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Southwest Life Health And the West is History Community Travel

Photo: Early skiing

This photo was taken between 1939 and 1941, at Lechner Field, later known as Chipmunk Hill. Lechner Field was located a mile south of the entrance to Electra Lake off U.S. Highway 550 north of Durango. The rope tow, installed by the San Juan Ski Club, later the Durango Ski Club, was moved to the Third Avenue ski area in 1943. The Third Avenue ski hill was later named Calico Hill and is now known as Chapman Hill. The picture is taken looking west toward the Hermosa Cliffs. After the ski tow was moved to Durango, Chipmunk Hill remained a popular sledding and toboggan hill until the early 2000s, when it was closed to public use. Read more local history at durangoherald.com/westishistory. <br><br>Ed Horvat for The Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum.org