One of the most interesting history sites I researched and wrote about was a real mystery. Documented on Department of Defense topographic map of the AF Academy reservation was a site simply noted as “Ski Tow.” I am a 1978 graduate of the AF Academy. I remember getting a topographic map of the 18,000-acre reservation and noted the “Ski Tow” site shown in a remote part of the academy. I hiked a lot as a cadet, mostly in the mountains west of the academy, and never went over to see what this “Ski Tow” site was. In 2011, I dusted off the topo map and also spoke with Dr Aaron Byerley of the Aeronautics Department. Aaron was my basic cadet roommate summer of 1974 and we remained friends since then. He had hiked to the site and encouraged me to go see it and also “dig into it” and learn the rest of the story. I did and this article is a story of research, exploration, a lot of wonderful luck that leads to what I think is an amazing story.
My wonder was “is this ski tow pre-USAFA or was it built when the AFA came to be in the late 1950’s. I started my exploration with a hike to the site and saw 4 12-in telephone pole pillars anchored into the ground on top of a ridge. There was a platform with very thick planks as cross members and hints of an interesting pattern of holes and hardware. Seemed there was an engine mounting on this invincible structure that was deteriorating and victim of mother nature and perhaps mischief. I looked around the top of the ridge and found sheets of weathered plywood, some hardware and wiring. I wondered if this was a ski tow, where was it to pull up the would-be skier from?
I decided to go to the great folks at the USAFA Library Special Collections where Ms. Trudy Pollok was phenomenal in her finding historical photos of the academy. She’s helped me with so many sites I’ve researched. Trudy pulled through again and found aerial photos of that area from the mid 1960’s. By golly, from those photos I could see what appeared to be some areas where trees were cleared. Could that be the ski tow rope line? Could it have been an attempt at some ski runs? I returned and took a close look, especially where it appeared trees were cleared. In that’s second exploration, I discovered all sorts of debris, electrical switches, wiring, some battery cases and an odd array of rocks with 1-inch diameter holes drilled in them. These were all scattered about what I felt was a possible the rope tow line, or maybe a way to get signal and power up to this ridge top contraption. Did I discover the rope tow line skiers would be towed up to the top of the ridge or was this a pathway for a electrical switch to turn on the ski tow and get it running? I was not sure.
I researched ski rope tows, especially photos and found quite an array of photos dating back to the 1940’s. My theory was that perhaps a car engine was mounted on a platform and run to operate a rope tow that a skier would hold onto and be pulled to the top of the hill. I also saw a system of poles and brackets that would perhaps support the rope tow. So, I was now believing this was a ski tow and must have had a rope tow system. I went to the Association of Graduates and found AFA yearbooks from 1959 on and I examined the Ski Club photos hoping to see this rope tow in action, but I did not find any photos of that. I even called some of the early graduates who were on the ski team, and they too were unaware of this hidden skier’s gem which for me remained a mystery, one that I wanted to solve.
My first breakthrough in unraveling this mystery was at a Gleneagle Women’s Club history presentation in 2013. What a wonderful group who enjoyed my “trip back in time” examining the long-ago communities and people of the USAFA area. At the end of the presentation I showed a photo of the Ski Tow structure atop the ridge and said “here’s a mysterious structure that I believe is a Ski Tow, a rope town system. It’s a mystery. Do any of you know about this?” An 89-year old lady raised her hand and said with a kind voice with confidence “I do.” I spoke with Betty and she shared that her now deceased husband helped build it. Eureka, I found someone who can share some insight into this mystery. She said her husband and several others had the idea of a powered rope tow to get skiers, sled riders and toboggan teams up top. They worked diligently in 1962 to get permission and even some non- appropriated funds to buy what was needed to make their motorized system operational. She shared they faced many challenges in building it and getting it to work. Furthermore, mother nature was not helping with a lack of snow. I was happy that now I had confirmation that the mysterious contraption on the ridge and the scattered debris was an ill-fated community project on the early 1960’s that didn’t get completed. But, I was not done in unravelling even more about the USAFA ski tow.
In late 2013 I was contacted by the Special Collections folks and they said that Travis Pollok, a library intern and the nephew of the ever so helpful archivist Trudy Pollok, had found some important information in a folder he found during his intern work that was labeled “Ski Tow.” I excitedly headed to the library 6th floor where these amazingly helpful folks work and met Travis. The folder contained paperwork in the form of notes, letters and proposals for a “Neighborhood Ski Slope” located in Area 6100 of USAFA, this is the far southwest corner and where Douglass and Pine Valley terminate and blend into the hills in the southwest part of USAFA. This documentation was from the September 1961 to December 1962 timeframe. Notes and letters described a well-intentioned self-help effort by some residents of Douglass Valley. It appears the effort to clear slopes did not result in adequate clearing for the runs. Furthermore, there were many memos showing that this improvised ski rope tow never really operated reliably and was always in some form of fixing or maintenance. They sure tried, but in the end they gave up on the project. Included in the folder was a proposed set of rules for use of the ski tow, including a $3 annual fee. They were optimistic. I even examined a letter where some USAFA employees visited the ridge top system and had taken care of some of the problems the residents were facing. Travis earned high accolades for finding this and remembering his Aunt Trudy talking about my research and this being a mystery. He helped me gain insight into the ski tow that would make me refer to it as the once mysterious ski tow.
There you have it, a peek into my local history hobby. I’ve learned so much about the long-ago communities and people who came here to settle in the 1860’s and 70’s. I’ve learned of the railroads, the entrepreneurs, the ranches and so much more. There are highlights attached to all I’ve done and I have not stopped exploring and questioning. But, the most rewarding adventure was learning about the mysterious ski tow on USAFA and having Betty and Travis help me in unraveling the mystery. Maybe more folks will learn of my interest and someday soon say “I can tell you even more about the ski tow.” I do look forward to that happening.
– Jack Anthony, February 2025
