Date of travel: February 2024

Coming Back to Winter Park is Like Coming Home

Coming back to Winter Park is like coming home. Nothing much has changed in the five years since we last visited. A few of the lifts have been updated and there’s a couple of new ski trails, but other than that, the mountains are still the same. We’re often asked by locals on the lifts why we come to Winter Park. It’s a good question. It’s probably the one place in the USA where we’ve skied the most. Partly it is because it is relatively easy to get here as it is only a couple of hours’ drive from Denver airport. Partly it is because there is a huge amount of terrain so you never get bored with the skiing. Mostly, though, it is because the snow is generally really good and there’s always somewhere to ski no matter what the weather. This year one of the big attractions was that the prices had not gone up nearly as much as some of the glitzier resorts like Aspen or Vail. Winter Park still offers really good value for money (well, comparatively speaking once you take into account the higher price of getting here). 

Do you like steep bump runs?

We’ve been here a couple of days, the jet lag is starting to ease but I’m still not used to the altitude. I’m at around 11,000 feet, standing at the top of a magnificent run called Trestle. The air is definitely thinner than I’m used to and I’m sucking in the oxygen, or is that just a little twinge of nerves? This is a steep, black diamond, mogul run on the Mary Jane side of the resort. Nick said that he really wanted to ski this, so as the conditions were good and there was a lot of soft snow, we jumped straight into it on Day 2 of our trip. It’s a beguiling run, you access it from the top of the Super Gauge Express or the Sunnyside lift, down through Wildwood Glade or Belmar Bowl and then onto Roundhouse. Or you can get there via some of the double black diamond ‘expert’ chutes which is a bit too hardcore for us. Once you’re on Trestle, there’s no turning back, the bumps keep getting steeper and bigger as you are drawn down towards a cliff band that runs across the route. Don’t worry though, you can sneak around the right hand edge of the cliff band rather than going straight over the top of it.  We’re getting into our rhythm again now and the bumps are gently easing off in size and intensity; it’s actually quite enjoyable in the sunshine and the soft snow. Yes, this is why we come to Winter Park.

Winter Park’s Seven Territories

Winter Park has 7 areas or ‘territories’. These all have their own particular flavour and are good for different types of skiing or different weather conditions. 

Winter Park Territory

Winter Park territory is accessed from the main Winter Park base area via the Gondola or the Gemini Express chair. The Gondola takes you up to Sunspot where there’s a great lodge with plenty of room to warm up, get lunch in the café area or relax in the Sunspot restaurant. From there you can explore the green and blue runs of the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ zone with runs called Dormouse, White Rabbit, March Hare, Jabberwocky, Cheshire Cat and then onto the Looking Glass old 2-person fixed chair to bring you back up. Or you can explore the area around Prospector Chair which has some flattering blues and easy Blacks like Over N Underwood and Engledive leading down to the Snoasis lodge. Snoasis is getting a bit tired now and is in need of a re-vamp, but it is OK for a rest spot and a glass of water to keep hydrated. It’s really important to keep well hydrated at this altitude; the air is so dry and the headaches quickly follow if you forget to drink regularly. From there, you can follow Village Way back down to the Winter Park base. For the less experienced skier, there is a fantastic beginners’ area on the Winter Park side with gentle green runs meandering through the trees close to the Discovery lift. For those in the party who want a bit more excitement, Winter Park territory also offers some black diamond bump runs with Outrigger, Retta’s Run, Balch and Mulligan’s Mile on the front side or try Hughes and Norwegian down beside the Gondola which are usually groomed. 

Vasquez Ridge

From the top of Prospector or Looking Glass chairs you can ski down through the trees, taking a new trail called Tin Horn over to the Wild Spur Express to access Vasquez Ridge. Wild Spur Express is a new lift which has appeared since we were here last time. You used to only be able to access the previous lift from the bottom of the Olympia lift via a long, flat section. You can still take that route if you don’t mind skating a bit along the flat. Once on the Wild Spur Express you are whisked to the top of Vasquez Ridge and have access to some cruisy, blue runs: Stagecoach, Sundance, Quickdraw, Shootout and Buckaroo all lead back down to the same lift. Do them all, they’re great fun. The good news is with the new lift there is a mid-point loading option so you don’t have to do the flattish bit at the bottom if you don’t want to. Watch out on busy weekends though, as the queues can get long at the mid station. Once you’ve had enough of Vasquez, you can drop back down to the Winter Park side via Gambler or Aces and Eights which are black, bump runs. Or, from the top of the lift you can take Gunbarrel which is a nice easy green run down to the High Lonesome Express which runs up through the trees to Lunch Rock and our next territory, Mary Jane. 

