Then and now: From ski hill to paved road
What is now a road was once an actual ski run. Photo/Stephen Gennerich collection
Carved uphill from historic Bijou Park on Highway 50 in the early 1950s was a man-made ski run. It had rope tows to pull people to the top.
Today Ski Run Boulevard is the main route to Heavenly Mountain Resort. Photo/Bill Kingman
Over the years, more and more of uphill Ski Run gradually was paved.
Approaching the top of the pavement on the right, a Mexican restaurant named The Guitar opened for business in 1961. That building now is a private residence. In the 1970s, Caltrans intended to build a highway from Meyers to Stateline and purchased properties to cross Ski Run Boulevard about where Regina Road is today.
Ski Run Boulevard provided access when Heavenly Valley opened in 1955.
— Bill Kingman
too bad caltrans did not persevere, highway project-wise. that forward thinking would have launched slt…
Yes, the only thing that has set SLT back is that 5 miles of Pioneer Trail is not a highway. Really?
In regards to CalTrans foresight. Wonder if having Pioneer trail as a 40 mph or so thoroughfare with no stop lights and signs, and 50 starting at the airport in SLT to Kahle in Stateline as a 25 mph thoroughfare with no stop lights or sign is viable. Remember, 50 is a federal road,not a city street. If 50 in town has at least one on ramp and off ramp (ability to merge into and exit 50 at 25 mph)for every subdivision at minimum, might take the same amount of time to get across town, or maybe even faster. Not to mention the expense of street traffic control lights will be a non issue.
Pioneer Trail as a freeway ? The idiot cal-trans speed monitor already raised the speed limit to 50 in a stretch and 45-40 the rest of the way. Remember, Pioneer Trail services many neighborhoods and the ever increasing, speeding traffic is making it harder and harder to enter and exit the “freeway”. More stop lights are going to be needed on Pioneer Trail unless the traffic load is reduced by using slower speed limits.
Perry
Interesting. Instead of off ramps use “roundabouts” which would control speed with rarely having to stop.
Bill, lots of good memories at Ski Run. At the top ,which is not paved , we used to go sledding.
An old ski hill in the same spot that had a rope tow run by an old tractor motor.
I washed dishes at the Guitar when I was a kid. Got to meet Michael Landon there from the Bonanza tv show at that old mexican resturaunt.
Good times! Take care ,OLS
Blue Goose restaurant upper ski run if memory serves me correct?
Yes Dan, for a time it was called The Blue Goose. I remember watching Pat Dolan playing the harmonica on a open mic night there, an he was all worked up wearin’ bib overalls and blowin’ into that harmonica like there was no tommorow! Gettin’ the crowd whipped into a frenzy!!!
Good times at the hot tubs, bars and resturants down the road as well.
Lotssa good times on Ski Run to be sure. OLS