La Niña Weather Pattern for Winter Park in 2011

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Chris

What Does La Niña mean for the Colorado Ski Resorts?

NOAA has issued a La Niña advisory through early 2011. What does this mean for the Colorado ski resorts and in particular our beloved Winter Park Resort?

Climate scientists say a La Niña weather pattern is developing and will persist at least through early 2011, as sea surface temperatures cooled dramatically in July across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.

The forecast models are in disagreement over how strong the cyclical cooling will be. La Niña usually — but not always — delivers a wintry punch to the Colorado mountains.

The El Niño pattern of last winter was neutral (La Nada), and now a La Niña pattern will take over for the coming fall/ winter, through possibly the season following (through 2012). This usually bodes well for the northern Colorado ski resorts. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

In the La Niña advisory issued Aug. 5, the federal Climate Prediction Center said temperature and precipitation impacts are generally weak during the summer and fall, but strengthen considerably in late fall and winter. La Niña can also contribute to increase hurricane activity in the Atlantic by decreasing vertical wind shear over the Caribbean Sea and tropical Atlantic. It could also bring some bonus moisture to some drought-stricken parts of Australia.

So this weather forecasting is all a bit of gobbly gook but here is hoping that the little lovely La Niña delivers a whopping blow of fluffy white snow right here on top of the Winter Park and Mark Jane Ski Resorts.

Best College for Skiing?

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Chris

Best college to ski winter park co University of Colorado Best College for Skiing

I was checking out what Skiing Magazine had to say about the upcoming ski season and I came across their article Ski School.

The article gives Skiing Magazines top 12 colleges to attend to be able to ski and that have a good ski culture. And obviously the 12 schools have great access to some very good skiing. There are some East Coast schools in here that I didn’t think would be good ski schools and some Northwest schools I have never heard of . But best of all Skiing Magazine has the one and only University of Colorado. This is what Skiing had to say about the home of the skiing Buffs:

The University of Colorado

CU Boulder counts 33 Olympic skiers that have participated in the Olympics over 50 times among its alumni. A prime spot for training, Boulder is nearly a mile high, and gets an average of 255 sunny days every year. Competitive skiers here have a social life too; the program sponsors “a ski ball” each year, which also serves as a highly successful fundraiser for their program. Colorado is home to 26 ski resorts, and the university is about two hours from eight of them.

Yes, Winter Park Resort is one of the eight resorts that is within 2 hours of Boulder and it is the second closest behind Eldora Mountain.

I am surprised that the University of Denver was not on this list as the DU Pioneers have pretty much dominated college level skiing the last ten years.

The University of Denver’s 19 team championships in skiing are the most in NCAA history, ahead of Colorado’s 16 and Utah’s 10. The 2008 title also marked the Pioneers’ fifth championship since 2000. DU also won in 2000, ’01, ’02 and ’05.

So what is the No.1 ski school? Well it has to be the University of Colorado. OK OK I’m biased I’m an alum.

Now what college will Nicholas & Willem (the Twins) be attending? I’m pushing for CU or DU and both schools ski teams train right here in Winter Park, CO. Their mother keeps on talking up her alma matter, Wake Forest, but the only way they can ski down there is if God turns tobacco white. Anywho, they are only 3 so lots of time to figure out college still.

Go Buffs!

Winter Park, CO Breakfast

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Chris

Sharky’s Grill Winter Park/Fraser, Colorado

I had a chance to finally get out on a weekend morning try the local eatery Sharky’s Grill after a early morning mountain bike ride. I have been meaning to head over and try Sharky’s after several people had told me they have great green chili and a killer breakfast burrito. And I now whole heartedly agree.

I wrote a piece about Winter Park breakfasts and specifically breakfast burritos about a year ago. There were a couple of comments on that blog about not including Sharky’s on the five best list and I said I would check them out. Well about nine months later I have finally had a breakfast at a restaurant in the area (2 year old twins seem to make restaurant trips not so fun).

Anywho, after a day biking with Ed Raegner, Mike Ayers and Dr. Steve up on the Broken Thumb and Twisted Ankle trails back behind old Idlewild ski area Ed and I were able to have a bite at Sharky’s. I had the special, a chorizo breakfast burrito, and Ed had corn beef and hash. Ed’s looked very good and my burrito was just awesome. Big, spicy and topped with fresh avocado, sour cream and a great green chili sauce. We sat outside at a nice little two top and service was efficient. Food took a tad long but it was a Sunday at brunch time and there was a wait for tables.

Overall the food was great, probably the best breakfast I’ve had in Grand County, and the service and atmosphere were commendable also.

Give Sharky’s a try for a truly great breakfast burrito. You can check out their Sharky’s Facebook Page or find them on their Google maps page.

Zoppe Italian Circus in Winter Park Village

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Chris

Horseback Riding in Winter Park: Steak Dinner Ride

Posted on August 8, 2010 by Chris

Bernie's Backside

My brother and his family plus my 77 year old dad were in town last week, so we decided to be tourists and headed to Sombrero Stables in Snow Mountain Ranch (a YMCA camp) for a steak dinner horseback ride.

