Winter Park

Denverites have come to think of Winter Park as their own personal ski area—and understandably so, as it's owned by the City of Denver and is only a 1½-hour drive from downtown Denver. But, the reality is that about 60% of the visitors come from out of state. Once the most affordable "large" ski area in Colorado, today's lift-pass pricing is similar to those of other resorts with slopes of similar size. Winter Park is equally popular in summer with hikers, bicyclists, and golfers, but has few tourist attractions besides its natural beauty. Change is rampant, though, as development of Winter Park continues. Anchored by the existing Zephyr Mountain Lodge and Fraser Crossing and Founders Pointe condominiums, a large slope-side village of condos, restaurants, bars, and shops is on the horizon.

Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding

Winter Park is really two interconnected ski areas: Winter Park and Mary Jane, both open to skiers and snowboarders. Between the two peaks there are four distinct skiable sections : Winter Park; the "Jane"; Vasquez Ridge, which is primarily intermediate cruising; and Vasquez Cirque, which has seriously steep inbounds off-piste terrain.

Mary Jane is famous for her bumps and chutes, while Winter Park's runs promise lots of learning terrain for beginners and easy cruising for intermediates. Pick a meeting place for lunch in case you and your friends get separated.

The skiing on the Winter Park and Vasquez Ridge trails is generally family friendly and there are segregated areas for beginners. On busy weekends Vasquez Ridge is a good place for escaping crowds, partly because this area is a bit more difficult to find, but the runouts can be long.

Mary Jane delivers 2,610 vertical feet of unrelenting moguls on a variety of trails, although there are a couple of groomed intermediate runs. Experts gravitate toward the far end of the Jane to runs like Trestle and DeRailer, or to Hole-in-the-Wall, Awe, and other chutes. Expert skiers and riders seeking inbound off piste-style terrain hike over the Vasquez Cirque.

The resort has also recently developed the Eagle Wind terrain, which has advanced steeps and deeps. The panoramic Express behind Mary Jane provides access to above-the-tree-line skiing at Parsenn Bowl. The pitch is moderate, making the bowl a terrific place for intermediate skiers to try powder and crud-snow skiing.

The resort's Rail Yard, with its superpipe and two terrain parks, is specially designed for freestylers. The Rail Yard, a 4,200-foot 15-acre park, is one of Colorado's largest and has a number of progressive rails designed by Planet Snowtools and the local Bent Metal Crew. For the amusement and enjoyment of shredders and skiers, the resort created replicas of famous Colorado street rails, including ones from Coors Field, Mile High Stadium, Red Rocks, and the state capital. 800/729-5813 or 970/726-5587. www.skiwinterpark.com.

Facilities

3,060-foot vertical drop; 2,886 skiable acres; 145 trails; 8% beginner, 17% intermediate, 19% advanced, 56% expert; 25 lifts; 6 six-person chairs, 7 high-speed quad chairs, 4 triple chairs, 6 double chairs, 5 surface lifts.

Lessons & Programs

For adult skiers and snowboarders, the Winter Park Ski and Snowboard School (Balcony House. 800/729-7907) has half-day lessons starting at $49. Daylong children's programs, which include lunch, start at $105. Winter Park is home to the National Sports Center for the Disabled (Box 1290, Winter Park, 80482. 303/726-1540), one of the country's best program for skiers with disabilities.

Lift Tickets

The walk-up rate is $86, but you can save 25% on multiday tickets.

Rentals

Slopeside Mountain Adventure Center (Zephyr Mountain Lodge. 970/726-1664) rents skiing and snowboarding gear. Winter Park Resort has rental packages starting at $35 at West Portal Boots and Boards (West Portal Station. 970/726-1665). Rental equipment is also available from shops downtown.

Nordic Skiing

Track Skiing

About 7 mi northwest of Winter Park, Devil's Thumb Ranch grooms about 80 mi of cross-country trails. Some skiing is along fairly level tree-lined trails; some is with more ups and downs and wide-open views. The ranch has rentals, lessons, and backcountry tours. 3530 County Rd. 83, Tabernash. 970/726-5632 or 800/933-4339. www.devilsthumbranch.com. Trail fee $15.

Snow Mountain Ranch,12 mi northwest of Winter Park, has a 62-mile track system that includes almost 3 mi of trails lighted for night skiing. The ranch is a YMCA facility (with discounts for members) and has added bonuses such as a sauna and an indoor pool. Lessons, rentals, and on-site lodging are available. 1101 County Rd. 53, Granby. 970/887-2152 or 800/777-9622. www.ymcarockies.org. Trail fee $15.

Backcountry Skiing

South of Winter Park, Berthoud Pass (Hwy. 40. www.berthoudpass.com) is a hard place to define. A former downhill skiing area—its lifts have been removed—it's now one of the Front Range's premier backcountry skiing areas. There's no regular avalanche control here, so skiers and snowboarders venturing in must have their own rescue equipment including beacons, shovels, and probes. Berthoud is well worth a visit but only for very experienced, well-conditioned skiers and riders. You must check avalanche conditions before starting out.