Tag Archives: Colorado skiing

Colorado Ski Country USA Welcomes Skiers, Riders With Improvements On and Off Mountains

Winter Park Resort, which is owned by the city of Denver but beginning this year operated by Alterra Mountain Co., is opening a new $16 million 10-person gondola in its base area. It’s the only major Colorado ski resort that can be reached by train from Denver. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

by Karen Rubin

Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

 

Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) member ski areas will welcome guests this season with a slew of l improvements and programs to delight guests of all ages, abilities and interests levels.

“Guests to Colorado Ski Country member ski areas will experience new chairlifts, new terrain, new lodging, new dining options and multiple offerings that are directed at those newer or returning to the sport and those that may just be looking to enjoy the mountain environment,” said Melanie Mills, President and CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA.

Here are highlights:

Winter Park Resort

Winter Park Resort is opening a new $16 million 10-person gondola in its base area, replacing the well known 4-person Zephyr chairlift. This new gondola will increase uphill capacity by over 1,000 guests per hour, reducing wait times by 15 minutes during peak season. It is part of a $28 million investment at the resort this year. The resort’s first new on-mountain lift installation since 2007, the gondola will serve a new daily Mountaintop Sunset Après at the Lodge at Sunspot from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Foot passengers can ride for free without a lift ticket beginning at 2:30 p.m. each day.

Skiers will also benefit from upgrades to its snowmaking system with the addition of new energy efficient compressors, pipe replacement, and new high-tech snow guns.

An upgrade to the Zephyr Plaza in Winter Park Village will create a free-flowing plaza with stage area, fire pits, and sundeck for general gathering and small events and concerts.

Winter Park is still owned by the City of Denver but now under management of Alterra Mountain Company. Alterra, which also owns the Aspen Skiing Company, is paying the city $3 million a year plus a percentage, money that is going toward the city’s parks). That means that Winter Park is also included in Alterra’s Ikon pass (nearby Copper Mountain is also part of Ikon pass, plus Steamboat, Aspen Snowmass in Colorado, among 14 resorts included in the pass).

Ice skating at Winter Park’s base village © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Winter Park resort is linked to Denver by train and the popular service is expanding to once a day on Saturday and Sunday and the first two Fridays of the month (January through March, $29 one/way, half-price for children under 12; book in advance so you don’t get shut out); it leaves the resort at 4:30 pm so it can be a day trip (great idea for people coming to Denver for business or conferences). Destination visitors can even take rail from the airport to downtown/Union Station, stay overnight in the city and acclimate to the altitude before taking the train in the morning. Winter Park works with Denver’s Convention & Visitor Bureau, and you can book lodging online. It’s great for corporate visitors to Denver, but Winter Park, a major destination resort, is definitely worth longer-stays. Check out Winter Park’s five-course gondola-served dinners at The Lodge at Sunspot.

Winter Park starts at a base of 9,000 ft., rising to a summit at 12,060 ft, for a  3,060 ft. vertical; it offers snowmaking on 313 of its  3,081 skiable acres, serviced by 25 lifts; its 166 trails offer  8% green,  37% intermediate, 52% black and 3% double-black including bowl skiing and cat-skiing. For more information, visit www.winterparkresort.com.

Copper Mountain Resort

Skiing at Copper Mountain © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Copper Mountain is debuting the American Flyer and American Eagle chairlifts out of Copper’s Center Village. The American Flyer is a high speed six-person chair with bubble enclosures to protect from wind and cold, the only active bubble chair in Colorado. The American Eagle is a high-speed combination lift that features both six-person chairs and eight-person gondola cabins. Both will significantly increase uphill access from the base area and reduce wait times.

Copper Mountain will have a new base area restaurant, Downhill Duke’s. Named after a beloved dog, Downhill Duke’s will welcome guests and their four-legged friends to enjoy lunch or après cocktails on the south-facing patio.

One of the many pleasures of Copper, which is one of the easiest major resorts to reach from Denver International Airport, are programs like free guided snowshoeing (even the equipment is free) and a mountain coaster.

Among the activities at Copper Mountain is free guided snowshoeing, equipment included © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Copper Mountain is owned by Powdr resort company which is now partnering with the Ikon ski pass so you get unlimited skiing/riding, along with Woodward, Winter Park, Eldora, Steamboat, Aspen Snowmass and Killington, Vt.)

“The theme for us this year is the ease of access,” with free transportation throughout Summit county, upgraded parking and bus fleet.

Copper offers naturally separated abilities across its mountain peaks, and plenty of stunning skiing/riding for beginners and intermediates in the 2490 skiable acres (36 green runs, 36 blue, 52 black and 27 double-black) with snowmaking on 364 acres to supplement the 306 inches of average snowfall. From the base at 9,703 ft, the peak rises to 12,313.

For more information, visit www.coppercolorado.com.

Steamboat Resort

Steamboat Resort will feature two new dining experiences for the 2018-19 season. Timber & Torch, a new base area restaurant and bar experience, will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring a new outdoor heated patio, two indoor/outdoor bars, an exterior fireplace and a new outdoor BBQ. The Taco Beast, a unique new on-mountain, roaming snowcat, will serve carne asada and al pastor trail tacos with trailside service in both winter and summer seasons.

Steamboat starts at a base of 6,900 ft., rising to a summit at 10,568 ft, for a  3,668 ft. vertical; it offers snowmaking on 375 of its  2,965 skiable acres, serviced by 18 lifts; its 165 trails are graded as  14% green,  42% intermediate, 44% black including bowl skiing and cat-skiing.

Steamboat Resort’s mountain coaster (photo from Steamboat Resort).

Steamboat, famous for its Western ambiance, also offers night skiing and a mountain coaster. Steamboat Springs also boasts having produced more winter Olympians than any other town in North America. Steamboat is one of 37 resorts included on the Alterra Mountain’s Ikon Pass. For more information, visit www.steamboat.com.

Aspen Snowmass

Aspen Snowmass is actually four distinct mountain destinations: the legendary Aspen Mountain, which rises up from one of Colorado’s most charming towns; Snowmass Mountain Resort, a self-contained resort; Aspen Highlands, a challenging mountain and Buttermilk Mountain, especially popular for beginners and families.

Aspen Skiing Company, part of Alterra Mountain Co., is making progress on the $600 million Snowmass Base Village Development that will add lodging, residences and amenities over 10 years. The first phase of development is opening this season: the new Limelight Hotel Snowmass, a ski-in/ski-out hotel adjacent to Snowmass Mountain’s Elk Camp Gondola featuring 99 hotel rooms and 11 for-sale condominiums, plus a new restaurant, a children’s game area and a five-story climbing wall. The Snowmass Base Village hosts a central public events plaza, serving as the community’s gathering space with an ice-skating rink, fire pits, children’s pop-up fountains and other community amenities this winter. At Buttermilk families and children can enjoy Fort Frog, a new wooden, frontier style fort with lookout towers, a jail, snowball launcher and swinging bridge.

