LAURENCE (LARRY) JUMP AND ARAPAHOE BASIN RECORDS

The Larry Jump collection dates from Jump’s graduation at Phillips Exeter Academy in 1932 through to newspaper articles on Arapahoe Basin from 1997. The collection contains business papers and photographs documenting the various companies he initiated including Arapahoe Basin, Arapahoe East, Pomalift, Inc., Telecar, Inc., Lift Services, Inc., Sell, Inc. and Mountain Lifts.

The collection contains several documents from Jump's enlistment with the 10th Mountain Division which trained at Camp Hale in Colorado.

Larry Jump's involvement and opening of Arapahoe Basin is significant for many reasons. Jump was in charge of all policies, planning, publicity and acted as liaison with various organizations including the Forest Service, Arapahoe Lodge, Willy Schaeffler Ski School, contractors and ski organizations. Jump’s leadership accounted for Arapahoe Basin sponsoring the first National Senior Giant Slalom Championship in 1953, installing the first Pomalift in 1954; the first reserved ski system in Colorado in 1970; encouraging the use of ski bobs and holding the first championship race in 1972. Jump and Marnie were awarded the National Citizens Award by the Department of Defense for starting the first amputee skiing program in Colorado.

The series on Arapahoe Basin contains papers from 1946 to 1972 documenting the initial proposal, correspondence (including letters to potential investors), legal contracts, financial statements, invoices and receipts.

In the collection are documents of Willy Schaeffler. Originally from Kaufbeuren Bavaria, he was drafted into the German Army, then captured and tortured by the Russian Army. He escaped and worked for the Austrian resistance group for two years. In 1948 Jump received a letter from Willy Schaeffler inquiring about a position as ski instructor at Arapahoe Basin. Willy relocated to Denver and was hired as ski coach for Denver University. He was director of the Arapahoe Basin Ski School from 1948-1970. Willy kept busy as director of ski events at the 1960 Olympics, head coach for the U.S. ski team in 1970 and head coach for the 1972 Olympic ski team. Willy’s position at Arapahoe Basin Ski School drew many students and skiers to the area.

During the 1950s Jump started several business ventures. The largest amount of documentation is on Pomalift which he incorporated in 1954. Arapahoe Basin was the first ski area in the U.S. to have a Pomalift installed. Jump met Jean Pomagalski who designed this lift system. They went into business together and Jump became the first franchise in the U.S. to sell Pomalift equipment.

Jean Pomagalski S. A. of Grenoble France designed and fabricated surface lifts (both T-bars and disk types), chair lifts, gondolas and tramways. Jean Pomagalski S. A., one of the largest suppliers of lifts, was associated with the firm Applevage of France. Pomagalski improved and developed basic design features that evolved the fully automatic station. This enabled mass production methods to lift manufacturing and for the first time made a gondola lift economically feasible. By 1966 there were 1300 Pomalifts throughout the world. Mountain Lifts Corporation absorbed Pomalift in 1965 and in 1968 sold certain assets including the copyright to the name “Pomalift” to supplier Jean Pomagalski S.A. In 1970 Pomalift and Poma Aerial Tramways merged with Heron Engineering to form Heron Poma Co. Jump continued on as a sales agent for the lifts until 1970. The collection includes papers detailing the beginning of the company, extensive correspondence between Jump and Jean, project folders, correspondence with sales agents, legal documents, invoices, orders and financial records.

The collection documents Telecar and Lift Services, two companies developed due to Pomalift. Telecar was a company Jump started in 1957 that represented the Italian firm Carlevaro and Savio which designed a gondola lift system. Later when Savio made a chairlift for the U.S. there arose a conflict with Pomagalski and Cie and Jump discontinued representing the Italian firm. Later in the 1960s Telecar represented a Denver firm Miner Machine Co. that developed hydraulic chairlifts.

Lift Services was set up in 1959 to provide spare parts and service for Pomalift and Telecar systems. During this time Jump became interested in distributing products he came across through various companies and his personal interests. This led to the incorporation of Sell, Inc. in 1957. This company distributed rubber products, guns, sailboats and targets.

There are numerous documents on Jump’s personal life and family. Included in the collection is correspondence between Jump, his family and friends. Jump recorded his trip to Europe in 1936 and completed three journals. Later he wrote a twenty five chapter manuscript about the development and history of Arapahoe Basin. There are several folders of Marnie Jump material including correspondence and documents from her time with the Naval Reserve.

This well documented collection covers the initial planning, development and progress of the ski area. The subjects documented include the Faculty Club, the lodge, Willy Schaeffler Ski School, stockholders, races, ski lifts, Pomalifts and personnel. Papers include the first prospectus, correspondence, meeting minutes from the board of directors and stockholders, financial statements, invoices and receipts, reports, product literature, taxes, legal contracts, insurance policies, blueprints, daily operating records, annual reports and brochures.

Included in this series is correspondence, financial statements, legal contracts, lawsuits, blueprints, product literature, daily records and invoices.

Papers include financial statements, correspondence, legal contracts, real estate investment folders, stockholders reports, taxes and insurance policies. Also included are papers from Arapahoe Holdings Corporation and Arapahoe Management.

This series includes correspondence, contracts, project folders, orders, invoices, financial statements, legal contracts, catalogues, newspaper clippings, advertising and blueprints.

This series includes contracts, correspondence, blueprints, project folders, invoices, orders, financial statements, newspaper clippings and magazine ads.

Correspondence, contracts, project folders, invoices, orders and financial statements are included in this series.

The series includes correspondence, financial statements, invoices, orders, tax information, merchandise brochures and literature.

This series includes correspondence, financial statements, legal papers, orders, and invoices. Also included are newspaper clippings on ski races, the Denver Committee for the U.S. Ski Team Fund and a lawsuit between Thor Groswold and Mark Sornson that includes copies of early ski patents.

Several ski organizations including Southern Rocky Mountain Ski Organization, Colorado Ski Country USA, Rocky Mountain Ski Association, Rocky Mountain Ski Area Operators Association, National Ski Area Association are documented in this series. Included is correspondence, reports, financial statements, meeting minutes and membership lists.

The collection of family documents covers correspondence between Jump, family and friends. It includes Marnie’s U.S. Naval Reserve papers and correspondence. Journals, manuscript, tax documents, insurance, yacht design correspondence course, newspaper clippings and yearbooks are also included.

Films include several on Arapahoe Basin and the races, Pomalift models and Realistic Targets International. Also included are audio tapes.

Originals and copies of elevations and plans for proposed shelters and lodges for Arapahoe Basin, plans for a Pomalift, maps, aerial photograph and landscape plans are included in this series. This series also includes ledger sheets, bank books, advertisements and a certificate

The bulk of the series documents Laurence Jump's associations with Arapahoe Basin and Pomalift, Inc. Most photographs are not dated, however, the bulk of the dated photographs are from the 1960s. Black and white photographic prints comprise the bulk of the series. A limited number of color prints, slides and negatives are also included.

Views of Arapahoe Basin include general topographical features, ski area operations including races, promotional illustrations and employees. Pomalift, Inc. photographs record ski lift construction and installation at various locations as well as numerous equipment details. Additional photographs cover operations at Arapahoe East, Inc. and record equipment details for Telecar, Inc.; Lift Services, Inc.; and Sell, Inc.

Photographs of the Jump family and friends span 1940 to 1989. Although many of these photographs are dated, most are not identified. Numerous World War II aerial photographs of Kiska Island and combat areas of Italy reflect Jump's service with the 10th Mountain Division.