Founded by Swiss immigrant Ernie Blake in 1955, high in the Sangre de Cristo Range, the resort was known as the Twining Valley in the 1880s, when it was home to gold and copper miners. The village, which nestles at the foot of the slopes at an altitude of 9,186ft, has more than a dozen lodges, numerous restaurants and shops. Fifteen ski lifts operate in the resort, cresting at 11,811ft. Scenic chairlift rides operate in summer.