A Hater's Guide to Winter Park

Spilling the tea on Winter Park’s downfall.

Disclaimer: Yes, I am aware that a lot of this video is inaccurate. This is because many statements in this video are made up or exaggerated for effect. None of this video is based in fact, and it is not intended to be interpreted as such. This is not an overarching review of Winter Park, but rather an embellished satire intended to amuse and entertain. No hate is intended, and this video should not be used to promote any sort of hate against any aspect of the ski industry. Don’t take life too seriously.

English captions are available for those who prefer.

Thanks for watching!

Intro Song: Cold-Neffex

Why are you still reading? Well, you might as well like and subscribe since you've spent all this effort already.

[SRGSkiing]

For all of you that are concerned about the final clip in the video, the context is that this was a test sanctioned by the resort and the lift company to determine what would happen in that scenario. All chairlifts are very safe, partially due to the findings of thar test in 1990.

[scskimeister]

The best part of this video is that you feel like you're skiing all those wonderful runs. I didn't pay much attention to all the chatting about the various lifts and runs, but just enjoyed seeing a video of what I love about Winter Park -- the runs and the trees. Now in my 80s, I only get a week or so to ski at that wonderful resort, with no lines Monday - Thursday every week (except holiday season). Lots of snow, huge resort, all the terrain you could hope for and no crowds. What's not to like?

[rockstarr]

I have a second home here, and it is our home mountain. Pretty spot on.

It's a great mountain, but there is no doubt that: a) it is getting way busier, b) saturdays after 9:30 AM are brutal on many parts of the mountain, c) some of the lift choices are questionable.

Overall, it is great to see the investment and growth. What it highlights, per your other note, is the need for expansion.

[LFGLife]

I worked at the Zephyr at WP and have been skiing there for 30+ years. My ski jumps got bulldozed by Intrawest, the base became a real estate nightmare, and the parking went to Hell. But its still my favorite ski area...outside Steamboat.

[bikinggreg]

For all these reasons, I ski during the week and never on the weekend.

[CFEFABB]

I've skied Winter Park for the best majority of my life, going on 20 years now. It has some great terrain but I agree with a lot of you are assessments. The flatness all over the mountain can get very annoying to say the least. The lines at panorama are disgusting, and it would be amazing if they could somehow put another lift to go up there or I don't know expand into zero creek or something like that or even second creek. That ridge being so flat on the top kind of limits where people can easily go without having to pull even more which is annoying. I'm curious to know what you think of the master plans that were released last year including a new lift service the plot of terrain near pioneer it'll be like a large area of blues and another lift I think that'll go from the bottom of eagle into the top of the circ. The circus special cuz you have to hike to get back there and I worry a lift will make it harder to find good powder turns but also might be nice as well. I don't know what I think yet. In terms of their stupid tubing hill. I think it's a shame that they're working on that one so much because the tubing hill and Fraser is so much better. The old one that's like a locally owned tiny family-owned business, and is really steep. All the other ones in the county are just meh compared to it
It would be nice to have something like Apollo or outrier again. I really hope they don't remove the iron horse as it's getting aged and not replace it with something. On overflow days if you don't have the iron horse you don't have anything. Also I have never been able to figure out why the super gauge line is like really long and then you get to the gate and then you just have to book it to the lift. Why do they hold people back so much? And there's all these good little cute two-person lifts at the base there but for some stupid reason everyone waits in line for the six pack.
.

[nygisgod]

I hope winter park sees this and names the other gondola the other gondola.

[asajayunknown]

I ski WP a couple days a season. Usually in Dec, and then again in late Mar thru May. I usually get up there on the weekends, so mid-season just isn't worth the drive - too crowded. There are plenty of other choices within easy access of the Denver metro😊. But I do love my days there when I do go.

[freeskiernick]

Been skiing there for 20+ years. Ski weekdays and you have none of these problems.

