Winter Park Ski & Ride School Deals

Ski School Deals Winter Park, CO

Christy Sports’ Powder Daze is kicking off this weekend at the Park Meadows Mall! Last year’s inventory will be 40-70% off AND Winter Park Ski & Ride School will be selling their new 4-packs with a bonus lesson! That’s 5 lessons for the price of 4 for kids or adults. This is a special offer so don’t miss it!

There are lots of deals and specials going on down in Denver starting this weekend.  Sniagrab, Powder Daze and Ski Rex all are offering some gret deals on ski equipment, ski passes and lift tickets, and ski tunes and services.

Colorado Ski & Golf is offering $50 Gift Card with any single item purchase of $150 or more. Includes items already slashed 40%-75% if you sign up to be a Preferred Customer before you shop at Ski Rex.

If you are looking for ski school deals, ski equipment or clothing this weekend will offer some of the best deals of the year.

The weather is starting to turn and snow will soon fly here in Winter Park, CO so get you ski equipment ready, buy your season ski pass and make sure your kids are signed up for ski lessons…… ski season is just around the corner.

This year should be an excellent ski season with a La Niña weather pattern set to bring lots of powder to Winter Park and the other Northern Colorado resorts.  Last La Niña season, 2007, was a record year for snowfall for Winter Park/Mary Jane so lets cross our finger and hope the snow gods look on us kindly this year.

September Recipe of the Month from Winter Park, CO

Linguine with Arugula & Pine Nut Pesto

For September, we’ve got a fresh pesto pasta dish made with arugula, pine nuts, lemon, garlic and other fresh ingredients. Put it all together in a food processor and viola- you’ve got a delicious, fresh pesto.  A food processor  is recommended to make the pesto, but a blender should work fine, too.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pine nuts, toasted (or substitute with almonds or macacamia nuts)
1 package of fresh arugula
2 lemons (zest of both and only one lemon juiced)
2 boxes of linquine (1lb each)
8 cloves of garlic
2 cups of olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black petter
parmasan cheese to top pasta

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and place raw pine nuts onto a sheet pan and back for five to seven minutes or until lightly brown. Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool.

Combine the arugula, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and olive oil into a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove the pesto from the processor and put it into a large bowl.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Add cooked pasta into the bowl with pesto and mix well. Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Winter Park CO Season Ski Passes

Winter Park Resort Season Ski Passes

The time has come to get your season ski pass for Winter Park Resort. As of next week September 2, 2010 the prices of Winter Park and Steamboat lift prices will go up.  If you buy before Sept 6 the season pass prices are as follows:

Winter Park/Mary Jane Resort Passes

Rocky Mountain Super Pass

This includes unlimited skiing at Winter Park/Mary Jane and Copper Mountain Resort.

Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus

This includes unlimited skiing at Winter Park/Mary Jane, Copper Mountain Resort and six free days at Steamboat Resort.

Unlimited Skiing at Winter Park/Mary Jane and Steamboat Springs Ski Resort

Here are some of the pass benefits that come with the above passes:

• Rocky Mountain Super Passes – Double your $59 Friends & Family discount tickets to 20 to be used anytime during the 2010/11 season*.
• Winter Park Season Pass – 10 Friends and Family $59 lift ticket coupons, valid at Winter Park/Mary Jane only.
• Winter Park Four Pass – 4 Friends and Family $59 lift ticket coupons, valid at Winter Park/Mary Jane only.
• Discounts on Rental/Retail, Food & Beverage and Ski & Ride School.
• Receive special passholder offers via the Pass Perks email.
• Discounts off full-window rate lift tickets at most Intrawest resorts including Whistler Blackcomb, BC (excluding Colorado resorts).

Winter Park Colorado First Snow Contest

First Snow in Winter Park, CO 2010/2011

The time has come again for the second annual First Snow in Winter Park, CO Contest. Lady Summer is on her way out of the building and our three weeks of fall will come and go and then we are left with six months of glorious glorious snowy winter.

Here is a comment from WP  local Mr. Scott Hefel on Aug 24th, 2010:

Seasons are a changing, I could see my breath on my morning walk with (my dog) Sam. I actually started to get excited for snow.

So the contest is, guess the date  that Winter Park Resort will receive the first measurable amount (more than a half inch) of snow and you will win dinner, drinks and desert for two at either Deno’s Mountain Bistro or The Cheeky Monk Belgium Beer Cafe in the Winter Park Village.  Guesses can be put below in the comment section and need to be guessed at-least 24 hours before the date of the snow.  One guess per person please.

Last years first snow at Winter Park Resort was on September 21st, yes less than one month away.  There were two snow contest winners last year and each received a prize.

Last years first Winter Park snow contest had 74 guesses and we are hoping to beat that this year.

All-right here goes, get your snow dance on and lets start getting ready for some  fluffy white stuff here in Winter Park, CO.  I will be the first to guess below so make sure to not guess my date for you will be certain to have no chance of winning if you do, I will definitely be wrong.

