The oldest ski resort in Colorado may be on the verge of a historic upgrading.
Located at 65 Parsenn Road in the city of Winter Park, around 67 miles to the west of Denver, the Winter Park Resort was opened in early 1940 and is the state’s longest continually operated ski resort.
With just over 3,000 acres of ski space and nearly 200 designated trails, the resort has several times been lauded by USA Today as the number one ski resort in America.
Now a move is on to substantially upgrade portions of the resort, improving its amenities and terrain, among other things.
Called “Winter Park Unlocked,” the project will include the building of new lodging and dining options at the site, as well as improved walkability, and the creation of what are being called “unique public spaces.”
The plan is also expected to see the building of a new ski-back trail that will increase access between the resort and the town of Winter Park.
Owned by the City of Denver and managed by the Alterra Mountain Company of Denver, the Winter Park Resort sees annual revenue of more than $40 million and has for some time been regarded as a year-around resort with miniature golf in the summer and a climbing wall, among other amenities.
An outline of the “Winter Park Unlocked” published by the City of Winter Park notes that the project is centered on the concept of the “mountain resort of the future,” with an emphasis on sustainability issues.
Although an exact timeline for the project has not been announced, the upgrade will be the first extensive work of its kind at the resort in more than two decades.
January 3, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of City of Winter Park
