Winter Park Powder Day

Powder Skiing Winter Park Resort

It was a powder day yesterday at Winter Park Resort.  One of the localized snow storms that Winter Park is famous for dumped a nice 16 inch blanket of the white fluffy stuff right on top of our hills for the enjoyment of the Winter Park guests and locals.

Berthoud Pass was closed on Sunday at 6:30 PM so only those here and those willing to drive around through Silverthorne and Kremmling were able to enjoy the best day of skiing here in Winter Park in over a year.

It was an eventful day from start to finish.  I was supposed to do some back-country skiing with Powder Addiction yesterday but the pass closure scuttled that.  But not to worry, fresh tracks on 16 inches of new is dream of a Monday.  We were inline at 8:30AM for the 9AM first lift and the runs did not disappoint.  I did break a ski pole and my ski partner Scott Emory, he of Moonshine Liquors, lost a ski.   But overall it was a spectacular day and my legs are feeling it today.

March and April are the best months to ski in Colorado and especially Winter Park Resort.  Chances are we will get some storms as big as Sundays in the next few weeks so get on up here and don’t miss on the next powder day.

Here is the trail report for March 2, 2010:

We are at about 206 inches so far for the 2009/2010 ski season, that means we should have another 150 inches by the middle April.  Don’t forget Winter Park Resort closing day is April 18, 2010.  Last year we received over a foot of snow on the closing weekend of Winter Park Resort just in time for Spring Splash.

So don’t make this another I should have skied more year, come on up and get your spring skiing turns in.

Winter Park, CO. Winter

Winter Time in Winter Park, CO

Well, it is winter time here in Winter Park, Colorado.  Lots of snow on the ground and pretty darn chilly each morning.  Now is when the skiing gets good and the crowds are small until we hit the March spring break crowds (besides the pack of skiers here for Presidents weekend).

So far the snowfall in Winter Park has been somewhat short of the average but the forecast is calling for big storms thru the first part of February.  Bring on the snow!

Now is the time to get out to Devil’s  Thumb Ranch to do some cross country skiing or out the back door to take a nice snow shoe hike.  Looking for something a little different, head out and take a dog sled ride at Winter Park Dog Sled Rides.  Want to soak the cold from your bones, Hot Sulpher Springs Mineral Baths has hot pools to warm your cold bones.  If you are looking for a little summer in Winter Park head to the new Grand Park Rec Center.  The hot tub , steam room, sauna and water slide may fool you into thinking you are in Winter Park, FL not Winter Park, CO.

But why are most of us here in Winter Park?  It is the skiing.  Yes it may be a little cold but now is when you can get out and hit the slopes and you can find your own little sanctuary on the hill.  Fresh tracks, runs with only you and your shadow is what this time of winter is about.

So, lets do our snow dance and hope the storms keep on hitting us and that we may get clobbered by that 20′ storm that is always just over the horizon.

Tommelfest at Devil’s Thumb Ranch

Winter Park Nordic Skiing

Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Tabernash is hosting Tommelfest 2009 on December 12th.  There will classes, competition, food, music and booze.  Sounds like a grand time and they are giving away a free T-Shirt to attendees.

What is a Tommelfest? beats me but it sounds fun.  Here is what the WP Chamber of Commerce says about it: “Come celebrate all things Nordic – meatballs, music by Brethren Fast, fun dancing, demos, Grog Garden, BBQ $12, relay races, keg toss, waxing clinic, free lessons from the DU Nordic team, and very probably, meatballs at Tommelfest ‘09!”

Devil’s Thumb Ranch Facebook page is where I found the offer for free T-Shirts: “Facebook fans get a FREE t-shirt at Tommelfest! Tell your friends, neighbors, parents, strangers… Let’s Tommelfest Colorado! (and yes, I just turned Tommelfest into a verb…)”

Schedule of events for the day:

10:00am- 11:30am: Classes
11:30am-1:00pm: BBQ and Grog Garden (Heck’s Patio)
12:00pm: Norwegian Keg Toss sponsored by O’Doul’s
12:30pm- 1:30pm: Team Sprints (bib pick up in Broad Axe Barn)
12:30pm- 1:30pm: Wax clinic presented by Swix
1:30pm- 3:00pm: Classes
2:00pm- 3:30pm: Team Sprints, Freestyle, 2×2x.5km
3:45pm: Award Ceremony
4:00pm- 6:00pm: Cocktail Hour for Season Pass Holders (Heck’s Tavern)

Music by BRETHREN FAST 12PM TO 4PM

Call Devil’s Thumb Ranch at 970-726-8231 for more information.