We had to arrive by 3:30 to be matched with our horses (I got “Hitch” who liked to eat grass). We were riding by 4:15 in a straight line with our nice guide who rode looking back at us to be sure we were ok.

We rode the horses into a nice trail, thru some beautiful big aspens and by a meadow where our guide said she saw a moose just a few days before. We squinted and hoped, but no moose appeared. It was very peaceful and not scary in the least, since they don’t let you go any faster than a walk, although we learned the trick of holding the horse back a bit and then got to trot to catch up.

We arrived at our dinner spot – a wagon-looking grill and picnic area. By that point, one of my nephews was in the deep depths of a horse allergic reaction so they offered (and he accepted) to take some Benedryl and ride back down in the car. He hung out with us for dinner though which was surprisingly good. We had steak, excellent grilled potatoes, beans, and bread. They even had “Cowboy Coffee” for the caffeine addicted.

Wagon Grill

Got back on the horses and by that point we were aching a bit (knees, bum, etc) but we made it back before sunset and said goodbye to Bernie, Hitch, and the rest of the horses. One hint – if you tell them you’re an experienced rider, they give you the horses that act up a bit so for the most enjoyable time, swallow your pride and tell them you’ve never put your foot in a saddle.

Strongly recommend this fun activity for families with kids (age 3 and up) or groups that want to take enjoy the scenery and West without flying down a mountain on a bike or falling in the river on a raft. Thank you, Sombrero Stables!

Night Ranger Rocks Winter Park!

Posted on August 8, 2010 by rachelb

This weekend in Winter Park is filled with good times and good tunes. Today, the free 103.5 Fox Winter Park Music Fetival kicked off at 10am in Hideaway Park. Local vendors set up shop for food, drinks, and fun for the whole family. The playground and skate park were packed all day and we got geat weather overall, with just a few sprinkes late in the afternoon. There was a great line up including Pat Travers, The Groove Hawgs, and the headliners- famous for their 80′s power ballads and melodic hard rock- Night Ranger. They brought everybody to their feet with classics like ‘Don’t Tell Me You Love Me’ , ‘Sentimental Street’ and of course, ‘Sister Christian’. Here they are, singing the emblamatic 80′s tune in downtown Winter Park…

Needless to say, we all had a good ol’ time rockin’ to the 80′s, and the music continues through the weekend all around town. Our visitors who booked their lodging with Winter Park Lodging Company even enjoyed free VIP tickets to the festival. Come up to Winter Park for some fresh mountain air, Summer mountain music, and free fun for the whole family. It can ‘t be beat!

Snowcat Skiing Winter Park, CO with Powder Addiction

Posted on August 5, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park snowcat skiing

Colorado Snowcat Skiing

Powder Addiction is back for year number two with a new snowcat and a frequent rider program. The Winter Park Village based snow cat operation provides guided snowcat skiing on Jones Pass right off of US Highway 40.

We at Winter Park Lodging Company were able to take a couple of trips up with Powder Addiction and the operation and skiing were phenomenal. If you have any interest in back-country powder skiing this is a must.

Anywho, here is the details on Powder Addictions new snowcat and frequent rider program:

New snowcat for the 2010-2011 Season.

We have purchased a newer machine and have just finished ordering a custom passenger cabin for it. The new machine is a 2007 Bombardier BR 350. This machine has 350 horsepower compared to the 150 horsepower of the LMC machine we used last winter. More than twice as powerful! This machine is sweet and it will go up all of our terrain without slowing down or struggling on the steep hills. We should be able to average 12-13 miles per hour (MPH). The old LMC averaged about 4-5 MPH. We expect to be able to get an additional 2-3 runs per day!

Prices will remain the same this winter even with the investment of a sweet new snowcat. We are adding a new frequent skier incentive. For every 5 seats you buy the 6th one will be free! This will be good during one season only. We are now taking reservations for the 2010-2011 Season. Get your reservations now and make sure you do not miss out on what promises to be a fantastic season.

Please contact us via email to book your spots for this winter. I will call you back within a couple of days. No one is in the office during the summer but we will get back to you as soon as possible.

It has been a very wet the last few weeks here in Grand County. We can only hope that we get this much precipitation this winter especially in November and December.

Think Snow!

Yes it is August but now is the time to plan your trip to Winter Park for some SNOWCAT SKIING. Let Winter Park Lodging Company plan your excursion and ski vacation.

Check out the above picture, that is yours truly in the red jacket looking at the ground. Also in the pic are noted locals Ed Reagner, Mike Ayers (skippy), Craig Van Way, Chase and Steve Hogan and some other local Winter Park hooligans.

Winter Park Resort Trail Maps

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Chris

Ski Winter Park, Colorado

I was looking for some old vintage trail maps for Winter Park Resort and I came across this old trail map from 1980. And boy does it show just how much bigger and better that Winter Park/Mary Jane has become.

