Ski Bowl from the late 1950's to the mid 60's transporting everyone who ventured over to the backside. The mid 1960's saw the closure of this area until itâs official opening in 2004. |
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Nubs Nob 1957 1957 1958 It finally snows and Nub's Nob opens to skiers around the first of the year. A one-day weekend lift ticket for the chairlift is $5. Season Passes are $20 for individuals, $50 for families. There are 3 slopes and a 65 seat chairlift. 1959 1960 1961 1964 "Crazy Otto" slope opens and is named after long time maintenence man and groomer Otto Washburn. 1969 1970 A new Pomalift was instaled on the west side of Mr. Charlie. 1972 1974 1977 1977 1978 1979 1981 1985 Nub's Nob awarded a patent for the invention of the Nub's Nob snowmaking gun. 10 guns are now in use on the slopes. 1987 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 3 more gladed runs open on our 3rd peak as the Tower Glades come on line. Slopes now total 53. Michigan's only Winch Cat slope groomer raises the snow quality bar another notch. 4 more patented Nub's Nob snowmaking guns are added to the fleet bring our total to 227. Free wireless internet access is now available in the lobby. The Detroit News readers poll once again votes Nub's "Michigan's Best Ski Resort." |
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Mount Bonneville Mount Bonneville, the highest mountain in the Portneuf Range, was formed as the range uplifted. The western slopes were left with steep grades while the eastern slopes rolled more gently towards Pebble Creek. In 1937, the U.S. Forest compiled a report classifying the eastern slopes of Mount Bonneville as superior for downhill skiing. Popular local folklore says that Averell Harriman had Mount Bonneville considered as a site for his Sun Valley, but found the road access to the east slopes too difficult. However, skiing on Mount Bonneville was destined to be. Some young Pocatello dare devils longed to schuss down powdery snow-covered hills on their wooden slats equipped with bear claw bindings. Skiing near Pocatello was born in 1947 when these men formed the Alpette Ski Club. They pooled their resources and purchased a portable New Sweden Rope Tow, installing it in "Ski Bowl" near the present day Forest Service amphitheater on Scout Mountain. In 1949, ski pioneer Paul Hill installed another rope tow down the road at Lead Draw. Paul then moved his operation to the west slopes of Mount Bonneville just south of Inkom, creating Skyline Ski Area. Skyline boasted two rope tows and a small warming hut. The joy of the challenge of early skiing fueled an increase in the number of people enjoying the sport. Other ski pioneers Chester Allen and brothers Robert and Joseph Primbs, Jr. saw the need to found a unit of the National Ski Patrol to assist the skiing public at Skyline. That same ski patrol is still serving skiers today. Early skiing was for the hearty. The first challenge was driving up to the mountain on an unimproved road. Then, grabbing onto the rope tow for the ride up the hill gave the skiers' body a jolt. The rope was so heavy that smaller people would grab on just behind a stronger person who had the strength to hold the rope up. The schuss down was on ungroomed slopes. In 1957 the ski area was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Ranstrom of Pocatello. Skiers excitedly welcomed a new Poma lift installed in 1958 and another in 1960. The Poma lifts were a great improvement over the rope tows, but still the ride was "almost as challenging going up as it was skiing down." Most of the trails were about half as wide as they are today and grooming was done by foot and ski packing. The Ranstrom's installed the Minor Denver double chair lift in 1966. New terrain was opened, much of it being steep. Grooming was all still by ski packing and shovels, so the moguls grew and grew. A popular skiing style was "jack rabbit", jumping from one mound to another. Skiers would proudly boast, "If you can ski Skyline, you can ski any where." The old day lodge has been described as having very little room and very little heat. A few snacks, candy bars and pop were available. Comfort for skiers increased in 1968 when the current lodge was built. It was spacious, warm and had a food service area. The Ranstrom's continued to operate the ski area until 1978 when they sold the majority stock to the R. J. Bowen Corporation. The area changed hands again the following year having been purchased by the Pebble Creek Land Company. The long talked about dream of expanding skiing to the east slopes of Mount Bonneville was a focus of the new owners. A Master Plan was submitted to the U.S. Forest Service and the name of the ski area was changed to Pebble Creek. The CTEC triple chair was added in 1980, current runs were widened and new runs were added. In 1981 the area again changed hands being purchased by Pebble Creek Ski Area, Ltd., a group of local investors. While still keeping the dream of going "up and over", the partnership began the difficult task of taming some of the west slopes focusing on the needs of the intermediate and beginning skiers. First, state of the art grooming equipment was added. In 1984 a large, gentle beginner area serviced be the Aspen double chair made learning to ski easy at Pebble Creek. "Summer grooming" was begun with a focus on clipping brush, removing rocks and general run enhancement. Continued improvement of the lift served areas and guest services was the focus of the 1990's. Snowmaking was installed in the Aspen and base areas. Parking areas were improved and expanded. Emphasis was put on rock removal and summer run "grooming" aimed at increased quality in winter slope grooming. The ski school and snowboard programs continued to grow resulting with the Ski School developing into the Winter Sports School. In 2001 the old Minor-Denver double lift was replaced with a Yan triple chair and extended 200 vertical feet. The additional terrain brought new excitement and potential. Attempting to tame some of these new areas is the focus of the early 2000's. |
