Easter Fun at Winter Park Resort Colorado

Easter Bunny in Winter Park, Colorado

The Easter Bunny donned some skis this weekend and made an appearance in Winter Park, Colorado.  There was a few inches of new snow for Mr. Bunny and the wind calmed a bit for him to rip it up over on the Mary Jane side.

At the base of the Winter Park Resort was the Wells Fargo Easter Egg and Candy Hunt that was a hit with all the youngsters.  Nicholas & Willem, our twins, were able to get a couple of chocolate eggs themselves.  It was a great time for the young ones and this is an event we will make an annual tradition.

Easter marks the official countdown to the end of the season party, Winter Park Spring Splash, here at the Resort.  So, mark your calendars and be sure to attend the most fun and longest running end of season ski resort party in Colorado.

Lodging deals are abundant this time of year and Winter Park Lodging Company can you on the slopes for cheap, cheap, cheap.

Spring is here and the weather and snow can not be beat in April.  Make your plans now and get your skiing in he next two weeks.  Last day of the ski season is April 18th, 2010.

Come on up get the best turns of the year in!

Winter Park Resort April Skiing

April Skiing Winter Park Colorado

Looking for the best month of the year to ski in Colorado? Well that would be April in my opinion.  The weather is a little warmer and there are some glorious days with a nice white blanket of snow overnight and a sunny blue sky day for what we here would call a bluebird day.

The deals on lodging and lift tickets always seem to pop up in late April and the big spring-break crowds of March fade away.  Want to celebrate spring?  There is no way better than to spend an the afternoon after a day of skiing on one of Winter Parks glorious decks with a beer in hand.  Need some deck suggestions?  Well, we have The Sushi Bar, Derailer, Doc’s Roadhouse, The Cheeky Monk, Fontenot’s and these are the places not on the ski hill.  On the the Winter  Park Resort ski hills I would suggest Snowoasis, Sunspot or Club Car at the bottom of Mary Jane.

The snow report is saying we are in for a bunch more snow before this ski season comes to an end.  Here is what our favorite snow forecast site (Snowforecast.com) is saying about the rest of March and April snow at Winter Park Resort:

There is a break in weather/ snow possible after next Tuesday/ Wednesday’s storm, then another shot at snow possible for the last weekend in March (27th/ 28th). Pacific storms (with snow) should move through with good frequency right into April. The rest of April still looks potentially snowy (what we mean by “snowy” – at least 1 day with snow for every 2 sunny/ no snow days).

Don’t forget about the best day of the year in Winter Park, the Winter Park Spring Splash, April 18th this year.  A day of fun, debauchery and a celebration of the ski season gone past.  A day that should not be missed by anyone that has a love for skiing and Winter Park, Colorado.

The above photo is by Mr Scott Heffel on Jones Pass for a Skiing Magazine photo shoot.

How Much Snow for Winter Park Resort 2009/2010 Ski Season?

Winter Park Resort Snow Total Contest

How much snow will Winter Park Resort receive for the 2009/2010 ski season ending on April 19th, 2010?  That is the question that we  skiers ponder up here in Winter Park, Colorado.  Kinda of like mulling over the lint in your belly button but much more fun.  We here at Winter Park Lodging Company thought we could make this snow forecasting bit more fun if we had a contest.  So here is the contest:

Guess how much snow Winter Park Resort will receive by April 18th, 2010, as reported on the Winter Park Resort website, for a chance to win dinner and drinks for two at one of our fine restaurants here in WP.  Use the comment section below for your official entry and all guesses need to be in by April 5th.  He/She that is closest to the snow total wins.  We will post a winner by April 20, 2010 on this blog.

We had a slow snow start to this ski season but the ski gods have been pretty kind to us the last month or so with a couple of doozy storms that dropped as much as 16″ of fluffy white on our beloved Winter Park.  A couple of these storms also sent avalanches crashing down on US Highway 40 to give us Winter park folk the better part of the day to enjoy Mary Jane/Winter Park by ourselves (and those fortunate enough to already be here).

The snow report and total for today March13th, 2010 look like this:

Winter Park Resort  averages 350″ inches of snow per year so we should be getting some big storms the rest of March and April this year.  Here is some historical info on snow totals at Winter Park Resort for the last year and the ten previous years:

Plenty of info to base your guesses on but please research away.  I will put my guess in first and may the best man win.  We all actually win with the more snow we get though!

Winter Park Resort: Fourth Best Ski Cafeteria Food

Moffat Market at Winter Park Resort

Winter Park Resort just seems to be racking up the awards of late.  Skiing magazine just named Winter Park’s Moffat Market as the fourth best Ski-Resort Cafeteria.  That is not bad as the building it operates in is quite old compared to the others on Skiing Magazines top ten list.

The Moffat Market was the highest ranked Colorado ski cafeteria and Vail’s Two Elks Lodge was the only other Colorado cafeteria ranked and they came in at number six.