Aspen Mountain: The ski trails at Aspen Mountain were originally cut by the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division and the ski destination emerged from a sleepy post-war town beginning in 1946.

Its Silver Queen Gondola rises up from downtown Aspen 3,000 vertical feet to the summit of Aspen Mountain at 11,212 ft. (making it easy to access from downtown hotels, like the historic Jerome Hotel). Its comparatively small size — a mere 675 acres (still larger than most New England ski resorts) offers 76 trails of which 48% are rated intermediate, 26% advanced and 26% double-black including bowl skiing and cat skiing.

Snowmass with more than 3,300 skiable acres, has the highest vertical rise, 4,400 feet, in the country. Snowmass is notable for really catering to all ages and abilities and for being family-friendly – its 20 lifts serve 96 trails, rated as  5% green, 48% intermediate, 17% black and 30% double-black including bowl skiing. There are steeps and powder fields at Hanging Valley; long cruisers; tree trails and three terrain parks.

A new Snowmass Mountain Club provides members private garage parking directly below the Club, ski-in access and access to the hotel’s fitness facilities and hot tubs.

Aspen Snowmass’ new Breathtaker Alpine Coaster winds through a mile of forest on an elevated track at speeds up to 28 mph (photo from Aspen Skiing Co.)

Also new is the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster, that winds through a mile of forest on an elevated track at speeds up to 28 mph. Located adjacent to the Elk Camp Restaurant, the coaster operates during the day and special Ullr Nights and select Après extended hours. You can purchase tickets for a 2 1/2-hour coaster session or a 2 1/2-hour session combining the coaster and Tubing.

Snowmass is celebrating its 50th anniversary with festivities all season long.

Buttermilk is known for two seemingly contradictory things: being a beginners’ mountain and hosting the Winter X Games. Its kid-oriented Panda Peak is popular for families and Buttermilk’s West Buttermilk park is well suited to learners while a second  X Games park offers 100 features and a pipe.

Buttermilk rises from a base at 7,870 to a summit at 9,900′ for a vertical of 2,030 ft.; it offers snowmaking on 108 of its 470 skiable acres, which are serviced by 8 lifts. Its 44 trails are rated as 35% green, 39% intermediate, 21% black and 5% double-black.

Aspen Highlands is a challenging area (no beginner trail) that has a reputation as being where locals go. Highland Bowl is a legendary basin of double-black diamond terrain which is reached by hiking to 12,392 foot Highland Peak, and is prized by expert skiers and riders.

Aspen Highlands rises from 8,040 to 12,392 feet, for a 3,635 ft. vertical and offers 1,040 skiable acres, served by 5 lifts. Of the 144 trails, 23% are rated intermediate, 12% black and 65% double-black; it offers bowl skiing and cat skiing.

Also new for the 2018-19 season, The Aspen Snowmass App is being upgraded to provide rewards and enhanced functioning of year-over-year stats and tracking, allowing families, skiers and nonskiers to track on-mountain movements.

Aspen Snowmass is part of the Alterra collection and the Ikon Pass as well as The Mountain Collective.  For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com.

Telluride Ski Resort

Telluride Ski Resort has upgraded The Meadows, its popular beginner area, into a world-class learning facility. The Meadows features a newly installed 320-foot covered surface lift and a significant investment in a terrain-based learning program. Telluride skiers and riders will also find an expanded grooming fleet to enhance the groomed terrain across the resort, as Telluride continues its multi-year, multimillion-dollar venture in snowmaking upgrades and technology to improve efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. A new consumer app is being introduced that provides up-to-the-minute lift status information, snow reporting, trail status, an interactive trail map, push notifications and more.

Holidays at Telluride (photo from Telluride Resort).

Telluride, a quintessential Colorado experience, offers the highest eaterie, Alpino Vino, at 11,996 ft altitude (they sell oxygen). Telluride is now included as a partner on Vail’s Epic Pass. Telluride also offers heli-skiing in the San Juans, literally departing from outside the door of the hotel (suitable for strong intermediates, but aimed for excellent skiers). Telluride is also home to the resort rated #1 in North America by Conde Nast Traveler for five of the last six years.

Telluride rises from a base at 8,725 ft to a summit at 13,150 ft, for a  whopping 4,425 ft vertical;  it offers 2,000 skiable acres accessed by 19 lifts; of the 148 trails,  23% are rated green,  36%  are blue, 41% are black. For more information, visit www.tellurideskiresort.com.

Purgatory Resort

Purgatory Resort will offer year-round access to the Inferno Mountain Coaster, a new gravity-fed ride that will zip through aspen groves revealing incredible views of the San Juan Mountains. The Inferno Mountain Coaster is almost a mile long, with 300 feet of vertical drop, nine switchbacks and speeds of up to 25 miles per hour.

Purgatory Resort has year-round access to the Inferno Mountain Coaster, a nearly mile-long ride that zips through aspen groves at up to 25 mph, down 300 feet of vertical, and around nine switchbacks, revealing incredible views of the San Juan Mountains (photo from Purgatory Resort).

Brand new for the 2018-19 season, Purgatory Resort is offering a free season pass for all children in Fourth Grade or younger, with no blackout dates and no parent purchase required.

Purgatory offers a 2,029 vertical, rising from a base at 8,793 ft to a summit 15 10,822. Its 1,605 skiable acres are served by 13 lifts; the 94 trails are graded 20% green, 45% blue, 35% black. For more information, visit www.skipurg.com.

Colorado Gems

Apart from these major, world-class resorts, Colorado is studded with smaller “Gems” — 11 ski areas which offer two for one or 30% off (the pass costs $25 and pays for itself after the first visit): Arapahoe Basin, Cooper, Echo Mountain, Eldora, Granby Ranch, Hesperus, Kendall Mountain, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn and Sunlight.

Here’s what’s new:

Arapahoe Basin is completing a two-year project that adds 468 acres of new intermediate and expert terrain in the Beavers and Steep Gullies. This includes 34 new runs served by the new Beavers lift in 2018-19, while the Steep Gullies terrain remains hike-back, expert only terrain.

This summer, A-Basin operations crews constructed 97 more acres of tree skiing and continued improving the rest of the terrain with grading, glading and installation of the chairlift and picnic areas. Terrain in The Beavers includes two new intermediate groomed runs, allowing more skiers and riders to enjoy this scenic, north- and west-facing terrain. The Steep Gullies are 91 acres of extreme (double-black diamond), steep, couloir skiing which remain hike-back for the true advanced skier or snowboarder looking for some of the most challenging terrain in Colorado.

Hiking up to Arapahoe Basin’s Steep Gullies expert-only terrain (photo by Dave Camara)

In conjunction with the terrain expansion, A-Basin is opening a restaurant at the summit, a European Style delicatessen, Il Refugio “The Shelter”.

Its midway lodge is famous for moonlight dinners offered six times a season, where you take the lift up; the dinners are themed (Africa, New Years Eve, Italy, France, India) and accommodate 180 diners (so make your reservation). A-Basin has four chefs. “We want people to come for the culinary experience.”