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Monarch Although Monarch officially started as a ski area in 1939, people had been skiing the mountains surrounding the valley for years prior - dating as far back as 1914. Monarch Mountain was officially built in 1939 by Works Project Administration workers. Upon completion of the project, the ski area was given to the city of Salida. At that time, a 500 foot rope tow powered by a gear box from an old oil derrick and a Chevy engine ran from what is now the parking lot to the top of Gunbarrel, although the skiable run was only half this length. Gerald Berry, a Salida resident and son of a previous owner, provides a first hand account of the infamous Gunbarrel run. “We skied Gunbarrel two years before we ever saw anyone who could turn on skis. The challenge was to make it to the bottom of the hill without falling or falling into the creek during the early part of the season”. A short time later another rope tow was added which ran from the engine house (currently the Monarch Ski Team building) to the top of the Snowflake run. Here is where the first day lodge was built which was then locally referred to as the “Inn Ferno” after the Mayor of Salida at that time, Claude Ferno. The structure was built from logs 30 feet long by 30 feet wide. The front half of the lodge was a warming area for skiers with only a fireplace. The northeast quarter was a kitchen with a wood stove for cooking, while the northwest quarter was reserved for ski patrol and had one bed for injured skiers to use. At that time there was no running water or electricity at the area. The toilet was a 6-hole outhouse located 100 feet north of the lodge. Interestingly enough, the outhouse was moved in the 1960’s and currently serves as a storage shed which is now located next to the vehicle maintenance building. During the early years, the only parking area was a pullout next to Hwy. 50. Food and supplies had to be transported from the highway to the lodge by toboggan. When heavy snowfalls came, the “parking lot” was plowed by Earl Milligan who was the highway superintendent for the east side of Monarch Pass. Because he was unable to accept payment for the work, a case of whiskey was donated each season for his time. During the mid 1950’s recreational skiing was growing at a rapid pace; however the city of Salida was not interested in running the ski area. In 1955 Salida Mayor Ed Touber and the city council offered to sell the ski area to Ray Berry who was the area manager for six years prior. Mr. Berry accepted the offer and purchased Monarch ski area for $100. From 1955 to 1960 the ski area was operated on weekends and holidays only. In 1957 a Constam T-bar was bought from the city of Victor. At the time there was no Colorado Tramway Board to approve the design and installation of new lifts so one of Mr. Berry’s sons prepared drawings for the U.S. Forest Service. After approval from the regional office in Pueblo construction of the new lift was underway. The A-frame lift towers were made from logs cut from the mountain. The towers were set on the ground and held in place by guy wires that were attached to car axels driven into the ground. After that first season the Forest Service required the towers to be set on concrete. Two trails were then cut; Little Joe and Freeway. Other much needed improvements included the addition of water, electricity, and indoor toilets. The year 1960 marked the purchase and installation of another lift. This one was a “homemade” lift built by a man named Gus Irvin out of Texas. It was made from scrap steel used in the Texas oil fields. Before the lift was open to the public, safety test had to be carried out. This involved placing four hundred pounds of sandbags on half of the chairs and running the lift up and down the hill. The test was a near total disaster. Gerald Berry provides an account of what happened next. “When most of the loaded chairs were on the downhill cable, the lift began to gain speed. The chairs tore off the chair guide at the lower terminal, and the cable derailed upwards from the bull wheel at the lower terminal which was then caught by the shaft that held the bull wheel. An engineer was on the lift at the time and was nearly thrown off. He had to be manually evacuated”. Another month was required to fix the problem and run the tests again, which were performed successfully. After the addition of the new lift and the cutting of Sleepy Hollow, Glade, Ray’s Romp (abbreviated to Romp), Toni’s Tango (abbreviated to Tango), Kanonen, Christmas Tree, No Name, and Lobo, the ski are was opened full time. A new 5,500 square foot warming lodge and 1,200 square foot A-frame were built between 1963 and 1965 to replace the aging log hut. In 1968, Elmo Bevington purchased Monarch. At the time Elmo already owned most of the old mining town of Garfield, three miles east on US Highway 50 from the ski area. Improvements by Bevington included the first double chair lift in 1969 followed by construction of a second double chair in 1970 and a new parking lot. Construction of the Monarch Mountain Lodge in Garfield allowed for overnight skier stays - prior to that the 11 room Garfield schoolhouse was utilized for chalet lodging. Elmo's philosophy of the personal touch was exemplified in his management and development of his Monarch Pass holdings. In 1979, Westlake Mortgage and Investment Corporation, Inc. represented by Gerald Rogers purchased Monarch. A third double chair lift was installed; the day lodge was doubled in size; and skiable acreage was increased twofold. In 1981 the old Poma lift was replaced by a double chair lift and in 1983 two outside ticket windows were constructed. Since then Monarch has changed hands privately a number of times. Currently it is owned by a group of private investors who share some of the same philosophies as the ol' timers; provide a great winter sports experience while keeping a friendly small town feel. |
