Help Granlibakken to celebrate 95 years of winter fun with this blog series that explores Granlibakken’s history through interviews, press releases, articles, and more.
What do you get when you combine six kids, two hardworking parents, and one ski hill in Tahoe City? You get a memorable vacation, that’s what you get! As one of six kids and with busy architects as parents, Kit Ratcliff remembers skiing at Granlibakken as a treat. He and his family would rent out… Continue Reading Family Getaways in the Early Days of Granlibakken
The Tucker Snowcat used to groom the slopes in front of the old residence at the base of the ski hill. Granlibakken Tahoe’s ski and sled area has been making memories for generations. From kids who learned to ski on its approachable slopes to families that have been involved in the operations, Granlibakken is a… Continue Reading Skiing at Granlibakken Tahoe
The story of Granlibakken’s early days, as told by Kjell “Rusty” Rustad’s daughter, Binth Rustad. Binth Rustad at the creek at Granlibakken Granlibakken Tahoe today is a bustling conference center, lodge, and resort just outside of Tahoe City. The small ski and sled hill onsite is fun for beginners and families, and generations of skiers… Continue Reading Growing Up Granlibakken
Steve Topol’s family relocated from Reno up to Tahoe in the mid-50s. Their house was conveniently located on Cathedral Street, in the same neighborhood as the Granlibakken Ski Area, and Steve has fond memories of spending his free time in Granlibakken’s 74 acre valley during the winter and summer seasons. Steve Topol’s family on the… Continue Reading Granlibakken: The West Shore’s Playground
The Tahoe Tavern Ski Jump, constructed with the help of Lars Haugen With the 2018 Winter Olympic Games starting today, we are looking back on Olympic history here at Granlibakken Tahoe. Granlibakken’s first foray into winter sports began in 1922, when it was called “Ski Canyon” and used as a winter recreation area by locals.… Continue Reading Olympic History at Granlibakken Tahoe
This blog is part of a series that looks back on skiing at Granlibakken Tahoe through the years, commemorating 95 years of winter fun at Granlibakken, which has been used as a winter recreation area since 1922. These blogs are based on interviews with people who have memories of skiing at Granlibakken. Do you have… Continue Reading Learning to Ski with Rusty at Granlibakken Tahoe
This blog is part of a series that looks back on skiing at Granlibakken Tahoe through the years, commemorating 95 years of winter fun at Granlibakken, which has been used as a winter recreation area since 1922. These blogs are based on interviews with people who have memories of skiing at Granlibakken. Do you have… Continue Reading Kjell “Rusty” Rustad: A Sailor on Skis
Written by Carol Van Etten Carol Van Etten is a Tahoe research historian who has been studying and writing about Lake Tahoe history for over 30 years. Her love of Tahoe and its history date to childhood summers spent at the family cabin in Rubicon Bay, where she first heard stories of the lake in… Continue Reading Granlibakken Ski History