History

In the heart of the Rocky Mountains sits Vail, Colorado. This mountain vastness has formed present-day Vail and its frequently snow-bound history. Now a bustling winter wonderland filled with lavish chalets and world-class resorts, it is hard to imagine that this city was ever anything other than the country's top ski destination. However, Vail was once home to the Ute Native American tribe, who spent the summer months in the Vail Valley. Gold was discovered in the area in 1859, and soon miners and merchants came pouring in, hoping for a bonanza. By the end of the 19th century, the Ute Indians were displaced, and the land remained in the hands of ranchers and pioneers.

Colorado was declared a U.S. territory two years later in 1861, and as the population grew, the inhabitants of fledgling mountain towns recognized the need for a more centralized authority. Local governments were created to protect property rights and maintain order in the towns, and after an 18-year battle, Colorado gained its statehood in 1876.

The ski tradition has long been present in Colorado, and in the Vail area especially. The first trans-Alpine skiers were mail carriers who traveled to small frontier towns bringing news and letters from the outside world. By 1880, the state had upwards of 50 skiing mail carriers. These men would travel with only simple equipment, and trekked more than 40 miles at a time to reach their destinations. Soon they became folk-heroes of sorts, and some, like Al Johnson and Father Dryer, are still renowned today for their trekking abilities. The rich competitive future of the area was foreshadowed in an 1886 race, when 25 of these skiers took to the slopes above Crested Butte.

The area remained in this state of relative isolation until 1940, when the Colorado Highway Department completed State Highway 6 (today Interstate 70) from Denver. The Valley was then named after the chief engineer of the project, Charles Vail. During World War II, the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division used the area Southeast of Vail, called Camp Hale, for survival training. Some of the men in this elite team recognized the potential this pristine location had to become a world-class ski area. Pete Siebert and Earl Eaton, veterans of the 10th Mountain Division, were the first to begin plans to turn No-Name Mountain, a series of peaks nearby Vail Pass, into ski runs. After returning from the war, they pioneered the creation of Colorado's winter-sport industry. They saw that the very same characteristics that had made Vail a great training ground for the Army would prove to be ideal qualities for a top ski resort.

In 1962 the first resort opened for business and soon large numbers of visitors were flocking to the area, drawn by the soft snow and gentle slopes that set Vail apart from other nearby mountains. Four years later the Town of Vail was incorporated, and construction began to make the downtown as much of an attraction as the ski runs. By the 1970s, it was becoming the most popular ski resort in the country, gaining fame for its sunny slopes, miles of expansive tracks, and its famous vacationers such as President Gerald Ford.

Since that time, the industry has boomed, making Vail the country's top destination for leisure skiers, snowboarders, and Olympic hopefuls alike. The Alpine World Championships were held here in 1989 and 1999, putting the city of Vail on the map for its world-class restaurants, hotels, and spas. In 1996, Vail Resorts Inc. was formed through a series of mergers, allowing skiers to access all of the area's resorts on one ticket. In addition, new runs were opened in 2000, completing the original dream of the valley's ski industry pioneers, Pete Siebert and Earl Eaton.

Photograph provided by Jack Affleck