Don’t Groom Mary Jane

You’ll see stickers and T-shirts with slogans like ‘Don’t Groom Mary Jane’ or ‘No Pain, No Jane’ here in the shops. The Mary Jane territory is known for its moguls. If your knees object to the bumps then you will be able to find groomed trails, but the vast majority of runs on this side have bumps on them. And they’re steep! From the small, rounded bumps you’ll find in the Wildwood Glade, to the monstrous moguls the size of Volkswagen Beetles on some of the runs under the Challenger Chair, the choice is yours. If you want black, mogul runs then double back under the Super Gauge Express initially and pick up the signs for Derailer. Derailer comes down the ridge or you can choose Railbender, Boiler, Long Haul, Cannonball or any number of other runs off that side.  All the runs here end up back at the Mary Jane base area eventually where there’s a huge day lodge with plenty of options for refreshments. We quite like the Mary Jane Club Car as it is full-service and generally a bit quieter than the main lodge area. They do a good hot chocolate in there. If the steep, black moguls aren’t for you, then you might want to explore Sleeper which is often groomed. It’s a Blue-Black run through the trees and one of our favourites. Arrowhead Loop (Blue) and Rainbow Cut (Blue-Black) are also super runs and generally a bit less busy than the main Mary Jane blue trail which is a wide, open run with varying pitches. 

Head to Parsenn Bowl on a calm day

When it’s not too windy, it’s nice to head up the Panoramic Express to Parsenn Bowl. As the name suggests, this is a vast, open, alpine bowl and you can pick your own line down it if you want to, or follow one of the marked runs. Generally speaking none of it is groomed apart from the blue run, Village Way, which skirts the side of this area. I quite like to start off on Parry’s Peak which runs along the ridge parallel to the lift to start with and then dive into the trees on the left when the urge takes me down Kinnikinic, Willet’s Way or Johnstone Junction back down to the Panoramic Lift. Turn the other way, to the right, off the top of the lift and choose a line down into the main bowl. It’s not too steep and can be a lot of fun when there’s fresh snow. Unfortunately, the Panoramic lift does get very busy on sunny days when there’s been snow, so be prepared to queue for a few minutes. 

Eagle Wind

The Eagle Wind area is probably the closest you’ll get to a backcountry experience while still in-bounds unless you want to go for the more extreme version up on the Cirque. This actually used to be a backcountry area and I can’t remember exactly when the Eagle Wind chair lift was put in, but we’ve skied it a few times since. You can get to Eagle Wind via the Thunderbird Traverse as you come down from either Parsenn Bowl or off High Lonesome lifts. You’ll spot the ‘Experts Only’ signs as you enter the terrain. This is gladed skiing at its best with acres of powder in amongst the trees. The pistes aren’t really pistes here, you just kind of pick your way down through the trees and eventually end up at the bottom. Just keep heading downhill! Eventually, you’ll work your way back to the Eagle Wind chair to head back up, and from there you can cut back to Village Way. Beware, this lift closes early so don’t leave it too late to head back into Winter Park. 

Vasquez Cirque

Experts only – really!! This is marketed as extreme, double-black diamond terrain. So, you won’t find us Telemark Travellers up there, I’m afraid. So, I’m just going on what people have told me about this area. Well, for a start you have to get up to the access point which is the top of the Panoramic Express. From there, you will probably have to hike along the summit ridge into the terrain although apparently there’s a Cirque Sled which is pulled by a Snowcat which sometimes runs. If you’re going to head up to the Cirque, you’ll need backcountry experience. The area is patrolled, but it is steep, deep and a long way from the base area. Have a look at some of the videos of this area that have been posted on You Tube if you’re interested in heading up there. 

Terrain Parks

And finally, the terrain parks. Winter Park is well served with terrain parks if you like that sort of thing. Again, it’s not really what we like to do, so we tend to steer clear of these. If you see me doing a back somersault off a big jump, I’ll tell you now, it’s not intentional and you’d better call an ambulance!  However, if you do like half-pipes, jumps, rails and other features then there’s plenty to keep you amused from the ‘starter’ level parks all the way up to the Rail Yard which is ¾ mile long in total. 

What Else Can You Do Around Winter Park?

There’s a lot of activities on offer in and around this resort, probably too many to mention right here, so I think I’ll have to write another blog sometime about everything else you can do here, but I do just want to mention cross-country skiing. We often head out to Devil’s Thumb Ranch while we’re here. This is a luxury hotel and spa ‘dude ranch’. In the summer you can ride horses or head out on bikes. In the winter, with the snow-covered landscape, the ranch becomes an extensive cross-country ski area. The trails are well-marked and groomed and you feel like you are right out in the wilderness at times. You can book skis and lessons, if you need them, at the day lodge; grab a coffee at the coffee shop; and then head out to do a couple of loops. Look out for the wildlife while you’re out there, we saw the tracks of a couple of moose on our last trip. 

