Winter Park Resort – Top Family Ski Destination/Resort

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Chris

family ski resort winter park co Winter PArk Resort best for family

Top Family Ski Destination Winter Park Ski Resort

The word is getting out not only about what a great ski destination Winter Resort is but also what a great place for families.

OnTheSnow.com has bestowed Winter Park/ Mary Jane the honor of being named the people’s choice award for Best Family Resort. That is right el numero uno! Best family resort in ……. everywhere.

With locals who care about skiing, having fun and caring for guests, Winter Park is a great place for a kid friendly ski vacation. That’s right we here in Winter Park aren’t about the fur coats, look at me aren’t I sooo cool attitude. No we are here to have a great time enjoy the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains and ski and learn to ski.

Nice work OnTheSnow.com and all those that voted. Winter Park is getting the praise it so strongly deserves.

Here is how the OnThe Snow folk describe WInter Park and Mary Jane:

Perfectly positioned next to the Continental Divide, Winter Park has the distinct advantage of being able to catch winter storms from nearly every direction. Western and southern storms get “trapped” by the Divide. Northern and eastern “upslope” storms often spread over the west side of the Divide and add to the snowpack. On average, Winter Park receives 369 inches of snow annually – a factor that has led to its long-held claim of being Denver’s favorite place to ski. Winter Park is actually owned by the city of Denver, but operated by Intrawest. The area is 67 miles from Denver. Though it is completely interconnected by lifts, it has separate base areas: Mary Jane and Winter Park. Mary Jane is where you’ll find the famous bumps and super-steeps. Advanced skiers favor the Zephyr Express on the Winter Park side.

We here at Winter Park Lodging Company know about this family ski business as you can see Mom and the WPLCo twin mascots above learning to ski. The terrain is perfect for kids to learn and dad and the older one’s have Mary Jane to get tucker’d out on. And don’t forget about our snow! We have lots, in fact, the most of any destination resort in all of Colorado and it stays around longer, it’s colder here.

Looking for the best family friendly ski destination, it is Winter Park Resort!

SolShine Music Festival – Winter Park, CO

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Chris

Winter Park Resort – SolShine Music Fest

The American Music Festival is making a return to Winter Park, Colorado, now called the Winter Park Solshine Music Festival. This may be in name only but it sure does bring back great memories of the American Music Fest held on the slopes of Winter Park Resort from the mid 19190′s to the early 2000′s. The AMF brought to Colorado some of the biggest and best music acts of the day and still some of the best know artists around . Check out the AMF concert poster to the right and see Widespread Panic, Brian Setzer and Ani DiFranco…. Wow, I wish we could get these artists back to Winter Park now!

The new SolShine Music Festival will be held in the Town of Winter Park at the Hideaway Park amphitheater and at Cooper Creek Square. The dates are July 16th and 17th, the weekend before the Winter Park Jazz Festival, another great week here in Winter Park for some live music.

Line-up for Winter Park Solshine Music Festival:

Saturday, July 16, 2011 – at Hideaway Park

The Subdudes – click here to listen
Punch Brothers – click here to listen
Trampled By Turtles – click here to listen
Elizabeth Cook – click here to listen
Blind Pilot – click here to listen

Sunday, July 17, 2011 (Cooper Creek Square)
Gregory Alan Isakov – click here to listen
Johan Wagner – click here to listen
Megan Burtt – click here to listen
Reed Foehl – click here to listen
Ramaya Soskin – click here to listen

Admission is free for general admission and $25 for VIP section in the restricted area at the front of the stage.

If you are looking to come up to the mountains this summer this is a wonderful time. Mountain biking is aplenty and the temperatures are perfect. There are no 100° Denver and Front Range summer days up her in Winter Park. Make your plans now to see some fun music and get up to the Rocky Mountains this summer. Let Winter Park Lodging Company make your trip fun and hassle free.

Winter Park Jazz Festival Lineup 2011

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Chris

jazz festival lineup winter park colorado Winter Park, Colorado Jazz Festival Artist Lineup

The artist lineup has been announced for the 2011 Winter Park Jazz Festival. This is the twenty sixth edition of the WP Jazz Festival and the lineup looks very, very good.

