Resorts Host Events and Holiday Deals Through the New Year

DENVER, Colo. – December 18, 2009 – Colorado’s ski resorts are giving skiers and riders plenty of reasons to celebrate this holiday season. From horse-drawn sleigh rides and torchlight parades to Christmas carols and bottles of bubbly, winter guests are sure to experience an abundance of merriment on and off the slopes. Fun events, as well as lodging deals and packages, last through New Year’s as resorts hope to draw a festive holiday crowd.

Arapahoe Basin
As a holiday gift, Arapahoe Basin is letting guests take $15 off of all group lessons from December 21 through 25. Guests who take advantage of the savings can expect A-Basin’s usual small class sizes and teachers who specialize in giving learners the personal attention that they need. Guests can book the discounted offer online at www.ArapahoeBasin.com or by calling 1-888-ARAPAHOE.

Aspen/Snowmass
Aspen/Snowmass has thought up the perfect stocking stuffer with The Perfect Storm Card this season. The card is good for major in-resort discounts including money off on lunch at mountain restaurants and discounts on adult ski/snowboard lessons, retail items, and ski or snowboard tuning and repairs. Card sales end January 15, 2010. The card comes free-of-charge when guests book lodging from February 10 through the end of the season. Guests can call 866-572-9632 or visit www.StayAspenSnowmass.com for details.

Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain is giving guests the lowest rate on its recently-released Powder to the Pillow package through December 31. Guests can prepay for lodging now and then stay whenever they want during the season, with rooms starting at $99 per night for six nights. Powder to the Pillow nights are fully transferable, which means that guests can give them to friends as holiday gifts.

Copper Mountain is also big on events this season. On Christmas Eve, Copper Mountain will continue its long-standing tradition of a picturesque torchlight parade down the mountain, in keeping with the resort’s fire-themed En Fuego events. Santa and his elves will lead the torchlight parade through the Village at Copper. Guests can toast s'mores and warm their fingers over bonfires, as fireworks light the sky.

On New Year’s Eve, Copper also will be celebrating in style with an event featuring a night’s worth of adrenaline-pumping entertainment, including fire dancers, street entertainers, bonfires, live music and DJs throughout the village, an on-hill skiing and riding competition and a fireworks finale.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Crested Butte Mountain Resort celebrates this season with two major packages. With the Grandest Christmas package, Crested Butte offers four nights of lodging at the Grand Lodge and three days of skiing or riding for under $1000 for a family of four. This limited-time package is perfect for families on a budget and is sure to create memorable moments with friends and family. The deal is available exclusively through Crested Butte Vacations and is good for travel though December 26, 2009. Call 888.728.3575 for details.

Guests at Crested Butte Mountain Resort can also check out the resort’s new Elevation Hotel & Spa for only $210 per person around New Year’s eve. Slopeside decks offer the perfect venue for watching New Year’s fireworks. This special includes two nights of lodging at the luxurious slopeside Elevation Hotel & Spa, one day of lift tickets for two people, and a bottle of champagne to christen the New Year. The special is available for travel between December 30, 2009 and January 1, 2010 and must be booked through Crested Butte Vacations. Call 800.810.7669 for details.

For a unique Christmas event in ski country, Crested Butte will offer its Christmas Freeride Camp on December 26 for guests who want to test-drive the season-long freeride program or who just want some new friends to shred with during the holidays. Like the season-long program, the Christmas Camp will be led by Crested Butte’s Mountain Sports Freeride ski team staff. The program is open to guests ages eight to 17 for $325.

Echo Mountain
Echo Mountain is extending its hours for the holiday season, giving skiers and riders more time on the hill to try out Echo’s new features. The ski and ride area is open for night skiing until 9:00pm many days and has extended hours until 5:00pm on other days through January 3, 2010. The full schedule is available online at www.EchoMt.com.

Eldora Mountain Resort
As an early holiday present for its guests, Eldora is in the process of opening up several of their guests’ favorite runs. New trails to open include Corona, Wayback, the remainder of Around the Horn, and Cascade.

Eldora is also offering its new Boulder Ski Escape package through the holidays in which guests combine lodging in Boulder and lift tickets at Eldora, with packages starting for as low as $64.50. Details can be found at www.Eldora.com/SkiEscape.

Loveland
For the holidays and throughout the season, Loveland is offering Ski and Stay Packages with partner lodging properties. Properties are located on either side of the Continental Divide and some restrictions may apply. Details can be found online at SkiLoveland.com/Deals and Specials.

Monarch Mountain
Santa is taking a ski break at Monarch Mountain on December 24. During the day, Kris Kringle will be skiing and walking around Monarch to spread Christmas cheer.

Then on New Year’s Eve, Monarch will host its annual New Year’s Torchlight Parade and Firework Show. Festivities will begin around sunset with drink specials and a stunning fireworks display. Guests who wish to participate in the Torchlight Parade can sign up with Guest Services. It’s not every day that guests are allowed to ski with fire! For more information and registration, call 800.996.7669, extension 5050.

Powderhorn
Santa is busy in Ski Country around the holidays. He will be on-mountain at Powderhorn on Saturday, December 19 from 7:00am until the mountain closes at 4:00pm.

The resort will also ring in the New Year with a New Year's Eve Rail Jam. The contest will focus on creativity and energy, with participants competing to win prizes and giveaways from Traz Snow & Skate, Dakine, and Mountain Dew. Registration begins at 1:00pm on Thursday, December 31. The Rail Jam is scheduled from 3:00 – 5:00pm.

