The 36th annual Bert & Ernie Golf Tournament is taking shape up here in the Colorado Rockies. The date is September 9th and this should be a great year to get up to the mountains play some golf and help the children.

The tournament will again be held at Pole Creek Golf Club in Tabernash, CO.  Pole Creek has been rated the number 1 public golf course in Colorado and is a spectacular layout with 27 holes of challenge and beauty.  This year the Bert and Ernie is making an energetic comeback. Register now and you will secure your team’s spot and have a reason to spend the weekend in the mountains.

This years theme is the future is so bright we have to wear shades.  Yes! that is WPLCo mascot Willem there on the bottom right in the picture.

The B & E Tourney is a Best Ball Format. Sponsorship opportunities are still available!

Exciting silent auction items ~ Winter Park 2012-2013 season ski passes, restaurants, massages, yoga, SmartWool, Whole Foods, and MORE!

Winter Park Lodging Company is offering a lodging deal for the Bert & Ernie weekend.  We  are offering a one bedroom condo at the base of Winter Park Resort for $100 a night and a two bedroom for $200 a night, must be a two night stay.  This includes all fees and taxes.  Also included in the lodging deal is two rounds of golf and cart at Pole Creek with each reservation. Lodging is in the Zephyr Mountain Lodge, Fraser Crossing or Founders Pointe.

The Fraser Creative Learning Center (FCLC) strives to provide a safe and positive learning environment in which children can grow and develop emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially.  The Center realizes this objective through a carefully prepared curriculum balanced with free time for play and social interaction.  The Bert & Ernie golf event is the the number one way the FCLC is able to raise dollars for the kids of Winter Park and the Fraser Valley area.  So make your plans and get up to the mountains, have some fun and help out these amazing kids.

A foursome of golf is $460 and an individual is $115.  Winter Park Lodging Company will be sponsoring the B & E golf classic along with Sharkey’s Eatery and along with some other fine establishments up here in the Winter Park area.  Book your Bert & Ernie Pole Creek Golf Lodging and get a great deal today.

Check out the Bert & Ernie Website for more details and sponsorship opportunities.

Winter Park Recipe of the Month

A good bowl of chili or soup always tastes better with a warm slice of corn bread on the side. This one is so light and fluffy, you might have more cornbread than chili once you taste your first bite.

Better than any box mix, this recipe adds the non-traditional twist of sour cream that makes it super moist.  It does have an extra step of beating the egg whites, but it is well worth the time for the end result.

It is so good, you’ll have it again for breakfast the next morning.

 SOUR CREAM CORN BREAD

ingredients:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 c. sour cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 c. flour
• 3/4 c. cornmeal
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 8 inch square pan. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; blend in sour cream, egg yolks and vanilla.
2. Combine remaining ingredients except egg whites. Add to butter mixture, mixing well. FOLD IN egg whites. Spread batter into pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes. Serve warm with honey spread. Good with chili or soups, or as breakfast with maple syrup.

Winter Park’s new movie theater and bowling alley had been named and is set to open this summer.  Coming to our little mountain town paradise will be the Foundry.  A two screen, with stadium seating, movie theter and eight lane bowling alley.  There will be a bar and also food will be served.

Opening is set for July 1st with some pre-parties to get all the kinks worked out.  Word on the street is that pizza will be served in addition to a full bar/wine/beer.

The Foundry will be a great addition of things to do for locals and guests in Winter Park, CO.  We can now take the kids to a movie in a great theater and have a bite to eat.

So mark your calendars and get ready for a new bowling alley and movie theater in the Colorado Rockies.

It is getting that time for bicycle racing at Winter Park Resort.  This year should bring another great season of cross country bike racing with the Epic Singletrack series.

 2012 marks the 20th year of epic cross country racing hosted by the Winter Park Competition Center! The Epic Singletrack Series is proud to be the largest cross-country race series in Colorado, bringing you exciting race courses over the 600+ miles of single track in the Winter Park/Fraser Valley, also known as Mountain Bike Capital USA.  The Epic Singletrack series is a set of seven races held at and around the Winter Park Resort area. The races are grouped by ability: beginner, sport, expert and pro.

Some of the biggest names in biking have ridden these races with Lance Armstong being the best known name to race at Winter Park Resort.  Lance rode the King of the Rockies in 1999 after winning his first Tour de France.  While it is exciting for Winter Park Resort to have hosted such high profile riders as Armstrong, it should also be noted that they are proud to be a welcoming and fun race series for those wishing to try mountain bike racing for the first time. No memberships are required!

Epic Singletrack Race Schedule:

• Race 1: June 16 – Hill Climb Kick-Off
• Race 2: June 30 - Epic XC
• Race 3: July 14 – Epic XC
• Race 4: July 15 – Epic STXC
• Race 5: July 28 – Epic XC
• Race 6: August 4 – Epic XC
• Race 7: August 25 – King of the Rockies

To find out more about the Epic Singletrack Mountain Bike Race Series checkout their website.

