Huff Hills Ski Area
North Dakota
Huff Hills Ski Area opened for business in January of 1993, after an intense five-month construction period. The history of the area goes back much farther than that.
The area purchased the Green Lift from Brian Head Ski Area, in the southwest corner of Utah. The lift had been the first chair at the area, installed in the early 1960's. It was the same make and model as the Blue, a Hall 1405. These lifts are still common throughout most of the Midwest. This time, the lift was up and operational. Jim Beck, his son Andy, and two other employees, Jason Landeis and Jason Gusaass, traveled to Utah to take the lift down and haul it back to North Dakota.
Two weeks later, the lift arrived at it's new home. One Brain Head resident was reluctant to see the lift go. Georg Hartlmier was a German immigrant and came over at the request of the founder of Brian Head in 1964. One of the first jobs George had in the US was helping to install the Navaho #1 chair at Brian Head. It was the first chair installed at the area. When the Huff Hills crew took the lift down, Georg was kind enough to share a photo album of the construction with them. He still has two chairs from the lift at his ski shop, and they hang from their own tower.
After the Green lift installation, the ski area looked like it has ever since. Huff Hills has continued to be a local place to learn, have fun, and tune-up before trips to other areas in the country. Huff Hills has played a role in the development of two sponsored snowboarders, two ski area management majors, and countless family memories. Come join Huff Hills, and be part of the fun at Huff Hills Ski Area!
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