That night, families will celebrate at Powderhorn’s annual Torchlight Parade and Fireworks event. After skiing all day and enjoying a buffet dinner at the Sunset Grille, families can gather together to watch the Powderhorn staff snake down the mountain with torches in-hand, followed by a fire-hoop jump and the fireworks display. The buffet lasts from 4:00 - 7:00pm and the Parade and Fireworks event starts at 6:00pm.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort
To mix things up a little, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort is putting on a beach party. The event will start with food and fun at 3:00pm on December 31, followed by a torchlight parade and fireworks display as soon as the sun goes down.

On New Year's Day, guests at Durango Mountain Resort should expect to see some unusual outfits. Those who plan to be on the slopes at Purgatory can join in the fun by breaking out the old straight skis and neon jump suits. Wear something crazy and don’t forget to pose for the cameras.

Silverton Mountain
Silverton Mountain is dishing up extreme holiday adventure for its guests. The main holiday improvement—Silverton will be opening its world-renowned Heli Skiing Operation for guests starting December 18.

Ski Cooper
Old Man Christmas is coming to Ski Cooper on Sunday, December 20. Santa will take a break from his busy pre-Christmas schedule to get in some turns at Ski Cooper. He’ll be on the slopes beginning at around 10:30 in the morning.

Sol Vista Basin at Granby Ranch
SolVista is offering several gifts for families this season, including the chance for families to win free skiing. The ski area is giving away free family skiing with one family winner per day through December 25. All those who enter to the daily drawing will be given a coupon for a free cup of hot cocoa from the mountain’s base area restaurant, Seven Trails Grille. The resort will announce the winning families daily on Twitter, so it may just be worth following them. More information is available at 888.850.4615 or online at www.GranbyRanch.com/LodoAglow.

Sunlight Mountain
Santa will be at Sunlight Mountain beginning at 3:00pm on December 19, the Saturday before Christmas. All the top ski and snowboard manufacturers will be there too for Sunlight Mountain’s Demo Days, where skiers and riders can try out gear from some of the world’s top manufacturers. Kids get the chance to ski with Santa, while parents get to decide what skis and boards they want under the tree.

Steamboat
Steamboat kicks off this year’s holiday season with a special Community Acoustic Christmas concert featuring guitarist Brent Rowan and friends. The event, held on December 19, is sponsored by Sundance @ Fishcreek and will benefit Lift Up, a Routt County charitable organization. The show begins at 7:00pm in the Priest Creek ballroom at the Steamboat Grand. Tickets not pre-sold will be available at the door for $30. The Travel Center is located at 1475 Pine Grove Road, Suite 205. Contact Steamboat Central Reservations® by phone, at 970.879.0740 or 800.922.2722, or online at www.Steamboat.com.

This year, Steamboat will also hold its New Year's Eve Torchlight Parades and Fireworks Display. To celebrate this New Year’s Eve, the Steamboat Ski & Snowboard School will treat tourists and locals to a spectacular on-snow parade down the mountain, lit by torches. In conjunction with the torchlight parade, a fireworks display will illuminate the sky, providing a perfect ending to the evening. The event is free and open to the public. The parade begins at 7:00pm, with the best viewing available at Gondola Square.

Telluride
Telluride will offer a number of festive holiday activities this season. First, Santa will be in Telluride for photo ops the Sunday before Christmas. Kids will have the chance to get in their last-minute gift requests as they sit with Santa and they can also decorate holiday cookies in the Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village.

Santa will then strap on the skis and ride at the resort on December 24 and 25. He’ll be on the mountain until 3:00pm each day. Afterwards, guests can catch up with him at Gorrono Ranch for a photo.

Telluride also welcomes a unique holiday experience this year, with Cirque Le Masque “Carnivale” on December 26 and 27. Guests can experience the wonder of "Carnivale" as the dance group Cirque Le Masque performs gravity-defying circus arts at the Palm Theater. Performances begin at 7:00pm each night.

Guests of Telluride Ski Resort are invited to the resort’s New Year's Eve Celebration on December 31. The celebration will feature Torch Light Parades into Telluride and the Mountain Village, fireworks, and a Clock Tower Countdown on Telluride's Main Street.

Winter Park
Winter Park Resort’s acclaimed restaurant, The Lodge at Sunspot, is offering guests a one-of-a-kind dining experience this holiday season. Offering fine dining on-mountain at an elevation of 10,700 feet, The Lodge at Sunspot specializes in authentic Colorado cuisine paired with an extensive wine list. On December 24 and 25, The Lodge will feature special holiday dinners, giving guests the option of a world-class buffet or a five-course meal.

Also on Christmas Eve, Winter Park will host its Torchlight Parade & Fireworks event. One of Winter Park ‘s most beloved traditions, this year the event will begin with Christmas carols around a bonfire at the base of the mountain, next to the Zephyr Lift. At 5:30pm, a procession of torch-bearing skiers will wind their way down Lower Hughes trail, followed by Santa Claus and his helpers. The festivities will conclude with a spectacular fireworks display and with a parade of snowcats adorned with Christmas colors lighting up the slopes in a Christmas tree formation. Immediately following the show, at about 6:30pm, the Balcony House and Catholic Church will host interdenominational Christmas Eve services. Services are scheduled to last about an hour. All are welcome to attend.

Wolf Creek
Santa will visit Wolf Creek Ski Area on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year too. He’ll be on the hill from 11:30am - 2:00pm each day handing out candy canes to children of all ages.