The trail map for the coming 2010/2011 season should look very similar to the 2009/2010 version as there have been no on mountain improvements for the last couple of years. That can be understood with the economy being in the tank the last few years. Mr. Garry DeFrange, Winter Park Resort President, has been saying that more development is coming to the Winter Park Base Village in the form of town-homes and a hotel. When that will be remains to be seen. There still lots of vacant retail spaces in the Winter Park Village but Mr. De Frange is saying that there are tenants waiting to sign on. We are hoping that the large restaurant space is taken for this coming ski season but at this point it is not looking likely to be open for this ski season.

On mountain expansion is hopefully coming soon to the resort with lots of area to expand skiing on to adjacent mountains of the Winter Park/Mary Jane Resort. Again probably not going to happen in the next few years as the economy has put a wobble in the ski resorts walk.

Anywho, I liked the above ski trail map and thought I would share. Below is an even older trail map of the original Mary Jane side of the ski area from 1976 that is pretty cool.

Ski Mary Jane

Summer season is coming to an end so lets get ready for this coming ski season: tune the boards, buy the ski pass and book your lodging with Winter Park Lodging Company for the best deals in WP.

Favorite Winter Park Summer Patios

Posted on August 3, 2010 by Valarie

Backbowl's Patio

One of our favorite summertime activities in Winter Park is just hangin’ out at one of our favorite patios, kickin’ back to some live music and enjoying some cold beverages in the mountain sunshine. It’s definitely a favorite pasttime of mine!

When it comes to great summer patios in Winter Park, there are a few restaurants and bars that surpass the rest. If you have another favorite that I leave out, just let us know by leaving a comment below.

My Top Picks:

- The Winter Park Pub. The patio at “the pub” is #1 in my heart. There is usually live music at least three times a week, plus tons of space and seating for plenty of sunshine opportunities. They also have a tent for shade or rain coverage. It’s also a #1 locals favorite, so it’s a good place to mingle.

- The Cheeky Monk - This is a newer restaurant at the Village at Winter Park Resort. The vibe inside is awesome, and they have like, a million types of beers. The patio is killer, too, and they oftentimes have live music and drink specials during the summer.

A packed patio at "The Pub"

- Backbowl Soup Company – another new restaurant at the Village at Winter Park Resort, Backbowl has an attractive, spacious patio with umbrellas & nice views. They also have live music and drink specials on Tues & Thursdays and the “Adventure Train Playground” that the kids love.

- The Sushi Bar – Another local tradition is to hit up happy hour at The Sushi Bar at least a few times in the summer to enjoy their large deck. During happy hour you also get two-for-one specials on selected drinks & sushi rolls. They don’t have live music, but their parties and/or specials make up for that.

- Deno’s Mountain Bistro. A prime, south-west facing patio, this is a lovely spot for afternoon sunshine. Deno’s wine list is impressive, plus they have all the regular ol’ standbys and great wings. The only catch is that they don’t have live music.

- Fontenot’s – This deck is often overlooked, but for what reason, I don’t know. They have a really nice deck, tables with umbrellas and great food. They tend to be on the pricey side, which may be why it’s not frequented too often by locals, but they have delicious appetizers like fried green tomatoes and coconut shrimp. Not a spot for live music, either.

Other honorable mentions include the Gasthaus Eichler patio for lunch next to Vasquez Creek, Rudi’s Deli patio, and the Mountain Grind Cafe at Cooper Creek Square.

US Alpine Ski Championships Return to Colorado at Winter Park Resort

Posted on August 3, 2010 by Chris

US Alpine Ski Championships 2011

Winter Park Resort will bring the US Alpine Ski Championships back to Colorado for the first time since 1994 this spring 2011.

The four-day series opens Thursday, March 31, with mens giant slalom, followed by womens GS on April 1, mens and womens super G on April 2 and finally slalom on April 3. The U.S. downhill championship will be held earlier in the winter in conjunction with the NorAm stop at Aspen, on Feb. 16, in order to ensure solid winter snow conditions.

Winter Park hosted a string of championships from 1992-94 and has been an integral host to early season technical races on the NorAm circuit for over a decade. The U.S. Alpine Championships opens the weekend following the Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships, a culmination of the largest recreational ski and snowboard race program in the world.

Expected to race at the championships is Lindsey Vonn, pictured above. And in addition to top local ski racers, celebrity athletes expected to compete besides Olympic medalists Lindsey Vonn of Vail are Julia Mancuso of Olympic Valley, Calif., Ted Ligety of Park City, Utah and Andrew Weibrecht of Lake Placid, N.Y.

2011 U.S. Alpine Championships at Winter Park Resort Colorado

Wednesday, Feb. 16: Men’s and Women’s downhill*
Thursday, March 31: Men’s giant slalom
Friday, April 1: Women’s giant slalom
Saturday, April 2: Men’s and Women’s super G
Sunday, April 3: Men’s and Women’s slalom
*The U.S. downhill championships will take place at Aspen

The last few years the snow has been great in late March and April. Now is the time to plan your ski trip and take in the US Alpine Ski Championships.