Colorado’s Winter Olympians

Colorado’s lost hills and ski areas launched the careers of athletes for previous Winter Olympics. This year, we have exciting Colorado athletes competing in various disciplines on the USA Alpine team in the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026. The Cross Country (Nordic) team looks great too, though it is without Colorado athletes. Good luck to all! We will be watching.

A reminder of the earliest Olympians from Colorado follows from a previous post.

The Winter Olympics of 1924, the first, was all about Nordic skiing because Alpine was not yet invented.

A very early winter Olympian was ski jumper Anders Haugen. In 1919, he had skied over Loveland Pass to the site of the Prestrud Jump at Dillon Reservoir—the hill is now under water—to take part in a competition. He set a world record of 213 feet. The next year he came back and set a new record of 214 feet. He was captain of the U.S. Olympic team at the first Winter Olympics in 1924 in Chamonix, France.

The rest of the story: Anders Haugen missed out on a medal because he was marked down for style points — he leaned out over his skis instead of standing straight up. Years later, it was determined that there had been an error in the calculations and Haugen had actually won a bronze. It was awarded to him and the record was corrected. He is still the only American listed as having won a medal in ski jumping.

Some twenty years later, Robert L. “Barney” McLean skied the areas around Hot Sulphur Springs: Bungalow Hill, Mount Bross, and Snow King Valley. Grand County Museum Director B. Tim Nicklas said about him, “Barney McLean, many can argue, is the best skier to ever come out of Colorado. He has twelve national championships for both jumping and alpine, and he was captain of the 1948 Winter Olympic Team.”

Maggie Armstrong skied on Maggie’s Hill at Hot Sulphur Springs in the 1960s. She remembered a substitute teacher at her one-room schoolhouse in Parshall. Johnny R. Cress took the students skiing on Thursdays at the hill. He also skied Nordic Combined on the U.S. Ski Team at the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics.

Visit to Original Wolf Creek Ski Area

When returning from a visit to Pagosa Springs in mid-September, we stopped at the site of the original Wolf Creek Ski Area, now lost, which was on the north side of the highway at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass.

Skiing began there in 1934 when the highway was completed to the summit. More and more skiers came to Wolf Creek Pass to ski when the highway was kept open all winter, starting in 1938. Skiing continued there until 1955 when the ski area was moved to the south side of the road and a little farther east of the summit where it is today. Again, the original area was lost.

A sign posted there for current visitors gives a hint of what once was and encourages Nordic skiers and snowmobilers to use the area. Maybe you’d like to go use the area next winter.

The rolling topography at the summit, with few trees, indicates why early skiers made the trek there, first to ski straight down on homemade wooden skis the Nordic way and later using smaller skis and poles and making turns the Alpine way. Plus, there was always loads of snow on Wolf Creek Pass.

Our second book, Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Central and Southern Mountains, gives the details about the skiing and the skiers, including a quote from Norm Vance who said that a lot of ‘hearty’ volunteers made the ski area happen. They put up a rope tow and powered it by an old Chevy truck.

We also took the time on our way to drive about three miles up from the summit of Wolf Creek Pass on a dirt road to the Lobo Overlook. It was worth the effort to pause and take in the view at the Continental Divide and to note the Continental Divide Trail up there.

Cuchara skiing is on again

New life for a beautiful ski area in southern Colorado, in Huerfano County, seems to be a real thing. This makes it a FOUND ski area instead of a lost one. Yay! We hope it lasts for the area’s people and that it is an ongoing success.

Our second book Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Central and Southern Mountains details the history of Cuchara in Huerfano County. It operated as Cuchara Ski Basin for about two decades, 1950-1970, a half mile north of the town of Cuchara, with a rope tow and then a platter lift, and five runs. In 1981, skiing returned to the valley when a new area opened southwest of Cuchara, but it closed again in 2000. It was known as Cuchara Valley Ski Area or Panadero. Several attempts to reopen the area failed thereafter, which are detailed in our book, but area residents did not give up.

