Alta, Wyoming — When you build a ski resort, you have many things to do. One of the supposedly easier parts is naming the trails, lifts, and buildings. Ultimately, you have to be creative. Sometimes, the best move is to bring in outside help.
For Grand Targhee, that responsibility was bestowed upon Darryl Harris, who was working with Evans Advertising at the inception of Grand Targhee Resort. Targhee called on him for the first trail names of the Wydaho ski resort.
Ultimately, he was invited to Driggs to chat with the Grand Targhee Resort’s manager. He brought a sketch showing the future trails and lifts. The manager needed to name the trail runs but didn’t have the time. Because of Darryl’s experience at Park City Mountain Resort, they asked him to name the runs and lifts. He ultimately used Shoshone Native American terms to fill out Grand Targhee’s trail map due to their significance to Idaho history. He explained that process in the video below.
Below is one of the first trail maps, circa the early 1970s.
And below is what Grand Targhee looks like today. More ski resort buildout, including new terrain and base area redevelopment, could come in the future. Overall, Darryl’s explainer video is a solid way of understanding Grand Targhee’s roots.
Image/Video Credits: Michael Harris, Grand Targhee Resort
