In a few hours, I learn Lodge Pine and Aspen grow in my backyard. Admittedly, I have not made much of an effort to catalogue the history and landscape of Winter Park, Colorado.
On a Snow Cat tour of the Winter Park Resort, the last 68 winter seasons are ground down to the finer points; the naming of Allen Phillips ski run, now masked as the extreme Terrain Park, the summer activities plan and the Colorado ski market. The Snow Cat, a large bulldozer-like tank with comfortable seating for 12, is usually used to groom the runs.
The Snow Cat takes guests through the runs and up to the highest point on the Winter Park mountain. Coincidently, the top of the mountain is the jumping point for where I always start my ski/snowboarding escapades. The tour guild, Gary, explains Winter Park's humble beginnings, as Denver owned the land under the Department of Parks and Recreation. Being under public trust, Winter Park did not develop as quickly as some competitors, such as Aspen or Vail, because the City of Denver could not afford to invest into extensive ski lifts.
In the early 1960s until the 1980s, the resort still ran with simple T-Lifts and rope tows. As the surrounding resorts develop, Winter Park ran as a non-profit with minimal upgrades and profits until Intrawest, one of the largest ski resort management corporations came in to offer a 75 year lease in exchange for $2 million dollars a year in added revenue.
Intrawest has been the bane of many locals in Grand County, the county encompassing land larger than Rhode Island, and who is the object of disgust for changing the face of Winter Park Resort. It could be argued our tour guild was the number one cheerleader for Intrawest; with a fair amount of truth. Intrawest has committed investment and construction goals to bring Winter Park, one of the last small ski resorts, into the mainstream of Rocky Mountain skiing.
It is that desire to mainstream Winter Park that creates such tension in locals who wanted to keep the best secret ski area for themselves. And who can place blame, when you move to Winter Park for great skiing and a small town feel.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of the tour, aside from the gracious invitation to come aboard. Afterwards, I was truly grateful for the insight and sightseeing.
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