Aspen Historical Society is grateful that the Lift One Corridor project was approved by City of Aspen voters on March 5, 2019. AHS is honored to create and operate a museum worthy of the area’s snowsports history within the historic Skier’s Chalet Lodge building. AHS continues to collaborate with project stakeholders on the complex multi-year Lift One Corridor redevelopment plan, which features myriad public amenities including a new park, public parking, convenient chairlift access, and restoration of historical assets.

At the place where lift-served skiing began more than 80 years ago, the museum will honor the ski and snowboard history of the area and Aspen’s unique role in the origins of the sport while putting history front and center as part of a lively western portal. Adjacent to the original Lift 1 gantry, the slopeside museum will showcase the site itself, as well as house permanent and temporary exhibits that explore Aspen’s storied past. With more than 11,000 artifacts, historical images and records in the AHS Archives related to skiing and snowboarding history, the museum will display many treasures, such as  the original Aspen Mountain “boat tow,” chairs and canvas covers from the original Lift One, 10th Mountain Division artifacts, ski fashion pieces, a comprehensive collection of ski models, and much more.

With the ski corridor and the lift terminus restored to their original locations, preserved historical buildings, and the new museum, an exciting future lies ahead for Aspen Mountain’s historic portal.

Thanks for bringing the boat tow home, Aspen!

Aspen Mountain’s western base area was home to Aspen’s first true chairlift and the site remains integral to the origins and legacy of lift-served skiing in the community and in the country. The original Lift One, combined with Lift Two, was the longest and fastest chairlift in the world when it was dedicated in 1947. In 1950, the chairlift hosted the first FIS World Championship alpine ski races ever held outside of Europe. In 1968, Aspen began a long tradition of hosting FIS World Cup races, a tradition that remained strong though 2017 when Lift 1A hosted the men’s and women’s World Cup Finals.

AHS has began initial museum and exhibition planning and will be launching a capital campaign to fund finishing its portion of the building renovation,* completing the museum, and creating exhibits and programs.