Discover Winter Park Resort in Colorado’s Fraser Valley, offering diverse skiing terrain and stunning high-altitude views.
Winter Park Resort is in the Fraser Valley, a short drive from the town of Winter Park and an hour and a half from Denver. It’s a high-altitude Colorado resort that receives about 344 inches of snow a year. With a fantastic combination of beginner, intermediate, and advanced skiing, it’s clear to see why this resort has received positive recognition over the years. Winter Park (Parkside) and Mary Jane (Janeside) are the two main mountain areas that make up the resort. The Mary Jane name has some colourful historical significance, and the resort marketing material refers to the mountain as seven territories. Winter Park has a solid variety of trails serviced mostly by high-speed lifts, as well as some of the best mogul and tree skiing we’ve seen.
Winter Park is easily accessible from Denver International Airport via car rental or shuttle service. On some weekends, a ski train option that arrives at the foot of the resort is also available from Denver. The drive is over Berthoud Pass, so check codot.gov before you hit the road, as the pass may be closed. Also watch for speed traps thru the small town of Empire. If you’re driving, both the Winter Park and Mary Jane bases have free and paid parking. The drop-off zone for Winter Park is a moderate trek to the base, but at Mary Jane it is conveniently situated at the base building. Locally, the resort has free buses from the towns of Winter Park and Fraser to the resort and shuttles servicing the various carparks.
Winter Park Base combines old and new facilities, with the legacy buildings housing resort services and the new lodging structures offering a village atmosphere. The free shuttle buses drop you off at Balcony House for ticketing and locker access, which is close to the gondola if you want to go straight up the mountain. There is a decent amount of walking across the base to get to ski school, including some stairs, but staff are helpful and will have you set up in no time.
On-mountain dining options include Lunch Rock, Sunspot, and Snoasis, while the Winter Park and Mary Jane base areas have the broadest food and beverage options. For locations that permit packed lunches, Snoasis is a mid-mountain favourite for locals, and upstairs at the Jane base there is a microwave; otherwise, consult the resort map.
As for the skiing, Winter Park boasts an excellent variety of terrain for all types of skiers. For newbies, there are two options: either take the gondola up to reach the green runs off of the Olympia and High Lonesome lifts or ride the Gemini chair directly to Discovery Park’s beginner area. The green runs off High Lonesome are tree-lined and in a valley, making them an excellent area to escape the elements if the weather turns.
For young kids, Dilly Dally Alley and the Ash Cat Terrain Park are worth a look. Locals consider Dilly Dally Alley and the Ash Cat Terrain Park to be family favourites, and they serve as a great incentive for parents to say, “If you eat all your lunch, we can go there in the afternoon.”
For intermediate skiers, the best blue run on the Parkside is Cramner, a big open groomer with some minor bumps on the right if you want to try something a little more demanding. This trail can feel like Grand Central Station in the afternoon as beginners level up and everyone else looks for a quick exit from the mountain. If you want more blue runs, head over to the Jane side. The Mary Jane Trail is the best of the blues here, offering another wide, open, and reasonably long blue run that can be as congested as I70. We recommend continuing along the cat track off the Olympia lift through to Arrowhead Loop and Rainbow Cut. These two exceptional blues offer weather protection and minimal traffic. Venturing higher on the Panoramic Express opens a lot more complex terrain, but it also exposes you to the weather, so choose your timing and make sure you’re dressed accordingly. If you decide to go across to Vasquez Ridge, keep your speed up on the flats to the lift.
This resort is a wonderful playground for advanced skiers. While the intense Vasquez Cirque may not always be open to thrill seekers, the resort offers a variety of steep and deep bumps and trees. The moguls from the Challenger lift (C chair) are difficult to beat. The gladed trees off Parry’s Peak are a lot of fun, and there is tree skiing throughout the resort. On the Eaglewind side of the mountain, there is a terrific blend of bump and tree skiing.
Don’t neglect the advanced runs on the Parkside; Bradley’s Bash and Outrigger are exceptional, and on powder days, you can find freshies in the trees here late in the day.
While the Rail Yard and Re-Railer terrain parks have well-balanced features, Winter Park is not known for its terrain parks. After all, this is a resort with 99% trails, trees, and bumps.
Winter Park has limited snowmaking facilities, which means that in the early season, there may be limited terrain available. Similarly, the south-facing runs can get pretty bare late spring, but due to the elevation, the snow generally holds up really well. The flats out to the Wild Spur Express can get very mushy and sticky in the spring; good luck if you’re on a snowboard.
There are a few things to keep in mind when visiting Winter Park. Panoramic and Eaglewind lifts open later and close earlier. If you want to take a group or selfie at the top of the mountain, don’t arrive too late in the afternoon. The area is close to Denver, so expect a lot of people on the weekends. Also note that some Saturdays will see the closure of selected runs due to racing competitions. When planning your trip, consider that Sunday afternoon traffic back to Denver on I70 can resemble a parking lot. Also, be mindful that locals and Denverites will take the day off on a powder day, so you can anticipate a huge influx then as well. “All bets are off” on these days, as everyone abandons mountain etiquette in search of fresh tracks.
As a high-altitude Colorado resort, if you’re coming from sea level, take it easy for the first few days and drink enough water. Don’t be surprised if your energy levels drop shortly after lunch, as the body struggles with the lack of oxygen. The resort terrain covers a number of ridges and valleys, so if the weather gets ugly, look for runs out of the wind or ask a mountain host, wearing yellow, for some advice. With the exception of lift-top exposure, you should be able to continue skiing and avoid the worst weather conditions. Rinsing the runs off the gondola is a sound idea if you have little kids or don’t like being cold. It’s a great place to stay warm, and remember to have a few M&M’s stashed in your jacket while you plot your next decent.
For those seeking a ski-in/ski-out experience, the mountain offers new, modern accommodations, but the distinct separation between the resort and town will keep you away from the bustle of town. This would be ideal for a romantic getaway or a family vacation, but not for a spring break trip.
Winter Park town offers a diverse range of lodging options, along with a multitude of restaurants, bars, and equipment rental stores for your convenience. Tubing, bowling, snowmobiling, and a movie theatre are just a few of the fantastic family activities available in town. There are things to do at the Grand Park Community Recreation Centre that don’t involve skiing, like the gym and kid-friendly pool.
Fraser and Meadow Ridge provide a variety of housing alternatives and are near the supermarket. The resort bus serves this region; however, we recommend renting a car if you’re staying this far from the resort.
We think Winter Park has an excellent variety of terrain, including some excellent mogul and tree skiing, and is, in our opinion, an excellent all-around resort. Check out our guide and trail videos to get the most out of this very unpretentious family-friendly resort.
