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.

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.

Winter Park, CO Airfare Deal Alert – August

Here is a selection of August’s airfare deals of the month, provided by www.airfarewatchdog.com.  Check back daily on Airfare Watchdog for updates and new flight deals to all major cities in the US and all over the world.

Remember to check with us for availability at a vacation rental in Winter Park for your dates first, then book your flights! Search Winter Park Lodging Company now to see what options await you.

Downhill Mtn. Biking at Trestle Bike Park!

Come get your fix of adrenaline filled fun at the fastest growing Downhill Bike Park in the U.S.! Trestle Bike Park in Winter Park, Colorado has something for everyone. Whether it’s your first time on a downhill bike, you’re looking for some coaching on technique, or you’re a seasoned pro who wants to work on speed alone, there are plenty of options for all.

As mentioned in Chris’s earlier blog, the WPLC crew got together last week for an exciting day of downhilling. After getting suited up in our ‘armor’ (see right) and loading our bikes on the lift, the ladies (Amy, Sarah, and myself) took the Trestle 101 course, which is perfect for those who are beginning or wanting to improve technique. For anyone looking to take the class, we recommend our instructor Ian who was knowedgable and who’s calm demeanor helped 3 crazy girls get down the mountain in one piece! Meanwhile, Chris and Dace were on their own with the helmet cam strapped on and ready to rock. We’ve got part 1 of their roller coaster ride caught on tape for you to check out…

After a few practice rounds and mtn. biking fundamentals, Ian took us girls down a looooong green trail aptly named ‘Green World’.  It was a fun winding trail through dense trees, open single track and rolling hills with lots of swooping turns (we liked calling them woop-de- woos). Needless to say, our class and one run on Green World lasted nearly three hours, so we got a great workout and were quite tired at the end. All in all, it was a great day and experience. We had a few spills, but managed to get back on the bikes and keep truckin’.  Gotta say the body armor doesn’t just look cool, it definitely cushions the falls! Soon, we’ll have part 2 of the helmet cam video up and running, so keep an eye out…

If you’re thinking about taking a weekend getaway filled with fresh mountain air or getting out of the city heat , Winter Park is where it’s at. Get an unbeatable price on summer lodging with Winter Park Lodging Company, and save big on all kinds of outdoor activities, including Trestle Bike Park and cross country bike rentals (great for the whole family!). We have an exclusive deal for our guests that gets you and your friends geared up for less! When you book your rentals online , you save over 20% off walk in rates and that’s a steal.

Remember, the Crankworx freestyle bike competition starts today and goes through the weekend at Winter Park Resort. Bring the kids and dogs and be amazed at the  high flying stunts these guys do -  It’s totally free and a wild time. Our instructor Ian will be competing too, so we’re going down to cheer him on and take some video. See you there!

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.

Crankworx Bike Fest Winter Park, CO

Winter Park Bike Festival

The biggest Colorado bike festival of the year is almost here. Get ready for gravity defying mountain bike riding at the biggest and best bike park in the state.

Crankworx runs from July 29th to August 1st. Watch the world’s best freeride mountain bikers battle it out for over $35,000 in prizes in Winter Park’s Trestle Bike Park. Catch the high-flying action of Slopestyle, the intense speed and head-to-head competition of Dual Slalom, or watch the pros tackle most difficult trail in Trestle Bike Park in the UCI/Pro GRT Downhill competition. Plus, check out the latest in bike gear from a variety of manufacturers in the Vendor Village, free live music and parties in the evening and more! You won’t want to miss this event.

Crankworks 2010 events include:

July 29, 2010: Dual Slalom Slopestyle Qualifiers
July 30, 2010: Super Downhill Best Trick
July 31, 2010: Cross Country Slopestyle Finals
August 1, 2010: UCI/PRO GRT Downhill

Make sure to get your lodging at the Winter Park base close to where the competition will be going on. Last year the base are was full so make your reservation today to get the primo digs.

Winter Park Lodging Company is offering 3rd night free so come up and see the the festival and experience the whole Crankworx weekend.

When you’re not busy watching this incredible mountain biking event, you and your kids can also enjoy other activities in the Winter Park area:
•skateboarding at the skate park in Hideaway Park in downtown Winter Park
•horseback riding
•alpine slide
•miniature golf
•lift rides
•hiking
•mountain biking
•golf (at nearby Pole Creek Golf Course, Headwaters Golf Course, Grand Lake Golf Course, or Grand Elk Golf Course)
•fishing in rivers, streams, and lakes

Crankworx to return to Winter Park for 2010

Crankworx Bike Festival

WOOHOOOOOOOOOO…..

Once again,  we will be treated to a great display of athleticism and a touch of the crazies, as we enjoy 4 days in the sun at Crankworx.

The downhill mountain bike event is scheduled for July 29- August 1, 2010, at Winter Park Resort.  Super riders like Semenuk, Basagoitia, McCaul, and Berrecloth, will inspire beginners and pros alike to get out there and jump on a mountain bike.  All base events are FREE!  (A lift ticket will be required to watch any on-mountain sections of races.)

Crankworx Colorado is one of the largest gravity-fueled mountain bike festivals in the United States. Come up and check out the action! During four intense days, spectators are awed by some of the world’s best mountain bike athletes battling it out for over $35,000 in prizes. Some of the biggest names in mountain biking will be on site. Don’t miss the mountain biking event of the summer; make your plans now. You won’t regret it.

• Thursday, July 29- Dual Slalom and Slopestyle Qualifiers
• Friday, July 30- Super Downhill and Best Trick
• Saturday, July 31- Cross Country and Slopestyle Finals
• Sunday, August 1- UCI/PRO GRT Downhill

Give us a call to book a great Crankworx condo right at the base so you can avoid the hastle of driving and parking!

Winter Park Lodging Company – 877.329.1383

Don’t miss the mountain bike festival of the summer right here in Winter Park, Colorado.