Ski areas reporting everything going well

Ski areas reporting everything going well

December 25, 2001

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Christmas Day is always a big day out on the slopes as children and adults tryout their new skis and snowboards throughout the nation. Today, Dec. 25, will be no different in Southwestern Colorado.

Ski season is totally under way at the four local ski areas. Finally, some good news is coming from some of the local areas.

After months of meetings and hearings, Ski Hesperus, located about 36 miles east of Cortez on U.S. Highway 160, has been re-issued a license to operate by the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board. Hesperus officially opened Dec. 15.

The area will be now be open every day 9 a.m.-9 p.m., excluding Sundays, and those times will run through the Christmas Break.

Hesperus is reporting good conditions on mostly packed powder on a 29-inch base. Hesperus offers skiing and snowboarding lessons along with rentals. It also operates an inner-tube hill.

Tickets for a full day are $25 for adults and $18 for juniors (12-under) Night tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for juniors.

Telluride held officially opening of its new Prospect Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 20.

"It is an incredible feeling to see a vision 30 years in the making come to fruition," said Johnnie Stevens, chief operating officer for the Telluride Ski & Golf Company (Telski). "You have no idea the tremendous effort it took to create this unbelievable mountain experience. I want to personally thank everyone who helped make this project a reality. I'd recommend for everyone to strap on their skis or board, get back there and be prepared to be blown away. "

With 17 new trails named to reflect Telluride's rich history, Prospect Bowl showcases the authenticity and unique character of this former mining town.

From May Girl to Magnolia to Little Maude, each trail carries the name of a historic mill or mining claim. The two entry gates into Prospect Bowl at the top of Ute Park and Lift 5 are fashioned after a rustic mine shaft.

With a ride time of four minutes and a 275-foot vertical rise, Ute Park (Lift 11) serves as the beginner training area. Prospect (Lift 12) accesses intermediate and expert terrain with a five-minute ride time and a 1,050-foot vertical rise. Topping out at 12,260 feet, Gold Hill (Lift 14) offers advanced intermediate and experts breathtaking views and an expanse of steep terrain. Gold Hill carries passengers 1,475 feet to its summit in just 4 minutes. The Lynx (Lift 13) is a surface lift that provides an egress out of Prospect Bowl to Lifts 1 & 10. High Camp, a cozy warming hut above the new Ski Patrol Building at the top of the Prospect Lift, offers skiers and riders a casual spot to enjoy a sandwich, snacks or warm up with a hot beverage.

"It's really exciting," Telluride Ski Patrol Director Gary Richard said. "It's like we have a new ski area. I think people around here are going to really get back into skiing again because it's not the same old product. It's new, different, challenging and there's something for everyone - including the beginner!"

Starting today, all lifts on the mountain (except the Lynx Lift in Prospect Bowl and Lift 2) will be running, accessing 90 percent of the mountain's terrain. The backcountry access gate will be open.

Here are the Prospect Bowl Statistics:

* Adds an additional 733-acres of lift-served terrain, nearly doubling the size of the Telluride mountain

* Terrain varies from gentle rolling slopes to challenging steeps.

* Increased lift served vertical rise from 3,250 feet to 3,530 feet.

* Northern exposure in Prospect Bowl creates greater snowfall averages

* With the new terrain, Telluride has 25 percent beginner, 36 percent intermediate and 39 percent intermediate/expert terrain.

* The addition of Prospect Bowl gives Telluride a total of 81 trails and 16 lifts (2 high speed gondolas, 7 high speed quads, 2 triples, 2 doubles, 2 surface lifts and 1 magic carpet).

News also was good coming from Durango Mountain Resort (Purgatory) opened the whole mountain (well, almost at 99 percent) on Dec. 14.

Lifts nos. 7,8, and 9 along with lifts 1,2, and 3 are all running. The Paradise Race Arena, located on Upper Paradise, is located from access of lift no. 1 (express six-pack lift which opened up last season). The self-timer race run is $1 per run. NASTAR races will begin soon. The arena is open Wednesdays to Sundays.

Lift 8 is running after crews completed preparations. This lift opens up the backside where the snow has been piling up. Members of the ski patrol have been doing terrain checks. Dante’s Lodge and Restaurant is now open.

Lifts 7 and 9 will give access to the Columbine area, a mainly beginner area. Columbine Station is open for business. The old Forest Service Cabins were retooled and remodeled. Lift no. 5, which fills in the back side of Purgatory Mountain and provides access to Dante’s and Cafe de Los Pinos, is now open.

All beginner and intermediate terrain is open. Some black diamond runs are open for advanced and expert skiers.

The DMR’s annual Benefit Day on Dec. 7 raised $22,410 for the local San Juan Mountains Association. The Jeremy Glick Memorial Fund received $1,000. The Sept. 11 Fund received $1,000.

The Mountain Adventure School is offering a full slate of lessons, beginner to expert, ski and snowboard. The Nordic Center is finally up and running with tracks for skating and classic. Two guided snowshoe treks are now being held. The snowshoe tours last three to four hours and leave daily at 10 a.m. Phone (970) 385-2167 for reservations. The San Juan Ski Company is providing snowcat tours so people can experience the backcountry. Phone (970) 259-9671 for details.

DMR’s gourmet on-mountain restaurant, the Cafe de Los Pinos, opened on Friday, Dec. 21. The menu features tenderloin sandwich, grilled fresh ahi, black angus burger, Caesar salad, bacon wrapped tequila shrimp, and soups. The cafe is located in Dante’s Cabin on the back side of Purgatory beneath lift 5. The San Juan Mountains Association members constructed interpretive signs on the back deck describing the mountains and the Wiminuche Wilderness Area.

Lift passes range from $53 for adults to $27 for children (6-12) and $37 for seniors (65 plus).