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PowderHorn 1940s Skiing began on top of Grand Mesa with a rope tow 1950s Mesa Creek Ski Area opened on Grand Mesa with one surface lift 1966 Powderhorn Ski Area opened with a double chair and a surface lift two miles below the old Mesa Creek area 1970s Another double chair and more terrain were added to the west side of Powderhorn. 1986 Local owners sold Powderhorn to Texas developer. The main double chair was replaced with a fixed grip quad and the surface lift was replaced with a double chair. A wood deck and an addition were added to the daylodge. Parking lots were paved. Mountain improvements included limited snowmaking capability. 1988 Condominium garages were replaced with patio units. Time share sales drive marketing efforts for the company. Powderhorn Ski Area becomes Powderhorn Resort. 1995 Powderhorn is again sold to a local entrepreneur. The development of Wildewood subdivision is begun. 1998 Powderhorn is sold to a western slope investor team, "High West Group, LLC". 1999 5000 square feet is added to the daylodge as well as a 5000 square foot sundeck with bridge direct to the lifts. West side of the parking lots were paved. The hotel/restaurant is renovated, reopened and renamed, Inn at Wildewood and Wildewood Restaurant. Significant infrastructure improvements were completed. 2000 Wildewood subdivision was finished and lot sales begun. The paving project was extended. 2002 Rooms at the Inn at Wildewood are renovated and enlarged. 2004 Two trails and three gladed runs were added increasing skiable acreage by 35 acres. |
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Sunlight Mountain Resort A second chair was installed in 1973 to provide service to newly cut trails and skier days climbed to 38,000. The decision in 1977 to develop a long-range master plan with the Forest Service was instrumental in altering the course of Sunlight and initiating growth. Sunlight also assumed responsibility for all services. The Sunlight Master Plan was approved by the U.S.F.S. in 1981 and the name was changed from Sunlight Ranch Company to Ski Sunlight Inc. In 1982 skier days at Sunlight reached 73,000. In 1987 improvements were made to the Primo chairlift and the Tercero lift was installed. These improvements doubled the uphill capacity, moved 45 skiable acres into the upper area of the mountain, and improved skier traffic flow and access to the entire mountain. From a skier standpoint, these improvements eliminated lift lines, even while they increased skier days. Through stock purchase, the ownership of Ski Sunlight changed between 1990 and 1992. The new owners brought immediate financial stability, placing emphasis on long-term planning, marketing and thoughtful capital improvements. In 1993 Sunlight Extreme was added to the ski area (12 new black and double black diamond trails). Also in 1993 a new 40-year ski area term special use permit was signed with the U.S.F.S. In 1996, snowmaking was installed on the lower lift trails from midway to the base area. To more accurately describe its evolution to a year round resort, including summer activities for the whole family, and to reflect a more diverse population of recreationalists, Ski Sunlight was renamed Sunlight Mountain Resort. In 1997 and 1998 Sunlight's skier days climbed to 102,000. While the buildings and trails surrounding Sunlight have changed and continue to improve, the groundwork that was laid by Sunlight's founding fathers in 1966 is still in place today. Sunlight's philosophy remains to provide premier Colorado skiing and snowboarding to visitors and area residents at affordable rates. |
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Sugar Bowl In 1938 Walt Disney was among the visionaries who helped pick this picture-perfect location, and placed upon it the first chair lift in California. Because we were up here first, we naturally picked the best site. What Mr. Disney and his fellow adventurers found was a prime location near Donner Summit: a place of precipitous peaks, steep narrow chutes and wide open bowls. But more than that, they picked a spot that receives more snow than almost anywhere in North America. On average, receiving over 500 inches of feather-light snow per year. It also happened to be easier to get to than other sites in the Tahoe area. Once you discover Sugar Bowl, you'll see how the same man who brought the Matterhorn to Southern California, out did himself with a grander, truer alpine experience in the Sierras. One with lots more fun and tons more snow. A spectacular view of the stars Sugar Bowl became a popular mountain hide-away for the Hollywood jet set of the 1940's and 50's. Stars and starlets like Claudette Colbert arrived in style by train spending beautiful timeless days on the slopes of Sugar Bowl. The original action hero, Errol Flynn, could be found dashing down the steep chutes of Hari-Kari Gully. In fact, the skiing sequence in the movie, The Two-Faced Woman starring Greta Garbo was filmed here. The Lodge itself was a place to see, and be seen. Modeled after the classic Hotel Solaise in the French Alps, Sugar Bowl conveyed an authentic alpine ambiance. When the Tyrolean music played from the deck, skiers swore they had been plunked down in the middle of Kitzbuhel. Today, Sugar Bowl is still the best