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1857
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First documented use of skis in Colorado—Marcy Expedition, near Gunnison, CO
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Father John Dyer skied through the Rockies delivering mail and sermons
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First settlers of Aspen learned to ski from their Swedish colleagues
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Crested Butte Ski Club raced against Gunnison Ski Club in possibly the first ski meet in the country
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1893
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Repeal of Sherman Silver Purchase act and Panic of 1893—silver bust |
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1899
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Residents of Hunters Pass (Independence) ski to Aspen for safety during month-long blizzard |
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1900–
1930s
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Aspen locals skied on homemade skis around Aspen |
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1910s
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Leadville, Dillon, Frisco, and Denver formed ski clubs |
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1912
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Hot Sulphur Springs held its first winter carnival
Colorado Mountain Club established in Denver |
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1914
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Steamboat Springs held its first winter carnival |
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1915
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CMC began taking annual ski trips to Rocky Mountain National Park |
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1916
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Western State students and Gunnison locals took up skiing in earnest |
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1919
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CMC built jump at Genessee and started holding meets there |
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1920s
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Companion outdoor/ski clubs formed in Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Estes Park |
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1928
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Moffat Tunnel completed—Denver skiers take train to West Portal area to ski |
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1930
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Arlberg Club formed in Denver |
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1932
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Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, NY |
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1936
Spring
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T.J. Flynn met Billy Fiske in California |
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1936
July
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Fiske, Robert Rowan, and a few of Fiske's friends flew to Aspen to look around—met Flynn and Fred Willoughby and explored Aspen Mountain and saw Mt. Hayden—Fiske returned to NY and established the Highland Bavarian Corporation with Flynn and Ted Ryan—bought Tagert's ranch on Castle and Conundrum Creeks - generated support for building a lodge |
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1936
Sept.
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Construction began on the Highland Bavarian Lodge |
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1936
Nov.
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André Roch and Gunther Langes arrived in order to survey the area and determine its potential as a winter resort |
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1936
Dec.
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Roaring Fork Winter Sports Club, later to be the Aspen Ski Club, formed, Frank Willoughby first elected president—Sun Valley resort in Idaho opened—Highland Bavarian Lodge opened—Arlberg Club members first paying guests |
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1937
Feb.
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RFWSC held its first race on Richmond Hill across from the Highland Bavarian Lodge - CMC made its annual winter trip to the Highland Bavarian instead of Estes Park |
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1937
March
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Dartmouth ski coach and famous skier Otto Schneibs brings team to HBL |
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1937
April
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German ski team trained at HBL |
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1937
May
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Roch marked out plan for Roch Run on Aspen Mountain |
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1937
June
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Roch and Langes return to Europe |
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1937
Summer
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Ski Club volunteers cut Roch Run—Blain Bray helped ski club volunteers build the boat tow |
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1937
Winter
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RFWSC, now Aspen Ski Club, operated boat tow |
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1938
Spring
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Highland Bavarian Corporation bought Ashcroft land |
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1938
Summer/
Fall
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WPA and City of Aspen fund project to construct the Willoughby jump, a warming hut at the top of the Roch Run, and the ski club house |
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1938
Winter
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Southern Rocky Mountain Ski Association slalom and downhill championships held on the Roch Run —Elizabeth Paepcke and friends visit Aspen for a ski weekend |
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1939
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SRMSA Championships held on the Roch Run |
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1940
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SRMSA Championships held on the Roch Run
State Treasurer declared Ashcroft abandoned and officially turned over the townsite to the Highland Bavarian Corporation |
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1940
August
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Billy Fiske killed in the Battle of Britain—first American killed in action with the RAF during WWII |
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1941
Winter
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United States Ski Association National Championships held on the Roch Run |
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1941
March
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Colorado State Legislature authorized the creation of the Colorado Aerial Tramway Commission and the sale of $650,000 worth of bonds to finance the construction of a tramway up Mt. Hayden |
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1941
Summer
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Architect Ellery Husted came to Ashcroft and envisioned a "Williamsburg of the Old West" there as a Mt. Hayden base village |
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1941
Nov.
