Winter Park, CO
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Winter Park and Mary Jane are great mountains for skiing and boarding. They are my family's favorites, and they are really good skiers/boarders!
There's not much snow there yet, though. Unfortunately, weather forecasters are predicting that most snow storms will go north of Colorado this season. But, hey, what do they know?
Sorry I don't know about Timberhouse Ski Lodge. If you want a condo, I can recommend Destinations West. They handle the nicer properties.
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There's not much snow there yet, though. Unfortunately, weather forecasters are predicting that most snow storms will go north of Colorado this season. But, hey, what do they know?
Sorry I don't know about Timberhouse Ski Lodge. If you want a condo, I can recommend Destinations West. They handle the nicer properties.
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#3
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,219
Likes: 0
We've stayed at Timber House several times, and we love it. But it is a little different. It is family owned, and sometimes it's a bit like staying at someone's house. For example, you have to get special permission from the owner to tell the cleaning help not to put away any clothing you've left out. There are no keys to the rooms; the first time we stayed there, that surprised us, but the owner said nothing had ever been stolen.
The rooms are like inexpensive hotel rooms; we always get one with private bath in the "newer" section. Some families get a private room for the parents, and put the kids in the dorm section. We've seen extended families do that, and the kids have a ball.
Breakfast, afternoon snacks, and dinner are included. Meals are served family style and the food is very good. As the trip planner who has to find restaurants every day on other trips, I find that extremely relaxing.
The owner drives skiers to the hill in the morning, and picks you up in the afternoon, although you can ski back via the narow, but not all that challenging, "Billy Woods Trail".
In the evening, guests play board games in the large, homey living room, or the owner shows old Warren Miller movies. We've never stayed anywhere with friendlier guests.
The rooms are like inexpensive hotel rooms; we always get one with private bath in the "newer" section. Some families get a private room for the parents, and put the kids in the dorm section. We've seen extended families do that, and the kids have a ball.
Breakfast, afternoon snacks, and dinner are included. Meals are served family style and the food is very good. As the trip planner who has to find restaurants every day on other trips, I find that extremely relaxing.
The owner drives skiers to the hill in the morning, and picks you up in the afternoon, although you can ski back via the narow, but not all that challenging, "Billy Woods Trail".
In the evening, guests play board games in the large, homey living room, or the owner shows old Warren Miller movies. We've never stayed anywhere with friendlier guests.
#7
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 757
Likes: 0
We did not like Winter Park. Though we stayed at the lodge at the bottom of the hill (very nice condo...walk to lift), the skiing is geared more towards upper level (black diamond). The green slopes involved a lot of walking / pulling w/ poles to get from lift to lift and with kids we found it not so user friendly. If you're a an upper end skier, I would think it would be very good. As for Blue and green skiers, we found it sub-par to Breckenridge, Copper Mtn, & Keystone.
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#9
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,219
Likes: 0
Winter Park has lots of blue cruisers, and even Mary Jane has some--Edelweiss, Bluebell, and another I can't remember. I like the way some blues are groomed only on one side, so that you can try tougher skiing without committing to a whole run of it, and people of different ability levels can ski together.
#10
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 757
Likes: 0
Winter Park involved a lot of walking / pulling between lifts (mainly green areas). We commented about this and was told that was really only an issue with the lower grade / green run areas. As for the blues, some were pretty fun but again we did not find them as long as Copper, Breckenridge, and/or Keystone.
#12
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 623
Likes: 0
SiteC_er has a point about flat areas that need to be poled through. I ski Winter Park/Mary Jane several times a year and prefer Mary Jane to Winter Park. The greens that traverse you from Mary Jane over to Winter Park get very flat, and even head a bit uphill at spots. If you don't keep your speed up & know how to skate on your skis, you will end up poling for some distance (especially along Whistlestop, behind the Sunspot Lodge at the top of the Zephyr Express lift). And, although it doesn't look like it on the map, the Sunspot Lodge is actually inaccessable from Whistlestop unless you take the Lariat rope tow.
Another horrible spot is the bottom of the runs at Vasquez Ridge - these long flats are tough in powder, slush & ice. As a matter of fact, I have had to work so hard over there so often, that I just simply avoid Vasquez Ridge completely now. A shame, considering that the upper half of those runs are pretty nice.
Another horrible spot is the bottom of the runs at Vasquez Ridge - these long flats are tough in powder, slush & ice. As a matter of fact, I have had to work so hard over there so often, that I just simply avoid Vasquez Ridge completely now. A shame, considering that the upper half of those runs are pretty nice.
#14
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 623
Likes: 0
Not talking about skiing along the base Sylvia. I'm talking about using the Whistlestop run from the top of Mary Jane to get over to Jabberwocky, White Rabbit, and March Hare....or Lonesome Whistle to get over to the bottom of the High Lonesome Express. Wagon Train trail (to get from the bottom of the Olympia Express lift to the bottom of the Pioneer Express lift) is a particular PIA.
#16
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 623
Likes: 0
Maureen, my intent is not to scare the OP.... and if I have, I am sincerely sorry. As I stated before, I ski there myself several times a year and actually LOVE the 2 mountains. It's just that there are some drawbacks to some of the terrain (as there are with all ski areas IMHO).
SiteC_er made a valid observation, and I feel that I would be remiss to not back them up.
Are the flaws that I see at WP big enough to keep me away?
Absolutely not.
Are they big enough for me to advise someone else to stay away or change their plans?
Absolutely not.
I expect the OP would have had a perfectly wonderful time at WP without even posting here, yet I hope they will have an even better time if they know what to expect in some spots.
I would just hate to have the OP mumbling under his/her breath "Why didn't anyone tell me about THIS?" as they are poling their way over to the bottom of the Pioneer Express lift.
SiteC_er made a valid observation, and I feel that I would be remiss to not back them up.
Are the flaws that I see at WP big enough to keep me away?
Absolutely not.
Are they big enough for me to advise someone else to stay away or change their plans?
Absolutely not.
I expect the OP would have had a perfectly wonderful time at WP without even posting here, yet I hope they will have an even better time if they know what to expect in some spots.
I would just hate to have the OP mumbling under his/her breath "Why didn't anyone tell me about THIS?" as they are poling their way over to the bottom of the Pioneer Express lift.
#18
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
just an update - the husband and daughter are at the Timberhouse ski Lodge as I write and just love it.
The owners and other guests are wonderful. This is their first time skiing out west and I think they will return. Thanks to all who had input in this !
The owners and other guests are wonderful. This is their first time skiing out west and I think they will return. Thanks to all who had input in this !




