Red Lodge Mountain, on the eastern front of the Beartooth Mountains west of Red Lodge, developed from a locally financed ski venture into a longstanding Montana resort. In the late 1950s, skiers from Red Lodge and Billings formed Grizzly Peak, Inc. and raised $250,000 to build a ski area, which opened on January 2, 1960, with one double chairlift, three trails, and a small lodge. Steady additions through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s expanded its facilities, while the 1996 Cole Creek expansion added high-speed lifts, 18 new slopes and trails, and improved snowmaking. Its growth reflected local initiative and the rise of outdoor tourism around Red Lodge.