Denver, CO, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Colorado Ski Country USA’s 21 member resorts are rolling out improvements and exciting amenities in 2024-25—and reminding skiers and snowboarders that the best time to plan for ski season is now, while some of the best pricing and packages are available.

“Now is a great time to start planning all elements of your ski season, because the earlier you buy tickets and book lessons, rentals, and lodging, the more opportunities there are to save,” said CSCUSA President and CEO Melanie Mills. “If you have a favorite resort, look into a season pass or multi-day lift ticket pack, and don’t forget that many resorts have early bird and bundle pricing for packages of lift tickets, lessons, rentals, and lodging.” 

Friendly Pricing

Several Colorado Ski Country USA resorts feature friendly pricing options this season:

• Arapahoe Basin will roll out two group lesson deals for guests looking to learn and/or improve their skills: $225 half-day morning lessons and $199 half-day afternoon lessons. Both packages include lessons, gear rental, and lift tickets; the offer will become available as terrain opens later this season.
• Copper Mountain continues its Play Forever Thursdays program with $99 discounted lift tickets, with a portion of proceeds benefiting a non-profit community partner.
• Echo Mountain, the closest ski area to Denver, helps skiers and snowboarders save with the best prices available when you book online ahead of time for a visit early (or later) in the season.
• Granby Ranch is offering a weekday pass for $369 and an unrestricted season pass for $619.
• Howelsen Hill takes Sunday Funday to an entirely new level with free skiing every Sunday throughout the winter season at North America’s oldest operating ski area.
• Loveland Ski Area offers free snowcat skiing along the Continental Divide, giving skiers and snowboarders access to some of the resort’s most exhilarating terrain.
• Powderhorn Mountain Resort is freezing or reducing lift ticket prices and expanding affordable programs to address inflation and provide relief to guests, including lower-priced menu options, expanded free learning programs, and discounted passes for students and military personnel.
• SkiCooper helps families ski together with discounts when you purchase day passes and rentals online at least 2 days in advance.
• Silverton Mountain’s Premium Pass ($449) now includes new free ski days at partner mountains, including CSCUSA resorts Arapahoe Basin, Monarch, Loveland, and Powderhorn.
• Winter Park Resort is introducing a learn-to-ski guarantee: if, by the end of your third lesson, you can’t ski the 10 green trails they’ve identified, your fourth lesson is free! The Kids Ski Free program also includes a free lift ticket with each ski lesson and free rentals with an adult three-day rental package.

New Lifts

Capital expenditures are important for improving the guest experience, and this season, several resorts including Aspen Snowmass and Copper Mountain are adding new lifts.

“Major investments like lifts mean that skiers and snowboarders can get on the snow and move around our mountains faster, with shorter lines,” said Colorado Ski Country USA President and CEO Melanie Mills. “Improved skier and snowboarder flow on a mountain materially enhances the overall guest experience,” continued Mills, “and Colorado continues its national leadership when it comes to enhancing our visitors’ enjoyment and satisfaction.”

• Aspen Snowmass: Skiers and snowboarders can look forward to an all-new lift, the Coney Express, on Snowmass this winter season. The new high-speed quad will effectively replace the Coney Glade chair but with a much larger footprint, including a new loading access terminal in the Snowmass base area across from the Snowmass Mall, which will significantly increase the mountain’s out-of-base capacity. Coney Express will also feature a midway station for access to and from the world-class Snowmass terrain park and all-new access for foot traffic guests to Lynn Britt Cabin and the Spider Sabich Race Arena.
• Copper Mountain: The new Timberline Express chairlift improves access to Colorado’s most sought-after intermediate terrain. The new 6-person lift will replace the old 4-person chair, greatly increasing uphill carrying capacity. The chair replacement project is part of Copper’s larger multi-year development of the Western Territory, aimed at providing a better skiing and riding experience for beginners, families, and progressing athletes.

