ASPEN ALBUM

Year Published: 1966

Description:

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This film "Aspen Album" (1966) was produced by Dick Durrance Films for the Apsen Skiing Corp. It presents an historical journey through Aspen, Colorado, tracing its transformation from a silver mining boomtown in the late 1800s to one of America's premier ski resorts. Originally a prosperous mining hub, Aspen declined after the 1893 silver crash, becoming a quiet, near-abandoned town. In the 1930s and 1940s, skiers rediscovered its potential, drawn by its challenging terrain and deep powder. After WWII development accelerated, and by 1950 Aspen was hosting major international ski competitions, including the FIS World Championships. The town modernized, yet retained its small-town spirit and community roots. New areas like Snowmass expanded its reach, while the ongoing evolution of gear and infrastructure kept Aspen at the forefront of skiing. Aspen’s story is told like a family album—rich in memories, growth, and a sense of fun that continues to define its character. Note: Filmmaker Dick Durrance was a 17-time national championship alpine ski racer.

0:00 – Introduction to Aspen Mountain, Colorado Rockies, as a standard-setter for American skiing.

0:29 – Aspen is home for some; it's their permanent address and hometown.

0:42 – The town grew from a ghost town into a major winter resort, with personal and communal memories captured in photos.

1:18 – These photos accumulated into a kind of family album.

1:41 – In 1879, Aspen began as a prospector's camp with rich silver deposits.

1:51 – By 1889, Aspen became a booming city with 15,000 people and extensive infrastructure.

2:11 – The city had its own transit and services, growing rapidly.

2:31 – Aspenites embraced winter sports early on.

2:49 – In summer, people enjoyed outdoor recreation, and big shows visited the town.

3:24 – Aspen thrived on silver for 15 years until the market collapsed in 1893.

3:56 – Mines closed; the population dwindled to 500.

4:18 – Aspen became a sleepy, nostalgic town awaiting rediscovery.

4:30 – In the 1930s, skiers began exploring Aspen, praising it over the Swiss Alps.

4:52 – Skiers had to climb the mountain manually in the early 1940s.

5:08 – A rope tow and boat tow were available for easier access.

5:34 – Fashion already played a role in early ski culture.

5:46 – Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division skied in Aspen during training breaks.

6:28 – Skiing was new for many, but people were encouraged to try.

7:28 – After WWII, Aspen developed into a ski destination.

8:00 – The town rebuilt itself to welcome new visitors.

8:12 – By 1946, Aspen was ready for a new ski bonanza.

8:36 – This was before modern ski fashion and gear innovations.

9:00 – Aspen started with only two lifts and wooden skis.

9:45 – Trails were limited but powder snow was abundant.

10:46 – Skiing began young in Aspen; children grew up on the slopes.

11:03 – Aspen developed alongside its youngest skiers.

11:37 – Obstacle races helped kids learn skiing skills.

13:04 – Aspen matured, hosting events like the RO Cup race.

13:18 – It began drawing top U.S. skiers.

13:58 – Despite changes, many aspects of Aspen remained constant.

14:38 – In 1950, Aspen hosted the FIS World Ski Championships, the first in the U.S.

15:22 – The international community was impressed.

16:29 – Aspen proved it could compete globally.

17:25 – With success came celebration, including the quirky “Winter Skol” event.

18:30 – Aspen modernized with airlines and new developments, but retained its roots.

19:27 – The “family album” of Aspen continues to grow with new expansions.

19:47 – Snowmass, a nearby resort village, began to flourish.

20:44 – More lifts and new trails were added to meet growing demand.

21:10 – Aspen built one of the most complete ski facilities in the U.S.

21:32 –New, young visitors, maintaining a youthful spirit.

22:09 – Aspen, Buttermilk, and Snowmass form a growing legacy, with more history still to come.

