Five new ski trails, along with a new high-speed lift, are set for construction at the Eldora Mountain Resort in northern Colorado.
The project, to be built on land belonging to the Roosevelt National Forest, has now won the approval of the U.S. Forest Service.
Eldora officials had earlier said they also wanted to implement a series of site improvements on the north side of the resort, but decided to abandon those plans due to worries about the impact on an adjacent wildlife corridor.
Located in northern Colorado, some 47 miles to the west of Denver, the popular resort was opened in the early 1960s and is known for its glade skiing offerings and multi-line trails.
The U.S. Forest Service approval will give to the resort the opportunity to build on 62 acres.
The expansion project is part of a larger master development plan announced eight years ago that has since seen the building of three new runs, among other features.
The latest expansion will include 27 acres of trails, along with 35 acres of tree and glade skiing space, and a new high-speed lift.
In announcing the approval of the resort’s expansion plans, Monte Williams, a supervisor with the Forest Service, said that approval was the result of interested parties fashioning a plan that “will satisfy both the ski area’s growth and economic objectives as well as the community’s environmental concerns.”
Exactly when the work on the expansion project will begin has not yet been announced.
By Garry Boulard