Winter Park, Colorado Sleigh Rides

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Chris

Colorado sleigh rides Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides in the Colorado Rockies

We had a chance to take a sleigh ride here in Winter park a couple of days before Christmas. What a thrill for the whole family. Kids, Grandparent and the parents were all a-gag about what a cool experience we had.

Our 1400 lb sled was pulled by two 2000 lb horses that were as friebdly as I can imagine horses a could be. Our twin boys thought they were great. The sleigh ride lasted about an hour and a half with a twenty minute break for some tasty hot chocolate and marshmallow roasting.

The Sombrero Stables are up in Snow Mountain Ranch just outside of Tabernash, CO with some of the best views you will get of the Fraser Valley. Compass was the name of our driver and she could not have been more appropriately named with the superb handling of the horses Ben and Wyatt.

Guests of Winter Park Lodging Company receive a discount on sleigh rides, sleigh dinners and horseback rides.

Sombrero Stable Pricing for WPLCo guests are shown below. Present your VIP Guest Discount Card provided in your Winter Park Lodging Company vacation rental to get these deals.

Hot Cocoa Sleigh Ride:
Adult: $23.00* (regular price $28)
Children 6-11 years old:$20.00* (regular price $25)
Children 3-5 years old:$10.00 (regular price $12)
Children 3 years and under: Free (regular price $6)

Dinner Sleigh Ride:
Angus steak, roasted chicken or poached Rocky Mountain trout, served with a fresh dinner salad, baked potato, ranch beans, garlic bread. Fruit cobbler with ice-cream for dessert.
Adult: $55.00 each or $50 per couple* (regular price $60)
Children 6-11: $40.00 (regular price $45)
Children 5 and under: $15.00 (regular price $15)
Children 5 and under also have the option to go without a dinner plate for free (normally $5)!

One Hour Trail Ride:
(offered as long as the weather permits).
$32.00 per person
No double riders, they highly suggest kids be at least eight years of age once we have snow on the ground.

If you have kids and want a day to get outside and see what Winter Park and Grand County is all about check out the horse-drawn sleigh rides from Sombrero Stables. Below is a short video of the sleigh and horses right before we stopped for out hot chocolate and marshmallow roasting break. Check it out!

Mary Jane Powder Skiing – Pine Cliffs

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park Resort Powder Skiing Video

Man, have we had the snow up here at Winter Park and Mary Jane. The Pineapple Express moisture pattern has dropped a bunch of snow on us here in the Colorado Rockies. Winter Park Resort’s snow totals for the year are above 125 inches and Santa hasn’t even been around to hand out his presents to the little girls and boys (and where are my new skis, Kringle?) The snow looks like it will be flying pretty much all through the new year. Yeaaaaahhh La Niña!

The above video above was shot over at Mary Jane after ten inches of snow the day before and another seven dropped as we were skiing. It was a spectacular day of skiing with most of the usual suspect locals out trying to find their own little private stash of un-skied powder. As they say – “no friends on a powder day”. Well, that’s not entirely true as it should be - “not many friends on a powder day, they do slow you down.”

The Mary Jane runs were the Pine Cliffs between Golden Spike/Arrowhead and Sleeper. The second part are the cliffs that run to skiers right of the Challenger lift (not sure what they are called).

As you can see by the credits I was following Mr. Ed Raegner of Tabernash, CO until he got a phone call from his mom and had to stop and take the call (is there a rule about calls from mom on a powder day?). That is ZB all dolled up in his Winter Park Lodging Company garb to start out the video. Music is by Mick and the boys on Loving Cup and Davis Allen Coe’s Jack Daniel’s if You Please.

As Mick so perfectly says “What a beautiful buzz”, I don’t think powder skiing Mary Jane could be described any better.

New Year’s Eve in Winter Park, Colorado

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park Resort New Year’s Eve

New Years Eve shall be here shortly, where are you going to celebrate the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011? Lots of activities to do up here in Winter Park, CO even after the lifts stop running. And this year New Year’s Eve is on Friday night (that gives you two days to sleep off the celebrating).

