I just got a press release from Colorado Ski Country about what's new for the coming season:
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
For the 2018-19 season, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area will fully open its 468-acre terrain expansion into the Beavers and the Steep Gullies, including the new four-person Beavers chairlift.
A-Basin opened approximately 371 acres of terrain last season to give a “preview” to excited skiers and riders. This summer, A-Basin operations crews constructed 97 more acres of tree skiing (glades) and continued improving the rest of the terrain with grading, glading and installation of the chairlift and picnic areas. Terrain in The Beavers will include two new intermediate groomed runs in the 2018-19 season, allowing more skiers and riders to enjoy this scenic, north- and west-facing terrain. The Steep Gullies are approximately 91 acres of extreme (double-black diamond), steep, couloir skiing. These runs will remain hike-back for the true advanced skier or snowboarder looking for some of the most challenging terrain in Colorado. For more information, visit www.arapahoebasin.com.
Aspen Snowmass
Aspen Skiing Company is well underway on the Snowmass Base Village Development, a $600 million mountain-resort development that will add lodging, residences and amenities over 10 years. The first phase of development includes the new Limelight Hotel Snowmass, a ski-in/ski-out hotel adjacent to Snowmass Mountain’s Elk Camp Gondola that will feature 99 hotel rooms and 11 for-sale condominiums, plus a new restaurant, a children’s game area and a five-story climbing wall. The Snowmass Base Village will also welcome a central public events plaza to serve as the community’s gathering space with an ice-skating rink, fire pits, children’s pop-up fountains and other community amenities this winter.
At Buttermilk families and children can enjoy Fort Frog, a new wooden, frontier style fort with lookout towers, a jail, snowball launcher and swinging bridge. This is a great option for skiing and nonskiing families alike.
Also new for the 2018-19 season, The Aspen Snowmass App will receive an upgrade to provide rewards and enhanced functioning of year-over-year stats and tracking, allowing families, skiers and nonskiers to track on-mountain movements. All Aspen Snowmass food and beverage outlets will go straw free. For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com.
Cooper
Cooper’s new Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt dinner series at the Ridgeview Café features a ride to the mountaintop after hours in a warm, cozy snowcat in the light of the full moon. This event is perfect for a special gathering with four dates during the 2018-19 season and includes delicious flame-grilled salmon, stuffed portabella mushrooms and New York strip steaks. For more information, visit www.skicooper.com.
Copper Mountain
For the 2018-19 season, Copper Mountain will debut the new American Flyer and American Eagle chairlifts out of Copper’s Center Village. The American Flyer will now be a high speed six-person chair with bubble enclosures to protect from wind and cold, the only active bubble chair in Colorado. The American Eagle will be a high-speed combination lift that features both six-person chairs and eight-person gondola cabins. Both will significantly increase uphill access from the base area and reduce wait times.
Copper Mountain will also debut a new base area restaurant, Downhill Duke’s. Named after a beloved dog, Downhill Duke’s will welcome guests and their four-legged friends to unbuckle their boots, take in some sun and enjoy lunch or après cocktails on the south-facing patio. For more information, visit www.coppercolorado.com.
Echo Mountain Resort
Echo will kick off the 2018-19 season with a new tubing hill serviced by a covered conveyor lift offering family-friendly fun for skiers and those who just want to play in the snow. Echo will also expand the beginner learning area, increase snowmaking capacity and offer RFID access gates for direct-to-lift access on several ticket and pass options.
Echo will also continue to offer and expand its Ambassador coaching program included in a day lift ticket purchase. As part of the program, employees are available throughout the mountain to offer tips and suggestions to help guests who are learning or looking to progress their ski or snowboard skills. For more information, visit www.echomountainresort.com.
Eldora
A year after installing the Alpenglow high-speed six-person chairlift, Eldora’s first-ever high-speed lift, the ski area will make another leap into the future this season with RFID pass technology. New glading projects and upgrades to Eldora’s electrical and communication systems will give guests more reasons to smile, as will more frequent early-season and mid-week events and activities. For more information, visit www.eldora.com.
Granby Ranch
During the 2018-19 season, Granby Ranch will offer groups the opportunity to rent Granby Ranch’s East Mountain for the evening. Guests will have full access to the East Mountain night skiing terrain from 5pm-9pm in a unique option for groups to highlight a special occasion or host a private event. For more information, visit www.granbyranch.com.
