Winter Park Resort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Winter Park |
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Winter Park Village
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 Winter Park
Location in the United States
Winter Park
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Grand County, Colorado, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Winter Park, Denver |
| Coordinates | 39°53′13″N 105°45′45″W / 39.88694°N 105.76250°W |
| Vertical | 3,060 feet (933 m) |
| Top elevation | 12,060 feet (3,676 m) |
| Base elevation | 9,000 feet (2,743 m) |
| Skiable area | 3,081 acres (12.5 km2) |
| Runs | 167 total 8% beginner 18% intermediate 19% advanced 52% most difficult 3% expert |
| Lift system | 25 total - 9 high-speed chairs - 10 fixed-grip chairs - 6 surface lifts |
| Snowfall | 370 in (30.8 ft; 9.4 m) |
Winter Park Resort is a popular ski resort located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, United States. It's in Grand County, near the town of Winter Park. The resort is about a 90-minute drive from Denver.
Winter Park Ski Area first opened for skiing in the 1939–40 season. It was owned by the city of Denver for many years. In 2002, a company called Intrawest started running the resort. Later, in 2018, another company, Alterra Mountain Company, took over. For almost 70 years, many people from Denver would take the Ski Train to get to the resort. The train stopped running in 2009 but came back in 2017 as the Winter Park Express. Winter Park Resort is also home to the National Sports Center for the Disabled. This is one of the biggest and oldest programs in the world for disabled skiing.
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Discover Winter Park's Mountains
Winter Park Resort has three connected mountain peaks. These are Winter Park, Mary Jane, and Vasquez Ridge. You can use the same lift ticket for all of them.
Mary Jane Mountain
Mary Jane opened in 1975. It has its own base area. This part of the resort is famous for its bumpy trails called moguls. It also has fun tree skiing areas and hidden huts. The terrain here is generally more challenging. Mary Jane also includes the Parsenn Bowl, which is above the tree line.
Vasquez Ridge Mountain
Vasquez Ridge opened in 1986. It offers trails that are great for intermediate skiers. You can also find some mogul runs here. In 1997, a large area of backcountry terrain called Vasquez Cirque opened. To get there, you had to hike from the top of Mary Jane. Later, a lift was moved to make it easier to get back to Mary Jane after skiing Vasquez Cirque.
Resort Improvements and Fun Activities
When Intrawest managed the resort, they made many cool changes. They updated the food places and added new lifts in 2005 and 2006. They also built a new village area at the base. This village has places to stay, shops, and a special open-air gondola called "The Village Cabriolet."
Winter Park is a fun place to visit all year round, not just for skiing!
Summer Adventures
During the summer, the resort keeps some lifts running. You can use them for mountain biking, hiking, and just enjoying the views. The Arrow chairlift takes you to an alpine slide in the summer. At the base area, you can play miniature golf, try a climbing wall, and do other fun activities. Winter Park is also known for its amazing summer mountain biking trails that you can reach by lift.
Awards and Recognition
Winter Park Resort has won some great awards! In 2018, readers of USA Today voted it the "Best ski resort in North America." In 2019, it was named the "Number 1 Ski Resort in North America."
Winter Park's Skiing History
Winter Park has hosted the NCAA Skiing Championships several times. These big college skiing competitions happened here in 1956, 1959, 1972, and 1977. The Denver team won in 1956, and the Colorado team won the next three times.
Quick Facts and Figures
Here are some interesting facts about Winter Park Resort:
Mountain Elevations
- Base: 9,000 ft (2,743 m) (This is how high up the bottom of the mountain is!)
- Summit: 12,060 ft (3,676 m) (This is the very top of the mountain!)
- Vertical rise: 3,060 ft (933 m) (This is the difference between the top and bottom.)
Ski Trails and Snow
- Skiable area: 3,081 acres (4.8 sq mi; 12.5 km2) (That's a lot of space to ski!)
- Trails: 166 total
- 8% are for beginners (easy green circle trails)
- 18% are for intermediate skiers (blue square trails)
- 19% are for advanced skiers (black diamond trails)
- 52% are for most difficult skiers (double black diamond trails)
- 3% are for expert skiers (double black diamond trails)
- Average annual snowfall: 317.5 inches (26.5 ft; 8.1 m) (That's over 26 feet of snow each year!)
Lifts at Winter Park
Winter Park has many different types of lifts to get you up the mountain.
| Lift Name | Type | Year Built | Fun Fact |
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| The Gondola | Ten-person gondola lift | 2018 | A modern way to ride up! |
| Village Cabriolet | Eight-person gondola lift | 2008 | An open-air gondola in the village. |
| Panoramic Express | Six-passenger high-speed detachable chairlift | 2007 | One of the highest high-speed six-person lifts when it opened! |
| Super Gauge Express | Six-passenger high-speed detachable chairlift | 2005 | Gets you up the mountain quickly. |
| Explorer Express | High-speed detachable quad chairlift | 1999 | Used to be called the Eskimo Express. |
| Gemini Express | High-speed detachable quad chairlift | 1993 | |
| High Lonesome Express | High-speed detachable quad chairlift | 1991 | |
| Olympia Express | High-speed detachable quad chairlift | 1996 | |
| Pioneer Express | High-speed detachable quad chairlift | 1986 | |
| Prospector Express | High-speed detachable quad chairlift | 1994 | |
| Arrow | Triple chairlift | 1979 | |
| Eagle Wind | Triple chairlift | 2006 | This lift used to be called Outrigger. |
| Endeavour | Triple chairlift | 1993 | |
| Sunnyside | Six-passenger high-speed detachable chairlift | 2019 | A newer, faster lift. |
| Challenger | Double chairlift | 1974 | |
| Discovery | Double chairlift | 1984 | Great for learning skiers. |
| Galloping Goose | Double chairlift | 1974 | |
| Iron Horse | Double chairlift | 1974 | |
| Looking Glass | Double chairlift | 1966 | |
| Pony Express | Double chairlift | 1974 | |
| Lariat | Rope Tow | 2002 | A simple rope tow. |
| Spirit | Platter surface lift | 2004 | A platter lift. |
| Comet | Conveyor | 2019 | Like a moving sidewalk for skiers. |
| Meteor | Conveyor | 2019 | Another moving carpet. |
Historic Ski Trails
Over its 75-year history, many people have helped make Winter Park special. Some ski trails are named after these important individuals. You can find signs along these trails that tell their stories.
- Hughes (The Gondola or Explorer Express)
- Cranmer (The Gondola or Explorer Express)
- Allan Phipps (The Gondola, Explorer Express or Prospector Express)
- Bradley's Bash (The Gondola or Explorer Express)
- Mulligan's Mile (The Gondola or Explorer Express)
- Jack Kendrick (Prospector Express or Looking Glass)
- Mt. Maury (learning slope with carpet)
- Retta's Run (Explorer Express lift line)
- Engeldive (Prospector Express and Looking Glass)
- Balch (The Gondola or Explorer Express)
- Wilson's Way (Discovery learning double)
- Mary Jane Trail (reached from Super Gauge Express, Olympia Express or High Lonesome Express)
- Over N' Underwood (Prospector Express or Looking Glass)
- Butch's Breezeway (Prospector Express or Looking Glass)
Images for kids
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View looking north from the top of Parsenn Bowl.
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View looking east at Parry's Peak from near the top of the Mary Jane.
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Panoramic view of the Zephyr Express and Zephyr Mountain Lodge.
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A panorama taken on Whistlestop run at Winter Park Resort.
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Ski trail near the top of Winter Park Resort.
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Winter Park Resort nestled in with the Continental Divide
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