Fall Colors in Winter Park Colorado

Changing of the Colors Winter Park, CO

Every summer comes to this in Winter Park.  It always seems to come to early and without warning. driving under the Rocky Mountain peaks and you notice an aspen that is starting to turn from green to yellow.  Well, it is here in Winter Park this year.  The neighbors aspen are about half yellow and some of trees on the hills are getting a little yellow also.

The change in colors comes early up here in WP-CO.  Best time to see the trees is in mid-September.  There is plenty to do in Winter Park and Grand County, Colorado in September and it is unbelievably beautiful this time of year.  Check out some of the activities here in Winter Park the last half of September.

Also, don’t forget that Trestle Bike Park is open everyday through Labor Day and Fri, Sat and Sun the following three weekends.

Mountain biking Winter Park in general in September and early October are at their best.  The weather is a bit cooler, the scenery is amazing and a lot of the crowds have settled in for school down in the lowlands.

So now is the time to plan your fll getaway to the mountains and get a great discount from Winter Park Lodging Company.The WPLCo offer for fall and early booking is:

Labor Day Sale! Get 50% off your 2nd night for stays between Aug 1st and Nov 15th. OR get 20% off on stays between Nov 16th and Dec 16th. Book by August 31st.

SIA Snow Show Returns to Winter Park Resort

SIA Winter Park Resort

The SIA Snow Show returns to Denver and Winter Park Resort for the second year after a long run in the desert community in Las Vegas.

After 37 years in Las Vegas, the SIA Snow Show reported a six-year attendance high for the inaugural Snow Show held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver from January 28-31, 2010. The sold-out Snow Show attracted 18,045 attendees and featured over 3,100 exhibitors representing 845 snow sports brands, including 125 new exhibitors.

For four days in 2011, the snow sports industry returns to Denver, Colorado to do business, socialize and network.  With over 18,000 all under one roof, the snow sports community comes together once a year to see the latest trends, styles and innovations from ski, snowboard, cross country, AT/tele, backcountry, snowshoe and fashion.

The SIA Snow Show is two parts.  One spent in Denver at the Convention Center and the other spent at Winter Park Resort with an on snow component.  The Snow Show schedule is as follows:

SIA SNOW SHOW
Thursday, January 27 — Sunday, January 30, 2011
Colorado Convention Center
Denver, Colorado USA

The SIA Snow Show, January 27-30, 2011 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO, delivers the largest, most concentrated and authentic trade event in the snow sports industry. It is the first time globally that the styles, technologies, innovations, culture and energy of snow sports is presented. Close to 20,000 industry professionals will meet to engage in business, networking opportunities, parties, brand events and seminars to feel the true essence of snow sports.

On January 31 and February 1, 2011 the industry will head up to the mountains for the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest at Winter Park Resort and Devil’s Thumb Ranch. In conjunction with Western Winter Sports Reps Association’s (WWSRA) Rocky Mountain Demo and in partnership with Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA), buyers can try out the latest gear for ski, snowboard, AT/tele, backcountry, cross country and snowshoe while all other attendees can get some time on the hill with the brands, reps and media. Attendees of the SIA Snow Show and On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest get free lift tickets and entry to Winter Park and Devil’s Thumb.

The SIA snow show is the place to check out the new trends in everything SKI. Up at Winter Park Resort all the latest will be tested on the hills.

Looking for lodging for the on snow demo session in Winter Park, CO? Look no further than Winter Park Lodging Company for SIA Snow Show lodging.

Colorado Resort Season Ski Passes 2010/2011

Colorado Ski Resort Season Ski Pass Prices

The mornings are getting colder and the evenings are getting a little shorter up here in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and this all points to the upcoming 2010/2011 ski season getting closer.  Summer is not out the door yet but she has spied her jacket is tugging on her dates arm to get ready to hit the road.  Have you purchased your ski pass for the season yet?

Most Colorado ski resorts are boosting their season pass prices by modest amounts for the 2010-11 winter after holding firm or even dropping prices to spur business last season, according to a survey by The Aspen Times.

There are lots options for ski passes to Colorado ski resorts now.  Besides each individual resort offering there own ski pass there are also multiple resort passes. The Epic Pass from Vail Resorts offers unlimited skiing at all there resorts and A-Basin. The Rocky Mountain Super Pass and RMSP Plus offer unlimited ski at Winter Park and Copper Mountain, which Intrawest no longer owns, and the Plus offers 6 anytime days at Steamboat Springs Resort.

Steamboat offered its adult season pass for $899 if purchased by June 1. It’s being sold for $999 through Aug. 15, when the prices ratchet up again. Last season the pass sold for $879 before June 1, and $999 through Aug. 14.

Steamboat also sells a pass that combines unrestricted, unlimited skiing at the resort plus Winter Park for $1,049.

Crested Butte is selling its adult gold pass for $949. The price was $849 for skier and riders who made the purchase by April 4. The price for the full-pass was $849 last season.

