World-famous ski scene owes its start to WWII heroes
When you think of skiing in the United States, chances are Aspen and Vail are among the first places that come to mind — the majestic mountains, the snow-globe scenery, and, as I found out, the storied history.
Recommended Videos
I can confirm there’s a good reason why they are collectively so popular, and not just — famously — among the rich and famous (such as Paulina Gretzky, who recently was posting from the slopes of Aspen).
They are beautiful sights packed with exciting bucket-list experiences. And they’re far from alone in Colorado. America’s eighth-largest state has 28 resorts and ski areas nestled around its 58 peaks that rise more than 14,000 feet above sea level, or “14ers,” as the locals proudly call them.
My ski trip included those famous resorts as well as two smaller spots that I hadn’t heard of but instantly fell for (literally, as I’m a decidedly novice skier, but also figuratively): Ski Cooper and Arapahoe Basin. And although the four resorts are all quite different, they each are linked by history to a unit of the U.S. Army that not only was instrumental in defeating the Germans in the Second World War, but its veterans are credited with founding the modern American ski industry.
Charles Minot “Minny” Dole, who started the National Ski Patrol in 1938, recognized before the U.S. even entered the war that there was a need for elite troops who could fight in winter and mountain conditions. The 10th Mountain Division was the only U.S. military unit to be recruited by civilian entities, The National Ski Patrol and the American Alpine Club. Dole travelled the country recruiting ski instructors, mountaineers and outdoorsmen including some foreign-born volunteers such as the Von Trapp brothers forever renowned from their Sound of Music fame.
A quote from Dole featured at the excellent — and free — Colorado Snowsports Museum Hall of Fame in Vail sums up his strategy: “I contend that it is more reasonable to make soldiers out of skiers than skiers out of soldiers.”
Their training ground was Camp Hale, constructed 35 kilometres west of Aspen, at an elevation of 9,224 feet. Camp Hale’s ski slope, Cooper Hill, 19 kilometres away, had the world’s longest T-bar ski tow at the time — and is now home to Ski Cooper.
The 10th pioneered winter warfare techniques and equipment and in the winter of 1944-45 were deployed to Italy. In five months of combat, they captured Riva Ridge, Mount Belvedere, the Po Valley and Mussolini’s villa, and destroyed five German divisions before Germany surrendered to the Allies in May.
After the war, 10th veterans brought their love of skiing to the masses, founding, developing and/or managing 62 U.S. ski resorts including Vail and Arapahoe Basin, and turning Aspen into a skiing mecca. Today, skiing draws more than 13 million visitors to Colorado and contributes more than US$4.5 billion annually to the economy. Quite the legacy.
SKI COOPER
Ski Cooper’s noble yet humble roots continue to this day. Dana Tyler Johnson, director of marketing, says the ski buildings used for training the 10th were gifted to Lake County after the war and the resort is now managed by a non-profit organization.
Its 2024-25 day passes for Mondays to Thursdays range from $35 to $45 and max out at $110 on Saturdays and holidays. There’s no lodging but there is North America’s highest elevation Irish pub (10,500 feet), a taproom, cafeteria, mountaintop cafe in a yurt, and shop. It’s closest to Leadville, which is the highest incorporated city in North America at 10,152 feet.
The slopes are roomy — which this timid skier found very soothing — yet Cooper also has runs for all skill levels. And the views are incredible, with both the highest peak in not just the state but the entire Rockies, Mount Elbert, and second highest, Mount Massive, visible from the top.
ASPEN SNOWMASS
Located about 315 kilometres west of Denver, Aspen Snowmass has four mountains — Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass — that can be skied on one lift ticket. For my ski day at Aspen, I experienced Buttermilk, which our instructor Adriana told us was the best learning hill.
Indeed, we spent our morning mastering our skills on the gentle bottom slope. After lunch, she determined we were ready, and we got on a different lift. When we crested the summit that we had been looking at all morning, our jaws dropped. The runs and lift just kept going and going — it was huge! Needless to say, after getting our photos taken with the majestic, snow-capped peaks and then starting our descent, it was determined that my ski companion — from Mexico City — and I — from Canada — were not yet ready for the big leagues, so we returned to the comfort of the bottom hill (and enjoyed ourselves!).
