History

Six Decades of Squaw

Squaw Valley USA opened in 1949 with only one chairlift and lodging accommodations for fifty guests. Today it stands on the precipice of greatness as it finally becomes the true destination resort it was always envisioned to be. Many significant milestones, representing six decades of passion, determination and success, have led Squaw Valley to where it stands today. These are just a few…

1940's

  • 1948 - Alex Cushing & Wayne Poulsen form the Squaw Valley Development Company.
  • November 23, 1949 – Squaw Valley opens for business.
  • 1949 - Emile Allais becomes the Ski School Director, attracting many of the characters and notable ski personalities in skiing history to Squaw Valley.

1950's

  • 1950 – Warren Miller shoots his first film at Squaw Valley.
  • 1952 – World's largest jig-back chairlift opens.
  • 1955 – Alex travels to France to meet with the International Olympic Committee. Wins bid!
  • Winter of 1958 - April Fools Blizzard – between March 15 and April 3, 186 of snow falls.

1960's

  • February 1960 – Squaw Valley hosts the VIII Winter Olympic Games. The event marks many firsts for Olympic competition and makes Squaw Valley internationally famous.
  • 1960 – Following the Games, Squaw Valley becomes a State Park.
  • 1961/62 season - over 100,000 skiers visit Squaw.
  • 1962 – Squaw Valley opens first gondola.v Highway 80 is completed in 1968 offering easier access from Sacramento and San Francisco.
  • 1969 - World Cup Ski Racing is staged at Squaw Valley.
  • 1969 – World's largest Cable Car opens.

1970's

  • Early 70's – Mainline Corp. buys out State's interest in the State Park. Soon after, Mainline goes bankrupt and Alex Cushing purchases the land.
  • The 70's were the era before "extreme skiing" was given a name, when the renegade aspect of skiing got started. These were the years that anything and everything that could be jumped was by people like Steve McKinney and Eric Poulsen. A new kind of skier is attracted. Steve McKinney – High priest of speed skiing- breaks the world record at 124.6 mph.

1980's

  • 1980 - Wayne Poulsen elected to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame.
  • 1980 – Squaw Valley USA hosts U.S. Alpine Championships.
  • 1983 - SV spends $3.4 million to overhaul the Olympic Plaza Base Complex.
  • 1984 - SV spends $2.4 million to refurbish the mid-mountain Gold Coast Complex.
  • 1986/87 – Squaw Valley opens terrain to snowboarding.
  • 1986/87 – Squaw opens 1st detachable quad chairlift.
  • 1986-1992 - Squaw spend $8 million on state of the art snowmaking system.
  • 1988 - Squaw Valley Ski Team sends star athletes to the Calgary Olympics - Bill Hudson, Edith Thys, Kristin Krone, Tamara McKinney and Bob Ormsby.
  • 1989 - $15 million renovation of High Camp (designer Henrik Bull) begins – Over the subsequent 3-4 years the building sees the addition of the ice rink, swimming lagoon, tennis courts, bungee tower and restaurants.
  • 1989 – Special Olympics staged at Squaw Valley.

1990's

  • 1990 - Olympic Ice Pavilion hosts Disney's Christmas on Ice.
  • The Resort at Squaw Creek opens for Christmas 1990.
  • 1991 – Gerry Garcia plays a mountaintop concert at Squaw Valley.
  • 1992 - The Resort at Squaw Creek's unveils the Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course.
  • 1992 - Headwall Café & Climbing Wall open.
  • July 4, 1992 - Squaw Valley opens for Mountain Biking.
  • 1992 - Ski School lesson format changes – Squaw introduces Ski Your Pro format.
  • 1992 – Squaw introduces Snowboard Program – Includes: a snowboard park and half pipe, a Snowboard Team, new snowboard rental shop and a first time beginner snowboard package.
  • 1993 – Squaw completes 12,000 sq. foot Children's Center.
  • 1994 – Squaw expands night skiing to the Mountain Run.
  • 1995 - 832 of snow keeps lifts open through July 4.
  • Dec. 20, 1995 – Squaw opens the ½ pipe and terrain park for night skiing and riding.
  • December 29, 1995, Squaw Valley's Ski School has more first time snowboarders sign up for lessons than first time skiers.
  • 1995 - First Squaw Valley web site is developed.
  • 1996 - Squaw Valley creates the Freeride Team – made up of top local athletes.
  • 1997 - Snowtubing Park opens at High Camp.
  • 1998 – North America's first Funitel opens.
  • July 9-11, 1999 – Squaw Valley hosts the World Cup Mountain Bike Tour.
  • November 1999 – Squaw Valley celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
  • December 9, 1999 – Alex Cushing inducted into the Ski Industry Hall of Fame.
  • 1999 - Two new 6-passenger chairlifts (Headwall and Gold Coast) are installed.

2000+

  • June 2, 2000 – Intrawest breaks ground on Phase I of new Village at Squaw Valley USA.
  • Fall 2000 - The Opera House Cinema is converted to the Far East Guest Center. A new rental shop, retail store, ticket portals and restrooms are added to the building.
  • November 2000 – the Far East Express 6-pac replaces the Papoose double chairlift.
  • 2001 - Squaw Valley adopts NSAA Environmental Charter – Sustainable Slopes.
  • 2001/02 – Squaw opens first Superpipe on Newport.
  • 2001/02 – Intrawest opens Phase I of the new base Village – new lodging, shopping, dining, nightlife and parking are added to the base area.
  • December 2001 – Squaw opens the Mainline Superpipe.
  • January 20, 2002 - 2002 Olympic Torch Relay passes through Squaw Valley en route to Salt Lake City.
  • 2002 – U.S. Alpine Championships return to Squaw Valley USA.
  • 2002 – Squaw completes mountain-wide environmental facility assessment.
  • 2003 – Intrawest opens Phase II of the new base Village.
  • 2003 – A third bridge into the parking lot is completed.
  • November 4, 2003 – Alex Cushing is inducted into the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame.
  • November 2004 – The new Papoose double chair and a second magic carpet are installed.
  • November 2005 – The Mid Mountain Demo Center opens at Gold Coast
  • August 20, 2006 – Squaw Valley Founder and Chairman, Alexander C. Cushing dies at 92