Eagle River Rope Tow

Eagle River Rope Tow

Mid 1950's

Name of Ski Area:	Eagle River Rope Tow
Location:	Eagle River, behind Tips Bar, on the hillside leading from the Santa Maria Drive and Alice Loop area down to the base of this hill to the east of the Old Glenn Highway.
Type of Area:	Ski Hill
Dates of Operation:	Mid 1950's, in the 1953 to 1954 range. Likely only in operation for a few years.
Who Built It?:	Unknown
Base/ Vertical Drop:	Base: ~325' / Vertical: < 100'
Lifts:	Rope tow run off the hub of an automobile.
Facilities:
Miscellaneous:	Skiing was free at this site.
Sources of Information:	James Mielke, Virginia Kirk, Tom Take

~ MAPS ~

This large scale topo shows where the Eagle River Rope Tow is believed to have existed. .

(click on this map to expand it)

A mapquest street map shows the location of Tips Bar and the area to the east.

(click on this map to expand it)

A zoomed in 2002 aerial photo of Eagle River shows Tips Bar and the hill to the east. When confirmation of where this rope tow actually existed is obtained, these maps will be updated.

(click on this map to expand it)

Research Correspondence

[James Mielke - 12 December 2004 email excerpt]

There was a rope tow ski area in downtown Eagle River just East of Tips bar.

[Virginia Kirk - 29 June 2004 phone conversation with Tim Kelley]

Virginia of the Chugiak / Eagle River Historical Society said that she talked to Tom Take about the rope tow that was once behind Tips Bar. Tom said that he skied this very small ski hill back in 1953 or 1954. He said that the rope tow was only 100 feet long or so, and was run off the hub of a car or truck. Apparently there was no charge to ski at this hill, and the ski hill was likely only in operation for a couple of years.

Do you have further information, stories or pictures that you would like to contribute about this ski area?



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