Winter Park Resort will be in the national racing spotlight when the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships follow the Nastar National Championship to create The Championships presented by Nature Valley, March 22 – April 1, 2012.

Lindsey Vonn is expected to race in the Alpine National Championships.  The Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships serve as the culmination of a five-month season that crossed continents and countries so America’s best alpine skiers could go head-to-head with the world. Top athletes from over 400 U.S. Ski Team club programs throughout the U.S. and the U.S. Ski Team will converge on Winter Park for the five-day event. Among those expected to compete are four-time World Cup overall champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), three-time World Cup giant slalom champion Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and three-time Olympic medalist Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) – all of whom are Olympic gold medalists.  This is the best place and time to see the United States gold medal ski racers.

The Championships Event Schedule
March 22-25: The Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships
March 26: Return of the Champions Family Challenge and U.S. Ski Team Reunion
March 27: U.S. Ski Team Pro-Am Team Race
March 28-April 1: Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships

The Alpine Championships will be the grand finally of a great week of skiing and fun at Winter Park Resort.  This is a great way to usher in the spring skiing of April here at Winter Park and Mary Jane.

To get your NASTAR Championship Lodging or Nature Valley US Alpine Championships Lodging make sure to check our primo digs here at Winter Park Lodging Company.

A great week of skiing and ski racing are here at Winter Park/Mary Jane so get up here and enjoy some snow and sun with the likes of Lindsey Vonn, Julie Mancuso and Todd Ligety.

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.

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.

]]> http://www.winterparklodgingcompany.com/2011/12/02/winter-park-resort-ski-and-board-demo-fest/feed/ 0 http://www.winterparklodgingcompany.com/2011/10/11/winter-park-resort-first-snow-contest-winner/ http://www.winterparklodgingcompany.com/2011/10/11/winter-park-resort-first-snow-contest-winner/#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:29:18 +0000 Chris http://www.winterparklodgingcompany.com/?p=5803 Continue reading →]]> First Snow Winter Park, Colorado

We have a winner to our first snow contest here in Winter Park, CO.  It has taken a little while to get around to announcing this but yes we have had a couple of snows since the first last week.

There were thirty five entries on our blog and about twenty five more on the Facebook post about the first snow contest and yes there was a lucky soul, ok maybe talented, who hit the first snow date.  It was not a huge snow this year as last but it was over an inch and there is no disputing the picture to the left that it was a measurable snow last week.

So our first snow date for 2011 is, drumbeat please ………….. October 6th.  Yes that was last Thursday and we have a winner.  Stormy the snow predictor this year is Thomas Schneider.  And Thomas pretty much hit the snow fall total also.  Nice work Thomas!  Here is the winning snowfall total post “The ‘dust’ is already at the top, so it won’t be long. That first 1/2 inch will come on Oct 6.”

The fourth Winter Park Resort first snow contest is now concluded and we hope that this relatively early snow and subsequent snow storms means that we are in for some La Nina powder this year.  ALl the mountains surrounding Winter PArk and the Fraser Valley are now painted a nice white and it is looking as ski season is almost here.  Today up at Berthoud Pass there were three a couple of impatient folk with there planks out looking to find some fresh lines down the hill.  That is the spirit.

Well, here is to snow early and often all year long. Put the trail maps in the freezer and do the snow dance…..

LET IT SNOW, LET SNOW, LET IT SNOW

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

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.

Winter Park Colorado April Spring Skiing

The snow has been just unbelievable this spring and the storms keep on coming in.  Here is a video of some of the skiing that we have had here in Winter Park this April.  It is a good thing that Winter Park/Mary Jane os open a week later than the past few years as the storms look to keep on dropping this fluffy white powder right through closing day and hopefully we will have POW day Winter Park Spring Splash.

The video was shot the first week of April after a nice dump of 11″ of snow that closed Berthoud Pass and left a play day for those that were here.  Skiing are some of Winter Park’s finest residents: Nick Meyer, Chas McConnell, Kelly Glancy, Sarah Bradford and one of the not so finest, me.   The snow was deep, fresh and untracked and was a great day all around.  The whole of Winter Park and Mary Jane were exquisite  but we were skiing the front side of Eagle Wind, Bella Fourche and my favorite The Weather Station Cliffs.

April is the unknown ski month here in Colorado.  The weather is a little warmer and snow is usually a bit wetter.  We can get some very big snow storms moving through and it is a great time to be on the ski hill.  April is usually the third snowiest month in Colorado behind March and December.  If you are looking to have a good time skiing when the big ski resort prices drop, April is the time to come.

Here is to spring skiing!

Learning to Ski Winter Park, CO

Here is out latest ski video here at Winter Park Resort, Colorado’s Favorite.  We are highlighting children and the youngsters learning to swoosh down the hill this segment.  The above video is staring WPLCo’s very own and my very own twins, Nicholas & Willem.  This is Nicholas & Willem’s second year skiing and they are now able to ski from the very top of Winter Park Resort to the very bottom with only a little help from mom and dad.

The Winter Park Ski School and ski teacher Rosie have done great work with these two little tykes this year.  The boys took a a series of four ski lessons with Rosie this January that totally turned around the skiing learning curve.  They wen’t from heading straight downhill with no interest in slowing, stopping or turning to being able ski freely downhill stopping on command and turning pretty much anywhere they would like to go.

If you have kids or have someone that is learning to ski, Winter Park Ski School is a great investment of your time and money.  A couple of days with group or private lessons will turn your skiing/boarding skills around and get you enjoying being on the slopes.  As we learned with our twins trying to teach your kids yourself usually is not a good idea time-wise or for family unity.  Going skiing with kids let a professional teach them and parents can have a peace of mind that they are being taken care of and being taught the proper way to ski and board.

Check out Nicholas and Willem skiing Winter Park at 2 years of age and look how far the little boogers have progressed.

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.

The Winter Park Resort Private Lesson Center continues to receive rave reviews! Presidents weekend is right around the corner and the skiing is looking to be fantastic the rest of February and March.

The Winter Park Private Lesson Center has many new promotions that they will be offering Private Lesson Guest from he Thursday before Presidents weekend February 17, 2011 and will run through the end of March.  Please feel free to stop by the PLC with any questions.

- The new online rate for the Full Day Private Lesson will be $499; No other discounts apply.

- There will be a $25 discount for ALL Full Day Private Lessons booked 7 days in advance over the phone.

- All Season Pass holders will be offered last year’s rates at $489 for the full day and $365 for the half day if they book their lesson(s) by February 28, 2011; no other discounts apply.

- If 3 consecutive half day lessons are reserved 48 hours in advance online or 7 days in advance by phone the guest will get the three lessons for a total of $1035; that’s $345 each lesson.

If you are looking to improve your skiing or have just taken up the sport, there is not a better way to improve than a private lesson at Winter Park Resort. Group private lessons are also a great way for the family to experience the thrill of skiing together and improving your skiing and boarding skills.

Ask for Tom Gulden (pictured at right) one of our favorite Winter Park Resort private ski instructors or one of the other Winter Park Lodging Company recommended private ski instructors.

La Nina has delivered a wintery punch this season with incredible snow conditions at Winter Park and Mary Jane.  Check out the snow conditions, lodging deals, photos and videos at winterparklodgingcompany.com.