Aspen Historical Society is excited to be part of the Lift One corridor project. Aspen’s first ski run was cut there in 1937 and its first lift \u2014 a boat tow powered by a mine hoist and truck engine \u2014 was installed. It carried 100 skiers daily (often tipping and dumping said skiers in the snow).<\/p>\n
Lift 1 opened in 1946. Combined with Lift 2, it was the world’s longest, fastest chairlift. Phenomenal for its time, the lift made the cover of the January 1948 issue of Popular Mechanics, which called it a major engineering feat. This progressive infrastructure helped Aspen land the 1950 FIS World Championships, the first sanctioned international skiing competition held in the United States, establishing Aspen as a place to be skied.<\/p>\n
This project preserves our history and puts it front and center. The original Lift 1 gantry and towers and Skier’s Chalet buildings will serve as the “front door” to the base area. The Skier’s Chalet Lodge will house skier services, patrol, and an Aspen ski history museum operated by the Historical Society. AHS currently has the ability to build a museum at the site, but this project is the best way to make the museum a reality with the added benefit of putting historic protection on the currently unprotected Skier’s Chalet Lodge. It will also provide a place for AHS to exhibit much of its extensive skiing history collection, including one of the original boat tow carriages.<\/p>\n
The time has come to honor this history. Please vote “yes” for Lift One.<\/p>\n
Kelly Murphy<\/p>\n
President and CEO, Aspen Historical Society<\/p>\n