by Judy Bracken
We skiers know Park City as a top ski and summer resort and one of the venues for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. But long before it became a resort destination in the 1960s, it boasted a colorful history as a boom town for silver mining from about 1870 to 1950. As the silver boom tapered off and a tragic fire burned over half of the town structures, the city struggled to survive and the population waned. But once the idea of skiing began to take hold, change was abreast.
Growing up in Salt Lake City, I witnessed Park City transform from a sleepy ghost town to a glamorous ski area attracting movie stars and people from all over the world. I skied the mountain with my family when it was first open (passes came to a grand total of $30 for 5 kids and 2 adults!) and continued to take lessons at the Park City ski school for several years. There was a day that was so cold my nose turned blue. When I was in junior high, our parents would drop me and a few friends off for the day to ski…we experienced our first taste of ski freedom and joy as we explored the runs and powder spots. I remember when my dad broke his leg on the last run of the day skiing “Payday.” It was a spiral fracture and required him to be in a full leg cast for six months! And it was at Park City that I had my one and only ski theft in my lifetime so far–my nearly new Head 360 skis were on the rack while we were waiting for our ride, and a thief decided to pick them up. I was so heartbroken!
My family had some history with Park City, as my father helped orchestrate some of the legal work involved with the resort, and my grandfather actually worked briefly as an engineer for the mines. Recently, I came across some old ski passes, as well as some old maps showing where the many mine shafts are under the valley that is now covered with homes and ski runs. There was a time when you could board an underground mine train near what is now The Canyons, clad in skiwear and lugging skis, travel through tunnels turning every which way, and in about 40 minutes be at the base of the Thayne’s lift where you started your day of skiing. It was quite an adventure! Park City has changed a lot since then, but the adventure still exists at this world class mountain resort.