This year the festival is being held July 23rd and 24th and is the highlight of the Winter Park summer concert series. (Check out the poster for the tenth jazz festival to the left)

The 2011 Winter Park Jazz Festival Lineup

Saturday, July 23

OJay’s
Najee
Alex Bugnon with Special Guest Nelson Rangell
Dotsero

Sunday, July 24
Dave Koz
Will Downing
Arturo Sandoval
Hot 8 Brass Band

Tickets go on sale on April 1st at 9am. Call: 888-409-5974 for more information from the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.

Ticket and Package Pricing

Gold Circle Seating Package $100*

The Closest chair seating to stage available
A private entrance for Gold Circle Members
Lunch in the Private “Stage Left” tent including two beverages of your choice at the “Stage Left” bar
All day access to Stage Left Tent including a private cash bar
*$110 Day of Pricing

Plaza Party Seating Package $100*

Top level chair seating with shade coverage
A private entrance for Plaza Party Members
Lunch in the Private “Stage Left” tent including two beverages of your choice at the “Stage Left” bar or the Plaza Complex Private Bar
Access to Plaza Complex Cash Private Bar
All day access to Stage Left Tent including a private cash bar & access to an additional Private Cash Bar in Plaza Complex
*$110 Day of Pricing

VIP Seating Ticket $45*

Priority Chair seating close to stage
*$50 Day of Pricing

General Admission Ticket $35*

Lawn Seating
*$40 Day of Event

Get your Winter Park Jazz Festival lodging now for the preferred and closest digs. Don’t miss this years hottest summer concert in Winter Park , Colorado.

Winter Park Resort Closing Day 2011 Ski Season

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Chris

Closing Day Winter Park and Mary Jane

Winter Park’s closing day for this 2010/2011 ski season is a bit later than usual. WP will stay open through most of April, for hopefully some huge spring snow storms, and close on April 24th – Easter Sunday. That is right Winter Park will be open through almost all of April this year.

Best time to ski Winter Park/Mary Jane? That would be late March and April. Really April this year because so many schools spring breaks go into the first week of April. That means there are three weeks of blue sky, fresh powder, slopes to yourself skiing for those coming up to stay in April.

The last few years some of the best snow and best skiing has been on the very last weekend that Winter Park and Mary Jane was open. This year we have a whole extra week to let mother nature dump some fluffy white and give some blue skies for our skiing pleasure. And what a great way to celebrate Easter this year, skiing Mary Jane and heading to C lot for the end of ski season celebration, Winter Park Spring Splash.

The lodging is cheap, the snow is plentiful, and the skies are blue come up and stay with Winter Park Lodging Company and celebrate spring with some great spring skiing. In April of 2008/09 ski season we received 70 inches of snow when WInter Park Resort was open. That is 70 inches in 17 days that year! Lets do a snow dance and hope this year can repeat that snowfall.

Presidents Day Skiing at Winter Park and Mark Jane

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Chris

Winter Park Resort Ski Video

The busiest weekend of the year has come and gone but we have some video to commemorate Presidents Day weekend here in Winter Park and Mary Jane. The weather was absolutely fantastic for this years Pres. Day weekend with a bunch of new snow on Wed and Thurs before and blue sky sunny days all weekend long.

We had lots of guests here to enjoy the Winter Park Lodging Company’s digs and we even had some family visiting. Relatives from Minnesota way here to enjoy the three day weekend and they were very happy with the snow/weather conditions. Crowds were not that bad if you know how to travel Winter Park and Mary Jane and steep slopes with threes and boulders seems to keep the crowds down.

The above ski video is shot on Cheshire Cat, Pine Cliffs, and Buckaroo Trees. As you can see most of the skiing is on untracked lines with almost perfect weather. Skiing is done by Michael Allen and Mark Allen of Rochester, Minnesota. Camera work and skiing is by yours truly as is movie production and editing. So if you think the skiing and/or movie isn’t up to snuff leave your thoughts below.

This is our first movie created in Apple’s Final Cut so I’m just getting a handle on the complexity of this technology, almost like putting a machine gun in a toddlers hands. It may be a tad more power than is needed for our purpose but you can really create some cool videos. Music is an old, old favorite – Guadalcanal Diary from Athens, GA.

We have been doing quite a bit of skiing this past week with a Powder Addiction cat ski trip and have taken the Winter Park Lodging Company mascot twins to WP Resort a few time this past week. I will be working on a Powder Addiction video as well as a learning to ski at Winter Park video. I know Y’all are holding your breath. Anywho, stay tuned for some WPLCo skiing action.

And as Warren Miller says get out on the slopes because if you don’t do it this year you will only be another year older when you do.

