Gasoline was scarce during World War II so the rope tow was moved from Chipmunk Hill into town down to Third Avenue. Skiing there was popular even though the tow had no safety features and a frayed steel cable. Dolph Kuss, hired as Durango’s City-County Director of Recreation in 1954, was appalled at the situation and set about acquiring a proper ski lift. The community pitched in to install a lift from Camp Hale, a U.S. Army training facility used to train the 10th Mountain Division ski corps during World War II. In the early 1960s, a contest was held to name the little ski hill in town. The winning name was Calico Hill, selected because the terrain often was multicolored—white, green, and brown! Later the name was changed to Chapman Hill and to this day, weather permitting, skiers have a place to get in some turns right in town.

Fireworks over Chapman Hill

Catalog number: 92.6.31

Warming hut on Chapman Hill

Catalog number: 92.6.31a

Racing on Chapman Hill

Catalog number: 92.6.31b

Chapman Hill ski pass fro 1980

Catalog number: 15.66.22

Rope tow grabber used by Carl Johnson at Chapman Hill. The user placed the belt around his waist and clamped the metal part on the rope tow. These devices were also called "nutcrackers."

Catalog number: 14.43.1