kept secret in the Sierras, and the grande dame of Tahoe resorts. Steeped in racing tradition In terms of racing lore, Sugar Bowl is perhaps best known for the Silver Belt Classic -- a world class race attracting Olympic caliber skiers. Silver Belt itself may be the resort's defining run. Picture a long, nearly halfpipe-shaped trail that demands lots of short-radius turns and a few hundred vertical feet of courage. Now imagine your quadricep muscles on fire, and your heart about to explode with adrenaline, and you're close to understanding what it took to climb the victory stand. Over the years, racers who captured the "Silver Belt" acquired much more than a prestigious winning buckle. It was also accompanied by the head-shaking awe of hundreds of spectators. A new generation. The same dedication. There's a pride of ownership you can sense about this resort. That's because Sugar Bowl is still family owned. These fifty or so families read like a Who's Who of San Francisco success. Ken Castle of SKI Magazine wrote, "Many of them own chalets at Sugar Bowl and cherish this place as a kind of family heirloom." What that means to you and your family is simple: At Sugar Bowl you're treated as guests, not a commodity. You'll see we don't just welcome your business. We welcome you. Vintage old, High tech new Sugar Bowl is still the grande dame of Tahoe ski resorts. The snow-mantled peaks, the inspired terrain and challenging runs are as impressive as ever. The cherished Magic Carpet Gondola can still transport you from your car to an authentic alpine hide-away. Of course, in the age of wireless phones and instant gratification, people want easy access, modern facilities, faster lifts, and the highest-performing equipment at their feet. Sugar Bowl has all of that too. Millions in improvements We're in the midst of a seven-year, multi-million dollar improvement schedule. In the past three years, we've added a new road with easier access to slopeside parking. We installed new high-speed quads. And last season we opened a glistening new Main Lodge near Mt Judah. This season there's a new high-speed quad on Disney., a new larger Learning Area, and a brand new Beginner Quad. So if you haven't been to Sugar Bowl in a while, there's a whole new side to discover. |
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Squaw Valley USA In 1946, Squaw Valley worked its magic on a young man named Alexander Cushing, who had traveled with friends to the Sierra Nevada on a four day train ride from the East Coast. Cushing, then a lawyer on Wall Street, had served in the Navy and was ready for a change. "The war turns the world upside down and I was having a hard time adjusting" he recalls. The strain of duty left him with solid impressions of life's fragility, and of the importance of living life to the fullest. So, as many have before and since, Cushing headed west. On his first day skiing at Sugar Bowl, Cushing did the "unmentionable" and broke his ankle. As the fourth at Bridge, his friends demanded he stay. Always optimistic, Cushing contented himself relaxing on the sundeck and watching other skiers. While there, he heard a young man named Wayne Poulsen speak of a nearby place with the best skiing in the country. Intrigued by Poulsen's statement, Cushing asked to see this place, and soon found himself on crutches, watching from the meadow while his friends hiked and schussed the glorious peaks of Squaw Valley. Returning to New York a few days later, Cushing could not forget about what he had seen. "I realized that being a lawyer was all right, but you get into something that you really like, and well, I saw how interesting work could really be." With a powerful dream, $400,000 that he managed to gather from his own pocket, and the investments of a few friends, he set about the task that would change the history of California and of the ski industry. imageOn November 24, 1949, less than three years after his first visit, Alex Cushing opened the Squaw Valley Development Company. Skiers could ride the world's largest double chairlift, Squaw One, and a choice of two rope tows, including one known as "Little KT." At day's end, an unfinished Squaw Valley Lodge (designed by Sandy McIlvaine of the Delano Aldrich architecture firm) offered respite for those too weary to brave the rough-hewn roads. "When we opened on Thanksgiving Day, the building was only 90% done" says Cushing. "It didn't have any water for example. Well, it is very hard to run a restaurant without water." Four days after the grand opening, a flood closed the resort's doors. In what would become typical fashion for the company, Cushing and his close-knit crew worked 17 and 18 hours each day to reopen in time for Christmas. Cushing recalls his 1949 Christmas gift: his accountant, Harold Dittmore, told him "you know, you are absolutely flat broke." Cushing's reply? "We'll manage." After parting ways with Poulsen, Cushing was left with the mountain and six acres at the base with which to forge his dream. imageSquaw Valley's first winter season proved that building a world-class resort would require tremendous commitment and loyalty from many strong and dedicated people. First among these was John Buchman. Cushing recalls that Buchman started at Squaw Valley on May 1, 1949, as the company's first employee "at the business end of a shovel." In the evenings, Buchman noticed Cushing and the engineers working on plans, and though he had been working all day, he offered his services gratis. Less than two weeks later, Cushing appointed the young man (who just months before had been driving a taxi in Morristown, New Jersey), to the position of Manager of the Squaw Valley Development Company. From that point on, Buchman devoted his life to Squaw Valley and over a period of 45 years became