Events and Extras

Skiers and snowboarders across Colorado Ski Country USA can also look forward to enhancements to the guest experience and events, including old favorites and new additions to the calendar:

• Arapahoe Basin will celebrate its first full season of carbon-neutrality and invites guests to enjoy legendary events like the 6th Alley Mug Club, The Enduro, and “Gay Basin,” the resort’s annual Pride celebration.
• Aspen Snowmass: Renovations to the Lynn Britt Cabin, located at mid-mountain on Snowmass, will feature an extended patio, outdoor grill, and bar area and an expanded list of bookable experiences, including après parties and specials, live entertainment, and snowcat dinners throughout the 2024-25 season. Aspen Snowmass will also host three exciting events: X Games, the world’s premier action snow sports competition on Buttermilk Mountain, January 23–25; the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix, January 30–February 6, on Buttermilk’s famed slopestyle course and halfpipe; and the launch on March 7–8 of The Snow League at Buttermilk, the first professional winter sports league entirely dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing created by world-renowned snowboarder Shaun White.
• Copper Mountain: The Athlete’s Mountain invites world-class skiers and riders to compete in the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe event, happening Dec. 18–21 on the resort’s 22-foot Superpipe in Center Village. The World Cup event will feature the best athletes on the World Cup circuit in their first North American competition of the season. Copper is the Official Training Center for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team.
• Eldora: Guests to Eldora can enjoy the new Caribou Lodge, which will open this winter and serve as a new children’s learning center and the headquarters for Ignite Adaptive Sports. Caribou Lodge will also feature new restrooms and food-and-beverage facilities and serve as a hub for the lower-mountain area.
• Granby Ranch: Night skiers can enjoy expanded Twilight Skiing from March 10–20, when Granby Ranch extends lift operations until 5:30 pm, allowing Spring Break guests to capture more skiable hours once Daylight Savings Time takes effect. Uphillers can look forward to all-day uphill access, allowing ticketed uphillers to skin up the East and West peaks during the normal operating hours.
• Loveland Ski Area: Visitors to Loveland will find a modernized rental fleet, with Grip Walk soles on all ski boots that help prevent falls.
• Monarch Mountain: Monarch Mountain is celebrating 85 Years of Independence this season even as it keeps its sights trained on the future. Teams spent the summer building an access road, extending powerlines, and clearing trails in the expansion area called No Name Basin. The development will add 377 acres of primarily intermediate to advanced skiable terrain on the west side of the Continental Divide in the 2025-26 ski season.
• Purgatory: Guests at Purgatory will enjoy 200 sets of new skis and snowboards, increased parking, and self-service ticket pickup boxes that will put skiers and snowboarders where they want to be—that is, on the slopes—faster than ever.
• Sunlight Mountain Resort: New RFID cards that streamline the ticketing process will enable Sunlight guests to get to the slopes faster this season.
• Steamboat Ski Resort: Guests looking forward to Steamboat Ski Resort’s world-renowned Champagne Powder® across its Mahogany Ridge expansion and extended Wild Blue Gondola can also look forward increased snowmaking acreage using new, automated, low-E snowmaking throughout the Sunshine area, ensuring that some of the most popular terrain will be available for guests in time for peak holiday visitation. Steamboat also celebrates the 50th anniversary of its legendary Cowboy Downhill ski race.
• Winter Park: Guests to Winter Park this season can take advantage of $37 million in improvements to snowmaking at the resort. The new, state-of-the-art system will make snow more efficiently and give the resort the ability to open more terrain, sooner.
• Telluride Ski Resort: Telluride’s littlest guests will enjoy new ski-through features on the brand-new, immersive Heritage Trail, which takes skiers and snowboarders on a journey through the history, heritage, and evolution of the Telluride region.

Colorado Ski Country USA Passes Help Families Ski Together

CSCUSA has a suite of passes designed to help families and friends ski together. These Colorado multi-mountain passes are available to everyone from Colorado residents to snow lovers from around the country and even the world.

Ski Passport (grades 3-6)

• 4 days each at 20 Colorado resorts | 80 days on the slopes for $67
• Each Ski Passport includes 2 FREE junior ski or snowboard rentals compliments of Presenting Sponsor Christy Sports.

Gems Teen Pass (ages 12–17)

• 2 days each at 11 Gems resorts | 22 days on the slopes for $199

Gems Parent Pass

• 2 days each at 11 Gems resorts | 22 days on the slopes for $325
• Available only with the purchase of a Ski Passport or Gems Teen Pass; limit one (1) per household.

Gems Discount Card

• 2 uses each at 11 Gems resorts | 22 days of discounts for $48
• Additional purchase of adult lift ticket required.

Gold Pass Membership

• Fully transferable; no blackout dates | $4,600
• Reward employees, network with clients, or make it easy for multiple people to ski at 20 of Colorado’s amazing resorts with Colorado’s only FULLY TRANSFERABLE MULTI-MOUNTAIN PASS: the Colorado Ski Country USA Gold Pass membership. Membership requires application.

Attachments

• Courtesy: Colorado Ski Country USA
• Courtesy: Colorado Ski Country USA