Winter Park Base Ski Rentals and Ski Tunes

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park Resort Ski Rentals and Tune Ups

Who knew that a simple ski tune up would make my day at Winter Park Resort. I had skied 13 times since the last tuneup and the skis were getting dull and not holding an edge on the crusty stuff or the ice. I took my Dynastar Legends in to Winter Park Resort Rentals and by the next morning the sticks were as good as new if not better. I heard the claims that the Montana Chrystal Glide tuning system works wonders but I didn’t think there would be that much of a difference. I do now believe! Had a great day skiing and the skis performed better than I expected. The young lads working at Winter Park Base Rentals did a great job and were very friendly and knowledgeable. They had the skis tuned and ready with an overnight turn around time.

The base is the THE place for ultimate convenience in ski rentals right at the base of Winter Park Resort. Guests of Winter Park Lodging Company save up to 40% off walk-in rates with Winter Park Resort Rentals, located just steps from the lifts! See below for all of the extra benefits you’ll get when you rent with Winter Park Resort Rentals. This discount is reserved only for guests of Winter Park Lodging Company, so when you book with us, we’ll send you all of the prices and instructions on how to reserve your ski rentals online.

More than just ski rentals, when you rent with Winter Park Resort Rentals you also enjoy these extras:

Free on-snow storage. Pick up your skis and poles on the way to the lift, then return them for overnight storage at the end of the day.
Late pick up. Open until 9pm so you can stop by on your way into town the night you arrive.
Lift ticket and lesson pick-up. Pick up your pre-paid lift tickets or ski rental vouchers while you get fitted for skis.
Purchase lift tickets. Buy your lift tickets when you pick up your skis. You can even use our money-saving COUPONS.
FREE Kids Rentals. If you rent a performance or demo ski or snowboard package, you’ll get a free kids rental. One free kids rental per adult.
Retail Discount Card. Get a discount card good for 10% off all Winter Park Resort Retail – waiting for you in your welcome gift bag. Also good for 10% off walk-in ski/board rentals and 30% off on-snow storage for last-minute stays.
Additional gear such as goggles, snow clothes and helmets are available for rent.
New Gear. About 80% of all sport and performance ski and snowboard equipment is brand-new for the 2009/2010 ski season.

Winter Park Base Rentals Custom Ski/Snowboard Deliver Service

It doesn’t get any more convenient than this:

Rent with Winter Park Resort Rentals and you also have the option to add on Custom Delivery Service. A ski technician will deliver your boots to you anywhere in Winter Park or Fraser until 10:00 pm the night you arrive, then fit everyone to be sure you’re good to go. You’ll get a claim ticket to present at the outdoor counter on the way to the lifts. They’ll have your skis/board and poles outside waiting for you!

In addition, they’ll deliver any ski lessons or lift tickets that have been pre-paid, so after you pick up your skis, you’re ready to go. No lines. On the last day you ski, bring your regular shoes and they’ll store them so you can drop off your boots at end of day and you can walk away in your shoes.

The price is $29.99 for up to 4 people and then $5 for each additional person.

Winter Park Resort Base Ski Storage

This service is available to all guests of Winter Park Lodging Company, even if you don’t rent skis through the Winter Park Resort Rentals. Save up to 35% off of regular prices when you present your discount card that is provided to all guests in your welcome gift-bag. Normal prices are about $5.00/night.

So get your ski deals from Winter Park Base Rentals with Winter Park Lodging Company.

More than just ski rentals, when you rent with Winter Park Resort Rentals you also enjoy these extras:

Free on-snow storage. Pick up your skis and poles on the way to the lift, then return them for overnight storage at the end of the day.
Late pick up. Open until 9pm so you can stop by on your way into town the night you arrive.
Lift ticket and lesson pick-up. Pick up your pre-paid lift tickets or ski rental vouchers while you get fitted for skis.
Purchase lift tickets. Buy your lift tickets when you pick up your skis. You can even use our money-saving COUPONS.
FREE Kids Rentals. If you rent a performance or demo ski or snowboard package, you’ll get a free kids rental. One free kids rental per adult.
Retail Discount Card. Get a discount card good for 10% off all Winter Park Resort Retail – waiting for you in your welcome gift bag. Also good for 10% off walk-in ski/board rentals and 30% off on-snow storage for last-minute stays.
Additional gear such as goggles, snow clothes and helmets are available for rent.
New Gear. About 80% of all sport and performance ski and snowboard equipment is brand-new for the 2009/2010 ski season.

Winter Park Moonlight Snowshoe and Cross Country Ski

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park moonlight snow shoe and ski at Pole Creek Tabernash Pole Creek Moonlight Snowshoe

What a great way to spend a Saturday Night: on the links of Pole Creek Golf Club with skis on your feet and the moon lighting the ground below.

