Backcountry skiing returns for another winter season at Colorado’s newest ski area, Bluebird Backcountry. 

Bluebird will open its trails at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29, hosting one of its largest opening days yet. The inaugural day will feature the most terrain Bluebird has had available for opening day in its three years and Scott Leigh, general manager and chief operation officer of the ski area, believes it will make the skiing fantastic. 

“We are focusing our excitement and enthusiasm around good skiing and the good vibes we have here at Bluebird,” Leigh said. “We’re going to have our normal opening terrain package with West Bowl open but we’re also going to have some additional terrain up on Bear Mountain. It’s more than we’ve ever had on opening day and we’re just thrilled to be able to provide that for our guests.”

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On the mountain, terrain is much the same as previous years, though some trail improvements were completed in the offseason. At the base, however, there will be a new look with the addition of overnight lodging. 

Geodesic domes have been made and placed on-site, which will grant visitors the opportunity to spend the night in. Leigh describes it as a hut experience for people looking for a fun backcountry adventure. There will also be an area known as Campfire Ranch Cabin, which is simply a cabin built on a trailer placed in the Bluebird parking lot. 

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Some of these overnight facilities will be in the parking lot and others will be available for guests to skin to. Regardless, they are all close to the base area for easy access to all terrain.

“You’ll still be able to camp and enjoy the fun with camping,” Leigh said. “If you’ve got your camper, your camper van and things of that nature you’ll still be able to do that like you always have. For folks that don’t have that, we recognized we want to make sure that they have an option as well so we provide this additional offering.”

Reservations for these overnight areas can be made on the ski area’s website, BluebirdBackcountry.com and Leigh warns these reservations are selling out quickly, so those interested in staying the night should book soon.

Bluebird also plans to offer an overnight American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education course, which will give guests the opportunity to spend a night on the hill at an upscale hunting cabin and receive avalanche education. Leigh stressed the importance of avalanche education and said the course is something he and all of Bluebird is proud to offer.

For Leigh, the excitement level is “through the roof” and he cannot wait to share the Bluebird ski area with all its visitors for the winter season. 

“We are looking forward to a really fantastic season and everybody is thrilled with how things are shaping up,” Leigh said. “The new things that we’re offering and the snow obviously is what gets everybody excited. If you like skiing pow, that’s what people are excited about and that’s what we have to offer.”

This story is from SteamboatPilot.com.