Winter Park Resort Ski Hill Hours

 
 

Spring Skiing Winter Park CO
New Spring Skiing Hours Winter Park

Starting April 9th, Winter Park Resort will have new hours of operation. In order to use Mother Nature to our fullest advantage, the lifts will start and end one hour later in the day, providing the best ski experience possible for the rest of the ski season.

New Winter Park and Mary Jane Lift Operation Hours (effective 4/9/12):
Monday – Friday: Open 10:00 AM and Close 5:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: Open 9:30 AM and Close 5:00 pm

Why is Winter Park making this change?

Snow Conditions and Guest Experience! Given the range of temperatures between day and night and thaw/freeze conditions, Winter Park is making this shift to allow an extra hour in the morning for snow to soften, and an extra hour in the afternoon when the light is good and snow is softer. By taking advantage of afternoon light provided by daylight savings time, this will  improve the on-snow experience.

Telluride Ski Resort initiated a later start and later close a couple of weeks ago and it has been a very popular decision according to Telluride.

In addition, this will allow us an extra hour to sleep in and enjoy the benefits of daylight savings time – including enjoying a leisurely breakfast and some nice late-day snacks and beverages at one of the many bars with sunny deck seating at Winter Park and Mary Jane!

With new spring hours and great weather you should book your Winter Park ski lodging now for some great spring skiing!  Check out the best Winter Park Vacation Rentals with Winter Park Lodging Company.

Winter Park CO Spring Skiing

 
 
Winter Park Mary Jane spring skiing deals

Photo by Scott Hefel

Spring Skiing Winter Park Mary Jane

The weather is starting to warm up some here Winter Park and we are in our snowiest month of the year, March. This means that the famous Colorado spring skiing is knocking at the door.

With the slow start of the snow falling this year this should can we will be getting great snow from mid March thru the very end of April and probably beyond into May.  Not a great thing to hear for a mountain bike perspective but it should make for some of the best spring skiing conditions in years.

Spring is the best time of year to visit Winter Park Mary Jane Resort.  The skies are blue and there is nothing more fun than Après on the patio of Lunch Rock or Club Car on the Jane side.

Lodging at Winter Park Resort is a great deal come April and most of the crowds are staying down in the lowlands.  For those wanting to get the best skiing of the year spring is the time to head up to Winter Park.

The Winter Park Spring Splash is April 22 this year of 2012 and that is a day not to be missed.  Usually great skiing and some of the best snow of the year should be around if things go as they have the last few years.  March is the snowiest month here in WP and April is usually the third snowiest month of the year so there is always plenty of good skiing come springtime.

Check out the Winter Park Resort Lodging Lodging Deals and book now to get your first pick on your Mary Jane spring skiing vacation lodging digs.

Powder Addiction Backcountry Cat Skiing

 
 

Cat Skiing in Winter Park, CO

Who out there is a skiing junky? We have the fix for you powder junky.  Powder Addiction Backcountry Cat Skiing is the skiing drug you are looking for.  Powder Addiction operates on Jones Pass on the East side of Berthoud Pass and runs daily snowcat skiing trips.

Powder Addiction offers guided snowcat skiing and riding for the powder addict. The terrain consist of high alpine bowls, gladed meadows, rock bands, open chutes and gullies. The high altitude combined with good Northern exposure keeps the snow cold and light. Operating in the Jones Pass area with an operating permit of 2,600 acres, there is the powder, vertical and adventure for an epic powder experience. Holding true to powder addiction trips are run seven days a week.

All Powder Addiction cat ski trips include transportation to and from the Village at Winter Park, powder demo skis, safety gear, lunch, and 2 free beers at the end of the day, compliments of Steamworks Brewery.

The above was a trip of Winter Park locals and a couple of Winter Park Lodging Company staffers playing a day of hooky.  It was a little windy for the ski trip but boy was there some fantastic un-skied powder.  The guides at Powder Addition know how to get un-skied fresh powder shots while offering a safe and fun trip.  In the video above you can see the small avalanche that went before our ski crew hit that slope.