Pole Creek Golf Club had their first, of hopefully many, moonlight snow shoe and ski events this past Saturday night and the event was fantastic. Show up clip on the skis and make a run through the marked course. On the course is a bonfire with some hearty souls serving up schnapps with hot chocolate. Finish up the trek and head inside for some wine and dinner.

We hope that they continue this moonlight tradition all year long. It was a great time and there were a lot of people out enjoying the moonlight and the crisp Colorado air. Lots of kids, dogs and people of all ages having a great time in the clear moonlight.

Dinner was good, wine was even better. Service was a bit slow as I don’t think Bistro 28 expected quite as many people to join them for the first running of this event. Better get to ironing out the kinks before the next moonlight snowshoe event.

All in all it was a great night, ended with a glass of wine at home and the excitement of a another full moon in thirty days.

Music in Winter Park this Weekend

Posted on January 29, 2010 by sam

Hopefully you‘re looking for something to do this Saturday night in Winter Park! There are four great shows going on- either pick one and stick to it for the night, or bar hop so you can catch them all!

First, Angie Stevens is playing at Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Cafe, located in the new village at Winter Park Resort. Angie’s strong vocals match well with her smooth acoustic guitar sound, almost as well as the imported Belgian brews match with the house parmesan truffle frites.

Next up, Randi’s Irish Saloon is hosting local favorite Hunker Down. If you’re into bluegrass rock, don’t miss out on these guys. You have my word- I’ve seen them play enough times to say with 100% confidence that no matter what your taste in music is, you won’t be disappointed with Hunker Down.

After Randi’s, head on down a couple blocks to the Winter Park Pub to continue with great music. The Pub is hosting Denver’s very own Hillbilly Hellcats. True to their name, the Hillbilly Hellcats will entertain you to no end with fast paced songs like Hillbilly Love, Crazy Little Baby, and, my personal favorite, Hillbillies on Speed. If you’re able to stay seated and refrain from some good old fashioned foot pounding dancing while the Hellcats are jamming, there’s something wrong with you!

Finally, last but certainly not least, the Grand County Blues Society is bringing us a special treat to Crooked Creek Saloon. Chris Watson, hailing from Denton, Texas, is talented well beyond his 23 years. His latest hit, Just for Show, is a perfect example of the treat you’re in for if you’re able to stop by Crooked Creek this Saturday night. Leave it to the Grand Blues Society to bring us a gem like Chris Watson!

So, true to my word, you have plenty of choices for Saturday night. Good luck choosing!

Buying New Skis? Some Sage Advice From Winter Park, CO

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park, Colorado Ski Shops

When it comes to buying skis and snowboards the one piece of advice we have is this: BUY LOCAL or buy from the Lange girl!

Skis are expensive and the general life of a ski is 80-120 days of actual skiing. That’s 6 years if you ski 20 days a year so make sure to get it right.

When purchasing skis there are three very important things to keep in mind:

DEMOS: What people like in a ski can be very personal and is difficult to tell with just a conversation. When you buy skis at a local ski shop you have the opportunity to demo the skis on the slopes, this way you can know if these are the skis for you. The price of any demo days is usually applied to any ski you purchase.

KNOWLEDGE: The staff at our local shops love to ski and are passionate about the sport and the equipment. They sleep, eat, and breathe this stuff. Most supplier reps come to the stores that sell their brands and do seminars about their equipment and a lot of times they take the whole staff on mountain to actually try all the new gear out. Last time I was in a big box store with some time to kill the “salesman” actually was reading from the pamphlet dangling from a ski.

PRICE: As you compare prices think about the price of actually mounting a binding to the ski. If you walk into a shop and ask them to mount a binding to a ski you will pay a ton for it. As I surf the web or kill time waiting for my wife at the mall I look at ski prices and they’re not any cheaper than what we have up here. Generally what they will have is a cheap “fleet ski” (see KNOWLEDGE above).

We here at Winter Park Lodging Company recommend several stores for new ski purchases:

Mr. Ed Raegnor contributed to this Winter Park/Mary Jane blog.

Winter Park Spirit of the Month

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park CO cocktails Winter Park, Colorado Booze of the Month

VanGogh Acai Blueberry Vodka. This fantastic Dutch vodka is naturally infused with Blueberry and Acai fruit. Acai is one of the new “superfruits” from the rainforest. High in antioxidants and vitamins this fruit is great for you. However, when mixed in 80 proof vodka, it just tastes delicious.

Handmade in small batches by Master Distiller Tim Vos, Van Gogh Vodka is painstakingly crafted using only the finest fruit, grains, and purified water. The grain alcohol goes through a multiple distillation process followed by an all-natural double infusion flavoring process. This innovative, six-week procedure, pioneered by the Royal Dirkzwager Distilleries, creates Van Gogh Vodka’s signature smooth taste.

For the at home mixoligist, VanGogh Acai Blueberry is available at Rocky Mountain Moonshine. If you’re out on the town you can find this wonderful vodka at Albertos, Tabernash Tavern or at Fontenot’s where it is featured in the Alpenglow cocktail. A phenomenal drink dreamt up by the Fontenot’s crew.

