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.

Powder Addiction Snow Cat Skiing Winter Park, CO

Powder Addiction Skiing on Jones Pass

We had day number two with Powder Addiction on Jones pass this week.  It was supposed to be day number four but a good bout of pink eye and an avalanche on US Highway 40 has postponed the other two trips.  The group that went up this time was full of Winter Park locals, a father-son WP second home team and a video and still camera professional.

What a senational day.  Temps were in the high 30′s and there were a few inches of fluffy white powder.  The above photos of Ed Reagner were shot later in the day as we were attempting a south facing wall that had baked all day and gotten a nice crusty layer on top that all us skiers had a little trouble with.

Mr. Scott Hefel was the professional photog along for the day and he took some spectacular pictures.  Check out Scott Hefel Photography to see the photos.  Click on Powder Addiction (bottom right) and use password: 3.15.10

We also had “T” from RSN Winter Park Channel 18 filming for an upcoming RSN sking special.  Maybe all us will be back-country skiing stars someday?  I am not holding my breath or quitting the day job though.

On the trip was a father and son team and for a 15 year old Chase could really rip it up.  I do wish I was skiing this terrain when I was 15 years old.  Anywho, it was a great day skiing.  I would like to thank, Jamie, Waldo and Scott for the expert guiding and safety provided.

If you have any desire to do some cat skiing Powder Addiction can not be beat.  It is reasonably priced, especially compared to other snow cat skiing operations, and the terrain and snow is fantastic.  Jones Pass is a short ride from Powder Addiction headquarters in the Winter Park Village with snow that drops from all storms coming through Central Colorado.  At the end of the day you get to enjoy a couple free Steamworks Brewery beers.

The snow is still coming and it’s not too late to get your cat skiing in this year.  Now is the time to sign up and take a snow cat skiing trip with Powder Addiction.

Moonlight Snowshoe and Cross Country Ski at Pole Creek

Winter Park, CO  Snow Shoe & Country Cross Ski

The second moonlight cross country ski and snow shoe is to be held next Saturday night February 27th at Pole Creek Golf Club.  We were able to attend the first edition and it was a fantastic time.  The moon is so bright that the trails are well lit and halfway through there is a bonfire with hot chocolate and schnapps being served.  Stay for dinner after the hike or ski at Bistro 28 they are serving up some great grub at reasonable prices.

Here is the full description from the Winter Park/Fraser Chamber of Commerce:

FULL MOON SNOWSHOE CROSS COUNTRY SKI AT POLE CREEK GOLF CLUB

TRAIL WILL BE WELL LIT WITH TIKI TORCHES
HOT CHOCOLATE AND SCHNAPPS AT THE BONFIRE!

DINNER AFTER AT “BISTRO 28”
FEATURING HOMEMADE PASTAS PLUS FANTASTIC MENU SELECTIONS
STARTING AT $8.
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR DINNER
PLEASE CALL 970-887-9797
Dinner every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Bistro 28
Burger and a beer/wine – Prime rib and Pasta specials

Don’t miss a fun way to get some exercise and enjoy the Grand County outdoors under the moonlight.

Winter Park Colorado Snow Cat Skiing

Powder Addiction Cat Skiing in Winter Park, Colorado

We finally got a chance to check out Powder Addiction, the new snow cat skiing tour operator that is headquartered in the Winter Park Village and running ski trips to Jones Pass.  Well, awesome is what I would have to say of Powder Addiction.  The snow was fantastic the guides were knowledgeable and the travel time to ski was very minimal.  This was the first of four trips that we have planned with the next coming in two weeks.

Our group consisted of myself, Ed Reagnor, Scott Emory, Teddy and Nick Kutrombos, Craig, Mike Ayre, Phil the snowboarder, Ben the Aussie, Jean Wolter and Todd the Cornhusker.  It was a great day of skiing.  Supposedly the snow up here in Winter Park is a little below average this year but the snow on Jones Pass was about the best I have ever skied -  light fluffy and lots and lots of it.

