Celebrating Vail's 60th Anniversary
From Pete Seibert's Dream, to the many people that supported him in bringing it to fruition, Vail Mountain was built with a sense of community where all involved shared the common goal of creating a snow sports area unlike any other in Colorado - or the world. In 1957, Pete met fellow ski patroller Earl Eaton, who introduced Pete to the unnamed mountain that would become Vail. Pete was convinced it was the perfect place and quickly bought the land. Pushing forward Pete's Dream: others invested, construction began, trails were cut, lifts erected, and the resort opened for the first time on December 15, 1962. Today, we reflect on 60 years and celebrate Pete for his everlasting Dream. Here’s to all that have kept the Dream alive!
Vail sign advertising Vail’s first season set to open in December of 1962.
Pete’s Dream
Sharon, Massachusetts provided a hometown for Pete Seibert, the 10th Mountain Division directed his destiny, and Colorado became the place where he made his reputation in the world of skiing.
After 17 months in Army hospitals from World War II injuries, Pete returned to Colorado as a veteran who hoped to recover his skiing skills. While skiing, Pete looked for a hill to develop for his favorite sport, which brought him to Vail.
Vail’s Founder, Peter Seibert, was introduced to this part of Colorado when he served in the 10th Mountain Division. Upon returning to Colorado after the war and recovering from serious leg wounds, Pete began searching for his perfect mountain. Finally, in 1957, while working in Aspen, Pete met fellow ski patroller Earl Eaton, who had grown up in Eagle County. Earl showed Pete a mountain west of Vail Pass that was then home to herds of sheep. Vail Mountain was perfect: 100 miles from Denver, skiing terrain for all abilities on the front, and open treeless bowls on the back side.
Vail — the new proposed resort, which necessitated an aggressive construction schedule, could be seen from Highway 6, the main highway though the central Colorado mountains. Over the course of more than half a century, new lifts have been installed and new trails have been added, but Pete’s original vision has endured.
The mountain that Earl showed Pete was previously overlooked because from the valley floor only ¼ of the mountain could be seen. It’s treeless backside terrain, carved into separate powder filled “bowls” convinced Pete it was perfect. He quietly purchased 500 acres of ranch land for $125 per acre, under the auspices of the Transmontane Rod & Gun Club, which later became Vail Associates.
Between May and December of 1962, one gondola and four chair lifts (2, 3, 4, and 5) were constructed, trails were cut and the Lodge at Vail, a 30-room hotel, was built.
Vail officially opened on December 15, 1962. Lift tickets were just $5 and ski lessons were priced at $6.50.
The Vail logo was designed by original investor Dick Hauserman. Dick and his first wife, Christie, who were Philadelphia socialites, loved the idea of a small winter day camp. Christie is credited with designing the famous “Vail stripe” that was prominently featured on all employee uniforms.
A handful of early pioneers came to Vail to ski. Echoing a now familiar story, they never left. They were joined by similarly bold souls from all over the world, rich and poor, coming together in this wilderness valley…with little more than a dream. They were Vail’s trailblazers.
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The People Behind Vail
Vail’s history is inseparable from the 10th Mountain Division’s history because of Pete’s reliance on fellow 10th veterans like Jack Tweedy, Ben Duke, Bob Parker, and Bill “Sarge” Brown, who he met while training and fighting during World War II. Together, they helped him fulfill his childhood dream of creating what is arguably the best ski resort in North America.
Pete, George Caulkins, Harley Higbie and Keith Brown convinced individuals to invest in Pete’s dream. The first twelve investors made up the first Board of Directors. Their $10,000 investment provided them with rights to a building lot at the base of Vail Mountain and lifetime ski passes. To ensure that a community would be created, it was required that homes be built on the lots within a year.
Vail’s original investors.
Fellow 10th Mountain veteran, Bob Parker, joined Pete and Vail Associates as an unpaid consultant in 1960 and developed strategies for snagging national attention on a shoestring budget. Some of them involved ski racing. Parker led the effort to bring international ski racing stars to Vail and by 1967, the resort was well positioned to become an early venue for World Cup races.
Furthermore, Vail’s management team consisted of only five individuals sharing multiple positions. First instructors included Rod Slifer and Morrie Shepard, who while working in Aspen, were recruited by Pete to come work in Vail. They arrived in May 1962 and immediately jumped into the “just get it done” effort. Morrie became the ski school director and Rod started his career selling real estate and later served 16 years as the mayor of Vail.
Pepi Gramshammer, a successful Austrian ski racer, was recruited to Vail to become the public face of the resort.
He met and married Sheika who was working as a model in New York and Las Vegas and though they had no experience in hotel or sport shop operations, they opened Gastof Gramshammer and Pepi Sports located on Bridge Street. Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer became the unofficial host and hostess of Vail Village.
As the town and the resort continued to grow, a new breed of ski pioneers descended upon the small valley, looking to lend their talents to the success of the fledgling resort. These new arrivals quickly translated their big personalities into significant growth and improvement, not to mention the character of the community. They believed in the dream as many continue to believe today.
Vail added a touch of historic nostalgia with these replica signs on mountain this season. Go check them out! Photo taken December 14, 2022.
If you’d like to learn more about Vail, we invite you to stop by the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame - open daily from 10am to 6pm. Check out our snow sports resort table and other exhibits that discuss the history and stories behind this great place!
About the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame:
Founded in 1975 and located in Vail, Colorado, our mission is to celebrate Colorado snow sports by telling stories that educate and inspire others to seek adventure. The priceless artifacts we collect and display tell the story of the birth, rise and explosion of skiing and snowboarding in Colorado. The Museum features displays including Climb to Glory about the 10th Mountain Division, Vail’s DNA, The Colorado Snowboard Archive, and The Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, among many others. Learn more and consider supporting the Museum by becoming a member: https://www.snowsportsmuseum.org.
Media Contact:
Jen Mason | Dana Mathios
jen@snowsportsmuseum.org | dana@snowsportsmuseum.org
(970) 476-1876