At the place where lift-served skiing began on Aspen Mountain nearly 80 years ago, the forthcoming Aspen Snowsports History Museum at Skiers Chalet will honor the area’s ski and snowboard history and Aspen’s unique role in the origins of the sport. The slopeside museum will showcase the historical building and site, as well as house permanent and temporary exhibits that explore Aspen’s storied past. Together with the City of Aspen’s Dolinsek Gardens park, the historical Steak House building, and the original Lift One gantry, the new museum will anchor the redeveloped Lift One corridor and put history front and center as part of a vibrant community hub at Aspen Mountain’s western base.

On March 5, 2019, City of Aspen voters approved the Lift One Corridor redevelopment project, which includes a museum operated by Aspen Historical Society in the relocated and restored historical Skiers Chalet lodge building.

The new museum will display many treasures, such as the original Aspen Mountain “boat tow,” chairs and canvas covers from the first Lift One, and a retro snow mobile, all of which have been preserved by Aspen Historical Society. With more than 11,000 artifacts related to skiing and snowboarding history in the AHS Archives, the museum will bring the past to life with photographs, video footage, 10th Mountain Division uniforms, vintage ski fashion pieces, a comprehensive collection of ski models, and much more.

The renovated Skiers Chalet lodge building will also offer a small cafe, public restrooms, and indoor and outdoor gathering spaces for the community to enjoy year round. Aspen Snowmass ticketing and operations will also share the building.

As the community space comes together with many public amenities, including a city park, public parking, convenient chairlift access, and a vibrant cultural center, 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 skiing in the community. Lift One changed Aspen–and the trajectory of international snowsports–across its celebrated history.

On January 11, 1947, Aspen’s future took flight on a fixed single chair with the grand opening of Lift One and its partner chair, Lift Two. Skiers, who had previously ascended Roch Run in a wooden boat towed up the hill, could now ride the world’s “longest and fastest” chairlift to the top of Aspen Mountain.

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 the most recent World Cup races in 2024.

On March 5, 2019, City of Aspen voters approved the the Lift One Corridor project, including the relocation of the Skiers Chalet lodge building to house a ski museum operated by Aspen Historical Society.

In the fall of 2025, developers broke ground on Chalet Alpina, and began the process of relocating the two historical buildings downhill to their new homes.

AHS continues to collaborate with project stakeholders on the complex multi-year Lift One Corridor redevelopment plan. Construction is underway! Stay tuned for updates.

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.

For more information, contact Heather Macdonald at development@aspenhistory.org or 970.925.3721 ext. 105