DENVER — Guests returning to Colorado’s ski slopes this winter after two years of conditions limited by the coronavirus will find an abundance of newer and faster lifts, expanded terrain and bigger central buildings where they can sit and rest after a long day on the mountain.
Here is an overview of some of the changes that will be unveiled at Colorado ski resorts as they open over the next two months.
New lifts
Vail Mountain will offer not one but two ways to get up the hill faster during the 2022-23 season. Its Legendary Back Bowls will get a new four-person high-speed lift into the Sun Down Bowl, stretching from the base of the High Noon Express to the Wildwood Restaurant, and it will replace the old four-person lift in the Game Creek Bowl with a six-person high-speed lift estimated to increase capacity by nearly 50%.
Arapahoe Basin replaced the 21-year-old three-seat Lenawee Lift with a high-speed six-seater that officials say will alleviate one of the last remaining pinch points on the mountain.
At Breckenridge Resort, Rip’s Ride, previously a fixed-grip double at its beginner/ski and ride school experience on Peak 8, will be transformed this season into a high-speed four-person chair. The upgraded chair will provide guests with faster access to Peak 8’s primary learning terrain and provide easier and access from Rip’s Ride over to Peak 9.
Loveland Ski Area replaced its Lift 6 with a fixed-grip triple that will increase the uphill capacity to popular terrain.
Powderhorn Mountain Resort near Grand Junction will add a new beginner-area surface lift this season.
Telluride Ski Resort has added a high-speed detachable quad to replace Chair 9, cut the lift time from 15 minutes down to 7 minutes and service 2,000 vertical feet of terrain.
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