GORP Guide: Colorado Skiing
Winter Park
By Claire Walter
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Total Area
2,886
acres
Annual
Snowfall
365
inches
8 high-speed quads, 4 triples, 7 doubles, 3 Magic Carpets
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Lifts |
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Ski Lodging Only |
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Winter Park, extremely popular and close to Denver, has long boasted of a reputation as"Colorado''s favorite ski area." It''s understandable that lucky locals who have the best skiing on earth at their doorstep appreciate a ski area with grandiose and varied terrain, constant upgrades to lifts and day lodge facilities, consistently good snow, exceptional children''s and beginner facilities and moderate prices. Locals don''t mind the absence of a tightly knit resort center or the virtual absence of ski-in, ski-out lodging, but that''s about to change. The skiing ranges across three main peaks, Winter Park, Mary Jane, and Vazquez Ridge — topped by a vast snowfield called Parsenn Bowl. Behind Parsenn is Vasquez Cirque, 435 high-expert acres. Winter Park also is home to the world''s finest program for teaching the disabled to ski.
Where: 67 miles from Denver, via I-70 and U.S. 40.
What''s There: 2,886-foot vertical drop, 134 trails, 1,414 acres, eight high-speed quads, four triples, seven doubles, three Magic Carpets, three snowboard parks.
What''s New: Like Copper Mountain, Winter Park is remaking its base into a convenient, contemporary village. New this year is the Zephyr Mountain Lodge, a $70 million mixed lodging and commercial development, which is scheduled to be unveiled in February and will be the cornerstone of the new Winter Park resort village. On the mountain, the Eskimo Express, a high-speed quad, has replaced the old Eskimo double chairlift.
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Season: Mid-November to Mid-April.
Snowboarding: Three terrain parks, one half-pipe. Clinics are available.
Terrain: Beginner 9%, Intermediate 21%, Advanced 13%, Expert 57%.
Average Annual Snowfall: Winter Park receives approximately 365 inches of snow per season.
Ski School: There are 240 ski school staff members. This resort offers handicap ski school lessons, through the highly regarded Winter Park Sports Center for the Disabled.
Mountain Contact: Winter Park, tel. (970) 726-5514 or (800) 729-5813.
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