Technical difficulties interrupt perfect day for ski hill opening

ARCO, Idaho (KIFI)- After originally opening to the public in 1963 the Blizzard Ski Hill just out side of Arco opened for another ski season Saturday Morning. The Ski Hill was created by three friends who wanted the ability to ski a bit closer to home with their families.

"It was expensive and difficult to get to the ski areas, especially with their big families. They all went together and they put this lift in and the lift they bought from the Beaver Mountain ski area for a couple thousand dollars," said Charles Chad Cheney a member of the Arco Lions Club.

Cheney added that over time, eventually, the ski hill be came too expensive to be operated privately and thus was closed down for a time. After the original group of friends passed, the Arco Lions Club stepped up to help keep the hill running to keep that part of the friends legacy alive.

"We have to rent the land from the landowner or rent the use of it. And, everything here is done by volunteers and it's just and any kind of cash donations either come from the volunteers or come from the people that come and use the facility," said Cheney.

The lift operates every Saturday during a Ski season from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is located on Blizzard street just outside of Arco.

Some concerns interrupted Saturday's opening day at the ski hill due to mechanical issues at the lift. "That's part of what this old lift is like. There are days when you don't have a derailment and then there are other days when it seems like it's derailed all the time," said Cheney. Despite the issues visitors to the hill were able to make the best of it by finding a spot to sled nearby.

Cheney says its all just part of the experience. "People that come here understand that this is kind of a laid back place and it's pretty old."