Want to have the best pre-race schedule?  Let Winter Park Lodging Company set you up in the most convenient Epic Single Track Lodging, usually a walking distance from the start line.  No need to wake up early to up to Winter Park come up the night before and let your lungs adjust to the 9000 ft. altitude up here at Winter Park Resort.

Check out all the Winter Park Epic Resort Single Track properties and get your first choice of digs today.

Get ready mountain bike season is upon us and the Epic Singletrack Series is starting June 16th!

The Solshine Music Festival this year at Hideaway Park will be featuring Little Feat as the headliner.

Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles.

Although the band has undergone several changes in its lineup, the music remains an eclectic blend of rock and roll, blues, R&B, boogie, country, folk, gospel, soul, funk and jazz fusion influences.  Lowell died in 1979 but the group has been around since then performing some of their classics such as Willin’, Dixie Chicken and Fat Man in the Bathtub.  

Also,  appearing at the Solshine Music Festival will be The Samples as the opening act and unnamed second act that should make for a great show. The Solshine Fest will be on July 14th, 2012 from 12pm to 6pm.

Tickets to the Solshine Music Festival featuring Little Feat will be free for general admission.  VIP passed and other seating options will be available and will be able to be purchased through the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.

If you are looking to get the best lodging for the Solshine Music Festival make sure to book early.  Winter Park Lodging Company has some great lodging options within both walking and listening distance to the stage at Hideaway Park in Winter Park, CO.  Little Feat will be a big draw though so make sure to book your book early to get your choice of lodging.

Lodging for Little Feat in Winter Park, CO

As this ski season is winding down with Mary Jane closing April 15th and the whole of Winter Park Resort closing April 22 it may be time to think when the resort will be opening up for summer activities.  Winter Park Resort base activities and attractions include the Zephyr Lift opening with access to favorite attractions such as the Alpine Slide, Amaze’n Human Maze, Leaps & Bounds Bungee, Rock ‘n Roll Gyro, Mountainside Mini Golf and Outdoor Climbing Wall.

Winter Park Resort base activities will be opening June 16th, 2012.  Summer hours of operation are 10am through 5:30pm, 7 days a week, from June 16 through September 3, 2012 (Labor Day) – and the same hours weekends in September. Ticket windows open at 9:30am. The Zephyr Express Chairlift closes at 5pm, while other activities close at 5:30pm.

Trestle Bike Park will be opening by June 16th if not before.  This year new at Trestle will be Cruel and Unusual as well as 2 more new trails near the base. And DO NOT MISS the inaugural Colorado Freeride Festival – July 26-29, 2012 at Trestle Bike Park.  The Colorado Freeride Festival replaces Crankworx Colorado.  Trestle Bike Park passes will be available in early May.

Now is the time to get your Winter Park Resort Lodging to get all the rides you can on Colorado’s longest alpine slide.  Check out all the Winter Park Resort summer activities.  Winter Park Lodging Company provides the best Trestle Bike Park lodging at the Winter Park Resort Base.

Mark it down, Winter Park Resort summer activities open for business June 16th, 2012.

2012 brings Winter Park the 10th annual Blues from the Top blues festival. This is a year that you won’t want to miss with one of the best lineups in the ten year Blues Fest run.

The Winter Park Blues Fest is held in Hideaway Park in downtown Winter Park, Colorado.  This years dates are June 29th to July 1st, 2012.

The 2012 Winter Park Blues Festival includes twelve of some of the biggest and brightest blues acts in the business.

Winter Park Blues Festival Lineup

Saturday June 30th

• Dana Fuchs
• Shane Dwight with Bekka Bramlett
• Shaun Murphy
• Ryan McGarvey
• Killborn Alley
• The Current

Sunday July 1st

• Royal Southern Brotherhood
• Ana Popovic
• Samantha Fish Band
• Eden Brent
• The Nighthawks
• Delores Scott Gospel

The Blues Festival is a great way to get up to Winter Park and the Fraser Valley and see some of the best blues music today.  Hideaway Park is a perfect setting for rocking blues music under the Continental Divide summits.

To buy tickets to the Winter Park Blues from the top show check out Blues from the Top.

Make sure to use Winter Park Lodging Company for the best Winter Park Blues from the Top lodging.  WPLCo has some of the best accommodations for summer festivals at Hideaway Park with units that over look the music venue.  Check out this great unit in Trailhead lodge that would be the perfect Winter Park Blues from the Top condo.

If you are looking for a weekend away from the city to see a summer music festival you then the Winter Park Blues from the Top blues festival is a perfect show to see.

Cheap Flights to Denver and Winter Park, CO

Southwest Airlines is doing another Click-n-Save sale until April 5th, with some pretty decent fares to Denver, including some as low as $65 each way. The sale fares are good for travel dates starting April 17, making it perfect for those of you who want to come to Winter Park’s famous Spring Splash celebration on closing day weekend (April 20-22).

Catch a few more runs before the lifts close! We just got snow today and April receives an average snowfall of 35 inches each year (we got 70 two winters ago). Take a look at our list of flight deals to Denver, below, and if you don’t see your city listed, just go to www.airfarewatchdog.com to find your fares.

