Snowbasin, 1940
In the late 1930s county and city officials sought to expand recreation offerings. They selected Wheeler Basin as the site for a new skiing and recreation area. Wheeler Basin was a severely overgrazed watershed area in need of rehabilitation. Weber County, Ogden City, and other civic organizations began purchasing land in the basin to protect culinary water sources and begin the reforestation process.
In 1940 Ogden City and local clubs transferred almost 3,000 acres of land in Wheeler Basin to the U.S. Forest Service so that the area could be further developed. The Forest Service began clearing and preparing ski trails and built the first access road.
That same year, the Ogden Chamber of Commerce held a contest to rename Wheeler Basin. 350 people responded, and initially the name Magic Valley was selected. However Twin Falls, Idaho, had been using the name to describe their town and the surrounding valley. Leaders in Twin Falls wrote to Ogden officials protesting the use of Magic Valley. After discussions, the Chamber of Commerce agreed to select a new name, and Snow Basin was chosen.
Snow Basin was officially opened in November 1940, and the first ski race was held there a month later. Sverre and Corey Engen opened the first ski school in 1941, and Snow Basin continued to expand until the Forest Service temporarily closed the resort during World War II. Reopened in 1945, ownership of the resort has changed hands over the years, but today it continues to operate as a world-class ski resort.
