Where Eagles Soar (A Brief History of Colorado Ski History and Genesis of My Historical Work)

     I believe the key or pivotal turning point to my story is based on the Denver Water Board purchasing the deeds to most of the town of Dillon during the depression. This allowed them to eventually force the residents out of the town for the purpose of flooding it to create the Dillion Reservoir. I liken it to the film script Chinatown. It is based on the Rape of the Owens Valley by the city of Los Angeles for their water rights. There is a deeper truth here and I have yet to uncover it. It however sets up the stage for the development of the ski areas. If it wasn't for World War II there would not be ski areas in Colorado. The Tenth Mountain Division trained at Camp Hale for their skiing troops who were responsible to spearhead an advance in Italy for the Army. It included Riva Ridge, Mt. Belvedere, and helped breach the impregnable Gothic Line in the Apennines.  It secured the Po River Valley and liberated northern Italy.
 
When the ski troops returned to the United States a large number migrated back to Colorado and established Arapahoe Basin that set the tone for the development of Keystone and the Valley. It laid the ground work for Ralston Purina to buy Keystone and eventually the Basin.

The growth of the Dillon valley exploded in the sixties and seventies and then massive development of the multitude of town homes appeared.


   You will find two of my short stories on the My Stories link. One is of Vail Mountain and the other is of Arapahoe Basin. White Dreams was a recipient of an Honorable Mention in a Writer's Digest writing contest. I hope you enjoy them.