So here is what is happening for New Year’s Eve this year:

The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce New Years Celebration in Hideaway Park.

This family friendly celebration starts at 7PM and goes ’till 10PM. This New Year’s Eve Celebration is a community event that draws over 500 guests. The event has many facets that appeal to all ages. From late afternoon until evening, Hideaway Park bustles with family fun: free sledding, kid’s rails, music and hot chocolate to keep warm. A spectacular fireworks display add to the festivities.

New Year’s Eve at the Lodge at Sunspot

This special New Year’s Eve experience is the only dining experience of its kind in Winter Park, offering fine dining on-mountain at an elevation of 10,700 feet above sea level. The Lodge at Sunspot specializes in authentic Colorado cuisine paired with an extensive wine list.

Two options of unique dining are available, a buffet and a five course meal.

Five course fine dining served in the Sunspot Dining Room ($79.95 Adults / $39.95 Children 10 and under).
Sunspot’s Alpine Buffet is served in the Provisioner and is the perfect family option.

Buffet Menu ($59.95 Adults / $29.95 Children 10 and under):
Price includes gondola ride, buffet, non-alcoholic beverages, & dessert. Sales tax and gratuity will be added. Alcohol and specialty beverages are additional. Dinners at The Lodge at Sunspot are sell-out events, and reservations are required. Make your reservation early by calling 970.726.1446. Note: There is no midnight celebration at this event.

New Years Eve at Solvista Basin

The grand finale to the weeklong Solvista holiday celebration will be fireworks over Granby Ranch at dusk on New Year’s Eve. Cost for night skiing is $10/person; tubing is $11/person; or combo ticket is $18/person. Come ring in the New Year as well with the grand finale to the weeklong celebration of Winter Wonderland with a synchronized torchlight ski down and spectacular fireworks over Granby Ranch.

Winter Park Restaurant Celebrations

Deno’s Mountain Bistro - Now taking reservations for New Years and the Christmas holidays. Check out the band Roots and Rythm for New Years, it’s going to be a PARTY!

Tabernash Tavern – Great food and great atmosphere in beautiful downtown Tabernash

Winter Park Sushi Bar & Steakhouse – Sushi is good in a party atmosphere with great bartenders and waitstaff. Shouls be a great time on New Year’s Eve.

Devil’s Thumb Ranch – Two great restaurants and one of the most beautiful place to visit in Grand County. Will be a great place for and extra special meal on New Years.

So there is so much to do her in Winter Park for New Year’s Eve. Do remember tough no drinking and driving! Leave the driving up to up to the Valley Taxi guys.

Powder Day at Winter Park Resort

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Chris

Powder Skiing at Winter Park and Mary Jane

The snow has been just unbelievable so far at Winter Park this year. And with all that fluffy white comes the oh so awesome powder days of skiing. Since we have so much early snow it has allowed us to get out fairly often and check out the conditions. Grade A is what we give Winter Park and Mary Jane this year.

The video was shot in early December after about seven inches of new snow. The light wasn’t the greatest but the skiing was phenomenal. After spending the morning over on Mary Jane we headed for the un-skied tracks over in the trees at Vasquez Ridge. Aces & Eights trees are what we are skiing and man it was fresh pow turn after fresh pow turn. A truly unbelievable day was had on the slopes.

Skiers in the video are yours truly and my buddy Mr. Steve Worth. The song Negative Attitude (some may say that describes me to a T) is from an old favorite, Lloyd Cole, off the Negatives album. demo skies were provided by Epic Mountain Sports, the finest ski fitters in all of Grand County. I was skiing the Rossignol S86′s and they were just about perfect for the day.

If you are looking for some small stashes of fresh late on a powder day, head over to Vasquez Ridge. It takes some effort to get over there but you will be rewarded with some hidden powder in the trees and usually no snowboarders as the run out usually has them shying away. Vasquez Ridge is served by the Propspector lift and at the top are some of the best views you can get ov the Town of Winter Park and The Fraser Valley. That is Sarah, the hotty, below taking in the view from the top of Prospector.

