- PARK VS JANE
North America’s Winter Park is a resort of two halves: the “Park Side” (as in Winter Park) and the “Jane Side”, named after a notorious lady of the night, Mary Jane, who visited this area of Colorado when it was a miners settlement. Today, Jane Side is famed for its epic moguls and tree skiing, whilst families and skiers looking for groomed terrain more often frequent Park Side.
- BOUNCE IN THE MOGULS
Head over to the Jane Side for some bunny hopping in the moguls, or if you’re looking to perfect your skills then book into Bob’s Mogul Camp. Run by Bob Barnes, the Director of the Winter Park ski school, the 3-day course is ideal for someone looking to refine their bumps ability, or for nervous skiers looking to build confidence on varied terrain. For course dates see winterparkresort.com.
- SERIOUS ALTITUDE
Winter Park is high. The resort base sits at 2743m, with the highest lift-served terrain at the dizzy height of 3675m. That’s over 3.5km high. Famed for its bowl skiing and big off-pistes in the Cirque, the resort is a bit hit with “destination” skiers travelling from Denver – the Mile-High City – at the weekends. With 55% expert terrain, the resort is sure to please anyone looking to test their skills on- or off-piste. Just remember to keep hydrated and off the booze.
- STAY AT THE BASE
There are plenty of accommodation options at the “base”, known in Europe as the resort, allowing access to the lifts without need for a car. The Zephyr Mountain Lodge is highly recommended, and has a hot tub relaxation area. There are also shops, cafes and restaurants at the base, most notably Doc’s Roadhouse restaurant, which is popular with locals, and Goodys – owned by a British ex-ski racer and now a ski instructor – which serves delicious pancakes, ice cream, and much more.
- EASY ACCESS
Winter Park is one of the easiest resorts to access; located just off Route 40, about 1.5h drive from Denver, which British Airways (ba.com) fly to daily from the UK. Private or shared shuttle services can be arranged from the airport to the resort.