[KwinnyB]

And this is why when you go to Winter Park, you don't ski Winter Park. Anyone who's local/a decent skier will ski Mary Jane, which is absolutely incredible terrain, you just have to be actually good to ski it. OR, you can ski Pano, which has long lines but you get a long run per lift ride. OR, you can ski Eagle Wind (again, you have to be good) which has very few people, consistent powder if you know where to look, and overall the best tree skiing of anywhere I've found. OR, you can ski Vasquez ridge which has a good mix of trees (they always have powder), moguls, and groomers. OR, if you're an expert skier, you can ski the best terrain on the mountain, the Cirque. They're careful about avalanches so it's not always open, but powder days on the Cirque have easily been the best experience of my life, you just have to be okay with 60 degree slops and cliffs. Yes, the actual Winter Park area is mid and everyone who skis there frequently knows it. It's for beginners and the only decent terrain are the steeper mogul runs under Explorer. So once you're good, just ski somewhere a different area, the rest of them are fantastic. What's funny is that a lot of your B-roll wasn't even at Winter Park, it was at Pano or Mary Jane.

[ro]

Been working at WP the past 5 years, left this past spring after being forced out by new management. Place seems like it’s becoming a corporate playplace. Can remember my managers asking me as a supervisor to violate state labor laws, other managers making fun of disabled elderly employees or making sexual remarks about female employees. Not a super happy place anymore.

[mtbtele]

As long as we are hating here, I cringe every time you say "catwalk". A catwalk is a suspended walkway above a stage, like on Broadway. The term you are looking for is "CAT TRACK" and is named this because it's a low angle track for snowcats, which have TRACKS and don't "walk".

[kurtism]

Would they have survived without Alterra?

[benjaliaanimations]

Awesome. What ski resort are you going to do a hater's guide on next?

[rgus]

Yeah, Winter Park and Mary Janes sucks tell your friends!

[h]

It all started when they took out timberline lift and gladed that entire side of the mountain. Prior you had to be an expert skier abd willing to wait for the lift which really kept thr numbers down. Could find pow for days back there. There are still plenty of gems but the whole town and resort are selling out. I bet parking at Jane will not be free soon

[smwdaisy]

Where do you even live? How often do you ski at Winter Park? Do you own there? When was the first time you skied there?

Born and raised since 1982 local here. I’d love to debate you on a lot of this. Intrawest sucked bad and made a lot of bad decisions but it’s really not a horrible place like you say it is.
You seem like you won’t be happy anywhere

[robertmcmanus]

I've been skiing WP since I was a teen and while some of the misappropriation of funds that you point out are genuinely upsetting, you're point about lift infrastructure, specifically Sunnyside, is literally ridiculous haha. WP ownership was always on the brink of bankruptcy until the 2010's, so that fact that any lift upgrades happened is a miracle. The massive backlog of skiers going on to pano, which is closed at least 1/3 of days, means that if the line gets long enough people will now choose to take sunnyside, relieving some of the traffic on pano. Half of the bowl funnels into Eidelweiss anyways so this point is just not true or fair. t. Them opening previously "closed" areas due to overwhelming public demand should be applauded. I think every single problem that you have with WP essentially boils down to the sheer volume of skiers, which is upsetting, but what the heck can you do about that? Colorado is blown out... the front range is a juggernaut of a sprawling metro area with no signs of slowing down, everybody wants their slice of paradise

[link]

I've only been there a few times so far but as far as I can tell this is pretty spot on.
Spent a few days late season on the mj side after wp side closed last year and pano would've been a nightmare if it was any busier.
Edel and blue were pretty shit because of how many people only lapped those runs. and the one time I went peak season last year I had to resort to the 2 chair to avoid the lines. Whatever lift is 2 people with no bars on the sides. its just like a bar down from the cable

[Bluehorseshoe]

Mary Jane only the last 5 years when you park at the base of Mary Jane you can literally walk 10 to 50 feet and put on your skis and rip!