If you have any inclination to do any backcountry skiing you should look into a cat trip with PA.  An amazing ski will be had and it is such a different skiing experience than can be a had at Winter Park/Mary Jane ski resort.

Looking for lodging and a deal on your Powder Addiction trip? Make sure to book your Winter Park ski lodging with Winter Park Lodging Company.  And also book your Powder Addiction trip with WPLCo to get the best deal through our EasySki concierge service.

Check out the Powder Addiction website to get the lowdown.

Epic Mountain Sports – Ski and Board Rentals in Winter Park, CO

 
 

Winter Park Co ski rentals Epic Mountain

Ski Equipment Rentals – Winter Park, Colorado

Epic Mountain Sports has great selection of ski and snowboard packages for every ability and every budget. Their experienced techs will inquire about your ski experience and ability and determine what you are looking to accomplish and then pick out the right skis for you. Epic will also take plenty of time to fit your boots properly–the first time. Nothing can ruin a ski vacation quicker than a pair of ill fitting boots.

The techs and owners at Epic remember their first ski trip, so if you are new to skiing, they will give you plenty of pointers and information, make sure you have all the right clothing and accessories so you will have a great time and want to come back to Winter Park again and again. (just they did for us)

If this is not your first time and you are looking to advance to the next level or just want to try something different, the Epic techs will pick out just the right ski or snowboard to get you to the next level of fun.

Wanting to your skiing or boarding up a level?

Epic Mountain Sports has a great selection of new demo skis and snowboards for you to try. They have all-mountain, powder skis, front-side carvers, twin tips for the park & pipe, mid-fats, mogul skis, and backcountry. Of course all of these skis come in women specific models too.

Epic has some of the most knowledgeable ski techs in the Winter Park area and also the best ski selection.

Check out the Winter Park Lodging Company’s VIP Discount Card to get an exclusive WPLCo discount.

Make life easy on yourself and use Epic for your ski and board rentals this season.

Winter Park Lodging Company VIP Discount Card

 
 

discounts Winter Park CO

Winter Park VIP Discount Cards

We’ve sweetened our VIP Deals this winter to give you even sweeter savings all over town. As a guest of Winter Park Lodging Company, you’ll enjoy a total of 16 exclusive deals for dining, shopping, activities & more.
It’s simple: once you arrive to your lodging in Winter Park, you’ll find a VIP Deals Card on a lanyard. Wear or carry it with you to the businesses on the card for great discounts. See a few highlights, below, or check out all VIP Deals on our website now.
  • Deno’s Mountain Bistro -  free dessert with bottle of wine purchase.
  • Epic Mountain Sports - 20% off walk-in rentals & 15% off non-sale retail items.
  • Powder Addiction - 10% off SnowCat ski tours when booked with EasySki.
  • Elevation Pizza - order any pizza at regular price, get 2nd at 50% off.
  • Grand Adventures - save 15% on snowmobile tours or rentals.
  • PLUS - discounts for massage, yoga, dog-sled rides and more.
Now there are more reasons than ever to book with Winter Park Lodging Company. We have the best and newest lodging the Winter Park area with over 50 units at the Winter Park Resort Base at Zephyr Mountain Lodge, Fraser Crossing and Founders Point.
And with the new EasySki service getting on the ski hill could not be easier or more convenient.  Boot fitters come to you condo for fitting and we will deliver your lift tickets to your front door.  That would be the reason it is called EasySki because we are trying to make it EASY.  Book with Winter Park Lodging Company to get the most out of your ski vacation.

Winter Park Resort Ski and Board Demo Fest

 
 

Ski demos in Winter Park CO

Ski and Snowboard Demos in Winter Park, CO

Wanting to check out the latest skis and snowboards on the market this year?  Well, there is not a better way to check out the new offering than at Winter P{ark Resort on December 3.

This years’ Ski & Snowboard Demo Fest is a one-day event featuring some of the best manufacturers in the industry, giving you a chance to try their new equipment for the 2011-2012 season. A variety of manufacturers will be on-hand to introduce guests to new products. This is a free demo located at the base of the Zephyr Mountain Express lift.

