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History
Summer 2021
Snow King Mountain undertakes the largest capital improvement project in the history of the resort, expanding the USFS boundary by approximately 100 acres, adding the Sunnyside Lift on the south side of the Mountain, replacing the Summit lift with a new 8-passenger Gondola, constructing a new easy way down ski route from the summit of the mountain, installing two new magic carpets and a new beginner teaching area at the summit of the mountain, adding snowmaking infrastructure to the south side of the mountain, relocating the base of the Cougar Lift, constructing a new snowmaking pump house at the base, in addition to a number of ancillary improvements.
Winter 2018/2019
Snow King celebrates its 80th anniversary with one of the best snow years in a decade.
2018
Tarzan Swing added to the Treetop Adventure Course.
2017
A new Magic Carpet surface lift and additional lighting are added to enhance the Snow Tubing park in addition to a Giant Maze to get lost at the King.
Summer 2016
A new miniature golf course is constructed at the base of the mountain for summer fun.
2016
A new Magic Carpet surface lift and enhanced night lighting are added for the ski school, greatly enhancing the beginner ski experience.
2015
The 35-year old Rafferty lift is replaced with a Doppelmayr fixed-grip quad. The Cowboy Coaster opens to the public, the Treetop Adventure and two new base lodges are built.
2014
Snow King Mountain Recreations is formed to separate mountain operations from the real estate holdings. Max C. Chapman, Jr. takes over as president.
2012
Snow King Resort sells the Snow King Hotel and Grand View Lodge properties to JMI Realty. Snow King Mountain becomes its own business entity with mountain operations and real estate holdings.
2010
U.S and French women’s ski teams train for Winter Olympics at Snow King.
2002
Snow King hosts 8 international ski teams for pre-Winter Olympic training. Many go on to medal.
1998
King Tubes (tubing hill) opens.
1996
Jackson Hole Ski Club hosts regional race teams and pre-season invitationals.
1994
The Cougar triple chairlift opens with capacity for 1,200 riders per hour.
1993
Snow King Center (ski center and ice rink) opens after the old ski shelter demolished.
1989
The Jackson Hole community celebrates the 50th anniversary of Snow King.
1981
A new Summit Lift is constructed.
1979
Snow King Resort forms, combining the Snow King Inn and Snow King ski area with Manuel Lopez as general manager.
1978
Rafferty lift constructed on east slope of Snow King. Land leased to Western Slide Corporation to build and operate a summer slide.
1976
The Ramada Snow King Inn (now the Snow King Resort Hotel), built by Western Standard, opens in its current location.
1974
Neil Rafferty retires.
1971
Western Standard Corporation of Riverton, Wyoming, purchases the Snow King ski area operation along with 60 acres at the base of the mountain. It secures a lease from the town of Jackson on 27 contiguous acres on the mountain and a 20-year Forest Service lease on the Snow King ski and recreational area (approximately 375 acres).
1959
The new Summit double chairlift opens.
1958
The Winter Sports Association begins working to upgrade the single chairlift to a double chair. The old cable is replaced with an 8,800-pound track cable and a new break-over tower is constructed for unloading the double chairs.
1949
Single chairlift carries 8,500 people to the top of Snow King during the 1948 – 1949 season.
1947
Wyoming’s first Single chairlift opens (January 7).
1946
The Jackson Hole Winter Sports Association is formed. The association raises $40,000 from local investors, buys an old tramway from a gold mining operation near Salida, Colorado and hires a Denver contractor to construct a lift from it. In its first full year of operation more than 8,500 people ride the lift to the top of the mountain.
1940
Old Man’s Flats rope tow, first cable tow on Snow King, opens. Neil Rafferty becomes part-time lift operator.
1939
The cable, used to power the uphill tow, was bought used from an oil drilling company in Casper, Wyoming. The work crew ran the cable through a narrow cut in the forest up the west side of the ski area, all powered by an old Ford tractor.
1939
Neil Rafferty competes for and wins a contract with the Jackson Hole Club, an early chamber of commerce, to build an “uphill” facility on Snow King. The cable, bought used from an oil drilling company in Casper, Wyoming, ran through a narrow cut in the forest up the west side of the ski area. It was powered by an old Ford tractor. In exchange for building the cable tow, Rafferty receives a lease on the town land and secures a permit from the Forest Service to run the lift.
1938
Ski area name changed to “Snow King.”
1937
Mountaineer and skier Fred Brown helps begin the Jackson Hole Ski Association and becomes the first president of the Jackson Hole Ski Club.
1936
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructs a horse and hiking trail to the top of Snow King for the Forest Service, making the first of many physical changes to the hill to facilitate recreational use. The CCC trail became the first “official” ski run on the mountain.
1932
Town Hill named the “Ruth Hanna Simms Ski Hill” in honor of local resident who donated money to build a ski jump.
1926
Mike O’Neil builds a ski jump on Jackson’s “Town Hill.”
1920s
Skiers began hiking up the mountain – sometimes called Kelly’s Hill or simply “the town hill” – and enjoying the steep downhill run.