Here is what Skiing Magazine had to say about the Winter Park Moffat Market:

Moffat Market, a railroad-themed food court (named after the Moffat Tunnel, a 6.2.-mile-long railroad tunnel that has its west end at Winter Park ski resort), offers food from around the world. There’s New York-style pizza at Grand Central Station, Tex-Mex at Santa Fe Station, and Asian noodle bowls at the Umami Station. We recently tried a veggie coconut curry bowl with rice noodles here—and were blown away by how spicy and delicious it was.

We recently had a chicken burrito at the Moffat Market and I have to say it was a huge burrito and very tasty.  Cost was a little pricey but food at ski resorts is never cheap.

Serving breakfast and lunch, the Moffat Market food court has a railroad theme and offers fresh cuisine and specialties that reflect the different regions of the country and the world. Storefronts and names identify the different food stations with options such as: New York-style pizza at Grand Central Station; Tex-Mex at the Santa Fe Station; enjoy Asian noodle bowls at our newly revamped “Umami” station; and hearty soups at the Shortline. Moffat Market also features an Einstein’s Bagels kiosk for fresh breakfast bagels, and lunch specialties. New this season is a totally revamped breakfast menu at the Moffat Market. Stop by for their specialty, “Eggs Delphia.”

Of course, you go to a ski resort for the good snow and terrain. But you’ve got to eat while you’re there, right? Skiing Magazine has done their research—eating at ski areas all over the country—and have selected the 10 best on-mountain restaurants in ski country.  And to call the Moffat Market a cafeteria simply doesn’t do it justice.

Learning to Ski at Winter Park Resort

Teaching Your Kids to Ski at Winter Park, CO

We finally got our precious twin 2 year-olds out to the slopes at Winter Park Resort.  What took us so long you ask.  Well we waited until we had some nice spring like days with plenty of snow and warm, blue sky weather.  If we would have known how cool it would be seeing your children ski down the hill we may have had them out there a year ago.

We spent our first two days of ski learning and teaching experience at the base of Winter Park.  The first day we were on Mt. Maury with the Winter Park ski school classes.  I think from some of the comments that that hill is reserved for Winter Park ski school.  I think this is a better hill to teach kids on as everyone on this little hill looked to be under five years of age.  The second day we went over to Sorenson Park with all the big kids.  By day two Nicholas and Willem skied all the way down the hill by themselves.  Awesome is all I have to say.  No, they weren’t turning and they need help getting onto the magic carpet but these barely two year-olds skied down a hill all by themselves!  I could not have been prouder as some observers at Sorenson Park were cheering for the little tykes.  What a great day!

As you can see above Winter Park has wagons that are a great help in transporting the kids around the base.  It says on the wagon not to be used to go over the snow to Sorenson Park but we have been told by the Winter Park Hosts that it is OK to take the wagons over there.  There were three or four wagons at Sorenson when we arrived with ours.  Mt. Maury and Sorenson are just a short walk to Winter Park Base Rental ski shop and the Winter Park Market/Cafeteria.  The whole setup is very very convenient with the Winter Park Ski School right here as well.  Now you are asking why the heck didn’t we just put our little future skiing Olympians in ski school?  Well, the ski school will not take kids that are not potty trained.  And at the pace of our little ones they may be skiing black diamonds before they know how to use a toilet.

Next week we will attempt a chair lift ride up to Discovery Park.  We will keep you posted as to how that goes and if it goes at all like to today it will be one of the better days indeed.

Winter Park Shopping | Silver Creek

Ah, shopping!

Silver Creek at the Winter Park Resort Base

I was hanging out at the base area during the Wells Fargo Cup this weekend and popped into the Silver Creek shop, located in the Zephyr Mountain Lodge.   Not sure why I never had gone in there before (maybe it has something to do with always having ski gear on not in the mood to try on clothes).  Well, what a nice surprise it was.  I thought I had to go to Denver to shop for cute stuff!

I quickly found a True Grit vest that is now my favorite piece in the closet.  And my friend and I both bought Xob baseball-style hats made out of recycled sweaters.  We think we’re adorable.  Marc, the owner, said no one ever tries the hats on and doesn’t buy one.

Silver Creek is open every day, 9 – 7 Friday and Saturday, and 9 – 6 Sunday thru Thursday.  The True Grit clothing line is really fun mountain-chic and the Home line of jewelry is all around for picking and choosing some great accessories for your cowboy style.

Phone number: 970.726.5424.

Learn to Ski the Bumps – Mary Jane Style

The Mary Jane Bump Jamboree and Bob’s Mogul Camp

Wanting to learn to ski the bumps or improve your mogul techniques?  Well the Mary Jane Bump Jamboree and Bobs Mogul Camps are here to help with your bump skiing abilities.  There is no better place to learn the bumps than the Mary Jane side of Winter Park Resort.  Where would the coolest place to learn to golf… Pebble Beach, right?  How about best place learn to drive a NASCAR car….. Daytona , correct?  Well, Mary Jane is to bump skiing what Pebble Beach and Daytona are to golf and NASCAR racing.