According to KKTV, Cuchara Mountain Park opened for the 2024-2025 Ski Season on December 14, 2024, with the help of state government. “The Panadero Ski Corporation received a grant through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).” The grant amounted to $250,000.

Seven runs will be available for skiers. No lifts are operating yet, but a sled pulled by a snowcat transports skiers, which is very back to the future as far as Colorado skiing goes. The Facebook page for Panadero Ski Corporation gives details.

Caryn Boddie photo of the lost Cuchara Valley Ski Resort during an autumn visit.

Good luck and Happy New Year, Cuchara Mountain Park. Here’s to a great future!

Sad to see a friend go

At the beginning of this ski season, we just want to say farewell to Coralue Anderson, who passed away on November 7, 2024. It was her 87th birthday.

Coralue purchased our books directly from us and then sold them at the Kneisel & Anderson grocery store in Georgetown. Also, she connected us with people in Georgetown and Empire who knew about Geneva Basin and the ski jump near Empire.

The following photos and write ups about Coralue were posted on the door to the store when we went to the Georgetown Christmas Market in December.

Coralue loved skiing. She would often speak about her ski days as a senior at Loveland Ski Area.

Deepest sympathies to Coralue’s family and friends on her loss, and to Georgetown residents. Rest in peace, Coralue.

Grand County’s Frosty Basin

View from the top of the rope tow at Frosty Basin. Jim Hackstaff photo.

Grand County was the place where recreational skiing began in the northern and central parts of Colorado. In Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains 16 hills are described. One of the later hills in the county was called Frosty Basin.

At the writing of our first lost ski areas book, we could not find information on the hill’s exact whereabouts, and we published limited information about it. Fortunately, we have since connected with Jim Hackstaff, whose family owns Antler Basin Ranch, where Frosty Basin was. Enjoy the following narrative by the Hackstaff Family — many thanks to them — and all the fun photos by Jim Hackstaff.

The power tower at Frosty Basin. Jim Hackstaff photo.

In 1952, the Middle Park Ski Club built the Frosty Basin Ski Area on land John Murphy of the Murphy Ranch let them use. The property is 280 acres and is located directly west of downtown Granby off of County Rd 57 on the slopes of Mount Chauncey. The property is now known as Antler Basin Ranch.

Frosty Basin Ranch was a community resort built by the locals for the locals. It had three runs, two rope tows, a jumping hill and lights for night skiing. Building and running the ski area was a real community effort. Rope tows, motors, power lines and lights for night skiing were donated by townfolk, other ranches and suppliers in the area. Skiing instruction was provided for the novices. 

The Frosty Basin warming hut remains. Jim Hackstaff photo.

Unfortunately, the endeavor only lasted about three years. Not only was running it a lot of effort for the volunteers, but Frosty Basin could not compete with the big mountains at Winter Park Ski Resort.

Frosty Basin tow remains. Jim Hackstaff photo.

As the years went on, the property returned to its native state.  The sage and aspens returned, the equipment deteriorated, and the abandoned warming hut burned because of embers from a neglected campfire. You can still see remnants of the rope and electrical towers as well as the gear boxes as you ascend the Antler Basin Ranch roadway.

Antler Basin Ranch welcomes visitors. Jim Hackstaff photo.

Today, Antler Basin Ranch stands as a magnificent lodge, retreat and event center that is available for rent.  The terrain and the views are spectacular. You can stay and play where the old slopes used to be. There is ample acreage for snowmobiling, sledding, tubing, ski up/ski down, disc golf, 4-wheeling, hiking, biking and glamping. Even fishing by arrangement is available on a neighboring ranch. 

Nordic skiing is available for those who stay at Antler Basin Ranch. Jim Hackstaff photo.

The Ranch hosts families and friends for reunions and holiday stays, as well as many weddings and other events. For the last five years the owners have focused on re-establishing the winter activities too.  The 280 acres are perfect for all winter activities.  In fact, Antler Basin was the host of the 2022 and 2023 Rocky Mountain States Hillclimb Association’s Antler Basin Ranch Hillclimb.

