Colorado Steamboat Pioneer Ridge Expansion

[carlcg11]

Hi Folks:

Anyone know when the expansion of the Pioneer Ridge area will start and be completed. Not much detailed info to be found.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Carl

 

[mikel]

No clue but I thought there was a post on here or maybe it was a story by the Denver Post or some Denver media outlet that talked about Alterra had to decide if it was going to fund it? Then again I could be wrong and mixing up my thinking with one of the other places upgrading.

 

[Bruuuce]

My understanding is that it is a part of the Steamboat master plan because it must be in the plan in order to be on list for implementation in the future. The only timeline I've heard discussed is a maybe on a 2019 start. Some information in the article below from their January update.

https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news...n-improvements-slated-for-steamboat-ski-area/

PS - I'd sure love to see it happen, but I know some that sure wouldn't...

 

[raisingarizona]

My understanding is that it is a part of the Steamboat master plan because it must be in the plan in order to be on list for implementation in the future. The only timeline I've heard discussed is a maybe on a 2019 start. Some information in the article below from their January update.

https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news...n-improvements-slated-for-steamboat-ski-area/

PS - I'd sure love to see it happen, but I know some that sure wouldn't...

That area is the Rib no? There's a lot of really nice mid angle meadow/tree skiing in there if I remember right. I live in the Boat during the 95/96 and 96/97 winters, we used to do Gate D or C to FC laps over and over again. It was a great place to get your BC cherry popped and gain some experience without getting too in over our heads.

 

[Ken_R]

Isnt that area easily accessed with the Pony Express lift? I mean all that would be required would be two small traverse trails, one at the top and one at the bottom.

 

[Bruuuce]

I haven't seen the plan, but my understanding is that it is the terrain off the Pony gates so yeah, I think it would be mainly a traverse trail at the bottom (and of course signage and maintenance). We'll see what happens. So far those in the know that I've talked to say that the Alterra takeover has generally been positive and that they are looking for investment options.

What I'd really like to see is a new lift from the mountain neighborhood area to Thunderhead to relieve the sometimes hellish Gondi lines in the morning, but that's not in the plan.

 

[raisingarizona]

I haven't seen the plan, but my understanding is that it is the terrain off the Pony gates so yeah, I think it would be mainly a traverse trail at the bottom (and of course signage and maintenance). We'll see what happens. So far those in the know that I've talked to say that the Alterra takeover has generally been positive and that they are looking for investment options.

What I'd really like to see is a new lift from the mountain neighborhood area to Thunderhead to relieve the sometimes hellish Gondi lines in the morning, but that's not in the plan.

It is a bit of a sh$t show down there in the morning but wouldn’t the new gondola put you at the thunderhead chair (which is also planned to be replaced) do the same thing? Sure it’s two rides but it should help.

Jackson has the same issues with getting people out of the base area and up onto the upper mountain. I bet one day there’s going to be another gondola from the base up to the sublette chair.

 

[Bruuuce]

There is a way around the gondi line (a two lift ride) for those that are aware of it, but I'm more thinking for the tourist experience. It would be great for those in the south mountain neighborhoods to be able to get up without even accessing the base or the T-bird lift area. Maybe some day.

 

[pete]

Progress is slow, these have been around a while and if I read correctly, these are the general two items. It seems biggies are an additional Pioneer Ridge Lift, upgrade existing Pony and then the kids learning center with it's own Gondi. This I recall is to have facilities, how big.

Personally I dislike the "roller coaster" thing added to the base, to me it seems to chop up the base and distract from the flow I liked prior ... to me it cuts the base into upper and lower, but hey, I don't own the place!

Here's the PDF link from @Bruuuce 's link:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfs/11558/www/nepa/103027_FSPLT3_3864989.pdf

​

Here's what I see as the biggies, Green is the newer "updates" for clearing, glading and trails .. Blue (Pioneer Ridge) is existing identified trails:

 

[Bruuuce]

The roller coaster...ugh... I understand the economic case, but boy do I think that thing is ugly.

 

[mikel]

I didn't find the story in the DP but while searching I did see an update dated June 8th, 2018 from the "Steamboat Pilot & Today". There was one small comment in that article about Alterra, "but owner Alterra Mountain Co. will ultimately have to decide if it wants to pay for them." Might have been the basis for discussion I saw posted somewhere. Looks like the objection period ended July 17th.

https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news...eral-approval-for-new-lifts-expanded-terrain/

Only 1 comment on the article: "Bringing people closer to mid and lower fish Creek is a terrible idea, the general public has no business skiing the "canyon" ."