Winter Park

I met my one true love during a blinding blizzard in the winter of '98.  The snow was falling so quickly that I really couldn't tell what she looked like, but I could tell she had a phenomenal shape, her bumps were in all the right places.  The snow got so heavy that I had to take refuge in the trees and there she showed me some of her secret places.  As I left her to take the Ski Train back to Denver I knew that I was fated to return to my new lover.  When it became known in the bar car that I was a first timer at Winter Park, I was asked how I liked the skiing.  I replied, "When I die, if I come to find out that paradise is the C-Chair and the runs from it, then I'll be happy for eternity!" 
   "We have a new lover for Mary Jane here!" the guy next to me at the bar shouted.
I moved up to be closer to my new love and I've never looked back.
   The Mary Jane at Winter Park is the mogul mecca in Colorado.  Terrific tree skiing is to be found between the runs at The Jane.  Want great back & side country?  Go through the gate at the top of Parsenn Bowl and head out to the Vasquez Cirque or drop into Belle Fourche and the Parsenn Backside.
   Not much in the way of nightlife (just enough to keep this refugee from the east happy).  Look into buying a four pack online ahead of time and save a lot of dough.  This can be one of the coldest areas in the lower 48 so pack acccordingly. 

I learned to ski here almost 40 years ago. After skiing many CO areas, this one's the best for me because of the large amount of advanced/expert terrain. At other places, I found myself skiing the same (longest and hardest) run over and over again, but here there is so much variety it's hard to get bored.

The snow throughout the season is usually better than most other resorts nearby. Early season, like most CO areas, is a gamble, though.

The lift system is excellent - no matter how crowded the hill is you can always find a few lifts with little or no lines.

And the staff and employees are great. They really care about you and want you to have the best time possible. An excellent teaching staff. Wonderful Hosts. The Ski Patrol, IMO, is simply one of the best in the Country. A really great group of people. Some of the locals, however, are not the best examples of human beings, but they are easily avoided.

Because of the base area development, parking has become rather competitive since most of the parking requires a shuttle bus ride. There is great access at the base of Mary Jane, and the parking is still free, which seems to be a ski-area rarity these days. I wonder how long it will last...

This is a great area for families, since there is so much to choose from for everyone. Plus, it's easy for everyone to "go their own way" at the top, and still meet up at the lift for the ride back up.

There are several terrain parks and more than enough to keep anyone happy and challenged for a long time.

A White Raven

The Winter Park side is great for familys.  The Mary Jane side is great for more experienced skiiers and riders.  As a snowboarder the cat walks are a little long, but well worth the trees and steep before them.  For the skiiers, the bumps are brilliant!

Winter Park mountain sucks but the Mary Jane side has some great skiing if you can get past the cultists.  I own a pass here but would rather ski at Copper or Steamboat.