Badger Pass Ski Area
Encyclopedia
Badger Pass Ski Area is a small ski area located within Yosemite National Park
. Badger Pass is one of only three lift serviced ski areas operating in a US National Park (Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area
in Olympic National Park
and Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort
in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park
are the others). It is situated five miles (8 km) south-southeast of the Chinquapin intersection of Wawona Road (HWY 41 continuation) with Glacier Point Road in the southern area of Yosemite National Park. Glacier Point Road provides the access to this ski area. During high snow level and/or ski season, Glacier Point road terminates at Badger Pass ski Resort. Under these conditions, the remainder of Glacier Point Road is used for cross-country skiing
access to Glacier Point and other destinations in the high country.
Badger Pass is at about 7200 feet (2,194.6 m) in elevation at the restaurant and services buildings. At the summit of the downhill ski lifts, elevations rise to 8000 feet (2,438.4 m).
The nearest community to Badger Pass is Yosemite West
. This 90 acres (36.4 ha) skiing area provides 10 runs and 5 lifts with downhill, snow tubing and snow boarding facilities. There are also training areas with instructors for beginners and novices that need "brushing up". A special snow tubing area has been added to better assist beginners. This is located near the cross-country equipment rental area. For safety reasons, this area is "roped off" so that skiers can not enter the area.
In addition to the downhill facilities, there are extensive cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails. In fact this is one of the highlights of the Badger Pass/Yosemite National Park winter activities. There are over 84 miles (135.2 km) of trails encompassing many of the tourist sites in Yosemite. In addition, two overnight huts are available for extended winter trips into the wilderness.
is unique. Following the building of the Ahwahnee Hotel
in 1925–1927, came Yosemite’s first ski school in 1928 with Jules Fritsch as instructor. Fritsch, a Swiss ski expert was part of a trained staff of winter sports experts available in Yosemite. Fritsch and the staff led six day snow excursions in Yosemite from the Ahwahnee to Tenaya Lake to bolster the ski school. Many believe this ski school was the first in California. In conjunction with the Curry Company, one of the first projects was the 1927 construction of a four-track toboggan slide near Camp Curry. Dr. Donald Tresidder
, the first president the Yosemite Park & Curry Company and its guiding force, saw the visitor interest in winter sports and immediately formed the Yosemite Winter Club. With the club’s enthusiast support, a small ski hill and ski jump near Tenaya Creek Bridge was built in 1928.
With the interest building in Yosemite for winter sports, and the Olympics selecting Los Angeles as the site for the summer games for 1932, Tresidder teamed up with William Garland, president of the Steering Committee of the Plays of Los Angeles to promote Yosemite for winter sports for the Olympics of 1932.
Lake Placid
was selected instead. This did not diminish the interest in winter sports in Yosemite, but rather intensified it. Tresidder could see the need for real facilities in Yosemite for winter sports.
A lift was built in 1933 but it was not at the Ahwahnee but at Badger Pass some miles away. The first slalom in California was held in 1933 at Badger Pass. With the lingering effects of The Great Depression
and the difficult road access to Badger Pass, the need for an easier route to the high country slowed further development.
The History of the Yosemite area
depicts the building of the tunnel as follows:
"The completion of the 0.8 mile (1.3 km) long Wawona Tunnel in 1933 was both an engineering marvel and significantly reduced the amount of travel time to the Valley from Wawona without scarring the landscape with a long road cut (the famous 'Tunnel View
' is on the Valley side of the tunnel and Inspiration Point is above it)."
After the Wawona Road and Tunnel opened in late 1933 and Glacier Point Road to Badger Pass opened in 1935, Yosemite's first ski lodge was built in Monroe Meadow, and by the end of the season Badger Pass had welcomed more than 25,000 skiers. The West's first ski lift, called the Upski, was installed in 1936. Nicknamed the “Queen Mary,” it was a large sled that moved up and down the hill on a cable, carrying six skiers at a time up to the summit.
Also with completion of the new Wawona Road and tunnel, visitors began to use the Chinquapin area
for skiing as well as the Badger Pass slope. Because of the poor condition of the Glacier Point road, the Yosemite Park and Curry Company became interested in installing the cable tramway as a means of getting skiers to the south rim. Gradually valley floor winter activities faded and skiers concentrated on Badger Pass and the high country, especially after improvement of the Glacier Point road afforded greater accessibility to that area.