Snowmass has a resort that you can ski in and out of while Aspen Mountain is accessible from the streets of downtown, where we stayed at Limelight Hotel. It’s a modern spot with a lively apres-ski lounge and music, outdoor heated pool and hot tubs, and equipment storage. The location is perfect for wandering the restaurants (dinner at Parc Aspen was delish) and shops (some sporting “Be nice or go to Vail” sign and merchandise) of Aspen.
Be sure to pop into nearby Hotel Jerome, opened in 1889 during the height of Colorado’s silver boom, and grab a cocktail at J-Bar. You never know who you might see.
VAIL
Vail is all it’s cracked up to be — and then some. Built out of nothing but the vision of its founders, Vail Resort now has 5,317 acres of prepared terrain, 278 trails and 32 lifts.
Veteran of the 10th Pete Seibert had been impressed by European hospitality throughout the Alps and wanted to bring it to Colorado. While working in Aspen, he met fellow ski patroller and war veteran Earl Eaton, who grew up in Eagle County. Eaton showed Seibert a mountain that was home only to herds of sheep. In the summer of 1962 with the help of investors, they started construction and Vail opened that December.
“In the U.S. at the time, most skiing was really hard, was for the best 1% of skiers in the world,” says John Plack, Vail director of communications. “When they were opening the resort, a lot of people said, ‘It’s too easy,’ and what Pete said is, ‘I want to open a resort for the 99% of skiers out there to come and enjoy a mountain. It shouldn’t be just for the best skiers.’”
Indeed, there’s something for everyone on this massive mountain. The ski lessons we got with Gunter, from Sweden, took place midway up the slope, which helped us get used to the mountain-peak views. Vail’s iconic asset, of course, is its legendary seven Back Bowls, created when a fire ripped through the forest in the late 1800s. I didn’t have the confidence to tackle them this time, so I’ll just have to make another trip!
Off the mountain, Vail, at 8,150 feet, and about 155 kilometres from Denver, has Swiss and Bavarian-inspired architecture and feels quaint. There’s plenty of shopping and restaurants including Vendetta’s, with a full Italian menu and multiple rooms and vibes, and elegant Chasing Rabbits, with its four courses in an indoor entertainment venue that includes a speakeasy and arcade.
Don’t miss apres-ski at The Red Lion, opened in 1964, for people watching, live music and singalongs, and late-night drinks and music at Pepi’s, near Vail’s covered bridge, with its wall of famous guests including a signed photo of Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
ARAPAHOE BASIN
A-Basin accurately describes itself as “a pure enthusiast’s mountain with a focus on adventurous terrain and a laid-back come-as-you-are vibe.”
Established in 1946 by 10th veterans Larry Jump and Sandy Schauffler because it reminded them of the Alps, it was one of the first resorts in Colorado and now has 147 trails, though no lodging.
Communications manager Shayna Silverman says there’s a real sense of community at A-Basin: “You have a friendly, welcoming place that also has pretty insane big-mountain skiing, so it’s the best of both worlds.”
Arapahoe Basin, with a base elevation of 10,780 feet and a summit elevation of 13,050, gets an annual snowfall of 350 inches (889 cm). “We have the longest season in Colorado, we go as long as we can, often July 4,” Silverman says, adding, “Our visitation gets spread out more than other resorts because of that.”
Skiing above the tree line was a first for me, and under snowy conditions I wiped out a couple times on the way down. My more experienced companions relished it, however.
Lunch was at Il Rifugio, a European-style bistro perched atop the Continental Divide at 12,454 feet, making it the highest elevation restaurant in North America. Every Friday at 2:30 p.m. to kick off the weekend they host a free champagne toast, ringing a bell out on the deck so skiers will come in and join.
After lunch rather than ski down they let me and my Mexican friend take the chair — a rare event. A-Basin’s slogan is “legendary for a reason” — maybe now we are too to those who heckled us when we were going the wrong way.
