Author: hikingcolo@msn.com

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!

A New Conversation on “Colorado Matters”

Hot Sulphur skiers at winter carnival. USFS photo.

Listen to a new conversation on early Colorado Skiing, which was broadcast on CPR’s “Colorado Matters” February 1, 2022. Many thanks to CPR!

Come Hear the Authors: Golden History Museum, Wednesday, February 16, 6 PM

One hundred years ago, Municipal Facts Monthly, a Denver magazine, published these images of “The Lariat Trail” on Lookout Mountain in snow.

In our research we learned that Colorado Mountain Club members went up the mountain to Rilliet Hill by horse and sleigh early on, and then by car, to practice telemarking on the ski down, but we never found the exact location of the hill. If you know where it was, please let the authors know. We hope to see you at the Golden History Museum! For tickets go to: Special events and programs at Golden History Museum & Park.

2021–2022 Ski Season Begins

Historic photo showing historic snowfall that got Denver hooked on skiing.
Martha (R), Mary Louise (L) and Sylvia Springsteen in the aftermath of the Big Snow of 1913.

In 1913, Denver received a massive amount of snow, which shut down the city for everyone except for one man: Carl Howelsen. He went skiing around and inspired George Cranmer to ask for lessons in how to ski. That was the beginning of the thirst for skiing in Denver.

Howelsen became the “Johnny Appleseed” of skiing in Colorado and, with friends, ignited the extreme snow sport of the day, ski jumping. You can read all about it in “Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains.”

The photo above shows the author Caryn’s grandmother Martha and her sisters walking after the storms in northwest Denver, which is now Highlands.

We had a beautiful, but dry, autumn in 2021. However, some of the ski areas have opened with manmade snow and limited runs.

Think snow.

Summer Visit: Red Mountain

Looking south from Red Mountain. Peter Boddie photo.

Glenwood Springs residents skied the big mountain on the west side of town for years before WWII, and they skied Lookout Mountain to the east of town too. Later, they skied at the top of Red Mountain at Glenwood Mountain Park. You can read about how they constructed the “ski courses” and Glenwood Mountain Park in Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Central and Southern Mountains.

The Red Mountain run was long, narrow and pretty steep. The Glenwood Mountain Park runs were at the top of the Red Mountain run and more gentle, but you had to brave the drive to get there.

Red Mountain is a place you can easily hike during the warm months. Unlike many lost areas, you do not have to ask permission to go there; in fact, an established trail exists. It’s a moderately difficult hike and you may see pieces of the last chairlift that existed (orange metal). You will get to see nice views and a few wildflowers. For directions to the trailhead go to: Red Mountain Trailhead | COTREX (colorado.gov).

A write up about the trail says the ski hill started in 1941. Our research indicated it started in the late 1930s.