Let’s travel back in time. To a time before high-speed quads, or perfectly curated apres parties at Chute Eleven, and a time before The Greatest Snow on Earth® was synonymous with skiing in Utah.
The ski culture in the 1970's was a time of transition from traditional ski techniques to a new era in which skiing was seen as a medium of self-expression for those open to experimentation. Skis were long, hair was longer, and the only thing tighter than your din was your pants. It was a time when skiing felt a little rebellious, maybe even a little untamed. Picture ski ballet style tricks, mirrored aviators reflecting the silhouette of Mount Superior, and bold-colored outfits with matching headbands (because who wore helmets skiing?).
In 1975, Utah was often recognized for its strict liquor laws, but that’s when Ski Utah entered the scene, beginning to shift the spotlight to its mountains.
Over the last 50 years, Ski Utah has helped transform the state from an overlooked destination into a well-known ski mecca. How did they do this? By showing people what locals already knew: the snow is better here. Resorts evolved, lifts got bigger, and the culture shifted from hidden gem to every die-hard skier's pilgrimage. What once felt like a tucked-away corner of the ski world now draws in everyone from first-timers to lifelong powder hounds.
The anniversary edition of Last One Down Beer, brewed by Wasatch and Squatters, is a way to express the changes that have occurred in the ski industry over the last 50 years. Ski Utah’s own Chris Pearson and Connon Shanklin worked closely with Wasatch and Squatters to bring the can to fruition, intentionally threading that 1970's energy through every detail while preserving the original feeling of Last One Down beer.
The 50th anniversary design of the Last One Down can portrays iconic ski imagery from the 1970’s, 80’s, and 90’s. On the redesigned can, you'll find a familiar silhouette reminiscent of the Lange Girl. And a skier whose style defines hot dogging. A throwback to one particular Deer Valley ambassador with the kind of flair that defined an era of freeskiing. Then there’s the tricks. The back scratcher, the iron cross, the mule kick, and even the lesser-known Maltese. Each one captures a time when style points were everything and creativity ruled.
The bold, retro-inspired graphics echo that era of boundary-pushing style, while still feeling right at home in today’s beer lineup. The redesigned backdrop brings in ’70s flair to a mountain town classic.
Something is fitting about celebrating this milestone through a beer that is already so embedded in the Utah apres culture. The name itself, “Last One Down,” captures that feeling that is skiing bell to bell. Legs burning, long mountain shadows approaching, and racing to get one final lap before the lifts stop spinning. And then, the reward after a hard day's work.
The redesigned can goes beyond celebrating where skiing in Utah was 50 years ago, it invites you to feel the trance of the 1970’s. The steady rise of a ski culture that was destined for fame.
All of that, wrapped in aluminum, waiting patiently at the bottom of your next run.
produced in partnership with Wasatch and Squatters