Cabin at Antler Basin Ranch. Jim Hackstaff photo.

Check out the Ranch and all the activities at www.antlerbasinranch.com, call the ranch at 303-619-2914, follow the Ranch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Antler%20Basin%20Ranch/981736735308232 and visit the Ranch on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/antlerbasinranch/

Centennial to Celebrate:

Ski Jump at Dillon

Spectators watch Anders Haugen make a jump at the Prestrud Jump, also called Haugen's Hill, at Dillon in 1919 or 1920.

On the road to the Dillon dam look up near the spillway at the rock cut above from which ‘ski riders’ once launched onto a steep takeoff ramp to fly off a ski jump.

You can’t see where riders landed because that is now under the water of the reservoir. The jump came to be called Prestrud Jump for Peter Prestrud who created the hill in 1919. It was also called Haugen’s Hill for Anders Haugen who set the World Record there twice in 1919 and 1920 at 213 feet and 214 feet, respectively. (To see great photos of the ski riders, including Haugen, courtesy of the Summit County Historical Society, look at Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Central and Southern Mountains, our second book for The History Press.) This photo shows the jump with Haugen flying from it and spectators watching. This photo was not of high enough quality to be included in the book, but it is an historic photo created by LC Anderson for the US Forest Service, and it shows Haugen making a jump of 195 feet.

The rest of the story

One hundred years ago come next January, will be the centennial anniversary of when Anders Haugen led a US team to the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first winter games, in Chamonix, France, and he competed in ski jumping. Unfortunately, he did not win a medal because he leaned forward over his skis instead of standing up straight, so he was marked down on style points.

The actual length of the jump wasn’t good enough for a medal either. But hold on a minute, it was longer, by three feet! According to John Hafner, author of Strange But True, “Fifty years later, a Norwegian sports historian stumbled upon an apparent scoring error. To his amazement, the scores didn’t add up. Upon further checking, the Norwegian Olympic Committee confirmed that the American was the rightful owner of the bronze medal.”

More of the rest of the story

The committee invited Haugen to Oslo, Norway, in 1974. The now eighty-six-year-old Haugen received the bronze medal with the blessing of Anne Marie Magnussen, who wanted her father’s medal to be turned over to Haugen. He still stands as the only American to win an Olympic medal in ski jumping.

Summer Trip to Rollins Pass/Corona

Very long, rough ride to Rollins Pass — where Corona was — from Winter Park, good four-wheel-drive vehicle recommended. A walk on the tundra there, at the Continental Divide, is a real treat.

Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains tells the story of Carl Howelsen and Angell Schmidt riding the train on the Moffat Road to Rollins Pass “where Corona was,” getting off the train, and skiing down to Hot Sulphur Springs to crash the town’s first winter carnival in 1911. They showcased ski jumping there.

We drove the very rough Corona jeep road from Colorado Highway 40 this summer to visit the historic spot and to remember the story and the railroad that carried so many to Hot Sulphur Springs. Later with the creation of the Moffat Tunnel it let them off to ski at West Portal Resorts and the Mary Jane Trail.

Passengers on the Moffat Road take a break at Corona (Rollins Pass). US Forest Service photo.
Wild roses, old trestle, hike on the Continental Divide and King Lake were highlights of our summer visit to the point where early Colorado skiers launched into making ski history.

Weeks after our visit to the pass we made a visit to Central City and the Gilpin History Museum. A display provided us with a little more information about Corona. “This railroad station at the top of Rollins Pass was built around 1904. Snow on the pass drifts to 20 to 30 feet during the winter. A snow shed was built in 1909 to eliminate plowing the drifts. The Central City Weekly Register-Call reported on August 27, 1909 that the shed “. . . will require a million and a quarter feet” of lumber. When the Moffat Tunnel opened in 1928 the twenty-three miles of track over Rollins Pass was abandoned along with the structure.”