Skiers with a lift ticket for nearby Keystone or the Vail Epic pass have access to A-Basin.

Arapahoe Basin rises from a base at 10,520 ft to 13,050 ft..for a  2,530 ft vertical rise; has snowmaking on 125 of its  1,428 skiable acres, serviced by  9 lifts; its  145 trails are classified as  7%  green, 20% blue, 49% black and 24%  double-black, including bowl skiing.

A-Basin affords activities year-round: dining at the base in summer, disk golf, and is opening an adventure park for summer 2020.

For more information, visit www.arapahoebasin.com.

Cooper’s new Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt dinner series at the Ridgeview Café features a ride to the mountaintop after hours in a warm, cozy snowcat in the light of the full moon. This event is perfect for a special gathering with four dates during the 2018-19 season and includes delicious flame-grilled salmon, stuffed portabella mushrooms and New York strip steaks. Cooper offers 41 trails on 400 skiable acres served by 4 lifts. For more information, visit www.skicooper.com.

Eldora: A year after installing the Alpenglow high-speed six-person chairlift, Eldora’s first-ever high-speed lift, the ski area is making another leap into the future this season with RFID pass technology. There are also new glading projects and upgrades to Eldora’s electrical and communication systems and more frequent early-season and midweek events and activities. Eldora offers 53 trails on 680 skiable acres, 20% beginning, 50% intermediate, 15% advanced and 15% expert. For more information, visit www.eldora.com.

Granby Ranch offers groups the opportunity to rent Granby Ranch’s East Mountain for the evening. Guests will have full access to the East Mountain night skiing terrain from 5pm-9pm.  Granby Ranch has 38 trails on 406 skiable acres (245 with snowmaking), of which 36% are beginner, 40% intermediate and 24% advanced.  For more information, visit www.granbyranch.com.

Loveland Ski Area, in Georgetown, is unveiling its largest single capital improvement project in its history with the installation of its first high-speed quad lift, Chet’s Dream. named after its longtime owner, Chet Upham Jr. Loveland is a major ski area, very popular for day trips from Denver, offering 1,800 skiable acres. From the base at 10,800, it rises to 13,010 ft for a 2,210 ft. Ten lifts serve 94 trails, rated as 13% green, 41% blue, 22%  black and 24% double black including bowl skiing and cat-skiing.  For more information, visit www.skiloveland.com.

Monarch Mountain, near Salida, is debuting a brand-new tubing park for the 2018-19 season, expanding offerings for visiting families with both skiers and nonskiers in the group. Monarch is also adding new gladed tree skiing, upgraded WiFi, chip readers at all sales terminals, self-order kiosks in the Gunbarrel Cafeteria and handheld order-taking technology. The mountain rises from a base at 10,790 ft to 11,952 ft, for a 1,162 vertical; its 800 skiable acres are served by six lifts; 64 trails offer a variety of terrain: 22% green, 27% blue, 37% black and 11% double black including bowl skiing and cat skiing. For more information, visit www.skimonarch.com.

Monarch Mountain has opened new gladed tree skiing (photo from Monarch Mountain)

Powderhorn Resort is featuring Mission: Affordable, a new steeply discounted season pass program with discounts and special programs for first-timers and beginners. Powderhorn offers 1,600 skiable acres; its 42 trails are rated 20% green, 50% intermediate and 30% advanced. (www.powderhorn.com).

Silverton Mountain is introducing a new heli-skiing terrain, “Zone 8,” which features diverse high-alpine terrain and great early-season snow. Silverton will also expand its Unguided Season Pass offer to include a 150 percent increase in available ski days to the unguided season, 45 free days at partner ski resorts, and a $39 heli drop. Silverton is a substantial ski area, affording 1,819 skiable acres of which 100% is rated as expert; it offers a 3,087-ft vertical, from the base at 10,400 to summit at 13,487. For more information, visit www.silvertonmountain.com.

Sunlight Mountain Resort is opening the Compass Mountain Grill, an on mountain food stand for walk-up skiers and riders to refuel at the top of Sunlight. The Glenwood Springs-based ski area is known for an award-winning Ski, Swim, Stay! package that combines skiing or snowboarding with lodging and a visit to all-natural hot springs. From a base at 7,885 ft to the summit at 9,895 ft, the area offers a 2,010 ft vertical; it has 66 trails on 680 skiable areas, with a fairly even mix of difficulty: 20% green, 30% blue, 20% black and 30% double black. For more information, visit www.sunlightmtn.com.

Wolf Creek Ski Area in the southern part of Colorado, known for receiving the most snow annually in Colorado, will open for the 2018-19 season with the new high-speed, detachable quad Charity Chairlift, accessing previously underutilized 55 acres of beginner and intermediate terrain. The Charity Lift, the 10th in Wolf Creek, will be the third chairlift in the spacious 900-acre, Alberta area where guests can also enjoy a new on-mountain Alberta Grill, offering a south of the border themed menu and more traditional grilled items. Wolf Creek will also implement and launch a new point-of-sale system in rentals, retail and all restaurants mountain wide for the 2018-19 season. For more information, visit www.wolfcreekski.com.

Information about Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) and its members can be found at www.ColoradoSki.com, on Twitter @ColoradoSkiUSA and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColoradoSkiCountryUSA.

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Big Changes Await at Ski Colorado Destinations This Season

Skiing at Winter Park, Colorado. The resort, which is owned by the City of Denver, has new connections by Amtrak from Denver, and is now in the Aspen/Snowmass ownership family © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Whoa! Hold onto your skis, it’s going to be a wild ride! This year’s big skiing newsflash is the mega-mergers creating new behemoths that span the nation and even beyond, which has the independents looking for differentiating ways, as well as collaborations to compete.

Vail Resorts (with four Colorado ski destinations: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone plus 10 more coast-to-coast, Canada and Australia) just keeps getting bigger, with the acquisition of its first Northeastern resort, Stowe Mountain, giving Eastern skiers a really good reason to buy Vail’s Epic Pass.

And now, the Crown family, owners of Aspen and Snowmass resorts, and KSL Capital Partners acquired Intrawest Resorts and Mammoth Resorts, in a $1.5 billion deal, and then, for good measure, purchased Deer Valley, in Utah, as well, literally just down the road from Vail Resorts’ Park City mega-resort.

This newly formed mega-operator mergers a dozen mountain resorts into one company, including many iconic destinations, such as former Intrawest flagships Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado (though Winter Park is still owned by the City of Denver), and Stratton in Vermont. Also in the new portfolio are Mammoth Mountain, California’s busiest ski area, Lake Tahoe’s Squaw and Alpine, and Tremblant in Quebec. The deal also includes heli operator Canadian Mountain Holidays. Collectively these resorts represent 20,000 skiable acres and draw 6 million skier visits.

While it is easy to imagine a system-wide ski pass to rival Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass in the not-distant future, for this upcoming season, the variety of passes that the resorts had been offering will be used: Rocky Mountain Super PassMountain Collective, and the M.A.X. Pass will be honored at the respective resorts.

