Loveland Ski Area got nearly 3,000 entries when it started a contest to name its new chairlift … and thankfully, the winner honors this family resort’s history more than, say, Lifty McLiftFace.
When the new high-speed, detachable quad lift opens this winter, it will be called CHET’S DREAM.
It’s named after Chet Upham Jr., whose family has owned the ski area around an hour from Denver since 1972. Before that, he was one of the partners and the driving force behind Loveland’s first chairlift.
“It’s perfect,” said Peter Werlin, whose father was Loveland’s general manager for years. “I can’t wait to get on it.”
Upham died in Jan. 24, 2008 and his widow is now the owner of Loveland.
His love for skiing and dedication to making it affordable were legendary, according to a news release from Loveland. One of Upham’s favorite quotes was “If we’d get a dime, we’d spend it on improvements up there [Loveland].”
Werlin said what he remembers most about Upham is his sense of humor. He remembers how one Halloween, he and his wife went as a chairlift for Halloween.
“They had built little chairs that hung between the two of them,” Werlin said.
He said Upham understand the joy of skiing beyond just trying to see how many laps you can get, or how much vertical you can crush in a day.
“This is a family that loves skiing,” Werlin said.
Usually, Loveland’s lifts have numbered, so it’s especially special that it was Chet Upham Jr. himself who will inspire this trend to change, Werlin said.
Former ski patroller Terry Henningson was the one that submitted the name CHET’S DREAM. He’ll get a chair from the old Lift 1 for providing the inspiration.
Loveland is tentatively planning to open in mid-to-late October.