There is snow falling now outside the window here in WP, so it may just be another powder day tomorrow.

vasquez ridge skiing at Winter park

Best Snow in Colorado? Winter Park Resort – Of Course

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Chris

Powder Skiing Winter Park, Colorado

The snow gods have been very kind to Winter Park so far this year, maybe kinder to Winter Park than any other Colorado ski resort than Steamboat. That is nothing new to Winter Park and Mary Jane though as WP and MJ have the highest average snowfall of any destination resort in Colorado. Yes, Silverton Mountain may get more fluffy white as does Wolf Creek but, hey, those aren’t destination resorts.

The world is starting to take notice of our abundant snowfall this year also, as we are mentioned in The Denver Post article by Scott Willoughby.

Here is what Scott had to say about our little mecca of skiing here in Winter Park:

Winter Park: Another northern beneficiary, Grand County never seems to have a problem keeping winter cool. That’s 360 inches of cold smoke a year, preserved for your pleasure.

We were a bit shy of that 360 inch average last year but this year is looking like a 400 to 450 inches of snow year. I should knock on wood with that challenge to the snow gods. The snow should keep on coming WP’s way if the La Niña weather pattern holds as is forecast to through the 2012 ski season. Little La Niña favors the Northern Colorado ski resorts and Winter Park/Mary Jane and Steamboat have some of the best snow in the state to prove it.

So, if you are looking to get some great powder days in this year head on up to Winter Park and Mary Jane to find the best snow in all of Colorado.

Christmas in Winter Park, Colorado

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Chris

Christmas eve in winter park co Christmas Celebration at Winter Park Resort

The holidays are here and it is time to decide what are you going to do on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Well if you are lucky enough to be up here in Winter Park, Colorado you are sure to have a great Christmas celebration.

To start your Christmas eve off there is the torchlight parade down the ski hill that is pictured to the left. At the bottom the word “Noel” is spelled out in flame. The event begins with Christmas carols around the bonfire at the base of Winter Park Resort, next to the Zephyr Lift at 4pm. At 5:30pm, a procession of torch-bearing skiers head down Lower Hughes trail, followed by Santa Claus and the elves. Then a spectacular fireworks display and snowcats adorned with Christmas colors light up the slopes in a Christmas tree formation to conclude the festivities. Immediately following the show at 6:00pm, guests are welcome to attend Christmas Eve interdenominational services located in the lower level of the Balcony House and Catholic Church services located in West Portal Level 4. Services are scheduled to last about an hour.

If you are heading out to the torchlight ski down plan to get there early as the base is jumping with people and holiday spirit. Follow the Christmas service with a bite to eat at the Cheeky Monk, Deno’s or the new Pizza Pedel’r.

What to do after all the Christmas Presents are opened? Ski, of course! There is no better way than spend the Christmas Day than on the slopes of Winter Park and Mary Jane. The skiers are few (especially if you head over to the East side of Mary Jane) and the way the snow has been this year you will probably be skiing some fresh powder. To spend the day outside on Christmas is dreamy. You can even sit by the fire up at Sunspot Lodge and enjoy a hot toddy or, heck it’s Christmas, a beer and a shot.

To spend Christmas in Winter Park, CO is a dream and blessing. Get outside and celebrate.

Winter Park Resort Snow Report

Posted on December 12, 2010 by Chris

winter park snow report Snowfall in Winter Park, Colorado

Boy oh boy, have we had a great year for snow so far this year. This little La Niña weather pattern has been very nice to Winter Park and Mary Jane. Last year the Mary Jane side of the mountain didn’t open until December 24th. This year pretty much the entire mountain is open besides the runs served by the Eagle Wind lift are open over the entire resort.

