The popular Proctor Mountain hike draws thousands of locals and visitors each year, but few realize they’re walking through one of the most important places in skiing history.

The mountain itself is named after Charles “Charley” Proctor, who competed in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.  After the Olympics, Proctor worked with the US Forest Service designing ski trails.  W. Averell Harriman, the Chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad and the visionary behind Sun Valley, picked Proctor to design the resort’s original ski runs on what are now Proctor and Dollar Mountains.

Proctor Mountain boasted the world’s first chairlift, built in 1936.  Today, hikers pass a marker identifying the location of the bottom terminal.  It is said that the snow was excellent on Proctor and that skiers loved hitting the famous Hot Potato Hut after they got off the chair at the top.  In 1950, the lift was moved to Bald Mountain where it became known as “Lift Number 5” until it was finally retired in 1958. In 1982, the original site of the lift was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

So, the next time you hike Proctor, take a moment at the chairlift marker.  You won’t just be standing on a trail – you’ll be standing where the pioneers of Sun Valley helped shape the future of our valley and forever changed the face of modern skiing.

Sources:
Sun Valley Magazine: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” (Winter 2012)
Sun Valley Resort Website: “About Sun Valley”
City of Sun Valley — Comprehensive Plan, Historic and Cultural Heritage section