General Manager, President, and a Director of the Company. Just prior to opening day, at Cushing's request, Pascal "Pete" Heuga joined the Squaw Valley family selling lift tickets, working lift lines, and cutting trails. Heuga recalls "there was always something to do." During the 1960 Olympics, he oversaw operation of the ice arenas. In 1968 Heuga, whose son Jimmy won a silver medal in the 1964 Olympics, retired from Squaw Valley USA, only to return several days later to run the tram for 17 more years. A notoriously strict ticket checker, Pete Heuga's presence was known all over the mountain, and his smile continues to be a familiar sight in the valley today. In 1969, after boot-packing for the World Cup, Tom Anderson went for a job interview halfway up the mountain road. "You hiked all the way up this hill to get a job?" said Mountain Manager Dick Reuter, "well then, you're hired! I'll put you on as a lift mechanic." From shoveling, lift maintenance, ski patrol, and government relations, to mountain management and a stint on the Board of Directors, Tom was an icon of loyalty and relentless pursuit of the job at hand. He retired in 1998 after 29 years at Squaw Valley. imageSquaw Valley's spirit has been tested more than once. Squaw One was destroyed by avalanche each year for its first three years. The fourth year of operations there was a devastating flood, and during the fifth year, the lodge burned down. For many, these setbacks would have signalled the time to sell out; instead, Alex surprised millions by securing Squaw Valley as the site for the 1960 VIII Olympic Winter Games, beating out internationally regarded resorts such as Innsbruck, Austria, St. Moritz, Switzerland and Garmisch-Partenkirschen, Germany. The Olympics brought Lake Tahoe international publicity and sparked interest in winter sports and California skiing. Following the Olympics, Squaw Valley raced to meet the growing demand for skiing. The resort became a social mecca, entertaining guests and celebrities from around the globe. "Employees went to Bar One once a week for the Thursday Night Follies" recalls long-time ski patroller Wes Schimmelpfennig, who began working at Squaw in 1962. "We would put on skits to entertain the guests." Celebrities like Gene Kelly, Bing Crosby and Sophia Loren added to the resort's glamour and glitz. Meanwhile, daredevil athletes were drawn to the Valley for its challenging terrain. Skiers and adventurers like Joe Marillac, Emile Allais, and Joe Aukenthaller broke new ground in skiing technique, often competing to be the first to try a new run. Roger Maché and Dick "Madman" Buek both laid claim to the first "schuss" of Headwall. Today, internationally celebrated athletes continue to bud, grow, and thrive on Squaw Valley's terrain. Alex Cushing grew up in a family where dreams guided the way. His father, Howard, and sister, Lily, both artists, had received international acclaim for their paintings. Alex chose the mountain peaks of Squaw Valley as his medium. "It's like being a sculptor," says Cushing. "It's your life, and it takes everything you've got." Yet nothing would have been developed without the Squaw Valley teams' vision, determination, and perseverance. Squaw Valley USA is a breeding ground for innovation. "We're in the uphill transportation business," says Cushing, and the resort's commitment to providing the newest and best in lift technology is evidenced by the most technologically advanced transportation network in the world. Featuring the Funitel, Cable Car, Pulse, two six-passenger high-speed detachable chairs, five quad chairs, and an assortment of fixed grip lifts, Squaw Valley's lift system totals 31 in all. Cushing credits the "Squaw Valley Family" with making his dreams come true. In his 1999 letter to season passholders, he wrote "my luck continues, because I am a member in good standing of the Squaw Valley Family. I admire and owe a debt of thanks to so many of our family members for their loyal support. Without them, I have nothing. I am loathe to single out any individual, with two exceptions: one is Hans Burkhart and the other is my wife, Nan." Indeed, these two remarkable individuals have helped guide Squaw Valley's growth and success. Hans Burkhart came to Squaw Valley in 1961. Cushing needed someone to oversee construction and maintenance of the first gondola, and when asked for advice, the manufacturer pointed up the hill to Burkhart, who was hanging upside down over a cliff with a drill in his hand. Thus began a relationship that continues today. Cushing and Burkhart both stand well over six feet tall, speak with distinguished accents and enter a room with intention and authority. Their demeanors reflect the strength required to persevere. In 1968 the two brought another dream to fruition by completing what was the largest aerial tramway in the world, the High Camp Cable Car. Today, as General Manager and head of every construction project, Burkhart's work is visible everywhere. The early 80's witnessed the start of a myriad of changes. Tom Richardson, former head of the Aspen Skiing Co., filled in as President of Squaw Valley Ski Corporation, overseeing the first of many improvements in uphill access and capacity. Soon after, Jim Mott, a former ski patroller, took the helm, leading the way for significant changes in both facilities and services. Double chairlifts were replaced by triples and then high-speed detachable "quads." By 1990, Squaw Valley's lift network had grown to over thirty lifts. imageSki Corporation President Nancy Wendt infused new life into the resort in the 80's through the acquisition of 150 acres at the base of the mountain. Arrangements were made to get the 250 room Squaw Valley Lodge up and running and funding was sought for the 400 room, four star Resort at Squaw