So get yourself  signed up for the Mary Jane Bump Jamboree or Bob’s Mogul Camp.  Dates and Info:

• Mary Jane Bump Jamboree Feb 20th, 2010 $95.00 – Saturday February 20th, 2010. Check in at Mary Jane Center. Clinic from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Skiers Only. Skiers must be comfortable on blue trails.  Get more of the Jane with less pain in this program that has become a tradition for many generations of skiers. You will enjoy the legendary apres party after 6 full hours of coaching.  From blue bumps to zipper line skiers we have a group for you!  If you have questions about your registration or specific program details, please call 303.316.1564.

• Bob’s Mogul Camp Feb 24th $499.00 Three day camp at Mary Jane Resort on February 24th, 25th and 26th. 9:00am to 3:00pm each day of the camp. Apres party included. Skiers Only. Skiers must be comfortable on blue trails.  Explore North America’s best bump runs as you develop new skills with the Ski & Ride School Director Bob Barnes and his top coaches. Groups are formed by ability level and motivations.Camp fees include a daily apres party and equipment demos.  If you have questions about your registration or specific program details, please call 303.316.1564.

• Bob’s Mogul Camp Mar 12th $499.00   Three day camp at Mary Jane on March 12th, 13th and 14th. 9:00am to 3:00pm each day of the camp. Apres party included.  Skiers Only.  Skiers must be comfortable on blue trails.  Explore North America’s best bump runs as you develop new skills with the Ski & Ride School Director Bob Barnes and his top coaches. Groups are formed by ability level and motivations.  Camp fees include a daily apres party and equipment demos.

Visit Winter Park/Mary Jane bump site to register.

The best time of year to ski Winter Park and Marty Jane is upon us.  Register today for the Bump Jamboree and/or Bob’s Mogul Camp.

Let the Winter Park Lodging Company help you out on your lodging for these events and WPLCO will give you 15% off your lodging for either of these Mary Jane bump skiing events.

Snow in Winter Park, Colorado

Snowing in Winter Park, CO

The white stuff is falling here in Winter Park.  Supposed to get 5 to 6 inches of snow from this storm and a couple more each day the rest of this week.  So far this year has been a feast or famine year with snow but most forecasters are calling for late February, March and April to be way above avareage.  Here is the snow report as of Feb 12, 2010:

And as I sit here the snow has been dumping at a furious pace all day.  I would not be surprised if there was 10 inches of fresh powder by tomorrow morning.  Now is the time to head up to Winter Park Resort to get your fresh helping of freshies.  If you want some real deep stuff take a trip with Powder Addiction, our snow cat professionals up here in Winter Park.

Compare Winter Park’s snowfall with that of other resorts in the area. What will you find? We get more snow than anyone in the Colorado area. That’s great news for your ski and snowboard vacation!

Here is the long range forecast for Winter Park from our friends at SnowForecast.com:

–Strong Pacific storms start pushing into the west coast, and moisture feeds into Colorado, around the 21st/ 22nd of Feb. Storms should be a bit more favorable for northern regions at this time. We will watch and see how this unfolds. March and April still look like potentially snowy months.

As I finish this blog post the snow is now really really coming down and I say LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!  Winter Park Style.

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.

Intrawest Goes Into Foreclosure

Winter Park Resort Management Company, Intrawest, is Foreclosed on by Creditors

WOW!  I saw it coming but I didn’t think that it would happen in the middle of a ski season and only weeks before their jewel property, Whistler, was to be host to the 2010 Winter Olympics.  Intrawest was taken into receivership today by the banks that funded the purchase of Intrawest by Fortress Investments.  Banks have seized Intrawest Holdings, the owner of the Whistler ski resort that’s hosting the Olympic downhill races next month, after the resort operator missed a big debt payment, and now plan to auction the company off right in the middle of the games.

The lenders, which include Lehman Brothers and Davidson Kempner, plan to auction off ownership of Intrawest on Feb. 19, according to a notice published in major newspapers. The first events of the Olympic games are scheduled for Feb. 12 and the closing ceremony is set for Feb. 28.

Well what does this mean for Winter Park Resort?  What will be auctioned off at Winter Park Ski Area?  Will Winter Park Resort management be changing?

Winter Park Resort is owned by the city of Denver so most likely there will be no changes at Winter Park Resort.  Intrawest over two years ago disbanded their resort development team, Placemaking, so they were not going to be doing anymore development at the base in the near future anyway.  As for what could be auctioned off I don’t think there is anything to auction other than land and condos that Intrawest already has up for sale.

The foreclosure notice stated: “Each qualified bidder must be a financial institution or other entity that has the financial wherewithal to purchase the membership interests in immediately available funds on the closing date”.

The sale includes more than a dozen resort properties including Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado and Squaw Valley in California.

So, I guess my $5,000 offer and promise to do better than Fortress isn’t going to get me anywhere with an offer for Intrawest.

In addition to Intrawest, buyers will get stakes in four resorts in Colorado, as well as properties in California, Florida and Vermont. But with the Olympic Games only weeks away, the focus is on Whistler.

Intrawest chief executive officer Bill Jensen said that the company is in talks with its lenders, and in the meantime “it’s business as usual.”

I’m thinking business as usual would be very interesting at Intrwest headquarters today!

Anywho, lets get excited about the Winter Park snow forecast of 20′ of snow in the next 6 days!