In 1929 construction began on what was then the largest ski jump in the world with hopes of luring the 1932 Winter Olympic Games. (Los Angeles had already won the rights to the summer games.) The structure took two years to build, and in 1931, just three weeks after it was completed, Norwegian-born Alf Engen set a new world record by jumping an incredible 243 feet. This is an accomplishment even today, but imagine how difficult it must have been with no chairlifts, no grooming equipment and skis that were no more than wooden planks with leather straps. Engen caught the attention of the world, and Big Pines was awarded the winter games.

Unfortunately, poor snow conditions in 1932 caused the competition to be moved to Lake Placid, New York, and Big Pines never fulfilled its Olympic destiny. Though uncomfortable at the time, the setback had little effect on the region, and popularity continued to rise through the mid to late 1930's.

Development of a commercial ski area catering to the general public began in 1941 when Frank Springer and Tom Triol took over management of the Blue Ridge Ski Area (now Mountain High West). Through a mixture of vision and hard work, they developed a number of varied downhill runs that suited the desires of beginner and advanced skiers alike. The Blue Ridge chair lift was only the third such transport in California and the fifth in the United States. Before being sold to Dick Woodworth in 1975, a second chair lift had been installed, and the prestige of Blue Ridge was drawing participants from across the country and even Europe. After the acquisition, Woodworth changed the resort's name to Mountain High.

In 1948 Joseph "Sepp" Benedikter and John Steinmann established a neighboring ski area called Holiday Hill. Benedikter, a native Austrian and ski enthusiast since the age of three, was no rookie to the industry. With an engineering background, he was well known for his developments in Sun Valley, Idaho, during the mid 1930s. The two entrepreneurs installed the first rope tow on the site that, for many years, was part of the old Los Angeles County Park and Playground. Steinmann gained control of the area in 1950 and erected the first mile-long chair lift with a vertical rise of 1,600 feet. The area was sold to a corporation made up of some of Steinmann's sons in 1959 and later purchased totally by Heinz Steinmann, the son of the original developer.

Terry Tognazzini, a businessman from Orange County, acquired Mountain High in 1978 and Holiday Hill in 1980. He then merged the two to create a single resort known as Mountain High Ski Area. During the next 18 years, Mountain High grew to become one of Southern California's leading winter resorts with 46 trails and 11 chair lifts including the region's first high-speed detachable quad. Tognazzini also installed a comprehensive snowmaking system, night lighting and other resort amenities. At its peak in the late 1980's, Mountain High drew an annual attendance of 350,000 and was ranked second in the region. Unfortunately, due to lack of capital and a slowing Southern California economy, attendance faltered in the mid 1990's and the resort fell into a financial slump from which most thought it would never recover.

In June of 1997, Mountain High Ski Area was purchased by a company today known as Mountain High Holdings LLC. A dramatic transformation took place that summer which included the renovation of everything from lifts to grooming equipment to snowmaking facilities. In just the first year, the resort saw a 129% increase in attendance justifying the extensive capital outlay. Now titled the "New" Mountain High Resort, the stage was set for the area's transition into the 21st century.

During the next several years, popularity grew without precedent, and in 2001, just four years after the purchase, Mountain High became the number one resort in Southern California in terms of skier visits. To this day, it still holds that title and has since won numerous awards for generating new participants and increasing the frequency of core visitors.

In the summer of 2005, ownership of the Wrightwood Resort changed once again. Valor Equity Partners out of Chicago took control making numerous improvements in the first two years including remodeling the West Base area, adding the North Pole Tubing park and increasing snowmaking capacity by 30%.

Today Mountain High continues to be one of the top five resorts in the state and top 25 resorts in the country in terms of visits. With the possibility of a new base lodge the area now has the potential to climb even higher and continue its history of success.

Come visit Mountain High for yourself this year and take in the rich history that both the resort and the surrounding area have to offer.