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Complete Record: This film "Aspen Album" (1966) was produced by Dick Durrance Films for the Apsen Skiing Corp. It presents an historical journey through Aspen, Colorado, tracing its transformation from a silver mining boomtown in the late 1800s to one of America's premier ski resorts. Originally a prosperous mining hub, Aspen declined after the 1893 silver crash, becoming a quiet, near-abandoned town. In the 1930s and 1940s, skiers rediscovered its potential, drawn by its challenging terrain and deep powder. After WWII development accelerated, and by 1950 Aspen was hosting major international ski competitions, including the FIS World Championships. The town modernized, yet retained its small-town spirit and community roots. New areas like Snowmass expanded its reach, while the ongoing evolution of gear and infrastructure kept Aspen at the forefront of skiing. Aspen’s story is told like a family album—rich in memories, growth, and a sense of fun that continues to define its character. Note: Filmmaker Dick Durrance was a 17-time national championship alpine ski racer. 0:00 – Introduction to Aspen Mountain, Colorado Rockies, as a standard-setter for American skiing. 0:29 – Aspen is home for some; it's their permanent address and hometown. 0:42 – The town grew from a ghost town into a major winter resort, with personal and communal memories captured in photos. 1:18 – These photos accumulated into a kind of family album. 1:41 – In 1879, Aspen began as a prospector's camp with rich silver deposits. 1:51 – By 1889, Aspen became a booming city with 15,000 people and extensive infrastructure. 2:11 – The city had its own transit and services, growing rapidly. 2:31 – Aspenites embraced winter sports early on. 2:49 – In summer, people enjoyed outdoor recreation, and big shows visited the town. 3:24 – Aspen thrived on silver for 15 years until the market collapsed in 1893. 3:56 – Mines closed; the population dwindled to 500. 4:18 – Aspen became a sleepy, nostalgic town awaiting rediscovery. 4:30 – In the 1930s, skiers began exploring Aspen, praising it over the Swiss Alps. 4:52 – Skiers had to climb the mountain manually in the early 1940s. 5:08 – A rope tow and boat tow were available for easier access. 5:34 – Fashion already played a role in early ski culture. 5:46 – Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division skied in Aspen during training breaks. 6:28 – Skiing was new for many, but people were encouraged to try. 7:28 – After WWII, Aspen developed into a ski destination. 8:00 – The town rebuilt itself to welcome new visitors. 8:12 – By 1946, Aspen was ready for a new ski bonanza. 8:36 – This was before modern ski fashion and gear innovations. 9:00 – Aspen started with only two lifts and wooden skis. 9:45 – Trails were limited but powder snow was abundant. 10:46 – Skiing began young in Aspen; children grew up on the slopes. 11:03 – Aspen developed alongside its youngest skiers. 11:37 – Obstacle races helped kids learn skiing skills. 13:04 – Aspen matured, hosting events like the RO Cup race. 13:18 – It began drawing top U.S. skiers. 13:58 – Despite changes, many aspects of Aspen remained constant. 14:38 – In 1950, Aspen hosted the FIS World Ski Championships, the first in the U.S. 15:22 – The international community was impressed. 16:29 – Aspen proved it could compete globally. 17:25 – With success came celebration, including the quirky “Winter Skol” event. 18:30 – Aspen modernized with airlines and new developments, but retained its roots. 19:27 – The “family album” of Aspen continues to grow with new expansions. 19:47 – Snowmass, a nearby resort village, began to flourish. 20:44 – More lifts and new trails were added to meet growing demand. 21:10 – Aspen built one of the most complete ski facilities in the U.S. 21:32 –New, young visitors, maintaining a youthful spirit. 22:09 – Aspen, Buttermilk, and Snowmass form a growing legacy, with more history still to come.

