COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado’s ski season is underway, with more resorts set to open in the coming weeks. Here’s a look at some of what’s new to the scene:
Arapahoe Basin: The Lenawee Lift, a fixed-grip triple chair built in 2001, has doubled the seating and upped the speed toward coveted terrain. Steilhang is a new, cozy alpine hut warming up high-altitude visitors with sausage, doughy pretzels, strudels and German beer.
Bluebird Backcountry: In its third season, this very different ski area with no chairlift and a focus on self-powered adventure continues to grow. Near Kremmling, Bluebird is debuting hut trips and other overnight accommodations, including hostel-style cabins and heated, on-mountain domes.
Breckenridge: Rip’s Ride has been transformed into a high-speed quad. Vail Resorts says that will “enhance the experience on one of the resort’s primary learning areas and allow for more time spent on the snow.”
Ski Cooper: Leadville’s local hill is bringing back "$30 Thursdays" — the price for lift tickets and rentals that day. Also, Cooper is introducing Timberline Taproom, specializing in barbecue sandwiches, chili and craft brew.
Eldora: The ski area near Boulder is meeting its increasing popularity with 800 new parking spots. Eldora has also enhanced snowmaking around the Alpenglow Lift and pledged double the cooking and serving capacity at the upgraded Timbers Lodge.
Hesperus: West of Durango, the little ski area for locals’ after-work turns is offering a free season pass to kids 12 and younger that grants entry to the bigger, nearby Purgatory Resort as well. A new uphill pass allows access to designated areas outside of operating hours.
Howelsen Hill: Operators in Steamboat Springs have said the new, three-seater lift represents a “new era” for Colorado’s oldest ski area. Mostly known as a training ground for local youth, Howelsen aims to appeal to a broader customer base. Outsiders previously had lift access on weekends; now they can ride the new chair every day.
Loveland: Lift 6 has been replaced with a triple chair from Leitner-Poma that will get people to cherished slopes faster. Regulars will notice a greatly expanded Valley Lodge, including more seating in the cafe and a big fireplace.
Steamboat: The resort’s massive, multi-year initiative called Full Steam Ahead is resulting this season in a new beginner area called Greenhorn Ranch, serviced by a new gondola. Other additions are an ice skating rink and The Range Food and Drink Hall, set to open midwinter.
Telluride: Along with snowmaking upgrades, the resort was busy in the offseason replacing Chair 9 with a high-speed quad from Doppelmayr. The ride will now take around seven minutes, an improvement from closer to 12 minutes.
Vail Mountain: The high-speed, four-chair Sun Down Lift will connect Sun Down Bowl to Wildwood and, the resort says, “allow for more seamless guest access” between Lionshead Village and the legendary back bowls. The lift in Game Creek Bowl has been upgraded into a high-speed, six-person lift that figures to increase capacity by nearly 50%.
And more: Vail has said it expects to honor a tradition of yore with two high-altitude “ice bars” sculpted of ice and snow.
Winter Park: Operators are opening what they call “previously unutilized terrain” in the Cirque Territory. They’ve named it Jelly Roll, for “its rolling steep pitch and its ability to hold light, fluffy snow for days after a storm.” On the Mary Jane side, the resort plans to open more expert terrain in the Chutes area.
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