During the early days of Red River City, founded in 1895 as a gold and silver mining camp, mail was delivered in winter months by hearty and brave men who used long skis - ten to twelve feet in length - to traverse the snowy mountain terrain. A pair of these crude wooden skis can still be seen in Red River's Little Red School House Museum, part of the colorful history of the valley. The first organized skiing in town occurred just before World War II. It opened on December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor Day - to be exact. The ski area, located on the site of the present-day "Bump" at the Red River Ski Area, had a short season that year, but interest remained and skiing resumed on a limited basis following VJ Day in 1945. By the late 1950s, interest in snow skiing was on the rise in the USA. Many ski areas, particularly in the Western and Southwestern United States, were founded by former members of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, a unit which specialized during the WWII in mountain winter combat in Italy. In Red River, however, it was an Oklahoma businessman by the name of Stokes E. Bolton and his wife Billie who decided that the town needed a winter attraction to supplement its reputation as a summer resort. The Red River Ski Area was completed in time for the winter skiing season of 1959-60. Bolton was able to attract some well-known ski industry legends to work at his new "resort." The legendary Buzz Bainbridge became the first RRSA manager, while renowned German Olympic skiing ace Toni Woerndle headed up the first Red River Ski School. Other ski legends such as Erich Windisch and Sigi Klein came to the new ski town, and the history of the Red River Valley was changed forever. Soon Red River had two ski areas. John and Judy Miller with partners Gary and Fran Starbuck opened up the Powder Puff Ski Area located on the west end of town. With the addition of a new, modern paved highway in the mid-60s, the town became easily accessible, especially in winter. The snowplows made a huge difference. Ultimately the Millers would open the first Nordic (Cross Country) ski area on Bobcat Pass: the Enchanted Forest, a modern day winter attraction. Today, snow still rules the winter months in the high country and 2004-05 will see the town celebrate 45 years of fun with the Red River Ski Area.