Winter Park Resort is proposing an array of projects intended to enhance and modernize services on the mountain over the next few years, including new gondolas, chairlifts, ski runs and updates to ski school facilities. The USDA Forest Service is currently accepting public comments.

The public will have a chance to learn about these projects and provide input to the Forest Service at a public open house from 6-8 p.m., May 29 at the Upper Balcony House at Winter Park Resort. The Forest Service is accepting public comments until June 15.

Because Winter Park Resort operates under a special use permit on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, proposed expansion and enhancement projects must undergo an environmental analysis and public comment period before being implemented. The environmental analysis is expected to be completed in the spring of 2025 and project outlines are available in Winter Park’s Master Development Plan.

Winter Park Resort is proposing to develop a dedicated, on-mountain, 16,000-square-foot learning center at Discovery Park for ski school operations along with new aerial and surface lifts and trail grading.

Improvements include replacing the existing Gemini Express chairlift from the base area with a 10-passenger gondola while also replacing the Endeavor three-person chairlift and the Discovery two-person chairlift with four-person lifts.

The proposed Gemini Express gondola has the capacity of moving up to 3,600 people per hour. An 8,000 square foot gondola storage building adjacent to the top terminal of the proposed Gemini gondola would also be created.

In other spots, the resort is proposing to expand snowmaking coverage, conduct trail improvements, remove dead and dying trees in the Jelly Roll Glades, plus constructing a new restaurant on Vasquez Ridge to replace the Sundance Chili Hut.

The proposed Mary Jane improvements would construct approximately 31,900 feet of new snowmaking
pipeline and expand snowmaking coverage by approximately 77 acres.

The resort is also proposing to replace the existing Looking Glass chairlift and expand terrain onto Cooper Creek summit with a new chairlift.

More details, including maps, on the various projects are available on the Forest Service’s website. Comments on the projects will be accepted until June 15 and can be submitted electronically.