Although skiing in Colorado goes back to the early 20th century, it was not until the 1930s that it began to be organised with the introduction of rope tows. After World War II the ski industry began to take off and by 1951 there were ski areas open daily in season at Arapahoe, Winter Park, Aspen Mountain and Loveland Basin. By the 1960s millions of dollars were being invested in the skiing industry resulting in the development of nine ski resorts by the early 1970s. Nowadays Colorado is firmly on the world map of skiing destinations. We haven’t visited Colorado in the skiing season (we don’t ski), so the pictures here are of the towns at other times of the year.
West Colorado Ave, Telluride
After the Colorado Gold Rush began, prospectors arrived in the San Juan Mountains to seek their fortunes. The Sheridan Mine was established in the mid-1870's. A series of local claims followed and a tent camp called Columbia was set up in the valley below. This rowdy mining camp became a town in 1878, with a new name of Telluride. The town boomed until in 1893 the price of silver collapsed. Telluride then began a long decline, heading to become a ghost town. The Telluride Ski Resort opened in 1973 and the town was back in business. Like Aspen, Telluride has retained many of its old buildings. Click Tab 2 to see the San Miguel County Courthouse & New Sheridan Hotel
Ski Towns
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Hotel Jerome, Main Street, Aspen
Welcome to Ute City, a silver mining camp set up in 1879. Within months the name had been changed to Aspen. Early plans to develop skiing in the Colorado Rockies were brought to a halt by World War II but during the war soldiers training near here skied around Aspen in their spare time. The ski resort was became a reality in 1947 when Aspen Mountain opened with the world’s longest ski lift. While much of the town is modern, there are still many old buildings, such as the Hotel Jerome built in 1889 by Jerome B. Wheeler, the half-owner of Macy’s Department Store. When we stayed there in 2008 the room rates had increased somewhat from there original levels of $3 and $4 per night.
Crested Butte
When we first visited Crested Butte in 1988, from a distance we wondered if the scattered buildings were a ghost town. In reality Crested Butte is very much alive. Incorporated in 1880, the town began as a supply centre for gold mining, but it was coal mining that became its main source of wealth. When the coal mines closed, the town began to shrink and by the end of the 1950’s it was heading to become a ghost town. The development of Crested Butte Mountain as a ski area in the 1960s brought the town back to life and now it is an all-year resort offering hiking, fishing, climbing and many other activities in summer. This picture shows the Town Hall, dating from 1883.
Vail
Vail gets its name from the nearby Vail Pass which was named in 1940 after Charles Vail the highway engineer who routed U.S. Highway 6 over the pass, now replaced by the Interstate 70. Vail ski resort opened in 1962 and the town of Vail was incorporated 4 years later. There is no historic town here as Vail was developed purely as a ski resort. We stopped in the town on our way to Aspen and were not impressed by the modern and relatively high rise buildings erupting from the valley floor. We did not linger for long.
H P Cowenhoven building & Aspen Block, Galena Street, Aspen
We like Aspen because it manages to be a modern ski resort while at the same time retaining its historical charm. Undoubtedly the many celebrities who have homes in the area use their influence to ensure that Aspen retains its character. Galena Street and the area around it is a great example how Aspen has managed to retain its old buildings. The Romanesque Revival building in shade on the left of this picture was built by H P Cowenhoven in 1890. The building on the right is the Aspen Block built in 1886 by H.P. Cowenhoven and his son-in-law D.R.C. Brown for the then staggering cost of $30,000.
Strater Hotel, Durango
Durango was founded in 1880 by the Denver & Rio Grande Rail as a site for a depot on their line to Silverton. The railroad to Silverton stil operates and Durango is probably best known as the starting point for trips on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. However it is not just a summer resort as a ski resort called Purgatory was built in 1965 halfway between Durango and Silverton. It is now called Durango Mountain Resort. While the ski resort is modern, Durango itself retains many old buildings. This picture shows the Strater Hotel in Durango, built in 1887.
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© Mike Elsden 1981 - 2025
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