 

Here are more highlights of Colorado Ski Country USA resorts:

  • Olympic qualifiers in Colorado will feature the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain in December and Snowmass in January in advance of the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang.
  • Notable anniversaries include the 50th Anniversary of Snowmass, which will be celebrated with a day of 1967 lift ticket pricing at $6.50, Loveland Ski Area’s 80th Anniversary and Cooper’s 75th Anniversary.
  • New terrain across the state includes 468 new skiable acres at Arapahoe Basin with the expansion into the Beavers and Steep Gullies. Purgatory will also open new expert and intermediate trails.
  • New lifts across Colorado Ski Country: Eldora Mountain Resort is opening this season with a new six-person detachable chairlift, the first six-person chairlift in its history. Steamboat’s Gondola underwent significant upgrades over the summer to modernize and improve the guest experience and Purgatory will welcome a full season of its new transfer lift.
  • Mountain Coasters galore with Copper Mountain, Steamboat, Purgatory and Aspen Snowmass all opening a year-round mountain coaster in the fall or early winter.

Steamboat

The news at Steamboat is that it is now part of the group that owns Aspen/Snowmass, Intrawest, the four Mammoth mountains in California; Squaw Valley; Mont Tremblant and the Canadian Mountain Heliskiing (CMH) company in Canada, plus Deer Park, Utah, and Stratton Mountain, Vt. and operates Winter Park, Colorado.

Steamboat has made significant improvements to its gondola for the 2017-18 season, installing new grips, hangers, terminal equipment, electronic controls and other infrastructure to the resort’s main access point. These renovations will provide a faster, smoother and more efficient experience for guests.

Half of Steamboat’s terrain is intermediate and beginner, and there is an entire lift devoted to intermediate terrain offering long cruiser blue trails.

The Outlaw Mountain Coaster, which will operate year-round, opened September 8, 2017. The mountain coaster descends more than 400 vertical feet with a riding length of more than 6,000 linear feet, making it the longest mountain coaster in North America.

A true destination resort, Steamboat is now accessible by direct flight from Newark. It is a 30 minutes drive from Hayden Airport – if you show your boarding pass, you can ski free for the afternoon; rental shops are open late so you can get your equipment the night before, saving time and hassle for the morning.

Kids & Grandkids Ski Free programs enable children 12 years of age and under to ski free the same number of days as their parent, grandparent, or legal guardian when the parent, grandparent, or legal guardian purchase a five-or-more day adult lift ticket. For season passes, one child (12 and under) is eligible to receive a free season pass with parent, grandparent, or legal guardian purchase of an adult Steamboat Season Pass. For more information, visit www.steamboat.com.

Visit Steamboat’s central reservations, tell them what you are looking to do and they can direct you to the best value offers. Steamboat is also part of M.A.X. Pass and the Rocky Mountain SuperPass. Intrawest operates the Steamboat Grand hotel at base area.

For more information, visit www.steamboat.com.

Winter Park Resort

Ski school at Winter Park, Colorado © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Winter Park is expanding and improving the Winter Park Express, the train service between Denver’s Union Station and Winter Park Resort that was reintroduced last year (and sold out). The addition of three First Friday trips will give guests a total of 27 round-trips to choose from. Prices on select departures have been lowered to $29 one-way, providing additional cost savings for those looking to travel to the slopes by train.

The Winter Park Village will feature a renovated rental shop and a new retail location, reducing wait times on busy rental days. There are two new snowcats to increase grooming efficiency, 4,500 new feet of snowmaking pipe and 15 new snow guns to improve early season snowmaking.

A new trail from the top of the Zephyr Express Lift to the Mary Jane Trail will allow easier access from the Winter Park side of the mountain to the Mary Jane side.

Kids and Beginners Ski for Less: At Winter Park Resort, kids five and under qualify for beginner lift tickets for $10 a day or $30 for the season with no black-out dates. These lift tickets are intended for beginners only and grant access to the Galloping Goose chairlift at Mary Jane.

For more information, visit www.winterparkresort.com.

Aspen Snowmass

Aspen Snowmass will host Olympic qualifying events when the U.S. Grand Prix stops in Snowmass January 10–January 14, 2018. U.S. Snowboard Team and U.S. Freeski Team athletes will be competing to punch their tickets to February’s Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.

Snowmass will celebrate its 50th Anniversary all season long including $6.50 lift tickets on December 15, 2017. This was the original price for a lift ticket on opening day in 1967. Celebrations will also include a 50th Anniversary Golden Gala, monthly firework displays and other festive events.

The Breathtaker mountain coaster will open at Snowmass Mountain in December 2017. The mountain coaster will drop guests more than 400 vertical feet on a mile of turning track and be open year-round.

Kids Ski Free: Children six and under always ski free at Aspen Snowmass. For children ages seven to 12 years old, Aspen Snowmass allows kids to ski free when booking two or more nights of lodging through Stay Aspen Snowmass or renting children’s ski or snowboard equipment from Four Mountain Sports. There is no limit on the number of days children can receive free lift tickets when renting from Four Mountain Sports. The offer is valid January 1 – April 15, 2018. Mention kids ski free when you call 800-290-1326 or visit www.aspensnowmass.com for more information.

Copper Mountain

Copper Mountain: Skiers and riders this season can enjoy a new lift and lodge, the Kokomo Express Lift and Koko’s Hut. The lift will serve beginner terrain in the West Village © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Copper Mountain, which is famous for its Woodward Barn camps, clinics and individual indoor sports training, will host Olympic qualifying events December 6-10, 2017 when U.S. athletes compete in the halfpipe and big air events during the U.S. Grand Prix.

Skiers and riders can enjoy a new lift and lodge, the Kokomo Express Lift and Koko’s Hut. The lift will serve beginner terrain in the West Village, while the lodge will offer seating, casual dining and more, complete with a large outdoor deck and sweeping panoramas of Copper Mountain and Tenmile Range.

Copper Mountain, which is owned by Powdr (the ski company that also owns Killington, Vermont and just bought Eldora Mountain, Colorado) is debuting the Rocky Mountain Coaster in fall 2017. With an overall length of 5,800 feet and a vertical drop of 430 feet, the mountain coaster will be a thrilling year-round experience for guests.

 

One, Two, Free! With Copper Mountain’s One, Two, Free! Package, kids 12 and younger ski free with the purchase of an adult two-day lift ticket. The deal also includes additional perks like a third night of lodging free, a third day of rentals free, a free half-day ticket on the day of arrival or departure, and free upgrade to the Secret! Pass for early access and shorter lift lines. Children five and under always ski/ride free at Copper Mountain.

Copper is part of the M.A.X. Pass and Rocky Mountain Super Pass.

The resort is a 90-minute drive from DIA through Eisenhower tunnel.

For more information, visit www.coppercolorado.com.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Arapahoe Basin is adding 371 acres of most difficult and extreme terrain this season (photo by Dave Camara)

With one of the few terrain expansions in the country, Arapahoe Basin is adding 468 new acres over two years with the expansion into the Beavers and Steep Gullies. For the 2017-18 season, 371 acres of most difficult and extreme terrain will be open, adding 50 feet to the vertical; guests will need to hike back to the Pallavicini chair. Next summer, a four-person lift will be installed for the 2018-19 season, and two more intermediate trails will be added in the Beavers.

