Winter Park Resort Information
What Makes a Great Ski Resort?
What is one of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about what makes a ski resort a great ski resort? Snowfall! Winter Park gets the most snow of all of the major Colorado destination resorts, an average annual snowfall of over 359 inches. More snowfall means more powder and that means more unforgettable days on the mountain - which makes a great ski resort.
Another thing that comes to mind, which makes Winter Park a great resort, is the varied terrain that offers something for everyone - and lots of it. Winter Park actually has five mountains to ski and ride with a total of 2,762 skiable acres; and it is one of the largest ski complexes in the western United States. The five mountains offer everything from the groomed cruiser runs to expert backcountry conditions.
Winter Park Mountain offers a 20 acre learn-to-ski or ride area as well as great terrain for family skiing and riding. The Ski and Snowboard School has been expanded to five full acres with two "Magic Carpets" and a platter lift. The Winter Park Mountain also has terrain parks, a Rail Yard and a half pipe. Last year SKI Magazine ranked Winter Park's "Parks and Pipes" 9th of all North American resorts.
Mary Jane Mountain has a motto of, "No Pain, No Jane" mainly because of the large amount of mogul runs, steep runs and advanced terrain. Mary Jane was rated this year, by Snow Country Magazine, as one of the Top 5 Resorts in North America for Bump Skiing.
Vasquez Ridge, Parsenn Bowl and Vasquez Cirque offer the ultimate in terrain for intermediate, advanced and expert skiers and riders. The endless stunning views, the profusion of powder patches, the wide-open runs, and the opportunities for extreme backcountry conditions make these three areas unique and nothing short of amazing.
Winter Park Resort is making sure that it continues to be a great resort by keeping up on improvements. More than $2 million was invested into the resort on upgrades during the 2006-2007 ski season. These improvements focused primarily on creating more user-friendly terrain and lifts for those that are learning to ski or snowboard. Enhancements were also made in the three terrain parks, a new snowskate park was built at the base of Winter Park, and 225 additional free parking spaces were created at Mary Jane. Plus New Terrain at the Vasquez Cirque, gladed trees suitable for the intermediate to advanced skier along with a new lift!
The location of Winter Park is also great since it is the closest major ski resort to Denver (about 1 hour driving time). This gives people coming from the Front Range or the airport in Denver more time to play and less time on the road. Winter Park Resort is located 67 miles northwest of Denver and 85 miles from Denver International Airport (DIA).
Other than the actual conditions on the slopes Winter Park is a great resort because of the people that work there, the people that play there and the overall friendly atmosphere. All of these things combined are what make Winter Park Resort Colorado's Favorite.
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The Resort's History
In 1932 a small town called Hideaway Park began in the Fraser Valley. It would be the fourth town in the valley and was developed and built by L.O. (Doc) Graves, who eventually built 26 tourist cabins and a cafe & service station called Docs Place. By 1937, the small settlement of Old Town joined Hideaway Park to become the home base for those workers building the Moffat Tunnel. The completion of the Moffat Tunnel in 1937 provided an easier and faster way for ski and sports enthusiast in Denver to access the beauty and challenge of the Continental Divide and the Fraser Valley.
Winter Park Resort opened to the public for the 193940 ski season with three trails and a single tow rope. With the love and dedication of a handful of people, Winter Park Resort grew into a true ski playground for the city of Denver.
Owned and operated by the city of Denver until 2002, Winter Park Resort has grown substantially from its small beginnings. In 1976, the Mary Jane Trail was added to the heart of the Winter Park Mountain. Once owned by the infamous Mary Jane; the land was given to you by workers building the Moffat Tunnel in exchange for her services. In 1986 Vasquez Ridge was added to the ski resort and provides secret snow stashes for many of the locals. The Parsenn Bowl, with a top elevation of 12,060 feet, was first opened in 1992. The Bowl provides a nirvana like experience on a powder day. Finally, the Vasquez Cirque, and its off piste chutes and steeps, opened in 1997, and although you have to hike to this terrain, most of the locals will tell you it is worth it.
In 1992, Intrawest, a Canadian company, partnered with the City of Denver and now manages the ski resort. In addition to their commitment to provide more than $50 Million in on mountain improvements in the first 10 years (already seen in the addition of the Eagle Wind lift, Panorama Lift opening in 2007, and improvements made to the West Portal Building at the base of the mountain) Intrawest is building a Village including multiple condominiums & hotels, a village pond and a family swim center.
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