Escape the Heat! Head for the Mountains!

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Amy

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With the summer temperatures rising in Denver, wouldn’t it be great to head over the pass and breathe some cool mountain air? Thanks to all the rain in June, things are greener than ever up here. Come up to enjoy some outdoor music, a craft show, or the rodeo. You can also hike, bike, or boat any day of the week. We’d be happy to find the perfect Winter Park lodging for you whether it’s a condo by the river, a townhome on the lake, or a private home nestled in the woods. Give us a call, 877.329.1383!

Gas Prices are $1.50 Lower than Last Summer–Get to Winter Park

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Amy

gas-tank Fill up your tank and head to the mountains. Winter Park and the Fraser Valley are full of great activites! Come hike thousands of trails, bike 600 miles of terrrain, raft raging rivers, or just grab a bite to eat and enjoy the cool mountain air and the warm mountain sunshine. We have great lodging deals, almost as cheap as your tank of gas. In these tight economic times this is a great affordable vacation. And hey, it gets the family out in the fresh air as well. According to Denvergasprices.com, the average gallon of gas is $2.36, down from $3.91 a year ago. Give us a call to book your mountain get away today, 877.329.1383.

The Fishing in Grand County is about to be Great!

Posted on July 5, 2009 by Amy

With all the rain, the fishing hasn’t been that great for the last month. There have been heavy hatches, muddy water, and fast flows. That’s all about to change. Now that the rain has let up, conditions will improve rapidly as the water levels start to drop. Fishing will be great in both the lakes and on the rivers. The boys at Mo Henry’s Trout Shop, located in Fraser, will be happy to “hook” you up with your supplies and guided trips. Winter Park Lodging Company has a condo for you right on the Fraser River or near the fishing pond. So no matter if you prefer a worm or a fly, get up here to catch a big one.

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Fraser Rodeo is Tons of Fun! And Just 5 minutes from Winter Park

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Amy

The High Country Stampede Rodeo is revving up for the summer, starting Saturday, July 4th in Fraser. If you’ve never been, you need to go. Locals love it as much as the tourists. Afterall, it doesn’t get any more western than a rodeo. The junior events start at 4pm and include barrel racing, goat tying, team roping and more. The main event starts at 7pm and entertains the audience with rodeo-clown1 everything from mutton bustin’, my favorite, to bull riding.

The Chuckwagon is open for dinner with fantastic bar-b-q provided by Sage Brush of Grand Lake.

Tickets are just $10/adult and $8/kids and mark your calendars for July 18th and August 16th, both are Family Nights at the Rodeo when kids are FREE!

To get to the rodeo, take a left at the red light in Fraser, go under the railroad bridge and bear right onto Fraser Valley Parkway through the meadow, then turn left left onto Mill Avenue. The rodeo will be about a mile down on your right. Remember to bring something soft to sit on, those wooden bleachers are even hard on a bull riders bottom.

New European Cuisine Restaurant in Fraser

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Amy

We got some “togo” food from the new European restaurant, “Mestar”, in Fraser, next to ALCO. The owner, Joyha, along with his wife and children, have just opened their doors this past weekend. They are serving a variety of European dishes. We tried the Russian stuffed cabbage, mushroom ravioli, chicken and rice, and the chicken falafel. Everything was good, but I especially enjoyed the stuffed cabbage, the sauce was tasty. The servings were a good size and the price is affordable. Eat at the restaurant, or take out by calling 970-726-7121.

Disc Golf Courses are Open in Winter Park

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Amy

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Haven’t tried “Disc Golf”? You really should. The object of the game is to throw small discs, similar to Frisbees, at a Disc Pole, also known as a basket or catcher(see photo to left) around 18 holes. Sound easy? Not at all. You will need a variety of discs, including a driver, an all purpose mid-range, and a putter, in addition to some finesse. It is similar to traditional golf, in that you are out in the fresh air taking a nice walk. The Fraser Valley boasts 2 fantastic courses, one at Winter Park Resort, and the other at Snow Mountain Ranch, YMCA of the Rockies.

· Snow Mountain Ranch Disc Course—This course is free and easy to access. It winds through the hungry pine trees. Be careful, they’ll eat your discs right up. Every hole pleases players with beautiful views of the mountains. With 16 of the 18 holes under 400 ft, this course is great for all ages and skill levels.

· Winter Park Resort Disc Course— A lift ticket and your discs are all you need to play this high altitude course. With the course set between 10,425’ and 10, 925’, this will most likely be the highest round of disc golf you will ever play. Once you catch your breath, you will enjoy majestic views of the divide and the valley below. This is more of a course for intermediate to expert players, with 11 of the 18 holes over 400’, 3 of which are over 900’.

Pole Creek is Looking Great!

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Amy

I cut out of work early yesterday, don’t tell the boss, and headed to Pole Creek for a fantastic 9 holes of golf. The greens were playing very well, not too fast, and everything is green and in great shape. We rode the Ridge and ran into another twosome of locals who joined us. Twilight is the best time to go. The rates are low, and the weather was amazing. We watched a rain storm cross a far hill and we were rewarded with a gorgeous summer double rainbow. We checked out the new clubhouse on the 19th hole, WOW! What a change. Pole Creek is partnering with WPLCO and offering our guests 10% off greens fees. Book your Winter Park Lodging and golf together and save $$$.

Great Source for Wedding Planning in Winter Park

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Valarie

A wedding in Winter Park is spectacular. People come from all over the country to get hitched with the beauty of the Continental Divide as their backdrop. A wedding and a vacation in one, cool! But, planning a destination wedding has got to be a bit more challenging than a wedding in your home town, I’d think, since you’re not as familiar with the resources you are familiar with at home.

If you’re looking for a one-stop site to help you with all of the resources you need in planning your wedding there is a site for you - called GrandCountyWeddings.com. It is a really cool website with tons of resources for planning a wedding in Winter Park and other Grand County Locations.

GrandCountyWeddings.com lists sources for rental equipment, florists, caterers, restaurants for large groups, wedding sites, photographers, musicians and much more, specifically for Winter Park and Grand County…. So, there’s really no need to surf the net for days, sifting through hundreds of websites to find what you need for a wedding in Winter Park. Hopefully this is help for a bride or two out there….

Free Taxi Service in Winter Park on Thursdays!

Posted on May 16, 2009 by Valarie

Valley Taxi is now offering FREE taxi rides on Thursday evenings for the spring. From 7pm to 2am, you can get a ride anywhere in Winter Park and Fraser for free – just tip your driver so they can continue to offer this free service throughout the summer.

This is perfect for the free Thursday night concerts in Hideway Park and for going out for a few cocktails after the show with your friends. Just call 970-726-4940 to get a ride and check out their website for information about Valley Taxi.

Winter Park Spring Splash 09

Posted on April 22, 2009 by Chris

Dance, Dance, Dance

The C-lot at the base of Mary Jane once again did not disappoint on the last day of the season. Affectionately known as “Splash” – the alternative to the official Spring Splash at the base of Winter Park (sponsored by Coca-Cola), all of the locals and Winter Park diehards dress in their best costume and hang out for the afternoon in the parking lot.

We put our shoes and food in a friend’s car the night before which was already parked in the c-lot. We arrived that night to find bonfires and camper vans filled with the true diehards. We on the other hand slept in our homes, skied in the morning (with a wig and Steelers jersey) and arrived to celebrate a great season by 1pm.

I actually skied in this

The photo opportunities were endless so we’ll be posting more this month. It turned out to be another gorgeous last day of ski season and this time with tons of powder to boot!