Kendall Mountain
New for the 2018-19 season, Kendall Mountain will offer a natural ice-skating experience with pond skating. Kendall’s pond just south of the ski lodge offers stellar views of the rugged San Juan Mountains. The ski area will offer nighttime skating events on the pond throughout the winter season featuring a DJ, bonfire, hot cocoa, star gazing, and lots of family friendly fun. For more information, visit www.colorado.gov/pacific/townofsilverton/ski-kendall.
Loveland Ski Area
For the 2018-19 season, Loveland Ski Area will unveil the largest single capital improvement project in the ski area’s history with the installation of a new lift, Chet’s Dream. Chet’s Dream will be the first high-speed quad in Loveland’s history and is named after the ski area’s longtime owner, Chet Upham Jr. For more information, visit www.skiloveland.com.
Monarch Mountain
Monarch Mountain will debut a brand-new tubing park for the 2018-19 season, expanding offerings for visiting families with both skiers and nonskiers in the group. Monarch will also improve the guest experience with new gladed tree skiing, upgraded WiFi, chip readers at all sales terminals, self-order kiosks in the Gunbarrel Cafeteria and handheld order-taking technology. For more information, visit www.skimonarch.com.
Powderhorn Resort
Powderhorn Resort’s 2018-19 season will feature Mission: Affordable, a new steeply discounted season pass program with discounts and special programs for first-timers and beginners. For more information, visit www.powderhorn.com.
Purgatory Resort
Purgatory Resort will offer year-round access to the Inferno Mountain Coaster, a new gravity-fed ride that will zip through aspen groves revealing incredible views of the San Juan mountains. A great option for families with nonskiers or those seeking a break from the slopes, The Inferno Mountain Coaster is almost a mile long, including 300 feet of vertical drop, nine switchbacks and speeds of up to 25 miles per hour.
Brand new for the 2018-19 season, Purgatory Resort will offer a free season pass for all children in Fourth Grade or younger, with no blackout dates and no parent purchase required. For more information, visit www.skipurg.com.
Silverton Mountain
Silverton Mountain will begin the 2018-19 season on November 24 with brand new heli-skiing terrain, “Zone 8,” which features diverse high-alpine terrain and great early-season snow. Silverton will also expand its Unguided Season Pass offer to include a 150 percent increase in available ski days to the unguided season, 45 free days at partner ski resorts, and a $39 heli drop. For more information, visit www.silvertonmountain.com.
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
For the 2018-19 season, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area will fully open its 468-acre terrain expansion into the Beavers and the Steep Gullies, including the new four-person Beavers chairlift.
A-Basin opened approximately 371 acres of terrain last season to give a “preview” to excited skiers and riders. This summer, A-Basin operations crews constructed 97 more acres of tree skiing (glades) and continued improving the rest of the terrain with grading, glading and installation of the chairlift and picnic areas. Terrain in The Beavers will include two new intermediate groomed runs in the 2018-19 season, allowing more skiers and riders to enjoy this scenic, north- and west-facing terrain. The Steep Gullies are approximately 91 acres of extreme (double-black diamond), steep, couloir skiing. These runs will remain hike-back for the true advanced skier or snowboarder looking for some of the most challenging terrain in Colorado. For more information, visit www.arapahoebasin.com.
Aspen Snowmass
Aspen Skiing Company is well underway on the Snowmass Base Village Development, a $600 million mountain-resort development that will add lodging, residences and amenities over 10 years. The first phase of development includes the new Limelight Hotel Snowmass, a ski-in/ski-out hotel adjacent to Snowmass Mountain’s Elk Camp Gondola that will feature 99 hotel rooms and 11 for-sale condominiums, plus a new restaurant, a children’s game area and a five-story climbing wall. The Snowmass Base Village will also welcome a central public events plaza to serve as the community’s gathering space with an ice-skating rink, fire pits, children’s pop-up fountains and other community amenities this winter.
At Buttermilk families and children can enjoy Fort Frog, a new wooden, frontier style fort with lookout towers, a jail, snowball launcher and swinging bridge. This is a great option for skiing and nonskiing families alike.
Also new for the 2018-19 season, The Aspen Snowmass App will receive an upgrade to provide rewards and enhanced functioning of year-over-year stats and tracking, allowing families, skiers and nonskiers to track on-mountain movements. All Aspen Snowmass food and beverage outlets will go straw free. For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com.
Cooper
Cooper’s new Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt dinner series at the Ridgeview Café features a ride to the mountaintop after hours in a warm, cozy snowcat in the light of the full moon. This event is perfect for a special gathering with four dates during the 2018-19 season and includes delicious flame-grilled salmon, stuffed portabella mushrooms and New York strip steaks. For more information, visit www.skicooper.com.