Arapahoe Basin is always the first ski resort to open in the nation and the last to close (June, sometimes even July), and is a free shuttle bus ride (five miles) from Vail Resort’s Keystone (A-Basin was once owned by Vail Resorts, Vail Resorts’ EpicPass and Keystone lift tickets are accepted), where there is also plenty of lodging choices. People know A-Basin, which has been owned by a Canadian real estate company since 1997, for its blacks and double blacks advanced terrain, but there is plenty of intermediate trails, also offering long cruisers, groomed runs on the back side of the mountain a mile long.

Kids Free 2 Ski Pass: Children five and under ski free every day at Arapahoe Basin with a free Five & Under lift ticket from the ticket window. Children ages six to 12 can ski or snowboard for free any two days of the 2017-18 season with no blackout dates through the Kids Free 2 Ski Pass. Register online, at a Front Range ski show or at the mountain by December 18, 2017.

The rental shop was remodeled this summer to help guests get out on the slopes quicker during busy days. The resort also launched a new website, free device charging stations and free public WiFi throughout the base area and at Black Mountain Lodge at mid-mountain.

Because of the extended season, Arapahoe also offers its own multi-day and spring pass.

In summer, A-Basin offers summer events; disc golf, hiking to mid mountain, mountain biking (not lift served). Weddings are a big summer business: “The lift is the procession; couples get married in front of Continental Divide. A rustic romantic lodge at mid mountain, can accommodate 200 guests.

Arapahoe is a 75 minute drive from Denver (2 hours from airport). For more information, visit www.arapahoebasin.com.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Fireworks and torchlight parade at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (photo provided by CBMR)

Crested Butte is enhancing the guest experience for beginners by re-grading the teaching terrain and introducing a new adult beginner area. Guests looking for a break from the slopes can enjoy a slice from the new pizza oven at Paradise on Crested Butte.

A new program, CB North Face Guides, will help expert skiers and riders navigate the extreme terrain of the resort including the famed North Face.

Kids 12 and Under Ski Free: Children six and under always ski free at Crested Butte. All kids ages 12 and under visiting Crested Butte Mountain Resort Nov. 23 – Dec. 15, 2017 and Apr. 1 – 8, 2018 ski or ride free. No strings attached, no parent ticket required, no lodging stay required, no advance reservations, just a free ticket for kids.

Crested Butte will host its annual Christmas Eve celebration, an evening complete with a torchlight parade and Santa Claus coming down the mountain in a sleigh pulled by a snowcat.

Crested Butte is the sister resort to the popular Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont,m and is part of the M.A.X. Pass.

The closest airport is Gunnison or Montrose. For more information, visit www.skicb.com.

Telluride Ski Resort

Celebrating its 45th Anniversary, Telluride is continuing an ongoing multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment in snowmaking upgrades and technology. For this season, the grooming fleet is being expanded and there is a new dual-purpose project that serves as a golf course practice facility in the summer months and a 15-acre terrain-based learning area during the winter ski season.

People associate Telluride wih tough skiing, but half of the terrain is rated as intermediate and this year, Telluride is adding 15 acres of beginner terrain and new magic carpet.

Advanced skiers can revel in black and double black diamond trails and hike-to-terrain; intermediates have trails from top to bottom that let you  “see forever”.

Kids Ski Free: Free lift tickets are available at the Telluride ticket window for children ages five years old and under. Child lift tickets for children ages six to 12 are available online at discounted rates for two or more days of skiing when you purchase at least 48 hours in advance. Telluride also offers children’s ski school lessons divided into programs that offer age and skill specific learning experiences.

Telluride is a charming walking town, connected to the Mountain Village by gondola, where there is The Peaks, a luxury hotel that is the resort’s largest, with a world-class spa; the Inn at Los Creek, a boutique hotel,  and other lodging options, plus shops and restaurants.

The privately owned ski area is part of Mountain Collection of 15 quality resorts.

Options to get to Telluride include flying into Montrose or Telluride airport.

For more information, visit www.tellurideskiresort.com.

Purgatory

Skiing Purgatory (photo by Scott DW Smith)

Purgatory Resort will have a new mountain coaster this season, which will be accessible from the base area and operate year-round. The coaster is 4,000 feet in length with a 300 foot-vertical drop, and features eight switchbacks and one loop.

Purgatory is also expanding its terrain with new intermediate and expert trails on the back- and front-sides of the mountain, and is adding new gladed tree skiing. The triple chairlift, Needles Lift 6, offers a new mid-way loading zone to provide an easier way to access terrain for ski teams, terrain park users, and skiers or riders who want to take laps on the frontside of the mountain.

The resort also has new snowmaking infrastructure including increased pumping capacity and more energy efficient snow guns.

Kids and 4th Graders Ski Free: Kids seven years old and younger ski free every day at Purgatory Resort. Fourth grade students also ski free at Purgatory with proof of grade. For more information, visit www.skipurg.com.

Loveland Ski Area

To celebrate its 80th year of operations, Loveland is offer snowcat skiing in Dry Gulch for the first time. Loveland will also continue the popular Mountaintop Matrimony event on Valentine’s Day.

Kids Ski Free: Children five and under ski free every day at Loveland. Children five and under can also purchase a ski or snowboard package equipment rental for $12.

3-Class Pass for Kids  is for all children, ages four to 14, of all ability levels. When guests pre-purchase or complete three full-day lesson packages, they receive a free unrestricted season pass to keep practicing their skiing or snowboarding skills for the rest of the season. Children’s full day lesson packages include a lesson, lift access, equipment rentals (ski or snowboard), helmet and lunch.

For more information, visit www.skiloveland.com.

New Direct Flights, Expanded Train Service Ease Travel to Colorado Ski Resorts This Season

DENVER –Colorado Ski Country USA has announced new direct flights to and from Colorado’s eight regional airports and expanded service on the Winter Park Express this season that will provide skiers and riders from across the country easy and convenient travel options to their favorite Colorado ski resorts by train, plane or car this winter.

Also, the Amtrak Winter Park Express, coming off a highly successful inaugural season, will offer expanded train service for the 2017-18 ski season. The Winter Park Express will depart from Union Station in downtown Denver each Saturday and Sunday from January 5 through March 25, plus three new “First Friday” round-trips, with a reduced fare of $29 each way on some departures. With more than 27 round-trip options and over 500 seats on each train, the Winter Park Express allows visiting skiers and riders to travel to Winter Park Resort without renting or setting foot in a car.

Colorado’s eight regional airports are offering new and expanded flights for the 2017-18 season. Steamboat will feature new nonstop flights from Austin (AUS) and Kansas City (MCI) on ViaAir into Steamboat/Hayden (HDN) airport beginning Dec. 13, 2017. These additional flights bring Steamboat’s total direct air service to 14 major U.S. airports.