Creek. The Opera House was acquired and revamped, and the 12,000 square foot Children's Centerwas finished. Wendt and Cushing commissioned four top architects to design conceptual plans for the base area and today, with the help of Intrawest, these plans are beginning to take shape. Their focus was on expanding the lodging at el. 6200' and the facilities at el. 8200'. In 1985 the Oasis Restaurant and Bar opened at Gold Coast with exotic decor by architect Henrik Bull. New shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues have opened each year, bringing today's total to over fifty. In 1990, the installation of a new snowmaking system greatly improved early season skiing, and permanent lighting along the 3.2 mile Mountain Run extended the fun into the night. High Camp continued to expand with the addition of tennis courts, the Olympic Ice Pavilion, restaurants, bars and the Swimming Lagoon and Spa. The High Camp Bath and Tennis Club, el. 8200', is now a year-round center of activity, with breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding Sierra Nevada. On December 19th, 1998, following eighteen months of painstaking construction, Squaw Valley celebrated the grand opening of North America's first Funitel. The Funicular Telepherique, which can operate in 75 mph winds, is a key step toward Alex's goal of making Squaw Valley's terrain safely accessible in any type of weather. In considering plans for two new wind-resistant detachable six-passenger lifts to be completed for the 1999-2000 season, Cushing proclaimed "we won't tell people when they can and can't ski, they'll tell us!" Alexander Cushing's vision and determination, combined with the hard work of his exceptional team, have forged Squaw Valley USA into an internationally famous mountain resort. Behind it all, the valley's magic continues to work its spell. Cushing acknowledges that his success is due to Squaw Valley's natural resources-alpine mountains with wonderful snow-and he continues to dream of tomorrow. |
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Kirkwood 1960's A Forest Service team hiked and skied Thimble Peak and the slopes adjacent
to Kirkwood Meadow, recommending that Thimble Peak be considered for a
top National Forest resort. Combination of two master plans approved by the Forest Service. KMI posted a $700,000 cash bond and signed a cooperative agreement so
that the State of California would build two maintenance stations between
Carson Pass and Peddler Hill. Kirkwood Ski Resort Opened. Solitude Chair (#5), and Cornice Chair (#6), constructed, opening the
front side of Thimble Peak . Red Cliffs Main Lodge expanded. Bunny Chair (#9) installed in the Timber Creek Area. Red Cliffs Employee Housing completed.
Sun Meadows condominiums completed, housing a new General Store and Post
Office. Wagon Wheel Chair (#10) installed, transporting skiers to the top of
"The Wall" and servicing 700 acres of advanced and expert terrain.
The Reut Chair (#11), completed, accessing 200 acres of advanced and
intermediate terrain. Solitude Chair (#5) and Cornice Chair (#6) upgraded to triple chairs.
Snowkirk Chair (#1) converted to a triple chair. The Telluride Group with Charles E. Cobb, former Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Arvida/Disney Corporation, purchased a significant interest
in Kirkwood . Bud Klein, Kirkwood 's original developer and largest shareholder,
remained a major investor. Surface tow (Lift #12) added to the Timber Creek Learn-to-Ski area. The Lodge at Kirkwood , Phase I of Kirkwood ’s Mountain Village
, completed housing 19 condominium units, Kirkwood Lodging Services, Off
the Wall Bar & Grill, Kirkwood Sports/Hardgoods and a Real Estate
product showcase. Pipe Dragon purchased and half-pipe constructed in the Timber Creek area.
Sunrise Chair (#4) upgraded to a fixed-grip quad chairlift increasing
capacity from 1100 per hour to 1800. Construction completed on Lost Cabin town homes. Food Service added at the Off the Wall Bar & Grill in the Lodge at
Kirkwood . Cornice Chair (#6) upgraded to a high-speed quad, The Cornice Express.
Increased high angle grooming on Chairs 6, 10, & 4 High Speed Quad, “TC Express” replaces Chair 7, “Hole
‘n’ Wall” at Timber Creek 2006 Farewell to Timber Creek day lodge, 1976 – 2006 |
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Dodge Ridge In 1947, Earl Purdy was operating a profitable general store and gas station between the towns of Ripon and Manteca, called Simm’s Station, when he stumbled by chance upon the final venture of his multifaceted career. “One morning he was drinking a cup of coffee in a grocery store in the town of Long Barn when neighbors casually mentioned that the US Forest Service had begun soliciting bids for development of a ski area at nearby Dodge Ridge,” recalls son, Ralph. Whimsically, Purdy added his name to the prospectus. “Before utilizing the special use permit by the Forest Service, my dad toured western ski resorts for three months to decide if Dodge Ridge would be a viable economic product. He traveled 5,000 miles, as far away as Sun Valley. He visited Mammoth and Squaw Valley,” remembers Ralph. “Upon his return he drove to where he thought the ski area should be built. He pulled out a matchbook and sketched the layout of the resort. While driving from ski resort to ski resort, he already had in his mind what Dodge Ridge was going to look like. And when the final project was completed, the plans looked exactly as he’d drawn on the inside of the matchbook.” When Dodge Ridge opened in the fall of 1950, Purdy offered a Bob Heron state-of-the-art chairlift built for $95,000, a considerable sum in those days, complemented by three surface lifts. Twenty-seven million board feet of timber had been cut to clear runs. Additional facilities consisted of a