Copper Mountain
For the 2018-19 season, Copper Mountain will debut the new American Flyer and American Eagle chairlifts out of Copper’s Center Village. The American Flyer will now be a high speed six-person chair with bubble enclosures to protect from wind and cold, the only active bubble chair in Colorado. The American Eagle will be a high-speed combination lift that features both six-person chairs and eight-person gondola cabins. Both will significantly increase uphill access from the base area and reduce wait times.
Copper Mountain will also debut a new base area restaurant, Downhill Duke’s. Named after a beloved dog, Downhill Duke’s will welcome guests and their four-legged friends to unbuckle their boots, take in some sun and enjoy lunch or après cocktails on the south-facing patio. For more information, visit www.coppercolorado.com.
Echo Mountain Resort
Echo will kick off the 2018-19 season with a new tubing hill serviced by a covered conveyor lift offering family-friendly fun for skiers and those who just want to play in the snow. Echo will also expand the beginner learning area, increase snowmaking capacity and offer RFID access gates for direct-to-lift access on several ticket and pass options.
Echo will also continue to offer and expand its Ambassador coaching program included in a day lift ticket purchase. As part of the program, employees are available throughout the mountain to offer tips and suggestions to help guests who are learning or looking to progress their ski or snowboard skills. For more information, visit www.echomountainresort.com.
Eldora
A year after installing the Alpenglow high-speed six-person chairlift, Eldora’s first-ever high-speed lift, the ski area will make another leap into the future this season with RFID pass technology. New glading projects and upgrades to Eldora’s electrical and communication systems will give guests more reasons to smile, as will more frequent early-season and mid-week events and activities. For more information, visit www.eldora.com.
Granby Ranch
During the 2018-19 season, Granby Ranch will offer groups the opportunity to rent Granby Ranch’s East Mountain for the evening. Guests will have full access to the East Mountain night skiing terrain from 5pm-9pm in a unique option for groups to highlight a special occasion or host a private event. For more information, visit www.granbyranch.com.
Kendall Mountain
New for the 2018-19 season, Kendall Mountain will offer a natural ice-skating experience with pond skating. Kendall’s pond just south of the ski lodge offers stellar views of the rugged San Juan Mountains. The ski area will offer nighttime skating events on the pond throughout the winter season featuring a DJ, bonfire, hot cocoa, star gazing, and lots of family friendly fun. For more information, visit www.colorado.gov/pacific/townofsilverton/ski-kendall.
Loveland Ski Area
For the 2018-19 season, Loveland Ski Area will unveil the largest single capital improvement project in the ski area’s history with the installation of a new lift, Chet’s Dream. Chet’s Dream will be the first high-speed quad in Loveland’s history and is named after the ski area’s longtime owner, Chet Upham Jr. For more information, visit www.skiloveland.com.
Monarch Mountain
Monarch Mountain will debut a brand-new tubing park for the 2018-19 season, expanding offerings for visiting families with both skiers and nonskiers in the group. Monarch will also improve the guest experience with new gladed tree skiing, upgraded WiFi, chip readers at all sales terminals, self-order kiosks in the Gunbarrel Cafeteria and handheld order-taking technology. For more information, visit www.skimonarch.com.
Powderhorn Resort
Powderhorn Resort’s 2018-19 season will feature Mission: Affordable, a new steeply discounted season pass program with discounts and special programs for first-timers and beginners. For more information, visit www.powderhorn.com.
Purgatory Resort
Purgatory Resort will offer year-round access to the Inferno Mountain Coaster, a new gravity-fed ride that will zip through aspen groves revealing incredible views of the San Juan mountains. A great option for families with nonskiers or those seeking a break from the slopes, The Inferno Mountain Coaster is almost a mile long, including 300 feet of vertical drop, nine switchbacks and speeds of up to 25 miles per hour.
Brand new for the 2018-19 season, Purgatory Resort will offer a free season pass for all children in Fourth Grade or younger, with no blackout dates and no parent purchase required. For more information, visit www.skipurg.com.
Silverton Mountain
Silverton Mountain will begin the 2018-19 season on November 24 with brand new heli-skiing terrain, “Zone 8,” which features diverse high-alpine terrain and great early-season snow. Silverton will also expand its Unguided Season Pass offer to include a 150 percent increase in available ski days to the unguided season, 45 free days at partner ski resorts, and a $39 heli drop. For more information, visit www.silvertonmountain.com.
