Winter Park Ski Resort

The Winter Park Resort was the brainchild of Denver’s manager of Parks and Recreation, George Cranmer, and was created to provide a “winter park” for the residents of Denver. With the help of some enthusiastic volunteers, Winter Park Resort fired up its first rope tow with a $1 lift ticket in 1939. Since that modest beginning, the resort has steadily morphed into one of the top ten ski resorts in the United States, hosting nearly a million skiers and snowboarders annually.

Winter Park Ski Resort’s first and ongoing claim to fame is consistently abundant snowfall. Averaging 30 feet of snow annually entitles the resort to the coveted title of “most snow of any major Colorado resort,” a distinction that has been unchallenged for more than 76 years.

With its proximity to Denver, just 67 miles away, Winter Park is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts.

The wilder side of Winter Park Resort emerged in 1975 when the rowdy Mary Jane Mountain opened. Revered for big bumps, deep chutes, tight glades and steep pitches, “the Jane” has earned cult-like status for her feisty attributes and ego-humbling terrain. Consistently ranked #1 for moguls in North America by Skiing Magazine, Mary Jane is fiercely loved and defended by legions of bump skiers and riders who relentlessly pursue the tightest, cleanest lines down the faces of her daunting trails.

In steady succession, additional sections of the mountain opened including Mary Jane’s backside, Vasquez Ridge, Parsenn Bowl and, in 1997, Vasquez Cirque – the resort’s most extreme and dramatic terrain. The Eagle Wind was new in the past couple of years and offers the out-of-bounds feeling within the ski resort’s boundaries; this area has great glades and tree runs.  Today, Winter Park boasts 25 lifts serving 143 trails spread over more than 3,081 acres across four mountains and 1,212 acres of off-piste terrain in the Vasquez Cirque and glade skiing.

And, the resort keeps improving. To better serve the next generation of skiers and riders who have given their hearts and loyalty to this venerable resort, Winter Park has expanded on its new terrain park, Rail Yard, with new progressive rails and improved jump design. Pipe aficionados head straight to the resort’s new Superpipe on Allan Phipps trail. A 100-foot snow bridge whisks skiers and riders over Cranmer Cutoff for a more seamless transition between the park and the new Superpipe. Aspiring riders of all ages can test their skills in the expanded terrain park on Jack Kendrick trail with new jumps and rails.

After all these years, all those powder days, all these improvements and all the happy memories, it is no surprise that Winter Park Resort is still affectionately known throughout the state and beyond as “Colorado’s Favorite™.” With great Winter Park rentals to suit your every need and desire to be close to the resort, we hope you’ll add Vacations Inc. to your favorite’s list of all things Colorado.