VanGogh Acai Blueberry mixes well with soda, 7-Up and tonic it is also delicious just on the rocks.

This blog post is courtesy of Mr. Ed Raegnor of Tabernash, Colorado.

Winter Park Full Moon Cross Country Skiing

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Chris

Pole Creek Full Moon Cross Country Skiing

This Saturday January 30th there is a full moon cross country skiing event at Pole Creek Golf Club. Time is from 5:30PM to 8PM.

Full moon snowshoe or cross country ski at Pole Creek Golf Course. Trails for all abilities and free hot chocolate and schnapps out on the course.

Dinner after at Bistro 28 with homemade pastas and other menu selections priced at $8. Reservations recommended at 970.887.9797

Dinner every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Bistro 28 Burger and a beer/wine – Prime rib and Pasta specials.

Come see Pole Creek in a different light. Moonlight that is! The weather forecast looks good and there is nothing better than cross country skiing, hot chocolate and schnapps on a Saturday night. After you get a workout in, belly up to Bistro 28′s bar and have another schnapps and a plate of homemade pasta.

Get outside and enjoy the Colorado winter.

Winter Park, CO. Winter

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Chris

Snow in Winter Park, CO.

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.

Winter Park’s Newest Tubing Hill – Colorado Adventure Park

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Valarie

The newest option for tubing in the Winter Park area, the Colorado Adventure Park tubing hill is located right next to the ol’ Fraser Tubing Hill in the town of Fraser. Not only do they have four separate tubing lanes progressing from mild to bumpy, they also have a lane designated for air boarding, which is an oblong inflatable device with handles for more steering control. Finally, for kids aged six to thirteen, they have snowscoots, which are like mini snowmobiles.

It’s a bargain compared to the more expensive Fraser Tubing Hill. For tubing, it’s $14/hour and for airboarding, it’s $17/hour, which includes the rental of a helmet. If you have your own ski helmet, bring it with you for a $2 discount. To rent a snowscoot, the cost is $10 for each ten minutes.

There is a magic carpet conveyer lift to carry both you and your tube to the top of the giant hill, as well as a smaller man-made hill for the little tykes. They have a warming hut at the base of the hill, which is also where you can buy your tickets.

To find the Colorado Adventure Park, head west on Hwy 40 from Winter Park and take a left at the stoplight in Fraser where the Safeway grocery store is. After you pass under the bridge about 200 yards down, take a right at the fork in the road. Follow the signs and turn left into their entrance about 300 yards down. Contact them at 970-726-5779 or at info@coloradoadventurepark.com.

Winter Park Resort Spring Splash 2010

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park, CO. Spring Splash

The 42nd annual Spring Splash is back at Winter Park/Mary Jane Resort on Sunday April 18th, 2010. This is the longest running end of the season ski party held in Colorado and maybe the United States. The Spring Splash is now sponsored by Coca-Cola so it is officially known as the Coca-Cola Spring Splask.

Splash as it is known locally here in Winter Park is actually two parties. The official held at the base of Winter Park Resort is a family fun affair with music, racing and prizes. The official description is: Winter Park Resort’s Coca-Cola® Spring Splash is the oldest tradition of its kind and on its 42nd year. Athletes begin at 12pm as spectators watch skiers and riders struggle through obstacles on the Larry Sale trail race course and attempt to skim across an icy pond to reach the finish line and post a time. Live music sets the tone for a closing day party that is fun for everyone!

The unofficial party, and not for the younger part of the whole family, is the end of season party held in the Challenger lot of Mary Jane Resort. Music, BBQ, adult beverages, costumes and a very much party atmosphere pervade the “end of season splash”. Party gets going early, as on the night before on April 17th, and lasts past sundown on April 18th. The last few years have seen Winter Park/Fraser Valley Police with drug dogs and a big police presence. This is a fun time though that Winter Park locals and visitors plan for weeks in advance. So it is fun for all just make good choices with your drinking and driving and other behaviors.

If you have not been to the official or the unofficial Splash you are missing out. This is one of the most fun, if not the most fun times in Winter Park, CO all year.

For Spring Splash race registration: Sunday, April 18, 8-10:30am: Guest Services, Balcony House, base of Winter Park Resort. $20 entry fee; $39 lift and entry fee, $15 employee entry fee. Limited to the first 100 participants. 18 and over, must show proof of age. Day of registration only, no pre-registration is available. You must be present to register.

LIVE MUSIC in the Plaza from 2-6pm

For more race details, contact the Winter Park Resort guest information hotline at 970.726.1564.

Lodging prices are at the lowest of the ski season for Spring Splash, so be safe and stay a few nights and enjoy some great deals on Winter Park CO. Lodging.

Intrawest Goes Into Foreclosure

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park managment company Intrawest 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!