Aspen Snowmass has new daily nonstop flights through American Airlines from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) starting this winter along with expanded service from both Dallas Ft. Worth (DFW) and Chicago O’ Hare (ORD).

Telluride has increased access this winter through new American Airlines direct flights into Montrose-Telluride Regional Airport (MTJ) from Charlotte Douglas International (CLT), Saturdays starting Dec. 23, 2017. Delta Airlines will operate new flights this winter from Salt Lake City (SLC) to Montrose-Telluride (MTJ) over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Skiers and riders hoping to make it to ski areas in the southwest part of the state: Telluride, Silverton, Purgatory and Wolf Creek, have another option from Denver (DEN) on a new Boutique Air flight servicing Alamosa San Luis Valley (ALS) with three daily non-stop flights with a round-trip as low as $100.

Visitors can also access seven resorts within a two-hour drive of Denver (DEN), including Colorado Ski Country USA’s newest member resort, Echo Mountain. Only 35 miles or 50 minutes from downtown Denver, the Idaho Springs ski area offers six trails on 60 acres just a short drive from the Front Range.

For a full list of flights into and out of Denver (DEN) servicing Colorado’s eight regional airports and for direct flights into airports servicing all of Colorado Ski Country USA’s member resorts visit coloradoski.com/traveling.

5th and 6th Grade Passport Program

Colorado Ski Country USA offers any fifth grader the chance to ski or ride three days at 22 participating member resorts across the state absolutely free. That’s up to 66 free days on the slopes. Fifth graders who have never skied or snowboarded are eligible for the First-Class program which provides never-ever skiers and riders one free full-day beginner lesson and equipment rental at the resort of their choice. All Passport holders also receive one complimentary junior rental from Christy Sports. The corresponding 6th Grade Passport Program offers four days of skiing at the same 22 resorts for only $105 before November 30, or $125 through the end of the season. To register for the Passport Program visit:www.coloradoski.com/passport.

Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) is the not-for-profit trade association representing Colorado’s 23 ski & snowboard resorts. www.ColoradoSki.com, on Twitter @ColoradoSkiUSA and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColoradoSkiCountryUSA.

See also:

Vail Resorts Unveils Major Improvements at Network of Ski Destinations; Deadline to Purchase EpicPass is Nov 19

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© 2017 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com,  www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin , and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

 

What’s Up on the Colorado Ski Country USA Slopes this Season

Copper Mountain, Colorado is one of the Colorado Ski Country USA resorts participating in The M.A.X. Pass program as well as the Rocky Mountain Super Pass © 2016 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Copper Mountain, Colorado is one of the Colorado Ski Country USA resorts participating in The M.A.X. Pass program as well as the Rocky Mountain Super Pass © 2016 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

For the 2016/17 season, Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) guests will find new dining options, new chairlifts and new terrain enhancements, expanded air service, as well as other improvements that elevate the premier skiing and snowboarding as well as the apres experience at CSCUSA resorts.

Many of the resorts can be experienced as part of Ski Pass programs (which typically pay for themselves in about five days), such as the M.A.X. Pass which, in addition to a full complement of Northeastern resorts features five CSCUSA members (and the five-days at each can be an added on for $299 to a local unlimited season pass): Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Steamboat, Crested Butte and Eldora, which gives visitors 5 days at each resort and The Rocky Mountain Super Pass that gives six days each at Steamboat, Crested Butte, Copper Mountain, Winter Park and Eldora.

Here’s a summary of the many upgrades, improvements and what makes CSCUSA resorts special that guests will enjoy during the 2016/17 ski season:

Copper Mountain

Copper Mountain is introducing an all-access Copper Pass that provides unlimited visits to the Woodward Barn, a unique indoor training facility where you can learn and practice freestyle techniques in a safe environment (for example, you go down an artificial slope into a pool of plastic balls). It’s just one of the reasons why Copper is such a special place for teens, particularly.

Copper Mountain is introducing an all-access Copper Pass that provides unlimited visits to the Woodward Barn, a unique indoor training facility where you can learn and practice freestyle techniques in a safe environment (photo by Dave E. Leiberman)
Copper Mountain is introducing an all-access Copper Pass that provides unlimited visits to the Woodward Barn, a unique indoor training facility where you can learn and practice freestyle techniques in a safe environment (photo by Dave E. Leiberman)

Copper offers many distinctive features: a noon groom, where a trail is kept pristine until the afternoon; free snowcat rides up to Tucker Mountain for a backcountry-type advanced experience on weekends (first come, first-served, but you can take as many rides as you like); free snowshoe tours (fantastic),  One of the most convenient major Rocky Mountain ski resorts to reach from Denver International Airport, it’s just 75 miles and reached by a host of shuttles (about $40-60), and there’s no need for a car once you arrive at the resort, which is actually three pedestrian villages and three mountains (a naturally divided terrain, progressing in difficulty from the easiest terrain to the more difficult as you move east), linked by free, shuttle buses (frequent service).

Check the website for value packages, but one this year is “1-2 Free” (book 2 nights of lodging, and the third is free); also third day of rentals are free; third day of Youth or Group lessons are free. Also: free 1/2 day lift ticket to be used on day of arrival or departure per Adult Two Day Secret Pass purchased; kids 12 & younger ski FREE (Adult 2 day ticket required); -FREE Secret! Pass upgrade – early access / skip lines. Tubing: Purchase two or more sessions and save 33%.

And for those looking for luxury accommodations: White River Luxury Rentals will allow guests to book units through the White River Luxury Rentals website and coppercolorado.com.

For more information, visit www.coppercolorado.com.

Winter Park 

Children’s Ski program at Winter Park, Colorado © 2016 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Children’s Ski program at Winter Park, Colorado © 2016 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

What’s special about Winter Park is that this is a world-class resort with fantastic skiing and non-skiing activities, a terrific base village, skating rink, and all the amenities, yet it is owned by the city of Denver (managed by Intrawest). And this year, The Winter Park Express ski train returns, restoring passenger rail service from Denver’s Union Station to the slopes of Winter Park (weekends and holiday Mondays beginning Saturday, January 7 through Sunday, March 26, leaving Denver 7 am), the only service of its kind in the United States. The train leaves Denver at 7 am, arriving at the slopes at 8:30; and you can buy a one-way ticket so you can overnight and return at 4:30 pm, to arrive back in Denver at 6 pm ($39/one way, kids half-price).

This is phenomenal for business travelers and visitors to Denver who want to extend their stay with a ski holiday; out-of-towners can use the light rail (Light rail $8) from Denver International Airport and overnight (and acclimate to altitude) in Denver; or, take a shuttle directly from DIA and the ski train back to Denver.