April Airfare Deals as of 4/3/12:

Be sure to check with WPLCo for availability at a vacation rental in Winter Park, CO for your dates first, then book your flights! Search Winter Park Lodging Company now to see what options await you.

Just take a look at these mouth-watering bites of goodness. What a treat! This month’s recipe is not for the diet-conscious, but everyone deserves a gooey, sticky treat once in a while. We promise the end-result is well worth the effort. We got this recipe from BonAppetit, where you can find tips, step-by-step photos and more.

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus 1/2 tablespoon, melted

Topping

• 1 3/4 cups chopped pecans (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (optional)

Buns

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• All-purpose flour (for dusting)
•  1 large egg
• Coarse sea salt (such as Maldon)

Special Equipment:

An 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan

Dough preparation

• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°–115°. Transfer milk to a 2-cup measuring cup; stir in 1 Tbsp. sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to blend. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs; whisk until smooth. Combine remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add milk mixture. With mixer running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Knead on medium-high speed until dough is soft and silky, about 5 minutes.
• If you don’t have a stand mixer, fit your food processor with the standard chopping or dough blade. Combine remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, flour, and salt in food processor. Pulse to blend. Add milk mixture; process until combined. With processor running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. Process until dough is soft and silky, 2–3 minutes longer. Dough will be sticky but should not be greasy. If it is greasy, process for an additional 1–2 minutes.
• Brush a medium bowl with some melted butter; place dough in bowl. Brush top of dough with remaining melted butter; cover with plastic wrap. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic; chill.
• Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 1–1 1/2 hours (or 2–2 1/2 hours if dough has been refrigerated).
• Chill dough for 2 hours.

Topping preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10–12 minutes. Let cool completely. Set 1 1/4 cups nuts aside for buns.
• Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, cream, honey, salt, and orange zest, if using. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until glaze is golden brown and glossy, 3–4 minutes. Pour 1 cup of glaze into baking pan, tilting to coat bottom and sides. Set aside remaining glaze. Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted pecans over bottom of baking pan and let cool.

Bun preparation

• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Set filling aside.
• Punch down dough; transfer to a floured work surface. Lightly dust top with flour. Follow BonAppetit’s step-by-step guide for assembling buns with filling and 3/4 cup pecans.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill buns and remaining glaze separately. Store remaining pecans airtight at room temperature.

• Loosely cover pan with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let buns rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or 1 1/2–2 hours if dough has been chilled overnight.
• Arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Whisk egg with 1/2 tsp. water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg wash. Bake, rotating pan halfway through and tenting with foil if browning too quickly, until buns are golden brown, filling is bubbling, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of buns registers 185°, about 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Spoon remaining glaze over. Sprinkle 1/2 cup pecans over. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Lightly sprinkle sea salt over. Serve buns warm or at room temperature.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/04/the-ultimate-sticky-buns#ixzz1qziMjVv1

♦ The Last Blast Pass – deal of the season: Of course the biggest and best change for April is the $99 Last Blast pass sale, for unlimited skiing and riding at Winter Park Resort from April 9-22. Yes, unlimited skiing for all of those days for only $99. If you ski every day of that time frame, it’s just under $8 per day. Sweet deal, eh?

♦ New Lift Hours of Operation – starting April 9th: With daylight savings on our side, Winter Park Resort has moved the lift hours of operation one hour forward beginning on April 9th. One more hour to allow the overnight freeze to thaw and one more hour in the afternoon to enjoy the awesome April sunlight. Check out the full details.

♦ Changes to Group Lessons:  Also starting on April 9th, the full-day group lessons at the Winter Park Ski School are no longer available every day. The full-day lessons will still be offered and available for advance booking online on Saturdays and Sundays, but the rest of the week, only the Max-Four lessons are available, which are half-day lessons available only for walk-up reservation. For more details, click here or call 970-726-1564 for the Resort’s info hotline.

♦ Transportation – New Shuttle Schedule:  On April 2nd, the free Lift shuttle buses will be on a different schedule and will change again on April 9th to reflect the later lift operations at the ski resort.

On April 2nd, all buses will be on the hourly pick-up times instead of every 30 minutes, except for the Black line, which will continue to run on the 30-minute schedule, and the Green line, which operates on a continual basis from 7:30am to 5:30pm. Click here to see the schedule online, bearing in mind that only the times shown in bold are the stop times (example: Winter Park Resort  :30 / :00)

On April 9th, all buses will start running one hour later than the start times shown on the schedule to reflect the new lift hours at the ski resort, except for the Black line, which will continue to start at the same time of 7:20am.

♦ Village Cabriolet & Shuttle Changes: More changes? Yes. Also starting on April 2nd, the Village Cabriolet will run from 7:30am to 5:30pm, at which time the Village Night shuttle will do its rounds from 5:30 to 10pm. But after April 9th, we’re not sure how late the Village Night shuttle bus will operate, as that is still to be determined. We’ll let you know or just call 970-726-4163 to talk to the shuttle company.

Photo courtesy of Scott Hefel.