By Chris von Imhoff and Loverne Bercee
Special to the Turnagain Times
The development of Mt. Alyeska as a major ski resort is an intriguing story. Who better to relate some of the peaks and valleys encountered over the many years of development than Chris von Imhof, whose tenure at Alyeska Resort started in 1967 when he was appointed manager by the owner of the resort at the time—Alaska Airlines.
We hope you will find these articles in upcoming issues informative and interesting, and that, as Chris would say, “You will enjoy it.”
Introduction
By Loverne Bercee
I vividly remember the first time I met Chris von Imhof. At that time, I was working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in the quaint old Anchorage Airport terminal. One morning, in 1963, I was sitting at the counter in the Northwest Airlines Coffee Shop with a couple airline gals. Jennifer, the waitress was pouring, and I almost got coffee on my lap when one of the gals asked, “who's that handsome guy walking in the door?”
Chris walked over and introduced himself. He had been transferred from California as District Sales Manager for Scandinavian Airlines System, as the airline was granted traffic rights between Anchorage and Copenhagen. With the new Polar Route, Anchorage was now at the “Airline Crossroads of the World.”
Various International carriers such as Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Air France, S.A.S. and others acquired traffic rights, stopping in Anchorage several times weekly en route to Europe and Tokyo. The flight from Tokyo to Anchorage was about seven hours and another nine hours to Europe, making it necessary for airline crewmembers to change crews, and thus spend two to three days in Anchorage on layovers.
With the many airline personnel stationed in Anchorage, along with crew layovers, the airline personnel became a great support for the new ski resort at Mt. Alyeska. An avid skier from early childhood, raised in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Chris immediately discovered and fell in love with the terrain and beauty of Mt. Alyeska.
In 1965, Chris was appointed Director of Tourism for the State of Alaska under Governor William A. Egan. He soon met Nina Whaley, former Miss Alaska born in Nome and flight attendant for Wien Airlines.
Shortly after their marriage in 1967, the young couple moved to Girdwood. At this time, Alaska Airlines entered into a purchase agreement with the Alyeska Ski Corporation, and Chris accepted the appointment as Alyeska Resort Manager for Alaska Airlines.
Chris had his work cut out for him, as the fledgling ski resort along with a proposed new hotel would prove to be a great challenge.
The First 200 Years
By Chris von Imhoff
When Turnagain Times publisher Ken Smith suggested the idea of writing a series about Alyeska's history for the newspaper my first reaction was ‘no.' I am neither a historian nor a journalist. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt attracted by the idea of sharing the many stories surrounding the development of Girdwood and Alyeska.
These are stories of wonderful people with great pioneer spirit, of courage and passion, of challenges and opportunities, of joy and disappointment, of laughter and tears.
I feel very proud and privileged having been involved in Alyeska's development for decades and being part of a wonderful team of people who made Alyeska what is today.
Finally my wife Brigitte urged me to do the series. She has heard some interesting stories, but she suspects that I will hold back many more anecdotes and expects me to release others, well, maybe, if it's fit to print.
I came to Alaska in 1963, and I must admit there has been life before my time, before the beautiful Glacier Valley became the center of my life and my dreams. But before I bring many more personal stories back to memory, let me start with a chronicle summary of the first 200 years.
In the beginning a few adventurous explorers came to Alaska including naval explorers Vitus Bering in 1741 and Captain James Cook who explored the Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm in 1778. In 1784 Russia establishes it's first major settlement in Kodiak, Alaska and in 1848 the Russians discover Gold along the Kenai River. In 1867 Russia sells Alaska to the United States for $7.2 Million Dollars.
In 1896 Irish immigrant James Girdwood arrives in the Cook Inlet area. At the same time 1897 to 1900 the gold rush was in full progress in the Yukon Territory and some miners came north to Alaska and filed the first claims on Crow Creek. In 1900 James Girdwood files four claims at the head of Crow Creek started a large hydraulic operation in the valley. His gold mining closed in 1908, but the Crow Creek mine continued to operate later under the new owner Arne Erikson, who turned it into a tourist attraction when it was no longer profitable as a commercial goldmine.
A small community called Glacier Valley got its first start where Glacier Creek flows into Turnagain Arm and later was renamed Girdwood. The little town became a recreation center for the miners and later for railway crews. Five of the 16 buildings in 1917 were saloons. The towns setting was so scenic and beautiful that it served as a backdrop for the first movie filmed in Alaska.
The first Post office opened in Girdwood in 1907. That same year, President Roosevelt created the Chugach National Forrest.
In 1914 President Wilson authorized the construction of the Alaska Railroad and in 1916 the Alaska Engineering Commission laid out a street plan for Girdwood with names such as Dawson Street, Gold Street and Easy Street and on weekend s the population grew to 300.
In 1923 President Harding drove the spike completing the Alaska Railroad, which connected Alaska's larger cities with Girdwood and Seward.
The mines closed as World War II broke out, and Girdwood was a sleepy village until construction of Seward Highway began connecting the Seaport of Seward with the new Railroad town of Anchorage.
In 1939 Joe Danich an immigrant from Yugoslavia buys a Girdwood Roadhouse and names it the “Little Dipper.”
In 1951, the Seward Highway opened, linking Seward with Girdwood on the way to Anchorage. Girdwood's population at the time was only 79 residents.
In 1955, Joe Danich built the Girdwood Airstrip on the Turnagain side of the Highway and later opened the first gas station on the corner of the Seward and Alyeska Highways, now occupied by the Tesoro gas station.
1955 marked the year when the early promoter of the Mt. Alyeska ski area, Ernie Baumann, filed the paperwork to secure land for the Alyeska resort base.
The next column will continue with the early days of the development of the Alyeska Ski area.
Two primary reference books are used for the this column: “Alaska's Perfect Mountain “ and “True Tales of the Top of Mt. Alyeska “ and it's authors Lana Johnson and Loverne Bercee and photographer Randy Brandon.
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