See Proctor Mountain & Ruud Mountain Charlifts, Sun Valley, Idaho

Add to My List Check Off

The world's first chairlifts were installed on the resort's Proctor and Dollar Mountains in the fall of 1936 in Sun Valley, Idaho. (Proctor Mountain is northeast of Dollar Mountain, approximately two miles east of Bald Mountain). Actually there were two Sun Valley chairlifts built in 1936: one on Dollar Mountain and the other on Proctor Mountain. Later in 1938 a third chairlift was built on Ruud Mountain which still stands today, but is not operational. The original ski lift was donated to U.S National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame is located in Ishpeming, MI when it was retired from operation. You can still see Proctor Mountain, although it is no longer used for skiing and no longer has a functioning chairlift. The U.P. chairlift design was adapted by an engineer recalling banana loading conveyor equipment used for tropical fruit ships' cargo. Single-seat chairlifts were developed at the U.P. headquarters in Omaha in the summer of 1936. The chairlift went on to replace primitive rope tow and other adaptations seen at ski areas at the time. The original Proctor Mountain Ski Lift is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original lift could transport 400 skiers per hour. The chairlift on Ruud Mountain, built in 1938, still stands today toward the end of Fairway Road in Sun Valley.

Write a Review

No Ratings Yet

Flag as inappropriate ›