LEARN WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL
Get to know our lodge and its snowy history
GOLDMINER’S START
Built in 1961 by Jim and Elfriede Shane, first as a First Aid Station, then as a Day Lodge and housing for mountain employees, the GMD has since become a prominent and centrally located guest lodge in Alta.
Originally from Illinois, Jim and Elfriede Shane moved out west in 1941. They became avid skiers and outdoor enthusiasts while living in Salt Lake City. They were early members of the Wasatch Mountain Club, and Jim, along with his good friend Harold Goodros, was the first to ascend the North Face of the Grand Teton. It was while skiing at Alta, and while Jim was working as a ski instructor at the now-famous Alf Engen Ski School, that they first decided to purchase some land at the base of the mountain.
With the help of some of their closest friends, including Junior Bounous, Mike Wiegele, and Jim McConkey – and the consultation of a licensed architect, of course – they began building the original wing, with everyone, according to Elfriede, “chipping in and contributing with the construction of the lodge”. Over the span of the next forty years, the Shanes continued expanding the lodge into what it is today, adding more rooms, building extra wings, adding the Saloon, and establishing one of Alta’s first ski rental shops.
Although both Jim and Elfriede have since passed away, their memory remains alive throughout the lodge, especially as seen in the many classic black-and-white photographs scattered throughout the hallways.
CURRENT DAY
Although we prefer to think that not much has changed over the past 86 years here at Alta, the GMD has certainly seen its share of upgrades and renovations.
The new owners, Jenn, who originally hails from Michigan, and Ross, originally from Minnesota, have been running the lodge together for the past twenty-four years. Ross started working here as a line cook, and Jenn made her way through the different departments, first in housekeeping, then in the rental shop, then the main kitchen; both of them becoming familiar with the intricacies of the building and learning how to operate a 96-room guest lodge.
Then, in 2000, Ross and Jenn teamed up to purchase the lodge from Elfriede. Since then, they have placed a lot of love and effort into the improvement of the lodge. From renovating the guest rooms, redesigning the lobby, upgrading the public après, moderning the operating systems, and providing our guests with all the amenities a skier might need during their stay: including breakfast and a four-course dinner at our Top of the Lodge Dining Room, a complementary après spread in our Saloon, and an indoor hot tub to relax in after a long day on the slopes.
Their goal when purchasing the lodge has always been to keep the Shane tradition alive and to not veer too far away from their original philosophy, which, according to Jenn, is to “hold on to the culture and history of the lodge. It’s what our long-time guests want. It’s what keeps them coming back.”
ALTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
There is so much more history to this once mining village, turned ski area.
10160 E Hwy 210 Alta,
Utah 84092
reservations@skigmd.com
(801) 742 – 2300
