LOOKING BACK AT 50 GOLDEN YEARS OF SNOWMASS HISTORY & TIMELINE

Olympian and dashing Norwegian celebrity Stein Eriksen loaded the first chair at Snowmass on December 16, 1967, during a festive and frenzied weekend of last-minute preparations, celebrations, and huge media hype. Touted as the country’s largest and most complete winter resort at the time, Snowmass-at-Aspen boasted five and 50 miles of trails, all easily accessed by a European-style slopeside village designed by noted architect Fritz Benedict, who trained under Frank Lloyd Wright.

Ten years in the making, Snowmass was the vision of California developer Bill Janss, an ex- Olympic skier who had bought up several ranches at the base to develop into multiple Alpine- style ski villages. With nature as the defining principle, he worked with the US Forest Service and what is now the Aspen Company to create a ski area larger and more varied than the three other Aspen ski mountains combined. The construction of West Village, as the Snowmass Mall area was then known, happened over just nine months in 1967, with the finishing touches of hotels being completed as the first guests arrived and resort crews working around-the-clock in preparation.

Over the past 50 years, Snowmass has grown into its own as a year-round family resort, with a mountain whose possibilities continue to be explored. Ski-terrain expansions have included the powder fields and steeps of the Hanging Valley and the vast above-treeline bowl of the Cirque; next summer, summer recreation opportunities increase with the new Lost Forest complex of an alpine coaster, canopy tour, new hiking and biking trails, and more. Branching out from its West Village roots, a vibrant community has continued to develop its welcoming character, with restaurants spanning the gastronomic spectrum and events and activities ranging from rail jams to holiday celebrations to countless free concerts and festivals.

In honor of the resort’s 50th anniversary, here’s a look back at key Snowmass milestones.

TIMELINE

1. 1880 During the first year that ranchers settle the Brush Creek Valley, a massive forest fire clears the Big Burn, a focal point of the future Snowmass Ski Area. Rumor has it the native Ute Indians deliberately set the fire to drive the white settlers away.

2. 1958 Kingsbury “Pitch” Pitcher, a Woody Creek rancher and Aspen ski instructor, calls developer Bill Janss, a former Olympic skier, to say, “I’ve found it!” On behalf of Janss, Pitcher had been searching all over Colorado from his airplane for an area suitable for development when he realized that Baldy Mountain, which he could see clearly from his ranch, was the perfect location.

3. 1962 Public ski tours of the future Snowmass ski area begin, receiving rave reviews. Snowcats shuttle customers to the top of the Big Burn for the day-long excursions, which cost $10 per person, guide, lunch, and drinks included.

4. December 16, 1967 Opening day of Snowmass ski area. Lift tickets cost $6.50 and rooms at the five original lodges of “Snowmass-at-Aspen” cost $20 per night. The grand opening festivities include Stein Eriksen, Snowmass’s first director of skiing, jumping through a paper-covered hoop and loading the first chair in a snowstorm.

5. 1968 Noted ceramist Paul Soldner and photographer Cherie Hiser launch an arts community in one of Snowmass’s old ranch buildings, the genesis of Anderson Ranch Arts Center.

6. 1969 The Avalauncher, a cannon-like device using compressed gas to propel explosives onto distant slopes to control for avalanches, is introduced to Snowmass Ski Patrol, revolutionizing safety efforts and enabling the exploration and opening of steep, extreme terrain.

7. 1973 The Snowmass Rodeo celebrates its first season. Now it’s the longest continually operating rodeo in Colorado.

8. 1974 Dog-sledding operation Krabloonik is started by Dan MacEachen, who trained under Stuart Mace in the nearby Castle Creek Valley. Mace and his dog teams were known nationally through the 1950s TV show, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. Krabloonik, which includes a fine-dining restaurant, is the largest sled-dog kennel in the Lower 48.

9. January 1975 The Ski Splash launches as part of Wintersköl, the Aspen/Snowmass area’s annual toast to winter. This zany judged event, featuring costumed or scantily clad skiers jumping off a ramp into a swimming pool, was one of the most popular Snowmass events for decades.

10. July 1976 The inaugural Snowmass Balloon Festival and Races take flight over the Brush Creek Valley, becoming the nation’s highest-altitude balloon event.

11. September 1977 The Town of Snowmass Village incorporates after a vote of its citizens, ten years after the resort is founded.