Where to Stay

We often stay in a wonderful little ‘Mom & Pop’ guesthouse in downtown Winter Park called the Arapahoe Ski Lodge. It’s a delight. We first came here around 15 years ago and it really has not changed at all since. It is family owned and run by siblings Brad, Todd and Jan with Jan’s husband Greg also helping out. They serve a delicious, fresh cooked breakfast in the mornings before running you up to the ski area in a minibus. Rooms are basic but comfortable. In the afternoon Greg or Brad will appear at the Winter Park base area with the minibus at 3.15 and 4.15 to drive you back down to the lodge where there’ll be a snack waiting for you. The hot tub and pool area is open from 3pm and is a good way of easing those sore legs after a hard day’s skiing. Depending on the time of year, you might get to stay when they are doing evening meals where you’ll get a good, wholesome, home-cooked dinner as well. Excellent value for money and you really can’t beat this for service.

There are plenty of other accommodation options in Winter Park. You can either stay up at the resort area or downtown Winter Park. Most of them feature on UK hotel booking engines.

Eating Out

I can’t finish this blog without talking about food. You can always guarantee getting a good meal when you ski in the USA. Here’s my list of the top 5 restaurants in Winter Park:

Adventures Decanted. Straight in at number 1 this year is the new wine bar and bistro that has appeared in Cooper Creek. Winter Park has been crying out for somewhere like this for years. Run by two sisters, it offers a smart wine bar where you get a ‘credit card’ and then help yourself to the wine offerings from the self-serve dispensers. I love this, as it allows you to have a taste of several different wines, or to start on a white and then move to red and not have to compromise on what you want just to share a bottle with someone. The food was very good indeed with choices of freshly cooked pasta, venison, a huge steak all sampled this week. The atmosphere with linen tablecloths and low lighting is perfect for a romantic night out. Edit (January 2025): a quick internet check and it looks like this place may have closed, such a shame!

Deano’s. Deano’s has long been one of our favourites. Just across the road from Cooper Creek and Adventures Decanted, it is well-established and the go-to place for a bit of apres-ski when you come down from the ski area. It is very popular at weekends and during holidays so it is worth booking ahead if you want to get a table. Deano’s offers a more traditional menu: steaks, fish, salads, a great bar. The bar area is lively and usually busy with high-top tables but if you book ahead you are likely to be at one of the seated areas in the front or down at the back in the ‘well’. It’s a relaxed atmosphere in here and you can guarantee you won’t leave hungry. 

Fontenot’s. Heading out of town towards Fraser and away from the direction of the ski resort, you’ll come to King’s Crossing and Fontenot’s on the left hand side of the road. This is done out in the style of a New Orleans street scene with gaily painted windows and murals on the walls. Try the Fontarita margharitas, they are zingy and zesty and very refreshing, and a bit too easy to drink. The food has a southern theme with gumbo and plenty of fish on the menu. 

Hernando’s Pizzeria. Hernando’s is legendary in Winter Park. They don’t take bookings so just turn up and be prepared to wait in line as it is always busy, particularly at weekends. As long as you don’t have under-21s with you, you can wait at the bar and grab a beer served in a jam-jar. As you can imagine by the name, this place serves pizzas. The pizzas are great, tasty combinations, freshly cooked and they come in giant sizes to fill you up after a hard day on the slopes. Once you’re at your table, take a look around at the walls, the ceilings, even the table top. They’re all plastered with $1 notes which have been signed or written on by guests. If you want to add your own, just ask for a tin of crayons and they’ll gladly alleviate your decorated dollars from you and stick them up on the wall somewhere. Apparently there’s over $40,000 plastered to those walls….

The Ranch House Restaurant. The only reason this is down at number 5 rather than number 1 is that it is out at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, a 15-minute drive away from Winter Park, so not easy to get to unless you are staying out at the ranch (which is super expensive). If you have a car and don’t mind driving, then it is worth a visit. It is a traditional ranch house steak restaurant. The food is really good quality and the ambience sophisticated (for Colorado) and as close to fine dining as you’re going to get out here. We’ve eaten here a couple of times over the years and it feels like a really special place to go. Not cheap, nothing is out at Devil’s Thumb, but the service is high end and we’ve always had excellent steaks here. If you’ve been out here for some cross-country skiing and fancy an early seating, then that works well. The downside is that if you don’t have a car you’ll need to book a taxi which will set you back about $60; or you’ll need to stay over at the hotel here with rooms starting at around $350 per night. 

Getting here:

Flights to Denver, direct from London Heathrow with British Airways.

Shared shuttle from Denver with Home James. $179

Getting around: 

There’s a free bus system called The Link with coloured routes taking you from the ski area to downtown Winter Park, Fraser and on to Granby. It’s easy to find the bus stops as they are all located at the top of the village. You can walk through from the Winter Park base area, or ski down from Mary Jane and stop at the car park exit and access the bus stops from there. The buses run until 6pm and then the Black line continues on a loop later into the evening. 

The other option for getting around is the taxi service offered by Home James. 

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