New proposed development plan reimagines Winter Park Resort

Winter Park Resort’s proposed development plan, dubbed “Winter Park Unlocked,” lays out how it wants to upgrade its terrain, amenities, and connectivity. Some of these improvements are coming soon while others are slated to take years — making this a multiyear, multiphased project.

All changes will be done through a partnership with the Winter Park Recreation Association, the town of Winter Park, Alterra Mountain Co., and the U.S. Forest Service. A mountain master development plan was submitted to the U.S. Forest Service in 2022, when it went through official reviews and public commentary. 

The improvements are going to be largely funded through private investment from Alterra. However, Winter Park Resort is also looking at public financing tools for parts of the project that benefit the community, such as upgrading infrastructure, public parks, public transit, preservation of the Fraser River, and more.

Winter Park Resort spokesperson Jen Miller explained that the plan is a way of “taking a look at the future.”

“Winter Park is the oldest resort in Colorado, and the last time we did major developments was almost 25 years ago,” Miller said.

“In 10, 20, or 30 years into the future, it will be a primary transportation tool because you could park in Winter Park and ride the gondola, and then not have to bring your car to the resort,” she explained. 

Additionally, Winter Park Resort is supporting another initiative that connects people on the Front Range and other mountain communities to Winter Park. The proposed mountain passenger rail service would connect municipalities from Denver and Arvada to Steamboat Springs and Craig using rail lines. Both Winter Park Resort and the town of Winter Park have been supporting the work that the Colorado Department of Transportation has been doing regarding planning for the potential passenger rail project.

Changes to the base area 

The proposed base area development plan is focused on creating a seamless experience for guests while they eat, stay and play at the resort.

The plan includes developing neighborhoods within the resort with distinct identities, improving pedestrian mobility, updating parking, and expanding open spaces. The plan also considers new lodging and dining options within the base area, with the goal of enticing visitors to stay a little longer.

Terrain expansion, on-mountain improvements

No ski resort plan is complete without terrain improvements. As part of the master development plan that was submitted in 2022, enhancements would be made to the resort’s current terrain as well as expanding intermediate terrain for more casual recreationists.

Other future plans include:

• Redesigning the resort’s learning area with new lifts and access points
• Adding a new on-mountain day lodge for new skiers and riders
• Upgrading existing on-mountain restaurants and day lodges
• Expanding Vasquez Ridge terrain, including a new dining option at the top of the Wild Spur Express lift

What’s new this season

For the 2024-45 season, Winter Park Resort is unveiling its upgraded $37 million snowmaking system. This is the first major upgrade to the system since the original system was installed in the late 1970s, and the project has been two years in the making. 

The upgraded system now pumps up to 6,000 gallons of water per minute — more than double the capacity of the old system, which operated at 2,400 gallons per minute, according to the resort.

“It will ultimately make our snowmaking system more efficient and more sustainable for the long term,” Miller said. “And we’ll be able to cover more terrain earlier.”

She explained that these improvements will allow for more terrain to open sooner in the season but not necessarily an earlier opening for the resort since the system still requires consistent cold temperatures to make snow. 

“It will allow us to more efficiently cover the mountain and open more terrain earlier,” she said.

Other enhancements and additions include: 

• Four new pump houses that manage water intake, storage, and flow throughout the mountain, enhancing the pressurization needed to create snow faster
• A 13-million-gallon reservoir pond to better manage water retention and use
• 7 miles of new water pipes installed throughout the mountain, designed to meet current and future snowmaking needs
• New compressors, pumps, 20,000 feet of electrical wiring and nearly 200 snowmaking guns

Community members are invited to join the discussion

Miller emphasized that the resort is looking to implement these changes thoughtfully and wants to hear from residents and visitors about the proposed changes.

“I think there is a deep desire for the resort, the town and the community as a whole, to maintain that kind of secret sauce that makes Winter Park what it is,” she said.

Throughout the process of implementing these upgrades to Winter Park Resort, she explained that resort representatives will be speaking at public meetings and hearings. She and other resort leadership encouraged the public to attend these meetings to learn more about what the resort is doing.

“I think an important part of all of this is we’re not doing this on our own or without the input of our community,” she said. “That’s really important to us, so I would encourage people to get involved.”

This article first published in the winter edition of Explore Grand magazine.