Ice skating at Winter Park, Colorado © 2016 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Ice skating at Winter Park, Colorado © 2016 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

There are four new state-of-the-art snowcats that can be used year-round to trim trees and bushes in the summer that have a tendency to peek through the snow in the winter. At peak output the resort will be able to groom almost 1,000 acres, which is a lot of corduroy. This year, Winter Park is participating in the M.A.X. Pass program (www.themaxpass.com) as well as The Rocky Mountain Super Pass. (www.winterparkresort.com)

Steamboat

One of the special experiences at Steamboat, which claims more Olympians than any other resort, is the opportunity to take free lessons with one of the most famous American Olympians, Billy Kidd, the first American to win an Olympic medal; now in his 70s, he teaches intermediate and advanced skiers for free); another famous Olympian, also Nelson Carmichael, who medaled in moguls, teaches a free clinic in moguls (advanced). “Sometimes there are five in the group, sometimes 50.” More free: free guided snowshoeing (you pay for rentals), and free guided ski tours.

Famous for its Rocky Mountain cowboy feel, Steamboat is very family-focused – it was one of the first to offer kids ski free program (kids still ski free with adult for five days and rent free if adult rents), opens the season with a new high speed detachable quad (replaced old lift) which gets skiers up the mountain in less than half the time. What is more, this is the third season that Steamboat offers night skiing (Thursday to Monday, 5-8 pm, in spring, 5:30-8:30 pm’ 1000 vertical feet, beginner to advanced).

Steamboat’s new mountain coaster will operate year-round in the vicinity of Christie Peak Express lift. The mountain coaster will allow guests to ride a gravity driven sled up the mountain and then slide down the rails while controlling the sled.

For 2016/17 Steamboat is replacing its Elkhead fixed-grip quad with a Dopplemayr high-speed detachable quad, cutting ride times by more than half. Safety bars will also be added to the new lift. The increased speed and capacity of the new Elkhead lift is expected to substantially improve the guest experience in the popular Sunshine and Priest Creek areas of the mountain, especially at lunchtime and end-of-day egress. Skiers will also benefit from improvements to snowmaking include a new Leitwolf snowcat and an upgrade to the pumphouse to increase water capacity for snowmaking.

You can fly directly into Hayden Airport (30 minutes from the ski resort) from Newark and (new this year) from San Diego, and ski free that day with a boarding pass, just show your boarding pass at the ticket office. If you’re arriving on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you can ski free Thursday night. With an evening departure, Alaska Airlines passengers can ski for free that day before the flight (minimum two-day lift ticket).

Steamboat’s winter air program continues to grow with the addition of nonstop flights from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Steamboat/Hayden Airport (HDN) on Alaska Airlines for the 2016/17 ski and snowboard season. The twice-weekly flight will operate Wednesdays and Saturdays from Dec. 17 to March 25 on a 76-seat E175 jet, operated by SkyWest Airlines. The 2016/17 air program increases nonstop markets served to 12 major cities in the fourth consecutive year of nonstop flight growth.

In addition to the new San Diego flight, the winter air program will provide larger aircraft flying into Steamboat/Hayden Airport and a focus on expanding service during popular travel periods. Alaska Airlines guests will enjoy nonstop flights on an E175 aircraft, which offers more capacity and amenities, including a first class cabin and Preferred Plus seating with extra leg room. United Airlines also will fly bigger jets this winter, including an upgrade to a 737-800 for nonstop Chicago Saturday flights that will increase seats from 70 to 166. Capacity on United flights from Newark will increase from 150 to 166 seats, and the Washington-Dulles flight will go from 128 to 150 seats. More nonstop access also will be available for guests flying from Dallas during the holidays with American Airlines adding 14 days of flights in addition to regularly scheduled daily service during that time.

Steamboat’s air program now provides nonstop access from 12 major airports on Alaska, American, Delta and United Airlines as well as convenient connections from more than 300 airports nationwide and worldwide, making Steamboat one of the most easily accessed resorts in the Rocky Mountains. Airfares and packages are currently available for purchase at Steamboat.com/flights or by calling Steamboat Central Reservations® at 1-800-922-2722.

A new flight will offer travelers a chance to experience Steamboat’s legendary Champagne Powder® with a direct flight from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Steamboat/Hayden Airport (HDN). Alaska Airlines will fly routes twice a week from Dec. 17, 2016 to March 25, 2017.

Steamboat, which is owned by Intrawest (also owns Killington and Snowshoe and manages Winter Park) is part of the Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus.

SVIP package: Save up to 25% on lifts and lodging plus get complimentary VIP experiences: https://www.steamboat.com/plan-your-trip/deals-and-packages/svip

For more information, visit www.steamboat.com. 

Crested Butte 

Torchlight parade and fireworks at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Save up to $300 when you fly directly into Gunnison regional airport (photo supplied by CBMR)
Torchlight parade and fireworks at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Save up to $300 when you fly directly into Gunnison regional airport (photo supplied by CBMR)

Crested Butte has a split personality: the modern, self-contained ski resort on the mountain is a few miles away from a charming, historic coal mining town. It’s an authentic destination, without crowds, where festive community events are a priority, and genuine family adventure awaits. With wide open beginner and intermediate runs, great terrain parks and some of Colorado’s best in-bounds extreme terrain, the mountain has something for everyone.

An historic coal mining turned ski town; Crested Butte is a place that lives and breathes outdoor adventure where the only limits are your own. An authentic destination, where crowds don’t exist, zany, festive community events are a priority, and genuine family adventure awaits. With wide open beginner and intermediate runs, great terrain parks and some of Colorado’s best in-bounds extreme terrain, the mountain has something for everyone. Be sure to check out the town of Crested Butte: Colorado’s Last Great Ski Town, it’ll leave you wondering why you don’t call this place home.

A new program at the resort debuting this season, Women’s Tips on Tuesday’s, is a half-day women’s specific ski school led by Crested Butte’s top female pros that finishes with a glass of wine.

Receive up to a $300 airfare credit per person when you fly into the conveniently located Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC) and stay at The Grand Lodge, Lodge at Mountaineer Square or most CBMR managed lodging properties. The offer is valid on nonstop flights from Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH) and Los Angeles (LAX) to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport. (Restrictions apply. Subject to availability. Limited time offer.

Save up to $300 per airline ticket when traveling to Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) via Gunnison/Crested Butte airport (direct flights from Denver, Dulles, Houston, Los Angeles). Savings based upon originating city and travel dates; restrictions apply. More information at www.skicb.com/information/save-big-airfare (800-544-8448, snow report 970-349-2323, [email protected], skicb.com.

Book Early and Save BIG: Combine airfare offers with CBMR’s Book Early Save Big Promotion: : Get 25% off lodging when you book 4 nights or more by October 15; get 20% off lodging when you book by November 15 (based on availability; no blackout dates). Discount lift tickets are available with lodging reservation.

Crested Butte is the sister resort to the popular Okemo Resort in Vermont and Sunapee in new Hampshire, and all three pare part of the M.A.X. Pass, which means that season pass holders can, for $299 add on, get five days each at the other resorts (along with unlimited skiing at the home resort), or with just the pass ($599), have 5 days at each of 32 resort (the pass pays for itself in 6 days or less). Also, pass holders get 20% off lodging.