Today, the Badger Pass Ski Area provides a public venue for both downhill and snowboarding activities. It is operated for the National Park Service by the current concessionaire, Delaware-North. One of the major features of the area is the restored Badger Pass Day Lodge, which houses the Snowflake Room. From this pub visitors can view the 10 down-hill runs and the 5 lifts. The Lodge no longer has overnight accommodations and is for day use only.
Food concessions and an activities desk are located on the lower level of the lodge. Several ski schools, catering to both beginners and advanced skiers, operate on the slopes.
In addition, cross-country skiing is available for those visitors interested in a back country experience . With instructors and guides available, Yosemite provides 22 miles (35.4 km) of groomed cross-country track and 90 miles (145 km) marked trails. For the cross-country skater there are more than 9 miles (14.5 km) of skating lanes. These are located along a groomed portion Glacier Point road. Equipment for cross-country skiing can be rented by the day from the ski rental department on the bottom floor of the lodge.
One of the most interesting trips is a 21 miles (33.8 km) loop from Badger Pass to Glacier Point. The views of Half Dome in winter are spectacular. The National Park Service, in conjunction with The Yosemite Association, provides webcams of the vistas you can see along this journey. A guided ski trip on intermediate groomed terrain through magnificent Yosemite back country takes you to the rustic accommodations of the beautiful stone and log building, known as the Glacier Point Ski Hut. This overnight trip allows you to experience snow covered vistas of Half Dome
and Vernal Falls
from Glacier Point.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
. Badger Pass is one of only three lift serviced ski areas operating in a US National Park (Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area
Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area
The Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area is a small ski area located within Olympic National Park south of Port Angeles, Washington, United States. Hurricane Ridge is one of only three lift serviced ski areas operating in a US National Park...
in Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the Olympic Peninsula. The park can be divided into four basic regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west side temperate rainforest and the forests of the drier east side. U.S...
and Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort
Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort
Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort is a pair of partner ski resorts, owned by Peak Resorts, in Northeastern Ohio. The two locations were developed independently in the 1960s. In 1990, Brandywine was purchased by the owners of Boston Mills, forming the dual-resort complex known today. In 2002 Peak...
in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves and reclaims the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in Northeast Ohio. The park is the only national park in Ohio.Cuyahoga means "crooked river" in Mohawk....
are the others). It is situated five miles (8 km) south-southeast of the Chinquapin intersection of Wawona Road (HWY 41 continuation) with Glacier Point Road in the southern area of Yosemite National Park. Glacier Point Road provides the access to this ski area. During high snow level and/or ski season, Glacier Point road terminates at Badger Pass ski Resort. Under these conditions, the remainder of Glacier Point Road is used for cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
access to Glacier Point and other destinations in the high country.
Location
The nearest community to Badger Pass is Yosemite West
Yosemite West
Yosemite West is an unincorporated private community of resort homes located in the southern area of Yosemite National Park just off Wawona Road, a continuation of State Route 41 from Fresno. It is situated one mile south of the Chinquapin intersection of Wawona Road with the Glacier Point Road...
. This 90 acres (36.4 ha) skiing area provides 10 runs and 5 lifts with downhill, snow tubing and snow boarding facilities. There are also training areas with instructors for beginners and novices that need "brushing up". A special snow tubing area has been added to better assist beginners. This is located near the cross-country equipment rental area. For safety reasons, this area is "roped off" so that skiers can not enter the area.
In addition to the downhill facilities, there are extensive cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails. In fact this is one of the highlights of the Badger Pass/Yosemite National Park winter activities. There are over 84 miles (135.2 km) of trails encompassing many of the tourist sites in Yosemite. In addition, two overnight huts are available for extended winter trips into the wilderness.
History
The history of winter sports in Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
is unique. Following the building of the Ahwahnee Hotel
Ahwahnee Hotel
The Ahwahnee Hotel is a destination hotel in Yosemite National Park, California, on the floor of Yosemite Valley, constructed from stone, concrete, wood and glass, which opened in 1927...
in 1925–1927, came Yosemite’s first ski school in 1928 with Jules Fritsch as instructor. Fritsch, a Swiss ski expert was part of a trained staff of winter sports experts available in Yosemite. Fritsch and the staff led six day snow excursions in Yosemite from the Ahwahnee to Tenaya Lake to bolster the ski school. Many believe this ski school was the first in California. In conjunction with the Curry Company, one of the first projects was the 1927 construction of a four-track toboggan slide near Camp Curry. Dr. Donald Tresidder
Donald Tresidder
Donald Bertrand Tresidder was the fourth president of Stanford University.Son of Dr. John Treloar Tresidder , Tresidder was born in Tipton, Indiana. At the age of 20 he took a trip with his sister to Southern California. However, the railroad tracks were washed out and they went to Yosemite Valley...