Get up here to Winter Park and get some early skiing in.

Ski Broker in Winter Park continues to keep us happy!

Well,  I did it. I finally bought a new snowboard. I’ve been riding on the same one for five years now, and while it    was a very sturdy, balanced, reliable board, it was time for an upgrade. (I promise this blog is not just a justification of my purchase to avoid buyer’s remorse).

So, after contemplating, researching, and saving pennies, I called Ski Broker in Fraser (one of their three locations) to ask if I could pretty please borrow a demo board to try out and possibly purchase (demo boards are brand new models that ski and snowboard companies send over to rental shops so customers can try out this year’s new gear). When Alissa, one of many knowledgable and helpful staff members, heard I was interested in buying, she went above and beyond to track down a board that would be perfect for me. With the help of Alissa, Paul (owner, check out his story: http://www.wpskibroker.com/AboutUs/tabid/54/Default.aspx), and Jamie (who assured me a snowboard was a necessity), I am now looking at a brand new Arbor Push snowboard. When it finally snows here, I’ll absolutely take a picture on the slopes to show it off

When I am about to spend half my rent money on a snowboard, I want to purchase one from someone who I know, trust, and is passionate about skiing and snowboarding themselves. Isn’t that what you want when you’re renting gear or having someone polish and tune up your own gear? Well, good news, that’s exaclty what you’ll find in our local, family owned Ski Broker. These guys do it all: they have a fantastic selection of rentals (of everything, including snowshoes and clothing) and gear for purchase, as well as extensive tunes and repairs. Check out their website for everything they have to offer: http://www.wpskibroker.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx. Since we trust them so much we wanted to share them with our guests, so don’t forget that when you book with us you receive 22% off your rentals at Ski Broker!

Snow Tubing and Sledding in Winter Park, Colorado

Snow Sledding in Winter Park

Wanting to have some fun with the whole family?  There is not a better way for some family fun than an evening on the slopes on a tube.  Sol Vista is offering Holiday Tubing from December 27th to December 30th.  Price is $10 each and will run from 5PM to 8PM.  Sol Vista has night skiing lights so the tubing should be very fun and exciting.

The Fraser Snow Tubing Hill offers sledding all winter long.  With thrills for children, teens and parents alike, there is no more family-friendly activity than sledding or tubing down a smooth alpine slope.   Join the Fraser Tubing Hill in Grand County, Colorado to experience some serious winter fun in Winter Park/Fraser, Colorado.

Fraser Snow Tubing Hill

PO Box 219

Fraser, CO 80442

970-726-5954

E-mail: rj@fraserweb.com

Bring the whole family for a snow tubing adventure! Located behind the Alco shopping center in Fraser. Groups welcome.

Winter Park- Lots of Snow and Ready to Go!

One of our inside sources (who also happens to be a snowmaker at the ski area), has good news for all of us chomping at the bit for the lifts to open. Last weeks huge storm and more snow forecasted for this week has helped create a substantial base – at least twice as much now compared to this time last year- in the highcountry. This early season accumulation has aided the snowmaking crews in mixing the natural with the man made white stuff. Another bonus is that they’re now making snow on 50% more trails than this time last year. If this keeps up (and we hope it does!), we can look forward to a stellar opening day.

We heard a little something about the possibility of cloud seeding this year in WP. We recently learned that it is official. Denver Water and Winter Park Resort are teaming up to help clouds produce greater amounts of snowfall for the 09′-10′ ski season. So get your flight, book your lodging with Winter Park Lodging Company, and come join us for an Epic Season!

Rudi’s Deli Specials to Celebrate Opening Week of Ski Season!