seven hundred car parking lot and two-story day lodge, complete with ski shop and dining room. In all, Purdy‘s initial investment came to $250,000. Challenge and change was nothing new to the former teacher, truck driver, highway patrolman, and professional violinist, who’d graduated from College of Pacific with a degree in architecture and an eye on the future. “He’d been looking for a new business, something in the mountains to be closer to his family. He no longer enjoyed the commute to his store. He put his name down along with a one hundred dollar fee and forgot about it,” says Ralph’s brother George. “Three months later the Forest Service contacted my father to see if he was interested. They’d rejected the other bidders. They had studied his business history and chosen him. It was something of a shock.” Purdy didn’t know a lot about the ski industry. He’d only picked up the sport during his forties after his children began to take lessons, but he had a lot of energy and common sense. And he loved the mountains. The son of a forest ranger, Purdy as a youth explored the Sierras of Tuolumne County near Sonora Pass to fish the rivers. He hiked the Dodge Ridge area, then called Lava Ridge, a name received from prehistoric andesite lava flows that had eroded the landscape into jagged crests and splintered capitals. From its rocky heights the terrain gave way to thick forests of Bennett Junipers, the largest and oldest known specimen of western juniper. On clear days from the ridge’s 8,200 foot summit he could spot the high reaches of Mount Diablo on the coast. When his wife Mary and son George both developed asthma and needed a change of climate, Purdy, who felt attached to the Sonora Pass area, moved his family to the town of Long Barn, twenty-five miles below Dodge Ridge next to the border of Stanislaus National Forest. On its opening day, three thousand skiers flocked to Dodge Ridge. Tickets sold at three dollars for an all day lift pass and one dollar for a rope tow pass. Purdy never looked back. Within just a two month ski season, Dodge Ridge attracted nineteen thousand patrons. The next year numbers increased to twenty-five thousand visitors. The ski resort grew into the driving force for an awakening sport that helped change Tuolumne County into one of California’s most popular recreational spots. Dodge Ridge became a consistently profitable venture among ski resorts. Until he sold the resort in 1977, Purdy only reported one bad year, 1963, when snow didn’t arrive until March. Part of the success was geographical. Less than one hundred miles from either Modesto or Stockton, and only one hundred fifty miles from San Francisco, Dodge Ridge was the closest one-day resort in the mountains. Visitors didn’t hit snowy roads until they reached Long Barn. From snowless terrain there they climbed to Dodge’s base elevation, which at 6,600 feet insured good snow conditions. Even during gasoline shortage years such as the Korean War and in the early 1970s, Dodge Ridge’s parking lot remained at capacity. In 1973, during the height of the OPEC gas crisis, 170,000 skiers graced the slopes of Dodge Ridge. Relying on his keen business sense, Purdy stressed a cautious approach to capital improvements. He never built housing facilities, relying on nearby accommodations in the immediate area to take care of demands. Over the succeeding years, the resort added lifts and expanded facilities only as the income warranted them. It was more than ten years after the opening date before Dodge Ridge installed a second chairlift. In 1968, Dodge Ridge completed a $300,000 expansion, which included two new double chairlifts and the first section of a new 16,000 square foot lodge. “The most important skill my father had, however, was people skills,” says Ralph Purdy. “He had a talent for choosing key people to run the different resort departments. He had genuine concern for people. He instilled in his employees a sincerity for customers to make them feel welcome. The customer came first.” “My dad loved the mountains and the ski business,” says Ralph, whose father passed away in 1991. “His reward was going to work. He liked people. He was always looking out for the public and the betterment of the community. It was the most enjoyable part of his life. He’d always ask, “Are we having fun?” At age seventy, Purdy finally decided to sell Dodge Ridge. Frank Helm and his family bought the resort in 1976 and have remained steadfast in the resort’s traditions ever since. Frank decided that working at the family Chevrolet dealership in Modesto wasn’t what he had in mind for a career. A lifelong outdoorsman who loves skiing, snowboarding, hiking, bicycling and fly fishing, Frank learned in 1976 that Dodge Ridge was for sale and saw the opportunity to own and operate this popular Central Sierra ski area. He jumped at the chance. The graduate of Taft Prep School in Connecticut and the University of California at Berkeley (with a Political Science degree) has long been active in making the sport better. He is the former President of the California Ski Industry Association and is the present treasurer of the National Ski Areas Association. To keep in close contact with his customer base, Helm, 61, snowboards several times a week, interacting with guests and staying visible to his employees. His wife, Sally, oversees departmental management and the resort’s 400 plus seasonal employees, and can be discovered anywhere at anytime on the mountain parking cars to dishing out food. Some of those managers have remained. Mountain Manager Benny Hughes has served the resort for 30 years. In 1985, Helm built Chair 7 to double Dodge Ridge’s existing terrain. Then in 1999, Frank and Sally forged ahead once again by initiating a $3.5 million improvement package that included the