To participate, participants must be 18 years or older with a valid driver’s license, or under 18 with parental consent. Registration is from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., and all participants must register in order to demo equipment. For more details contact Winter Park Resort Guest Services at 970-726-1564.

Demos can be taken out in 1-hour increments only, and 2:30 p.m. is the cut-off for the last demo.

Companies participating include Fortitude, Head, Icelantic, K2 Skis, Liberty Skis, Ramp Sports, Salomon, Vertical Skis, Flow, K2 Snowboards and Never Summer.

Also, if you are looking at new equipment here in Winter Park we recommend either Epic Mountain Sports or Winter Park Base Rentals for your demo packages.  Winter Park Base Rentals has very good demo skis at the Mountain Adventure Center (MAC) which is on the ground level of the Zephyr Mountain Lodge.

Demo-ing skis is the way to go to purchase skis, and a great time checking them all out. You are able to see what ski, boots and snowboards work best for you.

Winter Park Lodging Company YouTube Channel

 
 
YouTube Winter Park Lodging Company
Winter Park Lodging Company now has it’s own YouTube Channel. Want to see all of our latest ski and mountain biking videos to get you psyched up for your coming trip look no further than the WPLCo YouTube Channel.  Also, on the channel you will find tours of our properties to really see the vacation rental that you will be staying at on your trip to Winter Park, Colorado.
We have about 62 videos on the channel so far with lots of skiing at Winter Park and Mary Jane and even a couple of days with Powder Addiction on Jones Pass.  The ski videos are all from last year but we are expecting another bonanza La Nina year.  So, look for some good powder skiing with some new ski shots from our new additions to the Winter Park Lodging Company staff, Bill & Conor, affectionately known as the B C boys.
Last year one of our ski videos was picked up by the Weather Channel and was played nationwide for two days.  Star of that almighty ski video was none other than WP local Ed.  Check out the now famous Pine Cliff skiing at Mary Jane below:

You can also find on the, hopefully in the near future, famous Winter Park Lodging Company YouTube Channel are Winter Park, Colorado mountain bike videos.  Some fun stuff on the 600 or so miles of mountain bike trails we have surrounding WP.  Here is a trip down Winter Park Lodging Company favorite Broken Thumb and Twisted Ankle:

Looking to see some Winter Park/Mary Jane ski and mountain bike footage subscribe to the Winter Park Lodging Company YouTube Channel.

If you would like to come and enjoy our ski runs and mountain bike hills check out the Winter Park Lodging Company vacation rentals.

Winter Park Resort #14 in Ski Magazine

 
 

Top 15 Ski North American Ski Resorts: Winter ParkBest Ski resort North America

The Ski Magazine ski resort rankings are out and Winter Park Resort was one of the big winners.  Ski magazine does their yearly resort rankings each October and this years rankings has Deer Valley, Utah as #1 and Vail as #2.

Winter Park Resort came in at #14 this year. Winter Park/Mary Jane jumped 8 spots in SKI Mag’s rankings to #14! The most moves out of all the North American ski resorts.

Down-to-earth feel. Nicely quiet at night. Serious skiing in the day! Winter Park Lodging Company couldn’t have said it better. With pluses of, Local favorite with a neighborly feel.  And minuses of, Village and town lacking in dining and après ski.  

On the minus notes we are getting new and better restaurants here in Winter Park.  No, it is not Vail but who really wants that?  As Ski Magazine said, Serious skiing in the day!  Friendly locals and skiing that is what Winter Park, Colorado is about.  Ski goes on about this a little bit: You still won’t find the dining or shopping that other Colorado resorts are known for, but there’s a sense of community here that you won’t find at those resorts either. Employees eagerly point you in the right direction or grab a wagon to haul your gear around the base— not because they have to, but because they want to.

Well sign me up, all skiing no pretension and friendly locals…. that sounds like a ski vacation.  And yes this is Winter Park/Mary Jane, the #1 Colorado destination resort for snowfall.  You can have the fur coats, the snooty lifties and all the shenanigans that Vail and Breckenridge throw at you. Give me my bumps, powder and tree skiing at Mary Jane and I will leave with a smile on my face.