Transcription

[Music] This is Aspen Mountain in the Colorado Rockies, a place that sets the standards for American skiing today. For some of us, Aspen, Colorado is also a permanent mailing address, our hometown. Over the years, we've watched it grow from a near ghost town into the country's top winter resort. And along the way, like most people, we seem to have taken a few pictures of ourselves and our town. You're looking at some of them now. [Music] [Applause] [Music] pictures accumulate and before you know it, you've got a family album. [Music] Back in 1879, there was nothing here but a prospector's camp and silver in the mountain, one of the world's richest loads. 10 years later, Silver had built the city of Aspen. Population 15,000, six newspapers, four schools, an opera house, and a racetrack, a rail head that shipped out $10 million worth of silver every year. our own rapid transit system. Business booming, new mines opened every year, six volunteer bucket brigades, even a street cleaning department. The pages of our family album began to fill up. It seems we took to winter sports from the very start. [Applause] And in the summer, the surfing crowd came out. All the big traveling shows stopped over in Aspen. We were quite a town. [Music] For 15 years, we took silver out of the mountain and rode the Bonanza. There was plenty more where this came from. But in 1893, the Federal Purchasing Act was repealed and prices began to drop. The Bonanza years were over. [Applause] [Music] One by one, the mines failed and closed down. [Music] [Applause] Aspen, population 500. [Music] Aspen, dreaming of its past, waiting to be discovered again. [Music] In the 1930s, a new group of prospectors found their way into the valley. This time they were skiers. They said that the terrain and snow conditions were greater than those in the Swiss Alps. This place could really amount to something. But Aspen would have to wait until the end of World War II. Meanwhile, there was only one way to get to the top of the mountain. And during the early 40s, there were pioneer skiers who found that it was worth the trip. For the less ambitious, there was a short rope toe at the foot of the mountain. If you were downright lazy, you could ride the old boat toe. even in those days. There was a certain amount of fashion competition on the mountain. Some of those early skiers were boys from the 10th Mountain Division training at nearby Camp Hail. An overnight pass meant weekend racing at Aspen. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] For most of us, it was still an unfamiliar game, something new. Give it a try. It might turn out to be fun. [Music] Hey. [Music] At the end of the war, Aspen finally began to develop the mountain. Suddenly, it seemed Americans wanted to ski. And if they wanted to ski, they would want to ski here. [Music] [Applause] [Music] The town began to rebuild itself. [Music] [Applause] [Music] By 1946, we were ready for a new bonanza. [Applause] That was a few years before stretch pants, a few years before vet and reverse shoulder. Only two chair lifts to begin with. The skis were still hickory. The mountain still had memories of the old mining days. [Music] There weren't many trails to start with, but there was plenty of deep unttracked powder. More powder than you needed. It took a little practice before you got used to it. No matter how you landed, you kept coming back for more. It turned out to be fun after all. [Music] [Laughter] Someone once said, "If they can walk, They can ski. We start them young in Aspen. And over the years, we've watched them grow up. [Music] [Laughter] Aspen grew up along with them. [Laughter] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] [Applause] [Music] An obstacle race is one way to learn how to handle yourself on skis. [Applause] At least that's the theory. [Applause] [Music] Before you know it, they're skiing like this. [Music] Before [Music] you know it, they'd grown [Music] Before we know what Aspen had grown up to. Our annual RO Cup race had become an important national sports event. The country's top skiers were beginning to discover Aspen. Over [Music] the years, some things have never changed. [Music] On the whole though, most of us have managed to stay on our feet and keep moving forward. [Music] In 1950, Aspen was chosen as the site for the FIS World Ski Championships, the greatest international ski competition that had ever been held in America. Aspen was about to make a name for itself in the world of winter sports. The world's top skiers were waiting to find out what we had to offer. [Applause] It was quite a revelation. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] For most of the competitors, this was the first taste of American skiing. A steep, rugged, high-speed course, something they could never forget. Aspen proved that we could really deliver. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] Aspen had finally taken its place at the top. We were in a mood to celebrate. We started something called winter skull which begins with a parade and then well it's a little hard to explain. Somehow we've never learned to take ourselves too seriously. [Music] Here we are today. Then we've got our own scheduled airlines now or you can drop in anytime on your own. [Music] The old miners wouldn't recognize us anymore. New condominiums, new hotels, new shops. But the truth is, we're still the same old town at heart. We still like to remember the old days. Most of our new friends seem to like it that way, too. [Music] The old family album keeps right on growing and so do we, changing the face of one mountain after another, spreading out into new territory. [Music] Just a few miles outside of town, there's a whole new resort area called Snow Mass. The self-contained village with its own apartments and lodges and restaurants. [Music] Snow Mass is rapidly becoming one of the most cosmopolitan ski areas in the world. Over [Music] the years, the equipment keeps on changing. [Music] The fashions keep changing and we've kept changing right along with them. We've always figured that the way to keep a skier happy is to have enough chair lifts. So, we keep on adding new ones. [Music] We keep clearing new trails, finding new ways to manicure the slopes. Bit by bit, we've put together the most complete modern ski facilities in the country. [Music] Year after year, we keep making new friends, young friends. And that's how we like it. We still feel pretty young ourselves. [Music] Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Snow Mass. The album keeps on growing year after year, page after page. And the most exciting pages are the ones that haven't yet been filled. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music]

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