SIA On Snow Ski and Ride Demo Fest, Winter Park Resort

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Chris

SIA on snow demo-fest Winterpark Winter Park, Colorado SIA Demo Fest

The Snow Industries of America Snow Show is returning to Denver and Winter Park the last week of January, 2011. This will be the second year that the SIA Demo-Fest is here at Winter Park Resort.

The 2011 Denver SIA Snow Show will be followed by the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest, January 31 & February 1 at Winter Park Resort (Alpine/Snowboard & Ski-Ride Fest) and Devil’s Thumb Ranch (Nordic). Over 150 brands are involved in this, two-day demo/ski-ride fest event complete with on-snow competitions: Uphill/Downhill Challenge and Office Booyz & Girlz Competition and a 2 Mile High BBQ at the Sunspot Lodge on Monday, January 31. The Nordic Demo begins Sunday, January 30, with a presentation on the Nordic Market Overview and Welcome Reception at 6:30P and a New Belgium Beer Dinner, Monday, January 31. In partnership with CCSAA (Cross Country Ski Areas Association) and in conjunction with WWSRA’s (Western Winter Sports Reps Association) Rocky Mountain Demo, this is where for the first time-globally, the market can try out the equipment and experience the latest technologies for ski, snowboard, AT, backcountry, cross country and snowshoe while mixing with their peers on the hill.

Last year was a great on snow demo at Winter Park Resort. There were many ski wear vendors giving out free gear and it was a very party-like atmosphere. Looking for SIA on snow demo-fest lodging? Winter Park Lodging Company still has some Winter Park Resort ski lodging available for Jane 31 and Feb 1.

If you are looking to just have a good time and hang around some ski industry and skier types head up to Winter Park and Mary Jane Ski Resorts for the SIA Snow Show Demo Fest.

Demo Skis at Winter Park Resort

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Chris

Mountain Adventure Center Winter Park CO ski demo sales Winter Park CO

Winter Park Resort Ski Rentals

Looking to demo some skis? Want to spend a day trying out some of the latest and greatest skis on the market? Winter Park Base Rentals and the Mountain Adventure Center offer some great demo skis and rentals and are very conveniently located in the Winter Park Resort Base.

We recently tried out a couple of pairs from the MAC (Mountain Adventure Center) and the staff was knowledgeable and very friendly. Charles was the man who steered me to a pair of Volkl Bridges that just screamed thru the trees and bumps and asked for more. Next day there was a bunch of powder and we took out a pair of the Salomon Shoguns for some great fun and a rippen ski that floated in the powder.

Check out the demo ski selection that they have at the MAC. The staff must get to ski these skis because they knew exactly what ski would be best for that particular days snow conditions. My favorites so far this year are the Rossignol S86, the above mentioned Salomon Shogun and the Rossignol S3. all are great skis that want to rip up the mountain. The demo package is about $50 a day and is well worth it especially if you are looking to purchase a pair of skis. One of the best ways to do the demo package is take out a pair in the morning and at lunch come back down and try out another pair. The MAC will let you switch out the demos to get a feel for the some different skis.

The Mountain Adventure Center is conveniently located in the Zephyr Mountain Lodge Riverside building and steps from the Zephyr Express chairlift. The MAC offers the latest demo skis from Salomon, Rossignol, K2, Head and Nordica. Try before you buy – Try one or try them all, you can exchange between models all day long for no extra charge. Find something you like? Apply up to 2 days rental to the cost of a new pair of skis! Open daily from 8AM – 6PM.

It would be nice to own a pair of skis for each days snow conditions but that gets a bit expensive. Let Winter Park Base Rentals and the MAC keep you on the skis that work best for your day. My buddies ask when I’m going to fill my quiver with another new ski. No need with the Mountain Adventure Center keeping the best skis on hand.

Snowshoeing around Winter Park, CO

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Chris

Winter Park, Colorado Snowshoeing

It has been snowing, snowing, snowing up here in Winter Park and there is no time like now to get out and check out the snowshoe trails of the Arapaho National Forest trails, Snow Mountain Ranch, Rocky Mountain National Park and Winter Park Resort.

Winter Park is pretty much surrounded with snowshoe trails that are in Arapaho National Park and some of these trails are accessed just by walking out your door. There are miles of trails and solitude and beauty for you to explore on your own pace.

