Climax Ski Area

Operation Dates: 1936 - 1950's
Area Stats: Night Skiing
Lifts: 1 t-bar
History: The Climax Ski Area was operated mainly for the employees of
the Climax Molybdenum Mine and had the first night skiing operation in
the state. The mine was one of the world's largest suppliers of
Molybdenum. The mine still operates on a limited basis, while the ski area
has been long closed.
Directions: At the top of Fremont Pass between Copper and Leadville.

"I learned to ski in 1954 at the Climax Ski Area. We rode in an old military ambulance from
our school in Climax to the hill. We had a rope tow and a t-bar. I caught my jacket more than
once on the t-bar and was dragged up the mountain.

I also used the ski jump that was built to the left of the mountain. It scared the hell out of me.

My family left Climax in 1960 when the company moved all of the houses to Leadville. I have
lived in San Diego since 1976!!"
- Max G.

"Nice to see the old photographs of Climax. My wife and I used to drive from Denver over to
Climax for night skiing in 1957-1959. Cold and dark sometimes, and one night I fell in a sink
hole around a pine tree with my skis and poles under me and was trapped. I could see skiers
above me going by and all my shouting got them to turn their heads, but to no avail since I was
3 or 4 feet below snow level. Being young and strong, I popped a binding and escaped. On
the way home my wife drove the car on the snow-packed road and I, hanging onto the rear
bumper happily skijourned up to the mine. Good times."
-Bran D.

"I skiied Climax once the Sat evening of Thanksgiving weekend, 1950. We went up there
after a day of poor snow at A-Basin, and I remember how COLD it was skiing at night. I
probably didn't ski much. Someone in our group knew the guy in the weather station there, so
we flopped in our sleeping bags on his floor that night."
-Peggy S.