12. 1979 Blazing Adventures gets its start when Bob and Laurie Harris buy the rafting program being split off from the town. Adding Jeep tours, horseback riding, balloon rides, guided hikes, and more to the mix over the years, Blazing Adventures continues to this day.

13. 1979 Developers Jim Chaffin and Jim Light, who had bought most of the undeveloped property in Snowmass the year prior, produce the town’s first master plan, which includes a plan for concentrating development in a base village at the bottom of Fanny Hill.

14. 1979 Gwyn’s High Alpine restaurant opens at the top of the Alpine Springs . Recently remodeled as part of a larger building, the fine-dining establishment is the only privately run restaurant on the mountain (and is still run by the original family).

15. 1981 The Snowmass Club opens. This longtime local institution includes a golf course designed by Arnold Palmer (and later redesigned by Jim Engh), tennis courts, restaurants, a pool, athletic center, and residences.

16. 1982 Two popular, enduring events get their start in Snowmass. New Orleans natives escaping their own outrageous festival begin the local Mardi Gras celebration, including a parade, bead toss, and other traditions. Launched by locals, the first annual Food & Wine Classic is hosted in Snowmass Village with 300 attendees.

17. 1984 A huge swath of expert terrain opens on Snowmass Ski Area, including the Hanging Valley Wall, the Cirque, and AMF (which stands for Adios My Friend, among a few less sanitized meanings). Ski patrol delivers a eulogy on opening day, saying good- bye to their private powder stashes.

18. April 1985 First annual Banana Days, a weeklong spring carnival with wacky events and activities held to pump up the normally quiet end of the season.

19. 1989 Snow Cubs and Big Burn Bears open as the first licensed ski drop-in day care in Colorado.

20. 2000 The Aspen Skiing Company buys the still undeveloped base area, known as Base Village, setting off a chain of events that has the company partner with resort giant Intrawest to design and plan a full ski resort base village there. . 21. 2004-2005 Snowmass Village Town Council approves the Base Village development plan by Aspen Skiing Company and Intrawest, which includes a host of mountain improvements such as the Elk Camp gondola, a six-pack chairlift, and the “Skittles” pulse gondola connecting the base with the Snowmass Mall. The approval is confirmed by a February 2005 public vote, the largest election turnout in Snowmass history.

22. December 2008 A portion of Base Village officially opens with festivities and a ribbon cutting. Again under new ownership, additional construction is halted by the Great Recession.

23. October 15, 2010 Bulldozer operator Jesse Steele unearths a large bone while enlarging Ziegler Reservoir for municipal water storage. The finding turns out to be the nearly intact skeleton of an Ice Age mammoth, spurring what would become one of the richest paleontological digs in North America, including more than 5,400 bones of 41 ancient species.

24. 2010 A new 22-foot-high superpipe debuts, an international competition-worthy addition to Snowmass’s extensive freestyle features, which includes three terrain parks and approximately 100 features in total.

25. 2015 A high-speed detachable quad replaced the fixed-grip High Alpine double chairlift, cutting the ride time in half and providing realigned access to the upper mid- mountain area, including Hanging Valley, the popular Green Cabin run, and new and improved riding due to glading and expansion.

26. Spring 2017 Construction restarts on Base Village, now owned by a partnership between Aspen Skiing Company, East West Partners, and KSL Capital Partners. Complementing a series of on-mountain investments that include an expanding summer recreational hub at Elk Camp, the next phase to debut by ski season 2018 includes a 99-room Limelight hotel, village plaza for ice skating and other activities and events, and a community building currently envisioned to be the home of the Ice Age finds.

About Snowmass, Colorado – A renowned winter playground and vibrant mountain community just 9 miles from downtown Aspen, Snowmass consistently ranks as one of the best ski areas in the world and was listed as the #4 resort in the west by SKI Magazine in 2018. In addition to unmatched natural beauty and over 300 sunny days a year, Snowmass Ski Area offers guests 3,332 acres of multi-level terrain and boasts the second largest vertical drop in the United States. 95% ski-in/ski-out lodging, 37 restaurants, numerous shops and boutiques, a bounty of off- activities, and a friendly, small town feel beckon visitors year-round. For more information and a complete calendar of events and activities, please visit: www.gosnowmass.com.

Snowmass Tourism Media Contact: Sara Stookey, Public Relations Coordinator, Snowmass Tourism, 970-922-2285 or [email protected].

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