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Colorado New Expansion and gondola/lift plans for Steamboat

JWMN

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Quite a large to-do list! I hope I get to see them all.

 

Ron

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thank you Alterra!
 

raisingarizona

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Oh wow! A ttb gondola! That’s a big one. It makes a lot of sense making the trip for beginners over into the sunshine area and a downloadable option. It’s going to change the game on powder days I imagine.
 

JoeSchmoe

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Do any of the improvements change the continuous skiable vertical on the mountain? I like Steamboat but it would be nice to see more runs that are 2000ft vert plus. Without the continuous vertical, it is only my 2nd favourite mountain in Colorado (Copper is #1).
 

raisingarizona

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Do any of the improvements change the continuous skiable vertical on the mountain? I like Steamboat but it would be nice to see more runs that are 2000ft vert plus. Without the continuous vertical, it is only my 2nd favourite mountain in Colorado (Copper is #1).

Yup, the new ski lifts are going to completely change the geology of the mountain.

Isn’t the current gondola have 2k of vert? Storm Peak and the closets area is around 2k too isn’t it?
 

JoeSchmoe

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Yup, the new ski lifts are going to completely change the geology of the mountain.

Isn’t the current gondola have 2k of vert? Storm Peak and the closets area is around 2k too isn’t it?

Sorry if I offended you. I thought with two boundary expansions plus the new lifts it might open new fall lines. I guess not.
 

Ron

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Do any of the improvements change the continuous skiable vertical on the mountain? I like Steamboat but it would be nice to see more runs that are 2000ft vert plus. Without the continuous vertical, it is only my 2nd favourite mountain in Colorado (Copper is #1).

it wont change the length of any "runs" (its more of ski areas here, not really "runs"). the new terrain over near Pioneer will be considerable and will increase the area to ski but I dont really know how much additional vertical it will add. The area known as Sunshine II is already a popular OB area that is pretty mellow. It really depends on what you are looking for, you can literally ski top to bottom now especially if you know the mountain.

I also love Copper for its long groomers and bowl skiing. Let me know if you plan to be there this coming season.
 
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DaveD

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I don't understand why they didn't do this first, instead of replacing the gondola last year. They old one had been renovated just a couple years earlier and was just fine. What the area needs most is more capacity out of the base which would have been better done with another lift like this recently annouced project, instead of a modest increase in the existing gondy.

It will be interesting to see what the direct ride from the base does to WallyWorld.
 

Ron

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I don't understand why they didn't do this first, instead of replacing the gondola last year. They old one had been renovated just a couple years earlier and was just fine. What the area needs most is more capacity out of the base which would have been better done with another lift like this recently annouced project, instead of a modest increase in the existing gondy.

It will be interesting to see what the direct ride from the base does to WallyWorld.

the gondola had surpassed its service life and was in dire need of repair/upgrade. the old cars were too small and due to the shape (step up to get in and low top) they required more time to load. The Gondola itself, was slow. The new cars are fantastic and of course, the increased speed of the gondola itself, plus the ease of loading has been a real benefit. the proposed gondola will greatly help in sorting traffic and be a real win for those heading to the Sunshine area. by separating that traffic, the upload volume will be appropriately distributed while reducing lift lines substantially by sending the skier/rider directly to the side of the resort they will be skiing. this will also help separate higher skill level skiers from lower. Keep in mind, these are at least 2 plus years out.
 

JoeSchmoe

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it wont change the length of any "runs" (its more of ski areas here, not really "runs"). the new terrain over near Pioneer will be considerable and will increase the area to ski but I dont really know how much additional vertical it will add. The area known as Sunshine II is already a popular OB area that is pretty mellow. It really depends on what you are looking for, you can literally ski top to bottom now especially if you know the mountain.

I also love Copper for its long groomers and bowl skiing. Let me know if you plan to be there this coming season.

Not this year unfortunately. Coming from Canada (Ontario), I'll be surprised if the borders were to open up by the winter. We booked a cottage rental in the Adirondacks for the summer which we've already had to cancel. I was hopeful, but with things blowing up in the south and our gov't being a lot less risk adverse than the US, I suspect things won't be changing on our end anytime soon.

My family is considering a Banff trip in the spring, but the pool my wife wants in for next summer may change the plan financially. At the very least I will have my guys' trip we usually do sometime around the Superbowl. We're leaning towards Quebec so far.
 
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James

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This is all great, but does it change the balance of whether an intermediate should go west? ogsmile
As we know, there was an infamous debacle on epic involving someone coming from Whiteface to Steamboat. Somehow, on his scales the balance went to Whiteface over Steamboat. Strange, but true.
Could this latest development tip his scale back?
 

Ken_R

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That Northern Zone looks interesting. Steamboat gets the most snow high up and on the north and East aspects which there is very little of currently
 

Ken_R

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This is all great, but does it change the balance of whether an intermediate should go west? ogsmile
As we know, there was an infamous debacle on epic involving someone coming from Whiteface to Steamboat. Somehow, on his scales the balance went to Whiteface over Steamboat. Strange, but true.
Could this latest development tip his scale back?

Steamboat is pretty darn easy and fun terrain with few exceptions (there is some "gnar" in there if you look for it)
 

JoeSchmoe

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This is all great, but does it change the balance of whether an intermediate should go west? ogsmile
As we know, there was an infamous debacle on epic involving someone coming from Whiteface to Steamboat. Somehow, on his scales the balance went to Whiteface over Steamboat. Strange, but true.
Could this latest development tip his scale back?

Uh oh... That was quite memorable.

In his defense...
IF you were only skiing groomers AND

Budget were a major issue AND

You had flexibility on your Whiteface days so you could drive up on a powder days whenever you wanted vs being locked in to a pre-booked plane ticket at Steamboat...

...there's an argument to be made in his favour.

When I was at Steamboat in late January 2018, the coverage in the trees was very thin. It was sad to see so much good terrain that I wasn't able to touch. I'd still rather ski there than Whiteface even in those conditions, but for someone with a razor thin budget, I could sympathize.
 

Ron

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well, 2018 was 2018, last year in January, coverage was excellent but who know what the coverage will be at any resort for a given year, especially now with weather patterns disrupted.

BTW, we got snow last night on the mountain. :).
 

Tricia

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I am glad to see Alterra resorts moving forward with plans while other resorts seem to be slowing or halting improvements.
Kudos to Alterra.
 

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