Jackson Hole is touting its “new low pricing” for 2010-11. The ski area, run by former Aspen Skiing Co. President and CEO Jerry Blann, dropped its season pass price 25 percent, from $1,675 last season to $1,255 this year.

Back in Colorado, resorts competing for Front Range skiers remained locked in a pass war. Vail Resorts made a marginal price increase to its Epic Pass, from $579 last season to $599 this season.  The pass is good for unlimited skiing and riding at Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapaho Basin as well as Heavenly in California.

For those wanting the ultimate in a season ski pass, Colorado Ski Country offers the gold medallion. The Colorado Ski Country USA Gold Pass is the state’s most exclusive season pass. This coveted pass provides unlimited access to Colorado’s world-class snow conditions and ski areas all season long. The Gold Pass is fully transferable so purchasers can share their pass with colleagues, clients, friends, family and more. With no blackout dates, the Gold Pass can be used at 21 ski areas any day of the season.  That is all the ski areas in the state beside those owned by Vail.

Only 100 gold passes are available for the 2010-11 season.

Whatever ski pass you end up purchasing don not forget if you are skiing at Winter Park Resort or Steamboat Resort use the Winter Park Lodging Company or the Steamboat Lodging Company for your accommodations.

Best College for Skiing?

University of Colorado Best College for Skiing

I was checking out what Skiing Magazine had to say about the upcoming ski season and I came across their article Ski School.

The article gives Skiing Magazines top 12 colleges to attend  to be able to ski and that have a good ski culture.  And obviously the 12 schools have great access to some very good skiing.  There are some East Coast schools in here that I didn’t think would be good ski schools and some Northwest schools I have never heard of .  But best of all Skiing Magazine has the one and only University of Colorado.  This is what Skiing had to say about the home of the skiing Buffs:

The University of Colorado

CU Boulder counts 33 Olympic skiers that have participated in the Olympics over 50 times among its alumni. A prime spot for training, Boulder is nearly a mile high, and gets an average of 255 sunny days every year. Competitive skiers here have a social life too; the program sponsors “a ski ball” each year, which also serves as a highly successful fundraiser for their program. Colorado is home to 26 ski resorts, and the university is about two hours from eight of them.

Yes, Winter Park Resort is one of the eight resorts that is within 2 hours of Boulder and it is the second closest behind Eldora Mountain.

I am surprised that the University of Denver was not on this list as the DU Pioneers have pretty much dominated college level skiing the last ten years.

The University of Denver’s 19 team championships in skiing are the most in NCAA history, ahead of Colorado’s 16 and Utah’s 10. The 2008 title also marked the Pioneers’ fifth championship since 2000. DU also won in 2000, ’01, ’02 and ’05.

So what is the No.1 ski school? Well it has to be the University of Colorado. OK OK I’m biased I’m an alum.

Now what college will Nicholas & Willem (the Twins) be attending? I’m pushing for CU or DU and both schools ski teams train right here in Winter Park, CO. Their mother keeps on talking up her alma matter, Wake Forest, but the only way they can ski down there is if God turns tobacco white. Anywho, they are only 3 so lots of time to figure out college still.

Go Buffs!

Zoppe Italian Circus in Winter Park Village

Horseback Riding in Winter Park: Steak Dinner Ride

Bernie's Backside

My brother and his family plus my 77 year old dad were in town last week, so we decided to be tourists and headed to Sombrero Stables in Snow Mountain Ranch (a YMCA camp) for a steak dinner horseback ride. 

We had to arrive by 3:30 to be matched with our horses (I got “Hitch” who liked to eat grass). We were riding by 4:15 in a straight line with our nice guide who rode looking back at us to be sure we were ok. 

We rode the horses into a nice trail, thru some beautiful big aspens and by a meadow where our guide said she saw a moose just a few days before. We squinted and hoped, but no moose appeared.  It was very peaceful and not scary in the least, since they don’t let you go any faster than a walk, although we learned the trick of holding the horse back a bit and then got to trot to catch up.  

We arrived at our dinner spot – a wagon-looking grill and picnic area. By that point, one of my nephews was in the deep depths of a horse allergic reaction so they offered (and he accepted) to take some Benedryl and ride back down in the car.  He hung out with us for dinner though which was surprisingly good.  We had steak, excellent grilled potatoes, beans, and bread.  They even had “Cowboy Coffee” for the caffeine addicted. 

Wagon Grill

Got back on the horses and by that point we were aching a bit (knees, bum, etc) but we made it back before sunset and said goodbye to Bernie, Hitch, and the rest of the horses.  One hint – if you tell them you’re an experienced rider, they give you the horses that act up a bit so for the most enjoyable time, swallow your pride and tell them you’ve never put your foot in a saddle. 

Strongly recommend this fun activity for families with kids (age 3 and up) or groups that want to take enjoy the scenery and West without flying down a mountain on a bike or falling in the river on a raft.  Thank you, Sombrero Stables!