Here is the snow report for today and the year:

NEW WINTER PARK RESORT SNOW (IN INCHES)
24 HRS	48 HRS	72 HRS	SEASON
2″	7″	8″	95.6″

That is almost 100 inches of snow and it’s not even mid-December. This is setting up to be one of the best snow years in a long while. It seems we are getting a new storm system coming through every two or three days. The La Nina SST pattern (strong) is here for the winter, through possibly the season following (through 2012). This usually means near to just above average snowfall for northern Colorado resorts and near to just below average snowfall for southern Colorado resorts.

Come on up to Winter Park and Mary Jane and ski the Colorado’s number one destination resort for snow. Let the Winter Park Lodging Company take care of all your lodging, Winter Park Resort lift tickets and ski/board rental needs.

You can also follow all the Winter Park, Colorado happenings at:

Winter Park Blog

Winter Park Lodging Blog

Winter Park Lodging Company Facebook Page

Let it snow, let snow, let it snow.

What to Wear on Your Winter Park, CO Ski Trip

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Valarie

Nothing can ruin a great day on the slopes like being as cold as a freeze-pop. Believe me; I’ve learned the importance of dressing properly, as I’m usually hard to keep warm even when I’m not snowboarding. Jeans and cotton clothing are no longer part of the equation; plus, if you caught wearing jeans on the slopes these days, you may fall victim to snickering from the locals. Take a look at some some tips on what to wear on your ski trip to Winter Park.

Brrrrrrr. Stay warm to ski all day long.

HEAD, HANDS & FEET

Keep in mind that the biggest areas of the body that drain heat are the head, the hands and the feet. Keeping these areas warm is your biggest priority. For your head, wear a helmet. Wearing a helmet not only protects you from injury, but it keeps your body’s furnace nice and toasty.

WICKING AWAY FOR WARMTH

Probably the most important tip for staying warm is staying dry. Wicking materials such as wool and synthetic blends (like Under Armour) will keep moisture away from your skin, whereas cotton soaks up moisture that may eventually turn to ice on your body. Wicking materials keep you dryer, and therefore, much warmer. I personally love a great pair of thick wool socks or two thin pair of wool socks.

LOVE THE LAYERS

Rather than wearing your thickest knit sweater under your thickest winter coat, it’s recommended that you wear a couple of thin layers. A waterproof “shell” that goes over a fleece is great instead of a heavy coat. Under the fleece, wear a thin polyester shirt. You can then remove the fleece if you start to burn up and sweat too much. Long underwear made of a synthetic blend material are great under a waterproof pair of ski pants.

DRESS JUST A LITTLE COLD TO STAY WARM

Say hmmm? Think of it this way: if you’re already burning up in your ski attire before you even hit the lift, you’re going to sweat yourself into a shivering frenzy after you make a few runs. You want to be just a teeny bit cool outside before you start turning, so you’ll be perfectly warm after your body heat kicks up from exertion. If the weather is exceptionally cold or windy, you should be at just a comfortable temperature in your ski gear before hitting the slopes.

GLOVES OR MITTENS? THAT IS THE QUESTION…

No matter what, you need to cover your hands. A pair of waterproof gloves is good, but even better are mittens. Mittens keep your fingers together so they collectively keep each other warmer by sharing body heat. One of my biggest challenges in all my years of snowboarding was having cold hands, until I found a great pair of North Face mittens filled with down. I’ve never had cold hands on the slopes since.

FOR WINDY & SNOWY DAYS

Balaclavas. Face Masks. Scarves. Anything to protect your face from the wind and snow is a HUGE help, especially when you’re on the lift. A Balaclava is great because it has a built in face cover connected to a cap that you can tuck back in if you don’t need it anymore.

AHMs (ARTIFICIAL HEAT MAKERS)

You can pick up heat packets at most ski shops around town and the Safeway in Fraser. These little things heat up when you squeeze them and are great to stuff into your mittens or boots. You can even go all out and buy fancy equipment like jackets or pants with built in battery packs that heat up if you want, but be prepared to spend a pretty penny.

