Back in the 1970s, skiing was much more a European sport than an American one, so American resort owners borrowed many of the accoutrements and affectations of their Continental forebears. A-frame, Swiss-style chalets, Bavarian flourishes and food such as sauerkraut and bratwurst helped legitimize the growing sport in America at now-venerable resorts like Alta and Sun Valley, which had long been hot spots for the jet set but still were catching on with everyday Americans.
Snowbird, in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon, was built in the 1970s. Today, it’s one of the world’s most famous and celebrated ski and snowboard areas, known for its iconic tram, steep terrain and ample snowfall. It was the brainchild of Alta Ski Patroller Ted Johnson and a Texas oilman named Dick Bass. To put it mildly, Bass was a world traveler. In 1985, he became the first to climb the highest peaks on each of the world’s seven continents.
In planning Snowbird, Bass and Johnson visited ski areas and resorts around the globe to glean ideas for the new resort. One of the most inspirational stops was at Zermatt, the famous ski village in the Swiss Alps, known for its access to the Matterhorn.
Bass met with then-mayor of Zermatt, Amaday Perry, with a diplomatic proposal. Zermatt and Snowbird would be sister cities (although Snowbird isn’t so much a town as a ski area base).
Zermatt’s mayor agreed and had an actual piece of the Matterhorn chiseled off the famed peak and sent to Utah to seal the deal. Upon its arrival, a celebration was held on the Tram Deck in the brand-new Snowbird Center. Jerry Guiles, who worked at Snowbird from the early days, said it was “a great occasion. All the Swiss dignitaries flew in and we put on a big dinner with raclette and Swiss chocolate. Of course, schnapps was the big drink of the night.” Times change, of course. Swiss mayors come and go, and the importance of the Snowbird-Swiss connection has faded into obscurity. But the large chunk of the Matterhorn remains prominently located at Snowbird’s base as a testament to the early days of skiing at the ’Bird, and its international aspirations.
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