Winter Park Restaurants | What are your top five?

Posted on August 25, 2009 by Chris

Winter Park Restaurants

What are your top five Winter Park restaurants?

The 25th Taste of Grand County is coming upon us and this got me to thinking about what are my favorite places to eat here in Winter Park and the Fraser Valley? Not that we get to out much with twin 2 year olds and when we do, with the twins in tow, I view it like I view a root canal. Avoid at all costs! But on those nights when we get to head out for a short night on the town where are the places we like to go?

There are quite a few new places and some we have tried and some we have not. But here are the first five that come to mind when thinking about a night out of the kitchen for me and the wife:

Tabernash Tavern – Still going strong and getting very popular
The Cheeky Monk – Great beer, great food and very friendly staff
The Sushi Bar – Darn good sushi, good happy hour and they make a stiff Makers Mark Manhattan
Fontenot’s – Food is a good consistent, service is prompt and they will deal with our twins
Hernandos Pizza Pub – Good pizza and great bartenders

Tomorrow is my birthday! I will be halfway to 84 so we are heading out to try The Back Country Grill. We have heard good things and thought we should give it a try.

Lets hear what are your top five Winter Park, Colorado restaurants are?

Winter Park Ski Train | A Revival?

Posted on August 25, 2009 by Chris

A Revival for the Winter Park Ski Train?

There is some push from Winter Park Resort and Iowa Pacific Holdings, a railroad operator, to continue the Winter Park ski train service from Denver’s Union Station to Winter Park Ski Resort. Read the whole Denver Post article here. The ski train had run the route continuously for 69 years before the train being sold to a Canadian railroad company this past April by the Anschutz Company.

We here at Winter Park Lodging Company love the Ski Train and wish for its return. A couple of changes however, would make the ski train even better. One, let the ski train accommodate overnight stays. The Post article says that the Iowa Pacific trains are larger therefor they should be able to let passengers stay a few nights up here in Winter Park. Second, it would be great to have the train be able to take passengers to Denver and return to Winter Park from Union Station.

Lets hope the ski train makes a return and with a couple of changes we could have a spectacular asset for Winter Park Resort.

Winter Park Resort | Intrawest Money Problems, What does it mean for the resort?

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Chris

Winter Park Resort

Winter Park Resort

We have been hearing some rumors about Winter Park Resort’s parnent company Intrawest the last few weeks and heard Gary DeFrange talk about what the current economy has in store for the resort. I did a search and found an article about Intrawest’s financial state from Canada’s Globe and Mail. A pretty interesting read.

What, though, will this have in store for Winter Park Resort?

Well, that is a little tough to discern at the moment. In the short term Winter Park resort will see a slow down of the on mountain improvements that were planned. The current base construction will not be added to as with the original Winter Park base development plan. On the bright side if you have cash you can get a great deal on a condo at the base of the resort.

Intrawest is in the eighth year of a fifty year operating lease from the city of Denver on the Winter Park Resort. My understanding is that Intrawest has done very well with Winter Park and would in no way want out of their lease. I think that is good for Winter Park as Intrawest has overall done a great job with the resort.

So here is hoping that this economy turns around and the snow god’s look favorably on Winter Park and we have a great 2009/2010 ski season.

Winter Park Snowfall | Update to First Measurable Snow Contest

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Chris

Winter Park Snowfall

Here is an update to our “guess the first measurable snowfall in Winter Park” contest. We will be using On the Snow’s website for Winter Park Resort as the first measurable snow barometer. Sorry to Winter Park Resort and Intrawest for saying their snow report was lame. They have a great website and snow report page, it is just that there is now no skiing at the resort so they have not updated their snow-report since last season.

We have 34 guesses so far and judging by the looks of the weather today it might snow sooner rather than later this year.

86 days until Winter Park Resort opens, get your skis and body ready!

Winter Park Colorado | Five Best Things About Winter Park, Colorado

Posted on August 23, 2009 by Chris

Winter Park ski sign

Winter Park, Colorado

Sitting down at the computer today I seem to have writers block or bloggers block because I had the toughest time figuring out what to write about. Seems strange, we try to do ten blogs a week, is that the reason?, because there is so much to do and see here in Winter Park, Colorado. That got me thinking that I should do a list of what are my favorite things about this place up here in the Rockies. Narrowing it down to five was the hard part because there is really so much to like about this little slice of heaven here . So here goes my top five things about Winterpark:

Winter Park Resort: It’s the reason we moved here and I can’t wait for the snow to fly this year! November 18th, get it on the calendar – The resorts opening day.
Winter Park Mountain Biking: The saying goes you come for the winter but stay for the summer is very true. Best mountain biking in the world.
Winter Park locals. The people here in East Grand County are just the best. Friendly and fun and always up for an outdoor adventure.
The scenery here in the Colorado Rockies is just amazing. All year long it never ceases to amaze me at what a beautiful place we live in.
Winter Park Lodging Company, might sound cheesy but we have created a pretty cool company and I think most people agree. Our owners and our customers are generally pleased with the job that we do.

