Winter Park Resort Ups Its Game with 37 Million Dollar Investment in Snowmaking Capacity
Winter Park Resort kicked off the ski season on Halloween this year, tying its 2022–23 season record for earliest opening day since its inaugural season in 1940. With a late start to the snowy season, the resort’s $37 million investment in snowmaking capacity is clearly already paying off! After a relatively dry fall, the hopes of opening before Thanksgiving would’ve been dashed without a big push to build snow coverage as soon as the temps dropped low enough. They started blowing snow the night of October 16, covering enough ground for the lifts to start turning on October 31.
The investment in an upgraded system (that more than doubled the volume of water they can move) is part of a big-picture, long-range, ambitious plan dubbed Winter Park Unlocked, the resort's big vision for the future. A key part of that plan (and one that we're all looking forward to) is connecting the town to the resort with the “Town Gondola,” a project approved this past year. Improved snowmaking has been an "early-stage" priority for Winter Park Unlocked, as it is key in making the on-mountain experience even better.
WHY THE BIG UPGRADE?
This is Winter Park Resort's 86th season in operation, with snowmaking equipment originally installed in 1976. Since then, minimal upgrades have been made (aside from a $4 million investment in 2018). Not only is the resort now able to harness new technology to increase the volume of snow produced, they have created a more sustainable, efficient system. Since the upgrades last year, the new snowmaking system has proven its efficiency, cutting energy consumption almost in half. And, of course, they can open more terrain sooner, which translates to better early-season skiing and riding and a longer, more reliable season - welcome changes for all!
THE NEW SYSTEM
The project was completed in late 2024 and added four new pump houses, a 13-million-gallon reservoir, seven miles of new piping, and advanced technology like new compressors, pumps, electrical wiring, and nearly 200 snow guns. Together, it more than doubles water flow (from about 2,400 to over 6,000 gallons per minute), making snowmaking faster, more efficient, and less energy-intensive.
The real game changer is water capacity. With the new reservoir feeding the system, the mountain can move about 2.5 times more water than before. The pond also serves a dual purpose as a summer helicopter dipping pond for fire safety.
After decades on an outdated system, this new system really brings Winter Park Resort into the modern snowmaking area, making it highly competitive with other ski resorts in terms of a longer, more reliable ski season each year!
TRAILS WITH SNOWMAKING
The resort couldn't possibly blow snow on all their 166 trails across Seven Territories, so they have to consolidate their efforts. They currently produce man-made snow on 27 trails across 313 acres of terrain.
Most of the snowmaking happens in the Winter Park Territory (on the "Park Side"), making it possible for skiers to ride the Gemini lift and access runs like Parkway, Village Way, Lower Hughes, Turnpike, and Larry Sale. The Prospector and Explorer lifts typically open soon after (if not at the same time), allowing access to runs like Cranmer and Allan Phipps.
On the Mary Jane side (which usually opens after the Winter Park Side), the resort makes snow on both the Mary Jane Trail and Sleeper.
HOW IT WORKS
Snowmaking gives winter a little boost when Mother Nature needs help (read: this past fall!). Winter Parks's "snow guns" spray tiny droplets of water into cold air. When the air is cold and dry enough, those droplets freeze before they hit the ground, creating snow.
Behind the scenes, pumps move huge amounts of water from reservoirs up through hoses, and compressed air helps break the water into a super fine mist.
The ideal conditions for making snow aren’t just about temperature. They’re really about wet-bulb temperature, which blends air temperature and humidity. Meaning: we love when it's cold (generally below 28°F) and dry, because lower humidity makes it easier for water to freeze quickly. The best snowmaking happens on those crisp, clear nights when the air feels extra dry and the stars are out. That's when snow guns can crank out fluffy, skiable snow that gets us on the mountain skiing more terrain sooner!
WHERE ALL THAT WATER COMES FROM
The resort's investment has made it possible to store and pump water more efficiently and effectively. But you might be wondering where the increased amount of water is coming from? Winter Park, A-Basin, Breckenridge, Cooper Mountain, Frisco Adventure Park, and Keystone have partnered with Denver Water to make use of water that would otherwise get collected and stored in Denver Water reservoirs.
Denver Water has senior rights to water from mountain streams in the South Platte and Blue River Basins in Grand + Summit Counties. Their agreement with the resorts allows them to capture and use water for snowmaking. And Winter Park is in a prime location to take advantage of the offer: one of Denver Water's canals flows through the resort and right next to some of the runs, making it easy for the Winter Park Resort to capture water and move it to the snowmaking guns.
Then, when winter is over and the snow starts to melt, the water used to make snow flows downstream to fill Denver Water's reservoirs. A senior water resource engineer for Denver Water, Cindy Brady, put it well: "Allowing the ski areas to use water for snowmaking is a way to get multiple uses out of every drop." It's a win-win.
MORE UPGRADES = MORE VALUE
Winter Park Resort's upgrades and dreaming-big vision won't just improve the ski experience: they'll strengthen the long-term value of owning property in the Winter Park area. Investments in snowmaking, infrastructure, and connectivity will make this place even more desirable, which translates to steady appreciation in local real estate. Now's the time to invest! Reach out to learn more about our community's future plans and opportunities to get in on the local market now!
Posted by Leah Bishop on
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