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Army created the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment based in Ft. Lewis, Washington |
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1941
Dec.
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Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and United States entered World War Two—Ted Ryan offered the Highland Bavarian's land in Ashcroft to the Army for the duration of the war for $1 |
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1942
April
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Construction began on Camp Hale in Pando, Colorado |
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1942
August
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detatchment of 87th Regiment to Ashcroft |
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1942
Nov.
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troops moved into Camp Hale and form the 10th Mountain Division |
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1942
Winter
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10th Mountain Division soldiers skied on Aspen Mountain and stayed at the Hotel Jerome |
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1943
June
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Third platoon of 10th Reconnaisance—including Friedl Pfeifer—marched to Aspen on maneuvers |
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1943
Winter
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10th Mountain Division soldiers skied at Aspen and stayed at the Hotel Jerome |
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1944
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November: 10th Mountain Division sent to Italy where they would take Riva Ridge, Mt. Belvedere, and open a path for the 5th Army to advance up the Po Valley |
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1945
May
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German Army surrendered
Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke visited Aspen—Paepcke established the Aspen Company and began to buy up real estate |
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1945
August
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Friedl Pfeifer went to Aspen to generate support for a ski resort there |
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1945
Sept.
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Pfeifer met with Paepcke at Perry Park to discuss Aspen's development |
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1945
Oct.
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10th Mountain Division disbanded |
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1945
Nov.
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Pfeifer took over management of the boat tow and built a rope tow |
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1945
Dec.
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Aspen Ski School opened for business with co-directors Pfeifer, Percy Rideout, and Johnny Litchfield |
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1946
Jan.
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Aspen Skiing Corporation established |
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1946
March.
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First annual Roch Cup held on Aspen Mountain |
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1946
Summer
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Construction of lifts No.1 and No.2 and the Sundeck |
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1946
Dec.
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Unofficial opening of lift No.1 |
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1947
Jan.
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Official opening celebration of lift No.1 and the Sundeck |
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1948
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Dick Durrance films "Aspen in Winter"
Fred and Elli Iselin to Aspen
Aspen's airport opened for business |
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1949
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Goethe Bicentennial celebration |
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1950
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Aspen Music Festival, Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies established
FIS Championships held on Spar Gulch, Silver Queen, and Ruthie's Run |
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1951
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Jack dePagter and friends held the first annual Wintersköl
Aspen Music School established, International Design Conference of Aspen established |
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1953
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Friedl Pfeifer bought 300 acres at the base of Buttermilk
No.3 lift built from Tourtolette Park to the Sundeck |
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1954
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No.1 lift broke down and locals ferried skiers up the back of Aspen Mountain in jeep convoys
Route 82 paved through town |
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1955
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Aspen passed its first zoning laws
Whip Jones bought property at base of Highlands to raise horses |
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1956
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No.4 lift built from Little Nell to Bell Mountain |
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1958
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Buttermilk opened with one T-bar
Aspen Highlands opened with two chairlifts, a T-bar, and a rope tow
Stein Erikson directed Aspen Highlands Ski School |
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1959
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D.R.C. Brown became president of the Aspen Skiing Corporation |
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1960
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Winter Olympics held at Squaw Valley, CA |
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1962
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Buttermilk installed two chairlifts and opened the Cliffhouse restaurant
Vail ski resort opened
skiing available at Snowmass via snowcat |
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1963
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Aspen Skiing Corporation took over Buttermilk Mountain
Ski Country USA established to unite and promote southern Rocky Mountain ski areas
Construction began on Snowmass |
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1965
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Buttermilk expanded and opened Buttermilk West |
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1966
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Aspen Area Master Plan adopted to control growth and development |
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1967
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Snowmass-at-Aspen resort opened
Aspen's downtown and residential streets paved |
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1968
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First World Cup Race held in Aspen—Roch World Cup |
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1978
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Aspen Skiing Corporation bought by 20th Century Fox
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