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.

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.

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!

Snowcat Skiing Winter Park, CO with Powder Addiction

Colorado Snowcat Skiing

Powder Addiction is back for year number two with a new snowcat and a frequent rider program. The Winter Park Village based snow cat operation provides guided snowcat skiing on Jones Pass right off of US Highway 40.

We at Winter Park Lodging Company were able to take a couple of trips up with Powder Addiction and the operation and skiing were phenomenal.  If you have any interest in back-country powder skiing this is a must.

Anywho, here is the details on Powder Addictions new snowcat and frequent rider program:

New snowcat for the 2010-2011 Season.

We have purchased a newer machine and have just finished ordering a custom passenger cabin for it. The new machine is a 2007 Bombardier BR 350. This machine has 350 horsepower compared to the 150 horsepower of the LMC machine we used last winter. More than twice as powerful! This machine is sweet and it will go up all of our terrain without slowing down or struggling on the steep hills. We should be able to average 12-13 miles per hour (MPH). The old LMC averaged about 4-5 MPH. We expect to be able to get an additional 2-3 runs per day!

Prices will remain the same this winter even with the investment of a sweet new snowcat. We are adding a new frequent skier incentive. For every 5 seats you buy the 6th one will be free! This will be good during one season only. We are now taking reservations for the 2010-2011 Season. Get your reservations now and make sure you do not miss out on what promises to be a fantastic season.

Please contact us via email to book your spots for this winter. I will call you back within a couple of days. No one is in the office during the summer but we will get back to you as soon as possible.

It has been a very wet the last few weeks here in Grand County. We can only hope that we get this much precipitation this winter especially in November and December.

Think Snow!

Yes it is August but now is the time to plan your trip to Winter Park for some SNOWCAT SKIING.  Let Winter Park Lodging Company plan your excursion and ski vacation.

Check out the above picture, that is yours truly in the red jacket looking at the ground.  Also in the pic are noted locals Ed Reagner, Mike Ayers (skippy), Craig Van Way, Chase and Steve Hogan and some other local Winter Park hooligans.

Winter Park Resort Opening Day Ski Season 2010/2011

Winter Park Resort Opening Day

Yes, I know it is July and sunny and beautiful here in Winter Park, CO but that is no reason to not be thinking of fluffy white snow and the reason we are all here in WP….. SKI SEASON!

So get ready for the 2010/2011 ski season in Winter Park with opening on November 17th, 2010.  It should be another epic year here in the Rockies with some great snow forecast already for this year.  They said that last year also didn’t those pesky weatherman?  Last year was an El Nino year which bode well for the ski resorts in the southern part of Colorado.  This year is being forecast as a La Nina year and here is what snowforecast.com has to say about this years La Nina:

a La Nina SST pattern will likely take over for this coming fall/ winter, through possibly the season following (through 2012). This usually bodes well for northern Colorado resorts, but we will work up some comparisons of analog years this summer to see what we may expect.

So, I’m thinking we will be making up for the sub-par snow year of 2009/2010 and have ourselves a killer year in 2010/2011.  so the countdown has begun for ski season opening day for the 2010 ski season.  It is Wednesday November 17th, 2010 that we can all strap those boards on our feet and hit the slopes with some of that white gold.

Powder Addiction will also be running for it’s sophomore year of cat skiing up on Jones Pass.  If you were not able to go up last year and you like cat-skiing (who skies and wouldn’t like to cat ski I’m not sure) you should take a ride up with Powder Addiction.

Anywho, Winter Park Resort opens November17th 2010 for this coming ski season.  Need lodging?  Winter Park Lodging Company provides the finest ski homes, cabins, condos, town-homes in the Winter Park and Fraser area with the best discounts on Winter Park lift tickets and ski/board rentals.

Outdoor Gear Swap in Winter Park, CO

Don’t miss the 2nd annual Fraser Valley Community Gear Swap benefitting Habitat for Humanity on Saturday & Sunday, June 19th and 20th. Come out between 9am & 5pm to the Epic Mountain Sports parking lot at the Park Place Shopping Center (with Conoco and Movie Theater).

Sell your used skis, snowboards, bikes, kayaks, golf clubs, tents & camping gear or any other sporting equipment you no longer need, or pick up a new addition for your outdoor gear collection.

To sell your stuff, drop off your gear on Friday afternoon between 4pm and 6pm or on Saturday morning between 7am and 9am. You name your price, fill out a sale form and keep 100% of the proceeds from your gear. If you don’t want to take that old stuff back to your garage, you can donate it to the Habitat for Humanity.

Plus, all Park Place Shopping Center stores will donate 5% of Saturday sales to the Habitat Humanity. Take advantage of the big sale at Epic Mountain Sports and specials at Rise & Shine Bakery, and feel good about helping out the community.

For more info, call Epic Mountain Sports at 970-726-2868.

New Winter Park Rental: Zephyr Mountain Lodge 1215

Ski out your back deck!

Yet another ski in/out condo joins  the Winter Park Lodging Company family this week – welcome, Zephyr 1215!  Located on the 1st floor of the Slopeside building, Zephyr Mountain Lodge 1215 boasts something no other condo in Grand County can – it’s truly the only ski in/out condo at Winter Park Resort since they added a gate on their back porch allowing you to ski right out to the slopes.

Any other condo at the resort requires you to walk down the hall and out the main back door to the slopes (ok, that’s not too tough of a task) but for bragging rights, this spot allows you to beat the others to the slopes and click in your bindings right off your back deck.

It has one bedroom with a queen bed and the living room has another sofa queen sleeper. Enjoy a private kitchen as all Zephyrs have and the outdoor hot tubs just 50 feet from your deck as well.

The condo also is right next to the new village in Winter Park which includes some of our favorite spots – get good margaritas at Lime, tasty beers and fries at the Cheeky Monk, delicious soups and breakfast burritos at the Back Bowl Soup Company and grab a t-shirt there too.  If any of you aren’t skiing the resort, you can also sign up for snowmobiling in the village at Grand Adventures.

The condo was just listed on our website and wide-open for bookings so email us at info@winterparklodgingcompany.com or call 1-877-329-1383 soon to get your spot in this guaranteed to be booked-up condo this winter!

Winter Park Spring Splash Pond Skimming

Winter Park End of Season Pond Skimming

Here is a video of contestant #15 at Spring Splash.  From the time that we watched the pond skimming competition this guy by far had the best run.  The Spring Spash this year was was very good and very spring like.  Last year there was a ton of new snow on closing weekend but this year was just a bunch of spring-like slush.

The locals party over at Mary Jane C-Lot was  very fun with local musicians and people BBQ-ing,  having some drinks and  an all around good time.  The weather cooperated with no rain or snow and delightful sunny skies.  We will post some of the pictures from splash in the next day or two.

Now that Winter Park Resort is closed we are getting some spring storms that are just making me wish the resort was still open.  Maybe a trip up to Berthoud Pass for some back country skiing will end this ski season on a proper note.  Oh well it was a good ski season with some big storms followed by some dry periods but we got some very good days in and overall the season was not bad.  El Nino held for the entire year and we were a little short of our average snow fall.

Goodbye ski season and hello mountain bike season.  Well, after all this snow melts that has dropped in the last few days.