Aspen-Snowmass 

Aspen will host the 2017 Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals March 15-17, 2017, marking the first time the event has been held in the U.S. in 20 years. The races will feature the best men’s and women’s alpine skiing athletes in the world competing in downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and nation’s team event.

Aspen is excited to be hosting the World Cup Men’s and Women’s Finals, March 15-17, 2017  – marking the first time the event has been held in the U.S. in 20 years. The races will feature the best men’s and women’s alpine skiing athletes in the world competing in downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and nation’s team event.

Visitors will be able to watch the events for free on the hill, but there is still plenty of skiing – Aspen-Snowmass is really four ski areas, each with a very distinct personality and ambiance: Aspen is a historic mining town with a hip vibe, the mountain itself is geared for intermediates and advanced; Snowmass is a complete, self-contained full-service ski resort with a full complement of ski terrain (a new lift was added to Gwyn’s High Alpine last year), lodgings styles, restaurants (Gwyn’s High Alpine Restaurant capacity is being increased from 350 to 800, and a new bar has a large wood-burning fire and big-screen televisions); Buttermilk is a great learning mountain; and Aspen Highlands (relatively secluded and challenging). (www.aspensnowmass.com)

Lodging Deal: Aspen’s The Little Nell  offers a “Ski Free in Aspen” package, which includes two complimentary ski passes to four incredible mountains – Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass – for each day you stay at The Little Nell, staying a minimum of three nights. Ski passes do not include guest arrival and departure days (as most prefer to acclimate to the altitude upon arrival and soak up town on departure). (Based on availability. black out dates. Not combinable with other offers (www.thelittlenell.com/offers).

For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com. 

Arapahoe Basin 

Arapahoe Basin March 19, 2016 - Bruce Ruff on East Wall 2016. (Photo by Dave Camara)
Arapahoe Basin March 19, 2016 – Bruce Ruff on East Wall 2016.
(Photo by Dave Camara)

Arapahoe Basin, a small (by Colorado standards), unpretentious, privately owned mountain, is just next door to Keystone, one of the Vail Resorts, and provides a totally different experience which you can enjoy either on its own (though Arapahoe Basin doesn’t have its own lodging), or free with your Keystone lift ticket or VailResorts EpicPass (a free shuttle between Keystone and A-Basin is provided by the county November through March).

To celebrate A-Basin’s 70th Anniversary, the resort has made significant investments into improving the base area including renovating buildings, improving walkways and ramps, upgrading skier services, expanding Arapahoe Sports and providing better outdoor seating and viewing areas for the main stage.

This is a “confidence building” mountain offering amazing extreme terrain, and some groomed intermediate terrain but is mainly for more accomplished skiers. The views, Adrienne Saia Isaac, Marketing & Communications Manager, tells me, are “breathtaking, like no place else in Colorado.” This year, Dream, the Toronto-based real estate development company that owns the mountain, is investing $4 million in upgrades including an expansion of its intermediate terrain and glade skiing (most of the mountain is above the tree line), kids programs and restaurant.

“We’re turning 70 but keeping up with the times. We offer a different experience from resort – friendlier, more inclusive for families.”

A-Basin has recently updated all of its webcams, installing new ones last season in the base area and facing the Pali terrain and invested in a partnership with Prism for the Divide Cam, situated at the summit. (www.arapahoebasin.com)

Telluride 

The beloved Telluride Mountain Village Gondola system, which links the mountain village with the historic town, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in December. A celebration with a series of events and a festive gala will take place during the anniversary month while a number of events will take place to celebrate the Gondola and its contribution to the region throughout the season.

Telluride’s newest restaurant, Altezza at the Peaks, offers incredible views. Altezza, which means “height” in Italian, offers an Italian-inspired menu, with a variety of main courses such as traditional pastas and Colorado-inspired dishes. To broaden the overall resort experience, Telluride is adding a number of ongoing, free, family-friendly events to take place when the lifts stop turning for the day including a kids’ zone, a holiday prelude and movie series, other movie nights and live music in the mountain village.

New this year, Telluride, a charming historic town at the base of an incredible ski resort set in the San Juan Mountains, with dramatic peaks and stunning views, has joined The Mountain Collective – a collection of independent resorts, Aspen-Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Taos and Monarch –  which gives two free days each at  (additional days at 50% off the window ticket rate). Telluride is independently owned by Chuck Horning since 2004.

“We’re not a mega resort – part of the enchantment is that we are not close to other resorts or Denver International Airport. You feel like you have the place to yourself. The San Juan Mountains are spectacular – the Alps of Colorado. Stunning, dramatic,’ in your face’ mountains.”

The mountain offers all levels of abilities and terrain – 60 percent rated beginner and intermediate.

Last year, the resort took over the on-mountain luxury Peaks Resort & Spa, which boasts one of the largest spas in Colorado, at 42,000 sq. ft., indoor/outdoor pool.

This year, there is increased direct air access from the New York area (Newark), Saturday and Sunday  on United Airlines, direct into Montrose Airport, 1 hr, 15 min away, as well as a nonstop United Flight on Saturdays from LaGuardia.

Skiers and riders will also have new transportation options with Allegiant Airlines adding a flight between Montrose/Telluride and Denver. The seasonal flights will operate twice weekly and fly nonstop between Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) and DIA (DEN) with one-way fares as low as $44.

Telluride continues to invest in its infrastructure by enhancing the snowmaking capabilities in the Meadows area that caters to Ski School and beginner skiers and snowboarders. (www.tellurideskiresort.com)

Purgatory

New this season guests will notice the Columbine beginner area has been expanded and re-graded to improve the area where beginners learn to ski and snowboard. Also, the Snow Coaster Tubing Hill has been relocated, redesigned, and enhanced for a better user experience and a hazard tree mitigation project will vastly improve the health of the forest and enhance tree skiing at the resort.

A modernized rope tow, the new T-3 surface lift, will transport skiers on the backside of the mountain heading west to the Legends Lift 8 high-speed detachable-quad chairlift, which debuted last winter. The T-3 lift will also connect a new trail to the Legends Lift 8. The Legends Bypass, which opened last winter as an alternative way down to Lift 8, will be widened and re-graded.

Additionally, the snowmaking system has been enhanced with additional snow guns and upgraded nozzles, making snowmaking efforts more productive and efficient allowing for snowmaking as early as October.

Purgatory installed a new point-of-sale software that will make it easier for consumers who are making purchases throughout the resort, providing them with faster transactions at the Ticket Office, Snow Sports School, rentals, retail, and restaurants.

This fall, Purgatory is opening a new convenient retail, rental and repair services shop in Durango at 2615 Main Ave. The remodel will provide a new storefront for outdoor recreation apparel, gear, rentals, repair services, ticket/pass purchases, as well as the resort’s reservation center. (www.skipurg.com)

Information about CSCUSA and its members can be found at www.ColoradoSki.com, on Twitter @ColoradoSkiUSA and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColoradoSkiCountryUSA.

See also:

Hurry, Hurry, Get Your Ski Pass Deals; Take Advantage of Greater Flexibility, Options

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© 2016 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures