JHStyle Magazine Winter/Spring 2023-24

PUSHING BOUNDARIES
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of the National Park Service, he created the Snake
River Land Company in 1927 to maintain anonymity,
with the goal of acquiring private land to donate to
the government. He began quietly purchasing land
from local ranchers, many who were experiencing
tough times as the demand for beef declined after
World War I. At the same time, in 1929, President
Calvin Coolidge created the 96,000-acre Grand
Teton National Park.
A local backlash erupted once Jackson Hole residents
became aware of Rockefeller’s involvement
and intentions in 1930. Wyoming’s congressional
delegation blocked attempts to expand Grand Teton
National Park to include the Jackson Hole area, and
only when Rockefeller threatened to sell the 35,000
acres he had purchased for the park did the federal
government step in. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
used the Antiquities Act of 1906 to create the
Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943, and in
1950, the land was added to the boundaries of Grand
Teton National Park. The inclusion frustrated many
who were vehemently opposed to the president’s
use of the Antiquities Act, which they felt bypassed
the normal democratic process. However, concessions
were made to park opponents, including an
article forbidding the future use of the Antiquities
Act in Wyoming to create national monuments without
the consent of Congress. Rockefeller continued
to buy and donate land to the park until his death.
Virginia Huidekoper
From Salt Lake City, Utah, Virginia Huidekoper
dropped out of high school her freshman year to be
a skier. After a stint in Sun Valley, Idaho, she married
Jim Huidekoper in 1943 and moved to Jackson Hole,
where they purchased a ranch above Wilson and
raised three children. Despite leaving school early,
“Ginny” was known for her many accomplishments
as a journalist, skier, pilot, conservationist, equestrian,
author, photographer and politician.
The Huidekopers owned the Jackson’s Hole Courier
for a couple years during the time Grand Teton
National Park was being expanded, using the newspaper
to back the effort despite public bitterness.
In a decision made one evening at the Stagecoach
Bar in 1970, she then started the Jackson Hole News
with Ralph Gill, once again using the publication to
back conservation efforts. She served on the county
school board, was a trustee for St. John’s Hospital,
and — along with her husband — was a featured
player in starting Snow King Ski Area.
In addition to her multitude of accomplishments,
she was also remembered for her wild side. In a featured
obituary from the Jackson Hole News & Guide,
friends left little doubt that Virginia not only left a
lasting mark on the town, but had a whole lot of fun
while doing it.
JHStyleMagazine.com | WINTER • SPRING 2023-2024
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Creating a Ski Destination
The formation of local ski areas were obvious influences for expanding Jackson Hole’s tourism
footprint. A conglomeration of local spirit and dedication can be credited to creating Wyoming’s
first ski area, Snow King Mountain. Locals began hiking up “the town hill” in the 1920s to enjoy
the steep downhill run, and in 1936, the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed a horse and
hiking trail to the top, which became the first “official” ski run on the mountain. A cable tow
powered by an old Ford tractor was added in 1939 by Neil Rafferty, and in 1947, Wyoming’s first
single chairlift opened, constructed the year prior with funds raised by the Jackson Hole Winter
Sports Association.
Paul McCollister and Alex Morley of
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
After a successful career in radio advertising,
Paul McCollister moved his family from the
Bay Area of California to Jackson Hole. An avid
skier, McCollister had fallen in love with the area
decades earlier after a hunting trip, and in 1957,
purchased a 390-acre cattle ranch at the base
of Shadow Mountain, where Jackson Hole Golf
& Tennis is now located today. McCollister and
Alex Morley, a developer and lifelong Wyoming
resident, were the dreamers behind the resort,
forming the Jackson Hole Ski Corporation in
1963. Morley’s connections helped the pair
secure a federally subsidized EDA loan, qualifying
for federal assistance because — at the time
— Teton County was classified as “economically
depressed.” Construction of the resort began in
1964, opening in 1966 with three chairlifts and a
63 passenger aerial tramway. n
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