installation of a fixed-grip quad chair in Boulder Canyon, additional restaurant facilities in the base lodge and an expanded rental shop. “I doubt we’ll ever put in overnight facilities, and we can’t enlarge the ski area anymore, but we have the ability to modernize, continue to improve, and even put in more chairlifts some day. However we round out things, Dodge Ridge’s appeal will always be focused on family and customer service.” Fifty years after Earl Purdy’s matchbook-drawn ski resort was born, Dodge Ridge now offers sixty trails spread over 815 acres and accessed by twelve lifts. The mountain is friendly to all, cradling the novice and catering to families. Many runs are on gentle, soothing trails that offer a wide spectrum of delights. Intermediates enjoy the rolling shoulders of Stagecoach, Graceland and Comstock runs. Some of the best beginner terrain can be discovered in SkiWee Land, home to one of the finest ski and snowboard school programs in North America. The SkiWee starter program (kids ages 4-8) and the Trackers follow-up program (youths ages 9-12), adjacent to the resort’s nordic ski trailheads, cater to kid-style fun while developing youthful skills on the slopes. The Children’s Ski Center building reinforces a playful, kids only atmosphere while on-mountain interactive features allow children to test their skills and experience history by tooling through a Gold Mine, Bear Cave, and Lumber Mill. A recent expansion in Boulder Creek Canyon opened up 265 acres of expert
terrain. Straight-lining the face of Six Shooter is a thigh-burner. If
its steeps look too foreboding, bail out by heading straight off the chair
into High Noon. Or you can test your skills by descending into the Granite
Bowl, a full-fare adventure that lets your mind and skis wander. Other
wild shots and sweat-induced plunges await in Sonora Glades. Roaming along
the Skyline, traverse enthusiasts can choose from a menu of narrow romps
and playful pitches with views that extend all the way up Sonora Pass. |
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Mammoth 2005-06 Most snow for the season, since 92/93 with 668 inches (56 feet). |
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Arapahoe Basin In December 1946, Larry Jump and his directors including, Max & Edna Dercum, opened A-Basin for its inaugural season with a single rope tow and a $1.25 daily lift ticket. At a spirited fifty-eight years old the Basin's just hitting its stride.
Jump and Schauffler’s site recommendation was the west side of Loveland Pass. When they learned that the U.S. Forest Service considered issuing a prospectus for bids on the Arapahoe Basin site, the two pioneers recruited Olympic medalist Richard "Dick" Durrance for credibility. The three men formed Arapahoe Basin, Inc. on May 14, 1946. It was trial and error from the start. The timber and grazing resource people in the USFS looked upon skiers with uneducated perplexity. The incorporated group, with more enthusiasm than experience, groped its way to develop a $150,000 plan which included two chairlifts, a rope tow and ski trails. On June 10, 1946, they submitted an application for a special use permit to the USFS. Eleven days later, the plan was approved. Wilfred "Slim" David, a ranger with the USFS, designed the trail layout. Larry met Max Dercum, a local resident who owned several mining patents in the Arapahoe Basin area, and who was a forestry professor from Pennsylvania. Larry immediately hired him to work on the mountain to utilize his forestry background. Max was elected to Arapahoe’s board of directors, serving several years in that capacity. Shares of stock were sold for $1.00, but not enough shares were sold to develop the group’s initial plan. Arapahoe Basin opened for its inaugural 1946 - 1947 season with just a rope tow, which was located from midway to the top of the mountain. Skiers were transported to the base of the tow in an Army weapons carrier pulled by a four wheel drive vehicle. Skier-day count during the first season was 1200. Each person who braved the elements paid $3.00 per day for the privilege. The looming $40,000 debt was alleviated by an increase in stock sales and a Small Business Administration loan; the first ever issued to a ski area. Marjorie "Marnie" Brown, later known as Mrs. Larry Jump, helped finance the completion of the original chairlifts, trails and building in time for the start of the 1947 - 1948 ski season. According to Larry Jump, Arapahoe’s first single chairlifts incorporated some military surplus ‘tinker toy’ tows, but they also employed structural steel. These were the first post-war lifts ordered in Colorado. A 100 kilowatt Army surplus generator and electric motors powered all the lifts. Cliff Skinner, USFS ranger posted in Dillon, didn’t ski, but he conscientiously inspected the lifts and tower structures by riding up on the lifts, then showshoeing down the lift lines. The "village" at the foot of the slopes consisted of a 32 by 40 foot shelter, housing a lunch counter, ski shop and ski school. A first aid patrol room was near the base of the lower lift, as were a row of outhouses. The 1947 founding director of the Arapahoe Basin ski school was Ross Davis. On his teaching staff were Max and Edna Dercum, who also owned the Ski Tip Ranch, Colorado’s oldest guest ranch. Edna also became president of the Arapahoe Ski Club. Skier days jumped to more than 13,000 during Arapahoe’s second season. The area’s gross income was reported at $30,000. In 1952, Larry and Marnie brought Austrian ski instructor Willy Schaeffler to Arapahoe Basin to head the ski school. Assisting him were John Bailey, Max Dercum, Alex Meza and Eric Windisch. Willy went on to coach the University of Denver ski team and the Olympic ski team. When Sandy Schauffler left the area in |