Engine and passengers at the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. Caryn Bossie postcard collection.

Summer Visit to Rilliet Hill

When we wrote Lost Ski Areas of the Front Range and Northern Mountains, we spoke with Woody Smith of the Colorado Mountain Club about Rilliet Hill, but we did not find its exact location on Lookout Mountain. That was way back in 2013 or 2014.

Recently, and out of the blue, we had a call from Michael Young (below), the author of The Swiss Army Knife. He offered to show the hill to us. We were happy and excited to accept the offer. (Mike’s book is available on Amazon and Ebay.)

On June 19, we met Mike on Lookout Mountain, parked and walked down to the site of Rilliet Hill. What a beautiful spot. We could see the actual hill, which was sporting some younger evergreens and lots of wildflowers. Also, Mike pointed out to us landmarks that seem to be the same ones as in a snow-covered photo in our book.

Rilliet Park and Rilliet Hill
Lost ski area Rilliet Hill was located in Rilliet Park, on Lookout Mountain.

Skiing took place there in the 1920s by Colorado Mountain Club members. They got up to the hill with horses and sleds and then by Model T and Model A autos. At first the members skied down and trekked up, but then they must have rigged up a rope tow, probably powered by the engine of a Model T. (You can see a winter photo of the transportation in our Front Range book.)

CMC members built a warming hut near the hill. Mike introduced us to Keith Davidson, president of the Rilliet Park Association. He showed us the hut, which he and his wife Marta have been caretaking and renovating, even putting on a new roof, just the two of them.

Keith Davidson (R), president of the Rilliet Park Association, with property owner and shareholder Michael Young, who has a family history with Rilliet Park, in front of the warming hut.

The extraordinary thing about this place is that the Colorado Mountain Club bought the land and created the Rilliet Park Association. In 1997, the association donated a 273-acres conservation easement to the Clear Creek Land Conservancy. So, it is protected. For that reason, and because it’s private, we are still not going to tell exactly where it is located.

It’s remarkable how some lost hills were never completely lost at all, thanks to the good people who have been involved with them over the years.

Thank you, Michael Young for contacting us.

Spring is sprung. Skiing is done.

A snowstorm that comes after spring has arrived reminds us of the great things about the last winter, including the beauty of snow falling. Some of the lost areas have hung around to one degree or another for years, also reminding skiers of the joys of winter and past ski seasons.

One example is Arapahoe East, which haunted skiers as they drove through Mount Vernon Canyon going to, or returning from, the mountains. By 1984, only the lift towers remained.

Arapahoe East sat atop a hill on the south side of I-70 (north slope of Mt. Liniger) a couple of miles west of the exit to Golden and Morrison. The idea was that of Larry Jump, who owned Arapahoe Basin early on.

One unique thing about the area, which opened in 1972, was that you paid by the ride with tokens, which were .25 cents each. One token was required for the Poma lift and two for the chairlift.

You can read all about Arapahoe East — kind of a sad story — in Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains. If you buy through this website, we’ll sign the book and get it out to you right away.

Hat tip to coloradoskihistory.com for letting us use their image of the AE brochure.

2022–2023 Ski Season Opens

Hope it’s a safe and snowy one for all

The Denver Gazette reported in the week before Thanksgiving that seven resorts were opening to skiers, adding to the nine that were already open.

It’s a different world than the one early skiers in Colorado knew, largely because of snowmaking. For many years skiing happened when there was enough snow naturally and when there was no snow, there was no skiing.

The lives of the early skiers were focused on raising families and making a living through the trades, mining, and ranching. They barely had time to think about skiing, but when snow came, they made the time to go out and have a little fun sliding on it. Also, they made skiing happen for the kids, and the sport grew and spread.

You can read all about it in Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains and Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Central and Southern Mountains. If you buy through this website, we’ll sign the books and get them out to you right away. By the way, they make great gifts.

Anyway, here’s to a wonderful ski season! Enjoy!