Explore Colorado's fascinating ski history through these two books. Visit the early hills and areas through words and images. Enjoy reading about the early skiers and their fun—and sometimes risky—adventures. BUY HERE FOR SIGNED COPIES AND FREE SHIPPING. Call 720-331-9361 or 303-898-4991 to speak to one of us.
Tag: lost ski areas of colorado’s front range and northern mountains
Did you know Nordic skiing was the first form of skiing in Colorado and that it was brought by Norwegian immigrants to the state? (The images in this post are US Forest Service photos from the early 1900s of Nordic skiing and ski jumping at a winter carnival in Hot Sulphur Springs, which is Colorado’s lost ski town, and not far from the ranch.) Read more about it in the Front Range and northern mountains book.
You can also order books for gifting through our website. We’ll sign and ship them to you right away.
The US Forest Service was actively involved with early Colorado skiing.
Come hear the Boddies share about the lost ski areas of Colorado at the Museum in the Town of Frisco (120 Main Street) in Summit County, on Friday, November 8, at 4 p.m. It’s opening day of the 2019–2020 Season at Copper Mountain!
Come hear the story beneath the story of the Colorado Ski Industry. Come learn who brought the ski culture here initially. Come find out about the only American to win a medal in Olympic ski jumping and how he is connected to Summit County.
The evening will be lots of fun and historic photos will be involved, plus you can buy copies of the lost ski area books and have the authors sign them. (They make great Christmas gifts!)
Ski jumper on Norwegian snowshoes at Hot Sulphur Springs in early days of Colorado skiing. USFS photo.
The earliest skis in Colorado were long, wooden ones called Norwegian Snowshoes, which were impossible to turn. And so, skiers didn’t turn for the longest time; I mean, they just went straight downhill.
Folks also used the skis for ski jumping, which was the extreme sport of the day in many parts of the state, starting in 1911 in Hot Sulphur Springs, home of the earliest Winter Carnivals in Colorado. The town also had a newspaper—and a newspaper editor with a sense of humor.
He wrote an account of one wild ride downhill—fictionalized if not pure fiction—which appeared in The Middle Park Times on January 30, 1914 with the headline, “Judge Kennedy’s Wild Ride.” You can read the entire story in Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains. Here’s a little taste of it:
There are two rides in our nation’s history that are sacredly popular. One is “Paul Revere’s ride” and the other is “Washington’s boat ride across the Delaware” on that memorable Christmas night. Thus far, our nation’s historians have not taken cognizance of a third ride. But it happened this way. Last Sunday afternoon, every able-bodied man in town was called into service to erect the tower on the summit of the hill at the head of the ski course. Most of the men on the hill had skis on and it was suggested that they coast down the hill. Among others who were on skis was Judge Kennedy of the county court. Charley Free and Ed Chatfield suggested that the Judge coast down the hill. “I’m game,” said the Judge. Charley got the toes of the skis straight in the ski trail, while Ed attended the heels. Everybody in town had at least one eye on that hill. Finally Charley shouted, “All aboard! Let ‘er go!” Chatty yelled, “All ready, skiddo!” Zip—and the chief dignitary of the county court was on his way at a terrific and suffocating rate of speed…
In Irwin, near Crested Butte, miners started sharing their skiing prowess early on. “About 1886 we had a ski club that attracted much attention all over the country. We gave exhibitions on the steep hillside just south of town. We gave the fastest runners first second and third prizes or real worth usually gold stick pins made to order. Had folks from Gunnison and other towns such as Montrose, Delta, Grand Junction, Salida and Denver come to the exhibitions at the Buttes…”
Sticker on bench made out of snowboards at Indian Mountain.
When you’re driving through the vast South Park on your way to well-known ski areas and mountain communities, try to envision a ski area right there.
Indian Mountain operated about ten miles southeast of Jefferson and served a local community.
One summer, the authors went there to investigate. We walked the old runs and took pictures of remaining signs of the old lifts. We also found an old sticker for the area on a bench made of snowboards.
You can find out a little more about Indian Mountain in the Lost Ski Areas of the Front Range and Northern Mountains book.
Cacheologist Jim Wulff, of Evergreen, came with his wife to Where the Books Go where the authors appeared for a local author event on Saturday, December 3, 2016. It was great to meet them.
Look who showed up at Where the Books Go in Evergreen: Jim Wulff, Cacheologist.
We didn’t know that Jim has been placing geocaches at the lost ski hills and areas of Colorado, and were happy to learn about his efforts.
The host of “Colorado Matters” on Colorado Public Radio interviewed Caryn and Peter about Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains on November 12, 2014. Listen here.
Ryan Warner interviewed the Boddies about Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Central and Southern Mountains on January 5, 2016. Listen here.
Buy herefrom the authors. We’ll sign the books for you and ship them free.
