Winterpark riding tips

[Guest silversurf]

I got invited on a dream trip today, near the end of the month I'm heading to Winterpark, CO and some else (a vendor) is footing the whole bill!! WOOT.

Anyway, I get two full days of boarding and having (a) never been to Colorado and (b) to Winterpark I'm in need of some local/experienced advice on what the scoop is. Good runs, best carves, steeps, etc.

Pumped,

-colin

[bobdea]

but if you have a car that you can take for the day and the roads are decent wake up early and drive to steamboat for one of those days and ride the trees

[D-Sub]

Originally posted by bobdea

but if you have a car that you can take for the day and the roads are decent wake up early and drive to steamboat for one of those days and ride the trees

even if it isnt fresh, steamboat has the most incredible groomers.

never been to WP...always considered it a bit short of ideal, but Im sure theres plenty to do there. The Boat isnt much futher though

[Guest silversurf]

I'm going to be coming up each day from Denver (that's where the hotel is that we're getting put at, not sure which one but supposedly pretty nice) and we take the Ski Train (I assume the Amtrak) up to WP each day, so alas no car and I'm guessing any food and lift tickets are done for the group. So in order to stick with the "free" theme of the trip :-) I'm probably gonna stick to WP.

Anyway, having never been to CO to board, I'm not going to be too picky since it'll be a different expereince all the way around. The only Rocky snow I've tasted is idaho/montana and canadian rockies. I've been a Sierra/Cascade crud rider because of geography.

-c

[Guest dragon fly jones]

Winter Park is sort of funny that way. There are lot of flat runouts so wax well.

Grab a map and pick one, you will most likely not be disappointed.

Have fun!

DFJ

[WPCARVER]

If you can get there early enough Hughes is the steepest groomed run they have, but they always set up race courses on it. If you get there right when it opens you can usually get a couple of runs on it . Cramner and the trails to the skiers left of it are usaually all groomed. Larry Sale is a half run that can be fun as well. These are all on the Winter Park side. On the Mary Jane side for groomers there is the Mary Jane trail as well as another half run Arrowhead Loop. There is also sleeper but it's nicknamed scraper. If there is powder and you want bumps and trees Mary Jane is it. Hope this helps.

[D.T.]

Vasquez Ridge has some decent runs if they have been groomed recently. The only issue is you have to hop several lifts, zig-zagging the mountain to get there. If the conditions suck, I can take awhile to work you way back to WP. There is also a long run-out to the lift that you must take into account. The benefit is there is hardly anyone over there. You might consider bringing an all-mountain board and spending your time at Mary Jane. As WPCARVER said, great bumps and trees to be had at MJ.

[Guest silversurf]

Ok, so groomers aside, how about trees & steeps? Anyone got any favs?

I don't do moguls or the park, so that's not on my agenda.

Thanks for the replies,

Colin

[D.T.]

Ok, so groomers aside, how about trees & steeps?

Any of the trees off of the Challenger lift on Mary Jane. You can drop over the front side or off of the back. The are many areas in the trees where the "bumps" are more berms that you can rail (i.e. BX style) as cruise through the trees. The trail maps for all three maountains are located here.

If you are intersted, there is always Vasquez Cirque. It is steep with powder, some chop and lots of trees.

Just be prepared fopr the worst weather conditions. Late January can be brutally cold!