|
tah has “The Greatest Snow on Earth”, - an average
of 500” of light champagne powder annually. We also have some |
of the greatest ski resorts on earth, home to 12
world class alpine ski resorts. Utah has 10 resorts within
an hour drive of the Salt Lake International Airport, and
there are 7 within a 30-45 minute drive. Served by 13 major
airlines and 726 daily flights, getting to Utah is convenient
from just about anywhere.
No one knows for sure when or where skiing first started
in Utah, but what is known is that by the 1870s, miners, snowbound
in the canyons of the Wasatch for most of the winter, were
strapping skis on to make their way around and between the
canyons.
During the early 1900s several organizations began to promote
skiing. The Wasatch Mountain Club, still going, formed in
1912. Club members began leading regular ski treks into the
Wasatch Mountains.
By the 1930s ski jumping tournaments on famous Utah hills
such as Ecker Hill outside Park City and Becker Hill near
Ogden were drawing thousands of fans to watch local heroes
soar to world record jumps. This decade also |
saw the opening
of Utah’s first alpine ski resorts. In 1936 the Wasatch
Mountain Club build a rope tow at Brighton Ski Resort and
organized Utah’s first official alpine ski races. In
1938 Alta opened with Utah’s first chairlift (the second
chairlift in the US behind only Sun Valley).
The 1940s saw Utah establish itself as the hotbed of ski
competition. Alta began the famous Snow Cup tournament in
1940. Snowbasin hosted the US National downhill, slalom and
combined ski championships in 1947 and the 1948 US Olympic
team included a large contingent of Utah skiers.
The Utah Winter Sports Park (now called Utah Olympic Park)
opened in 1993 with world-class jumping, bobsled and luge
facilities. Construction also began on state-of-the-art cross-country
skiing facilities at Soldier Hollow and ice facilities in
Salt Lake City. In 1995 the International Olympic Committee
awarded Salt Lake City the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
Utah began its third millennium of skiing with a splash by
hosting the most successful Winter Games in history when the
state and its people welcomed the world for the 2002 Olympic
Winter Games. |