So thank you Ski Magazine, finally someone is seeing the light, Winter Park Resort: a gem of a ski vacation destination.

Check out the complete top 20 North American Ski Resorts from Ski Magazine.

Warren Miller in Winter Park, CO: Like There’s No Tomorrow

 
 

Like There’s No Tomorrow in Winter Park, COLike there's no tomorrow Winter Park CO

The annual Warren Miller ski film show dates are out.  The Warren Miller movie is the unofficial start of ski season here in Colorado and this years movie will be showing November 3rd, 2011.

Winter Park, Colorado Showtime

Silver Screen Cinema
78415 Highway 40, Winter Park, Colorado

Showtimes

Thursday, November 3, 2011 – 6:00pm
Thursday, November 3, 2011 – 9:00pm
Warren Miller Entertainment brings you its 62nd winter sports film, Warren Miller’s . . . Like There’s No Tomorrow. Hosted by skiing icon Jonny Moseley and shot on location in India, New Zealand, Chile, British Columbia and beyond, . . . Like There’s No Tomorrow is your annual reminder that winter is on its way and, with it, four months of an adrenaline-fueled dance with gravity. Featuring world-class athletes, like Chris Davenport, Colby West and Julia Mancuso, Warren Miller films attract a cult-like following and mark the official start of winter for sports enthusiasts everywhere. Check www.warrenmiller.com for details.
Tickets are $17 at Ski Depot and the Silver Screen Cinema box office.
Winter Park is the third stop of the this years Warren Miller tour after Steamboat and Aspen.
Check out the …Like There’s No Tomorrow teaser and if this does not get you stoked t ski…. well, maybe you are not a skier.
Winter Park Resort opens for ski season November 16 and Powder Addiction will start running snowcat trips sometime in December.
Sooooo lets put the trail maps in the freezer, do the snow dance and lets get ready for ski season.

Exercise to Prepare for Ski Season if You Don’t Ski Winter Park Resort

 
 

Ski Prep for those NOT coming to Winter Park ResortColorado ski exercise

We have a bit of a comical exercise program for all those that are planning to ski somewhere other than Winter Park Resort.  While skiing can be a trying endeavor for all it is much more convenient and easier on the wallet here at Winter Park Resort.

SO if you plan on hitting the hills this year make sure you come to Winter Park, Colorado to avoid the exercise regimen below:

1. Visit your local butcher and pay $30 to sit in the walk-in freezer for a half an hour. Afterwards, burn two $50     dollar bills to warm up.

2. Soak your gloves and store them in the freezer after every use.

3. Fasten a small, wide rubber band around the top half of your head before you go to bed each night.

4. If you wear glasses, begin wearing them with glue smeared on the lenses.

5. Throw a hundred dollar bill away-now.

6. Find the nearest ice rink and walk across the ice 20 times in your ski boots carrying two pairs of  skis,  accessory bag and poles. Pretend you are looking for your car and sporadically drop things.

7. Place a small but angular pebble in your shoes, line them with crushed ice, and then tighten a C-clamp   around your toes.

8. Buy a new pair of gloves and immediately throw one away.

9. Secure one of your ankles to a bed post and ask a friend to run into you at high speed.

10. Go to McDonald’s and insist on paying $13.50 for a hamburger. Be sure you are in the longest line.

11. Clip a lift ticket to the zipper of your jacket and ride a motorcycle fast enough to make the ticket lacerate your face.

12. Drive slowly for five hours – anywhere – as long as it’s in a snowstorm and you’re following an 18 wheeler.

13. Fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray blast your face. Leave the ice on your face until it melts. Let it drip into your clothes.

14. Dress up in as many clothes as you can and then proceed to take them off because you have to go to the bathroom.

15. Slam your thumb in a car door. Don’t go see a doctor.

16. Repeat all of the above every Saturday and Sunday until it’s time for the real thing.

The real thing would be November 16th, 2011 at Winter Park Resort this year.  So book your lodging now with Winter Park Lodging Company and avoid the painful exercises above.