Maybe it’s just us in Winter Park, but we like to eat good, hot, homemade food, especially when it’s a chilling thirty below during the depths of winter (and we eat a little extra in the fall too, so we can pack on some winter fat to keep us warm…). One of our longtime favorites is Rudi’s Deli, located right in downtown Winter Park, because of the incredible homemade soups and hearty sandwiches. What’s best about this place, aside from the turkey avocado melt and the toasted reuben panini, are the cheap prices! (Remember, I’m a broke snowboard bum, so when I say cheap, I mean it).  

Here’s the best part: Rudi’s Deli is going to be offering HALF OFF their ENTIRE MENU from ski season opening day, Nov. 18, through Thanksgiving day. Take advantage of that deal to try a couple new additions to the menu, including 3 new entree salads (Ahi, Greek, Chef’s, and Pasta salad with tomato, edamame, and feta), 3 new soups (stop in to find out!), and a new Ultimate veggie wrap. Don’t forget that Rudi’s also offers tasty burritos and bagels for breakfast, as well as coffee from the famed Rocky Mountain Roastery. New winter hours are 10 am to 8 pm every day. Check out the website for the complete menu!

www.winterparkdeli.com

Winter Park Ski Area in the Top 25 Ski Resorts

I’m a little late as Ski Magazine’s top 30 North American ski resorts came out about 3 weeks ago.  But the results are in and our little hideaway here in the Colorado Rockies has earned a top 25 finish in their 22nd Reader Resort Survey.  In fact Winter Park Resort garnered the #23 spot.  Not to complain but I can not believe that Copper Mountain, Keystone and Breckenridge are in front of Winter Park.  I guess those surveyed put less emphasis on snow and terrain than shops and disco bars.

Anyway, pretty cool that Winter Park is in the top 25.  The tag line of the write up is ‘Hidden gem of a ski resort. 
Long live the bumps.’ I couldn’t agree more.  Great snow, great runs, best bumps in the world and not pretentious.

Here is the full write up from Ski Magazine for Winter Park Resort.

Colorado Skiing | ski discounts are abundant this year!

Colorado Ski Deals

The recession has officially knocked the ski industry back on it’s heels and now is the time to get some skiing and lodging deals. This is from a Denver Post article about deals that ski resorts are offering to get guests back up to the hills in numbers like the 2007/08 ski season.

Vail Resorts is actually selling the idea that now that the economy is in the dumps they will give you a hamburger that is now a deal for the $8.75 to $11.00 that you were paying last year and the years before.  Well, before this economic crash we deserved to eat a sub par, expensive hamburger while skiing on crowded slopes.  Thank you Vail for now treating us with a little more dignity now that no one wants to buy your overpriced food.

I have a better idea than going back to the still overpriced burger.  Come up to Winter Park Resort and save money on lift tickets, restaurants/bars , activities and don’t reward those that were overcharging and under serving in the first place.  Winter Park is Colorado’s favorite.  If you want to splurge on lodging, skiing, dining it is all here to do that.  If  you would like to save some money and ski the most snow at any of the Colorado destination resorts then Winter Park is also your place!

Winter Park Lodging Company will try to save each and every guest as much money as it can on your Colorado ski vacation.  That is how we have done it last year and the year before and the year before that.  Check out our discounts page and see how much we can save you on your ski trip.  Snowmobiling, dog sled ride, horse drawn sleigh rides and restaurant discounts are all here.

Our Winter Park lodging selection is large and our service can not be matched! And we will not tell you that we sold you an over priced, sub-quality burger next year.

It’s Snowing in Winter Park, Colorado!

Enough already with the it’s snowing in Winter Park blog posts, huh!  Well it keeps on snowing.  Isn’t it supposed to snow in a place named Winter Park? Well, yes it is and we are on our third day of snow.  Let it keep on coming.

The picture to the left was taken yesterday, September 23rd, after pretty much snowing the entire day.  The weather keeps up like this and we will be having a true epic year of skiing and boarding up here in the Colorado Rockies.

56 days until Winter Park Resort is open.