50 years of growth at resort

1955/56: Heavenly Valley partnership of Chris Kuraisa, George Canon, Rudy Gersick and Curly Musso erects Chair One (Gunbarrel), and two rope tows. Base lodge and top-of-chair Pioneer Hut, the current Lakeview Lodge, the frame of which is still the foundation for today's lodge, are built. Dec. 15 is Heavenly's first day of operation

1960/61: Chair Two (Patsy's-Waterfall) is installed, the first double-directional lift in the country. Pioneer Hut is expanded.

1961/62: Chair Three (Ridge chair) reaches Monument Peak. Heavenly hosts the Professional Ski Racers Championships.

1962/63: First Heavenly Tram opens for year-round business.

1964/65: Chair Four (Sky Chair, a fixed chairlift) accesses Heavenly's top slopes. Chris Kuraisa sells his interest in Heavenly; Hugh Killebrew becomes general partner.

1965/66: Powder Bowl and Groove chairs installed.

1966/67: West Bowl chair opens, the first lift installed by helicopter.

1967/68: The Nevada side opens with Boulder and Dipper chairs and Boulder Base. World Cup finals featuring "The Governor's Cup."

1968/69: Four new runs cut on the Nevada side, including Olympic downhill.

1969/70: World Cup chair installed.

1971/72: East Peak chair installed. World Cup men's and women's giant slalom and slalom held.

1972/73: World Cup Finals: men's and women's giant slalom and slalom.

1973/74: Wells Fargo chair installed, completing the men's downhill course.

1974/75: Chevrolet Freestyle Championships, one of the first freestyle competitions ever held.

1975/76: Stagecoach chair built, accessing a new base on the Nevada side.

1977/78: Aug. 26 - Hugh Killebrew and three key employees killed in a plane crash; Bill Killebrew becomes general partner. First installation of a permanent snowmaking system

1978/79: Boulder, Stagecoach and East Peak lodges built on Nevada side. Original Gunbarrel chair replaced with a triple chair. First John Denver Celebrity Ski Classic, held annually for nine years.

1980/81: Canyon fixed chair installed.

1981/82: Snowmaking system extended to the top of Ridge Run.

1982/83: Patsy's and Waterfall chair split into two new triple chairs. Galaxy chair installed.

1983/84: Sky chair converted to a triple. First of the annual International Police Winter Games played.

1984/85: Old Tram replaced with a new, 50-passenger tram. Dipper chair converted to a triple.

1987/88: Snowmaking expanded on Nevada side and in California.

1988/89: Resort's first high-speed express chair, Comet, installed. East Peak lodge reinstalled in new location as Olympic chair and Boulder chair converted to two lifts. Experimental "snowcat skiing" started in Mott Canyon.

1990/91: Heavenly sold to the Kamori Kanko Co. of Japan. The first of four Top Gun mogul events.

1991/92: Mott Canyon chair accesses new super-expert terrain. 1992/93: Sky chair replaced with an express high-speed quad lift. Groove and Powderbowl chairs replaced with two triple chairlifts.

1994/1995: Dipper chair replaced with an express detachable quad lift. King of the Mountain Downhill race.

1997/98: Heavenly acquired by The American Skiing Co. Extensive planning began for the new gondola and base.

2000/01: The $10 million Gondola at Heavenly opened. Heavenly Village groundbreaking.

2001/02: Heavenly is acquired by Vail Resorts, Inc.

2002/03: Blaise Carrig is appointed as senior vice president and chief operating officer. Vail Resorts invests nearly $15 million in capital improvements at Heavenly. Canyon and Ridge chairs are replaced with high-speed quads. Construction begins on a new 15-acre Adventure Peak Snow Park.

2004/05: $10 million in improvements: East Peak Lodge receives an "extreme makeover"; Powderbowl and Waterfall chairs replaced with one new Dopplymayr six-pack. Construction on the Heavenly Village completed.