Colorado Ski Country USA Resorts Invest in Summer Upgrades

Visitors Will Find Enhanced Bike Parks, Expanded Downhill Trails, and Archery and Putting Courses

Denver, Colo. – May 22, 2015 – In the coming weeks, Colorado Ski Country USA resorts will turn toward summer operations with a diverse and growing menu of warm weather recreational activities for guests. Several resorts are building infrastructure improvements to enhance their summer outdoor recreational opportunities, such as mountain biking and high alpine archery. Below is a round-up of some of the 2015 summer-oriented capital improvements at CSCUSA resorts as well as opening dates for summer operations.

Aspen Snowmass

Aspen Mountain Top

Aspen Skiing Company is embarking on a multi-phase project beginning this summer. Plans include enhancing the top of Aspen Mountain for visitors and locals to enjoy the surrounding beauty and outdoors year-round. This summer, Phase I will consist of a landscaping project including Rocky Mountain flower gardens, picnic areas, new signage and kid's play features including hay bales, sand and water play, bean bag toss, a tree house, lawn games and more. Also part of Phase I, and to begin this fall, a complete renovation of the welcome plaza in between the Gondola Building and the Sundeck will take place and include an expanded observation deck for viewing the Elk Mountain Range. Phase II will consist of future enhancements meant to inspire mind, body and spirit in the great outdoors.

Bike Snowmass Trails

With more than 50 miles of trails, Bike Snowmass offers everything from a gravity-defying rush along a world-class downhill trail to gentle single-track through meadows bursting with wildflowers. This spring, the Vapor Trail is scheduled for further improvements with a tentative completion timeframe of early summer. The Vapor Trail serves up 2.9 miles of downhill terrain and 1,400 feet of vertical drop. It begins at the top of the Elk Camp Lift and descends through a wide-open meadow, over bridges and berms and through groves of aspen and evergreen trees. It eventually ends at the top of the Elk Camp Gondola, where riders can connect to the rest of the Bike Snowmass trail network. This summer, the trail will continue to be re-routed to improve flow.

For more information about summer activities at Aspen Snowmass, visit. www.aspensnowmass.com.

Crested Butte

Evolution Bike Park

This summer, crews will build another blue intermediate trail near the current trail of Awakening. There will also be a new technical piece of trail off of the current Avery trail that will entertain expert downhillers. This adrenaline filled addition to an already technical descent is slated to open July 1 and will move through big rock features. All three of these new sections will give gravity riders more diversity, different features and more miles to ride on the already existing 30 miles of single track.

In addition, the Evolution Bike Park crew will partner with the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association to build a section of trail that will connect the Bike Park's Westside Trail to the Upper Loop, an existing US Forest Service Trail that runs down to the town of Crested Butte; creating a single track connection between the towns of Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte.

Lift-accessed Archery Course

Crested Butte is installing a 20-target archery course at the top of the Red Lady Express Chairlift for archers to practice their skills all summer long. Simulated mule deer, whitetail deer, black bear, fox, coyote and Rocky Mountain elk targets will be set amongst the beautiful mountain landscape in a format that will appeal to all ability levels. The loop from the lift will cover a total of about one and a half miles and return archers to the top of the lift, where they will download back to the base area. The Mountain Adventures summer program will also be offering archery lessons to kids seven years old and up.

For more information about summer activities at Crested Butte, visit www.skicb.com.

Steamboat

Steamboat Bike Park

This summer, the freeride momentum continues in Steamboat with work on new trail segments in the Steamboat Bike Park, a redesigned Steamboat Pump Track in Ski Time Square, and finishes to the reroute of the popular Zig Zag cross country trail. The Steamboat Bike Shop has expanded its rental line and now includes a premium option from both Specialized and Scott cycles, boasting a top of the line component package and the latest in downhill technology.

For more information about summer activities at Steamboat, visit www.steamboat.com.

Winter Park 

Green Horn-It! 

A brand-new addition to Trestle Bike Park, Green Horn-It! gives riders a gravity experience without leaving the base area.  Located adjacent to Coca-Cola Tubing with convenient access from the Village Cabriolet and Vintage Hotel parking lot, Green Horn-It! is a 1/3 third mile trail designed to give beginners a taste of Winter Park's Trestle Bike Park.  Featuring rollers, banked turns, bridges and a pump track, Green Horn-It! is a perfect way to introduce kids to the fun of downhill mountain biking.  With the new beginner terrain, Trestle Bike Park School is introducing “Intro to Trestle,” a special 90 minute lesson program geared to teach riders all the skills they'll need to tackle Colorado's premier mountain bike park.      

Winter Park Resort Putting Course

Winter Park Resort's newest summer base activity is an 18-hole contoured putting course that has undulations and is landscaped similar to the greens on regulation golf courses. Nestled between the Zephyr Express and Arrow chairlifts right at the base of Winter Park mountain, the new putting course is not only fun for the whole family, but is a challenge for golf experts and beginners alike.  

For more information about summer activities at Winter Park, visit www.winterparkresort.com.

Summer Operating Dates for CSCUSA Resorts

Arapahoe Basin:         July 2 - September 7 (Thursdays – Sundays)

Aspen Snowmass:      Weekends/Holidays May 23 - June 14; daily operations begin June 20

Copper Mountain:       Opening June 12

Crested Butte:             Opening June 13

Purgatory:                   Weekends/Holidays May 23 - 31; daily June 6 – August 23; Weekends/Holidays August 29 - Sept. 27

Ski Granby Ranch:      Opening May 22 

Sunlight:                      Opening May 23

Steamboat:                  Opening daily June 11- August 30, and weekends through September 27

Telluride:                     June 8 - September 20          

Winter Park:                June 6-7; daily operations begin June 13.

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Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) is the not-for-profit trade association representing Colorado's 21 ski & snowboard resorts. CSCUSA is the global voice of the Colorado ski industry. The Association's primary functions are concentrated in marketing, public policy and public relations. Information about CSCUSA and its members can be found at www.ColoradoSki.com, on Twitter @ColoradoSkiUSA and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColoradoSkiCountryUSA. This release and other press information can be found in the online press room at http://ColoradoSki.com/Media.