So there is the short list of what gets me jazzed about Winter Park. Feel free to comment about what are your favorite things about Winterpark!

Winter Park Parade of Homes

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Chris

Grand County Parade of Homes The Winter Park parade of homes will be taking place on two weekends this September. September 12th and 13th and the 19th and 20 come up to Grand County and tour twelve beautiful homes. The event is free and the architects and builders will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. Check out the Parade of homes website.

September is awesome up here in Winter Park. The aspens start to change and there is a very relaxed atmosphere. It’s a little chilly in the mornongs but you can wear shorts in the day and at night the fire or hot tub feels very good.

Get your Winter Park Colorado lodging and come visit Winter Park the best time of year!

Opening day at Winter Park Resort Scheduled for Nov. 18th, 2009

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Amy

Just 3 short months until we are back on the hill!! Winter Park Resort is scheduled to open November 18th, 2009. Hopefully there will be plenty of snow for us to get out there and retrain our weary hiking and biking legs. Get your pass and get on up here for some great skiing and great deals with Winter Park Lodging Company. Make this lifty happy!

Winter Park Village | restaurant and kids arcade coming to base

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Chris

Check out this old picture of the Winter Park Base from the mid 1960′s. Place is looking a little different nowadays don’tcha think?

Intrawest has been having their owner HOA meetings this weekend for Zephyr Mountain Lodge, Founders Point and Fraser Crossing. Lots of songs and dances and odd comments. Heard Intrawest employees calling these meetings their Superbowl. WOW! How do they win and who are they playing?

Anywho, found out a little information about the Winter Park Village. Retail space is currently 38% leased. Lots of trying to explain that number away. And no mention that they changed from selling space at the base to leasing it in the middle of the transaction. That sure couldn’t have any thing to do with the lack of tenants.

Oh Well, they have two more businesses coming into the Village. First is a restaurant called the Soup Bowl?? that will have homemade soups from down in Golden and will have bread from Denver’s Grateful Bread Company. Second is a kids video arcade called Winter Parcade?? (?? mean I think that these are the names but I could be completely wrong)

From the talks that were given I guess they are wanting two more restaurants. Doesn’t seem like anyone is jumping at the chance right now. Let’s be happy that the three restaurants are up and running and a fourth is on the way.

I will quit giving Intrawest a hard time, even though they deserve all that is given, and commend them on a good looking village!

Snow in Winter Park Colorado | When will we have the first measurable snow?

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Chris

I know its only August but it has hit below 30°f the last three mornings and is starting to get chilly at night here in Winter Park, Colorado. So I’m wondering when is the usual first measurable snowfall in the Winter Park/Fraser area? I did a Google and Bing search and couldn’t find much info. So to make it interesting I thought we could have a little contest that whoever can pick the day that Winter Park Resort gets their first measurable snowfall then it is two free lift tickets to that person. Anyone can play but the guess obviously needs to be in before the snow. For lack of a better source we will use the Winter Park Resort Snow Report from their website, even though it is lame and says they have had 26.5 inches of snow in the last 24 hours (this being August 13th). They must be in a different world, I’m just down the road and no snow here since late May. Anywho, 2 free lift tickets or, for those who have Winter Park ski passes, free dinner and drinks for two at a Winter Park Restaurant for he or she that can pick the first measurable snow at Winter Park Resort. I will be the first one to pick! Only one guess per person and your first guess is it.

The ski season is coming upon us, only 97 days until the projected opening. Come up and ski Winter Park. Get your Winter Park ski lodging now!

Winter Park Mountain Biking | Mountain Bike Capitol USA

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Chris

winter park colorado mountain bike I thought I would give another plug to how good the mountain biking has been up here in Winter Park this year. I don’t know if was all the early rain or what but it has just been awesome. My buddy from Denver has a place in Rendezvous that is about three doors down to some very cool mountain biking in the Arapaho National Forest. I think the trails back there were for the old Idlewild Ski Area. There are a bunch of signs that say “Lodge” with an arrow. There is the burnout loop trail, southfork loop, twisted ankle and a bunch of other ones that can be difficult but mostly are intermediate mountain biking. My buddy says they have trail maps at the sales center at the entrance to Rendezvous.

Our local friend Kelly Haverhalls took me last week on a ride that resembled the Blue Sky loop but his was called Cherokee or something of that sort but is a locals only find! Very, very cool ride and is true single track biking.

Here is a list of what is left for official mountain biking events for the 2009 summer:

Aug. 15 – Winter Park Mountain Bike Series #7 (Mary Jane Circuit)
Aug. 21 – Trestle Bike Park Race Series #4
Aug. 30 - Winter Park Mountain Bike Series Finale (King of the Rockies)
Sept. 4-7 - Sol Survivor Mountain States Cup Race: Endurance | Gravity | Super D (SolVista Bike Park at Granby Ranch)

There is a reason it’s Mountain Bike Capitol USA here in Winter Park!