MORE TIPS

Consider getting a locker and storing some dry clothes if you get too sweaty and cold. Also be sure to PROTECT yourself from the elements. You need to wear goggles or sunglasses and sunscreen even if it’s not sunny. And water, water, water. We cannot stress the importance of staying hydrated at our high altitude. For tips on how to avoid high altitude sickness, click here.

NEED TO GET NEW STUFF? WHERE?

As you were reading this, you may have come up with a long list of things you need. It can really add up, can’t it? Fortunately, you can rent a ski jacket and ski pants from our partner Epic Mountain Sports. They have tons of stuff, from size 2 toddler to adult 6X. The price is $15 per day to rent a jacket or ski pants alone or $25 per day to rent both a ski jacket and pants. They rent helmets for $5 per day, too.

Epic Mountain Sports also has great deals on ski and snowboard rentals for our guests. Save 20% for ski rentals as low as $18 per day when you book online from our exclusive booking link. Also, as our VIP Partner, our guests get 15% off all regular-priced retail purchases when you present our VIP Guest Discount Card to them at the time of purchase.

Where to Demo Skis in Winter Park, CO

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park, CO Ski Demos

Are you looking to buy new skis or snowboard? I have been in the process the last few weeks and the whole experience has been so fun. Demoing skis is the way to go. When you demo skis you take out different brands and models and check out how the ski feels to you up on the ski hill. I have been working with Epic Mountain Sports here in Winter Park and it has been a blast.

Here is how Epic Mountain Sports Demo then Buy program goes:

Each demo day is $30.00
The $30.00 is deducted from price of skis/bindings when you buy your skis

This is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. I have demoed 4 pairs of skis so far and all ski very different and all have been a blast to ski. There are so many different nuances going on with skis nowadays. There is the traditional stiffness and flexibility, the width of ski underfoot related to width at tip and tail, rocker vs camber, twin tip or no twin tip and on and on. Many different skis that behave differently and perform in complete unlike ways in varying conditions. In the three ski adds above where all three (Olin, K2, Rossignol) skis look and act the same is a thing of the past. This would sound rather complex and it can be but it has been such a blast getting to know each ski up at Winter Park Resort. If I could just demo skis all year long I would be happy.

The guys in Epic have been great. The two Ryans, Ben, Chad and owner Katherine all rock. Take your pick of models from Volkl, Rossignol, Dynastar, K2, Nordica and Icelantic. The techs at Epic know the equipment and know the mountain and will help you pick something fun for you to try. Ask them about the new “rocker/early rise” technology in the new skis.

Needing new skis? Get to demoing with Epic and make an informed buy and have some fun doing it.

Learning to ski at Winter Park Resort

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Chris

Skiing with Children in Winter Park, CO

Where was the first place that you skied? What was your favorite run as child? Well pretty much all my childhood memories of skiing are right here in Winter Park, Colorado. My oldest brother, David, would take me and my two other older brothers, Matthew & Stephen, and slog us up the hill and try to ski down with me between his legs. David is now up for sainthood. Even though I remember it being very hard and sometimes cold the biggest memory is of how incredibly fun it was to get out on the slopes on snow and shuush down the hill. Probably just a convenient memory because at four I was definitely not shuushing.

Anywho, it is time for me to pay back the teaching. We have been taking our twin boys, Nicholas & Willem, out to the teaching areas at Winter Park and Mary Jane and man what a kick they are getting out it. The above video is of Mom and Nicholas hitting Discovery Park. After a few runs at Mt. Maury we took Nicholas up the Gemini and let him get after some skiing. we then went back down and Nicholas fell in love with the magic carpet and trying to do pizza with his skis. The edgy-wedgy helps a lot with the young kids keeping the skis together.

At the end of the day we met up with Teddy, Niko and Theo for some french fries, PB & J and some nice sunshine. We will be heading out this weekend with both Nicholas & Willem and those two will be rippen’ up the slopes. A couple more trips to Winter Park and Mary Jane and the little tykes will be ready for Winter Park Ski School.

learn to ski winter park colorado skiing with kids at Winter Park mary jane