, the first president the Yosemite Park & Curry Company and its guiding force, saw the visitor interest in winter sports and immediately formed the Yosemite Winter Club. With the club’s enthusiast support, a small ski hill and ski jump near Tenaya Creek Bridge was built in 1928.
With the interest building in Yosemite for winter sports, and the Olympics selecting Los Angeles as the site for the summer games for 1932, Tresidder teamed up with William Garland, president of the Steering Committee of the Plays of Los Angeles to promote Yosemite for winter sports for the Olympics of 1932.
Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
was selected instead. This did not diminish the interest in winter sports in Yosemite, but rather intensified it. Tresidder could see the need for real facilities in Yosemite for winter sports.
A lift was built in 1933 but it was not at the Ahwahnee but at Badger Pass some miles away. The first slalom in California was held in 1933 at Badger Pass. With the lingering effects of The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and the difficult road access to Badger Pass, the need for an easier route to the high country slowed further development.
The History of the Yosemite area
History of the Yosemite area
For over 3,000 years Sierra Miwok, Mono, Paiute, and other Native American groups have lived in the central Sierra Nevada region of California. When European Americans first visited the area that would later become Yosemite National Park, a band of Miwok-speaking Native Americans called the...
depicts the building of the tunnel as follows:
"The completion of the 0.8 mile (1.3 km) long Wawona Tunnel in 1933 was both an engineering marvel and significantly reduced the amount of travel time to the Valley from Wawona without scarring the landscape with a long road cut (the famous 'Tunnel View
Tunnel View
Tunnel View, within Yosemite National Park, is a viewpoint on State Route 41 located directly east of the Wawona Tunnel as one enters Yosemite Valley from the South. The view looks east into Yosemite Valley including the southwest face of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls. This is, to...
' is on the Valley side of the tunnel and Inspiration Point is above it)."
After the Wawona Road and Tunnel opened in late 1933 and Glacier Point Road to Badger Pass opened in 1935, Yosemite's first ski lodge was built in Monroe Meadow, and by the end of the season Badger Pass had welcomed more than 25,000 skiers. The West's first ski lift, called the Upski, was installed in 1936. Nicknamed the “Queen Mary,” it was a large sled that moved up and down the hill on a cable, carrying six skiers at a time up to the summit.
Also with completion of the new Wawona Road and tunnel, visitors began to use the Chinquapin area
Chinquapin, California
Chinquapin is a former settlement in Mariposa County, California. It was located north-northwest of Wawona. Also, it is adjacent to the community of Yosemite West-History:...
for skiing as well as the Badger Pass slope. Because of the poor condition of the Glacier Point road, the Yosemite Park and Curry Company became interested in installing the cable tramway as a means of getting skiers to the south rim. Gradually valley floor winter activities faded and skiers concentrated on Badger Pass and the high country, especially after improvement of the Glacier Point road afforded greater accessibility to that area.
Badger Pass today
Food concessions and an activities desk are located on the lower level of the lodge. Several ski schools, catering to both beginners and advanced skiers, operate on the slopes.
In addition, cross-country skiing is available for those visitors interested in a back country experience . With instructors and guides available, Yosemite provides 22 miles (35.4 km) of groomed cross-country track and 90 miles (145 km) marked trails. For the cross-country skater there are more than 9 miles (14.5 km) of skating lanes. These are located along a groomed portion Glacier Point road. Equipment for cross-country skiing can be rented by the day from the ski rental department on the bottom floor of the lodge.
One of the most interesting trips is a 21 miles (33.8 km) loop from Badger Pass to Glacier Point. The views of Half Dome in winter are spectacular. The National Park Service, in conjunction with The Yosemite Association, provides webcams of the vistas you can see along this journey. A guided ski trip on intermediate groomed terrain through magnificent Yosemite back country takes you to the rustic accommodations of the beautiful stone and log building, known as the Glacier Point Ski Hut. This overnight trip allows you to experience snow covered vistas of Half Dome
Half Dome
Half Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in northeastern Mariposa County, California, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley — possibly Yosemite's most familiar rock formation. The granite crest rises more than above the valley floor....
and Vernal Falls
Vernal Falls
Vernal Fall is a waterfall on the Merced River just downstream of Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, California.The feature is accessible via the Mist Trail, which climbs close enough to the fall so that hikers must travel through the fall's mist...
from Glacier Point.