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Photo Courtesy of Vail Resorts
Photo by Jack Affleck
The Vail Valley was
originally
territory of the Ute Native Americans and for generations
was used as their summertime hunting and fishing
grounds. The first documented European presence in
the Eagle River Valley region was the Fremont party guided
by Kit Carson in 1840. Over a decade later, a
British Nobleman by the name "Lord Gore" led an
extravagant hunting expedition through the Blue River
Valley, which is situated on the East Side of the mountains
what is now known as the Gore mountain range. After
the discovery of gold and silver in the neighboring
boomtowns of Leadville and Breckenridge, the area swelled
with fortune seeking miners. In 1883, Eagle County
was established and the town of Red Cliff was named the
county seat (moved in 1921 to the town of Eagle).
After the mining industry died, ranchers used the lush
valley as summer pastures for their herds of sheep.
This continued even after the state built a highway through
the valley just prior to World War II under the supervision
of state highway engineer Charlie Vail.
In the 1940's US Army Mountain troops were trained at Camp
Hale, 20 miles south of Vail on Highway 24. When the war
ended several friends from the famous 10th Mountain
Division ski troops returned to the valley. One
person among them was Peter Seibert. And one day,
he and a local resident named Earl Eaton, hiked past the
false peaks (one only sees from the highway) and on to the
top of the mountain were they viewed vast open bowls and
saw the potential for endless ski slopes. The year
was 1957 and they were determined to develop the area as a
ski resort.
Seibert, Eaton and others purchased some private land,
obtained a Forest Service Ski area permit and formed the
Vail Corporation. With the permit, however, came
strict guidelines that stated they must have enough money
to construct trails, lifts, and cover the first year's
operating expenses. A total of $1.8 million dollars
was needed. After having trouble raising capital,
they offered potential investors a deal. For
$10,000 dollars one could receive a limited partnership,
four lifetime ski passes, and a Vail homesite. Not
shockingly, sales took off. Construction began in
the spring of 1962 and in seven short months a resort was
built including a hotel, motel, homes, apartments, stores,
ski trails, 2 lifts, a gondola and 876 skiable acres. The
area opened on December 15th, 1962. The price of an
all day lift ticket was $5.00 dollars.
*The above
information was provided in literature from the Vail
Valley Tourism and Convention Bureau.