Our skiing guides were Mr. Ski Boss Jamie Wolter and Steve Waldorf.   The guides were very thorough, safe, fun and tried to get us the best snow and skiing possible.  We were able to get seven runs in and my legs were about shot with those seven.  The skis provide by Powder Addiction were Salomon Czar powder skis.  My first time on a rocker ski and man they can just float on the powder.  They are a little squirly on the packed snow but nice and fat with a lot of float on the fluffy powder.

Here is Powder Addictions description of skiing up at Jones Pass:

Our operation lies less than 1 hour drive from Denver. The closest powder skiing operation to the Front Range. If joining us from the Grand County you will meet at our World Headquarters in the Village at Winter Park. Our Jones Pass location gets the benefits of storms that flow in from all directions. We typically get hit by all the Colorado storms. This means you get the best chance for sweet skiing conditions when you ski with us.

You will spend the day skiing virgin snow at an average elevation of 11,000 feet. The high altitude combined with good Northern exposure keeps our snow cold and light.

If you enjoy skiing powder or are back country skiing fan I would definitely recommend Powder Addiction.  This was probably the best day of skiing I have ever had.  Whoooohoooo I can not wait ’till our next outing.

You can follow all of the Powder Addiction happenings at the Powder Addiction Facebook page.

Come and satisfy your powder addiction in Winter Park, CO

Winter Park Moonlight Snowshoe and Cross Country Ski

Pole Creek Moonlight Snowshoe

What a great way to spend a Saturday Night: on the links of Pole Creek Golf Club with skis on your feet and the moon lighting the ground below.

Pole Creek Golf Club had their first, of hopefully many, moonlight snow shoe and ski events this past Saturday night and the event was fantastic.  Show up clip on the skis and make a run through the marked course.  On the course is a bonfire with some hearty souls serving up schnapps with hot chocolate.  Finish up the trek and head inside for some wine and dinner.

We hope that they continue this moonlight tradition all year long.  It was a great time and there were a lot of people out enjoying the moonlight and the crisp Colorado air.  Lots of kids, dogs and people of all ages having a great time in the clear moonlight.

Dinner was good, wine was even better.  Service was a bit slow as I don’t think Bistro 28 expected quite as many people to join them for the first running of this event. Better get to ironing out the kinks before the next moonlight snowshoe event.

All in all it was a great night,  ended  with a glass of wine at home and the excitement of a another full moon in thirty days.

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.

Mary Jane and Parsenn Bowl Now Open

Mary Jane at Winter Park Open

Winter Park Resort has opened Parsenn Bowl and some of the more popular runs over at Mary Jane.

Parsenn Bowl is Now Open

Catch a ride on the highest six passenger chairlift in North America – the Panoramic Express and enjoy open intermediate bowl skiing and some of the most fun intermediate gladed terrain around.   The Winter Park snow forecast is looking good for the next few days so now is a great time to head up to WP to make some turns.

Winter Park Winter Carnival  featuring Grand Park Winter Dog Days

Don’t miss  Winter Park’s 70th Anniversary on January 22nd thru 24th.  Be “Old School” by celebrating and dressing in your favorite decade. Join us at SnowZone at Hideaway Park for fun activities including sledding, human bowling, campfire, and hot chocolate from. Check out the “Old School” outdoor Parade at 6pm.  Fireworks and cake will be served after the parade.

Here are some of the events that will take place over the January 22ns weekend:

Downtown Winter Park

• Snowshoe Hikes
• PlayZone
• Human Bowling
• Lighted Parade including you and your pet!

Grand Park, Fraser

• Grand Park Sled Dog Races
• Dog Skijoring Clinics
• Snowshoe Event to benefit Pet Pals
• Campfire & S’mores

Winter Park Resort

• Mary Jane’s Birthday Bash
• Winter Park’s 70th Anniversary Celebration
• 26th Annual Chef’s Cup
• Pancakes, snow sculptures, snow golf, live music and more!