Snow Mountain Ranch just down US Highway 40 in Tabernash has some great snowshoe trails. The YMCA’s winter spot near the Winter Park Ski Resort offers the Nordic Center, a place that features miles of trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Perfect for the winter activity beginner. Snow Mountain Ranch’s miles of snowshoeing trails accommodate everyone from the beginner to advanced. Snowshoe rental is available through the Nordic Center. $10-$15 for equipment.

The Rocky Mountain National Park can be accessed from Grand Lake, just a 25 minute drive from Winter Park and has trails for beginners to the advanced snowshoer. You can’t beat the park for its variety of trails. You could spend every weekend there and find a new trail to snowshoe. The problem is many people agree, and so even in the winter, solitude is a luxury. The most popular trails tend to get beaten down and turn so icy that you don’t need snowshoes to hike them. Try to go on a snowy day, when the fresh blanket will eliminate those problems.Rocky Mountain National Park rangers offer guided snowshoe treks in the winter and other snowshoe events are on the calendar.

Winter Park Resort offers guided snowshoe tours and snowshoe rentals. Winter Park Resort has some of the best snowshoeing trails of all the Colorado resorts, this is from word-of-mouth from friends and a couple experiences of our own. Generally any resort or the areas around them have good places to go. If you aren’t into the alpine skiing and find yourself in our little ski town ski town, you can find a good place to snowshoe for free or a few bucks.

That is Mr. ZB above taking on his snowshoe garb and hitting the great trails here in Winter Park, CO.

36th Annual Wells Fargo Ski Cup at Winter Park Resort

Posted on January 6, 2011 by Chris

March 4th thru 6th, 2011 – Winter Park Resort

The Wells Fargo Cup is one of of the ski season best events and is now in the prime ski month of March. This charitable event is coming upon us quickly and lodging at Winter Park Resort id filling up quickly. The Wells Fargo Cup brings together world-class disabled ski racers, Denver celebrities, Broncos alumni along with amateur skiers and snowboarders of all abilities for a weekend of activities to benefit the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD). Competitors in the Governor’s Cup, a Pro Am race, assemble a team of five friends, family members or co-workers to compete for cash prizes and bragging rights. The highlight of the weekend is the World Disabled Invitational, when disabled skiers compete head-to-head on parallel courses. The Celebrity Challenge is one of the most entertaining events of the weekend as celebrities and former football stars make their way down a racecourse. A giant silent auction attracts frivolous and frugal shoppers alike!

The Wells Fargo Cup is an annual fund raising event for the National Center for the Disabled. It has numerous events scheduled which included a silent auction for merchandises and certificates, a celebrity/team race that everyone can participate for a fee or watch for free (on Saturday) and the World Disabled Invitational race on Sunday.

Help raise money to support the life changing programs for the NSCD and win great prizes like ski passes to Winter Park Resort (raise/donate only $100), VIP hospitality at the 36th annual Wells Fargo Ski cup and season passes to Winter Park Resort for the 2010/2011 season.

To help raise money and participate in the Wells Fargo Cup check out the NSCD.

Lodging is filling up quickly so book your Winter Park Resort Lodging with the Winter Park Lodging Company.

Winter Park, Colorado New Year Skiing

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Chris

winter park resort skiing Mary Jane CO skiing

mary jane co lifts

bump skiing mary jane co

Winter Park & Mary Jane Skiing

We have had unbelievable skiing so far in 2011. We started the new year out with some frigid days but the cold has left and the skiing has been great. The above photos are all from the Monday after the New Year with blue skies, sun on the shoulders and five inches of fresh powder. The storms are lined up this week to drop a couple of inches every other day until the coming weekend and then we are looking for another ten or more inch dump this weekend.

The Mary Jane chutes have been open for a day here and a day there with Runaway open the last couple weeks. Eagle Wind lift has been running the last couple of weeks and the skiing over there has been tremendous.

If you are looking to ski now is the time. Winter Park Lodging Company is offering the deal of the year for bookings made before Jan 15th. Buy one night of lodging and get the next night free. Half price to come up to Winter Park and Mary Jane and ski your heart out. Or go sledding, soak in the hot tub or have a night out with the wife and family at one of Winter Park’s fine restaurants. Lots of things to do here in WP and if you have three weeks or so you can fit them all in and what a blast of three weeks that would be.

Anywho, it is all about skiing this time of year and the ski conditions and weather have been cooperating. Winter Park and Mary Jane now have great conditions for skiing!