Sara was sitting at the end of the bar, playing with a long strand of her auburn hair. Her mind was on Tom, she had only a handful of customers, this afternoon. The regulars had been stopping in since noon. Business would be slow until summer season started, and
would not get busy, until the Autumn winds brought another winter of snow to the Rocky Mountains.
The front door slowly opened, and a black Stetson appeared. Sara felt her pulse quicken, and the hair on her arms tingle. She quickly stood up and started to wash dishes, glancing blankly at the soapy water. Lifting her hands, she turned them over, the water ripples wrinkled the skin on her fingers.. She realized exactly what she was doing, hiding from Tom, hiding from herself, and the world. Year after year, she stood washing dirty glasses, and listening to others talk about their adventures. She stood at the bar, mixing their drinks and collecting their spare change, to make ends meet.
“If nothing else, he taught you the value of freedom,” she whispered, “ and the courage to spend it.” She pulled the plug on the bar sink and walked to the end to face him.
“Hi,” he said cautiously.
“Hi,” she smiled, her eyes sparkling as they met his. She grasped his hand and held tightly to his forefingers.
“I’m sorry that all this happened. I was wrong to try and force you into something you weren’t ready for.”
Tom looked deeply into her eyes.
“No, I’m sorry, I’m sorry I can’t settle in one place. I’m sorry I have to follow the snow. I long for the mountains, but I want to be with you so much it hurts, when I’m not.” He saw the same spark that was there when they first met. He had never thought it would return.
“Listen, I can’t explain my feelings when I’m near you. I’m trying desperately to tell you how much I love you, it's, I’ve got this crazy dream. Maybe I can…”
Sara put her fingers to his lips. “I’ll make a deal with you. No more talk of love and marriage and you give me a real taste of freedom.”
He loosened the straps of his backpack and slid out of it. He slipped his arm lightly around her waist.
“There’s this little restaurant in Alta, Wyoming, that I know is for sale, called Wild Bills at Grand Targhee Resort. Targhee’s claim to fame is the first and last with the snow.
“Sounds good to me,” Sara gently put her arms around his neck. Tom pulled her close to him. He felt the warmth of her body next to his. Sara was the sweet serenity he found among the jagged peaks. He adored everything about her. She was his obsession, more than the mountains ever could be.
The balance between man and nature in the mountains is a fragile and delicate one. Life hangs by a taught golden string, stretched almost to the breaking point. Tom would always push towards the edge. Perhaps someday he would push too far. He would regret many things in his life, he would never regret having given his love to Sara.
“No promises.”
“No promises,” he agreed.
Going To California- Led Zeppelin
Gordon Grey
Albert Bianchine
Next Up: Finish The Screenplay
(Uncle Albert's Mountain)
But, behind the scenes, things were changing. The planned Eisenhower Tunnel was going to divert traffic away from A-Basin. In 1971, the Forest Service sent A-Basin a scathing letter outlining everything that needed to be fixed or upgraded. And, after 25 years, Larry and Marnie Jump were ready to move on. When strong winds knocked over a Norway Lift tower in 1972, the Jumps decided they were done. They sold A-Basin to Joe Jankovsky for $850,000.
Joe had previously managed A-Basin operations from 1962 to 1970. Though he owned the ski area for only six years, many remember his era as their favorite time at A-Basin. Joe focused on making critical infrastructure upgrades, repairing A-Basin’s tarnished image, and cultivating the laid-back vibe that is still prized and maintained today.
“Skiing at the Basin in the 70’s was a trip. Warren Miller movies, Pepi Steigler and Billy Kidd race camps, Jefferson Starship crew skiing the Basin, gelande jumping on Pale Face … big air off the cornice—it was all about the skiing. There were skiers up at the Basin who were some of the most incredible skiers you will ever see, doing some of the wildest things you could ever imagine. Like patrolmen having jumping contests off King Cornice with rigs …
Life was just one giant adventure that you got to share and toast to with all of your best friends. And then there were days when you just gave it up and ‘skied Mahogany Ridge’—that would be hanging in the pub.” – Cathy Chaplin, former A-Basin employee
The introduction of the Ski Safety Act of 1979 brought stricter oversight to ski lift construction, maintenance, and operation. It was obvious that major upgrades were needed at A-Basin. Rather than figure out how to raise $5 million to accomplish the task, Joe chose to sell the ski area.
1978-1996
The Sale of Arapahoe Basin: "We called ourselves the stepchild."
Ralston Purina, owner of Keystone Mountain at the time, purchased A-Basin in 1978 for $3 million (about $13 million in 2022 dollars). The reason was clear: A-Basin’s expert terrain was intended to supplement Keystone’s beginner and intermediate offerings (Keystone is 5 miles West of A-Basin). A-Basin was treated and managed as an extension of Keystone, from sharing administrative departments to sharing lift tickets.
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