Uphill Ski Access
Arapahoe Basin’s Grizzly Road to Pali Lift, and then up Cornice Run to the top yields beautiful sunrise and sunset views!
Holy cow it has been at least 5 years since we last talked about uphill access at Front Range ski resorts! Perusing the old Front Range Ski Mountaineering blog shows an article on Loveland in 2015, and Arapahoe Basin in 2016. Along with Winter Park and possibly Keystone, these were the only Front Range resorts allowed uphill at the time. Uphill access at both Loveland and the Basin have changed significantly since then, as well as the options at other resorts. What has changed since then? Let's dive into what the vibe is now, and what each resort is offering.
What is the status of uphill access on the Front Range now? All ski areas on Colorado’s Front Range offer some form of uphill access. Some resorts have fully embraced it, and some begrudgingly allow it. In 2016 access was free, and now nearly all the resorts require payment via an uphill season pass or day ticket. Hey, that makes sense as we are using resort assets such as access to National Forest via private land, parking lots, grooming, and ski patrol. Several resorts offer free or discounted uphill passes to season pass holders. Most resorts that charge for an uphill season pass donate a portion of the proceeds to a good cause. In 2016, several resorts allowed access on multiple routes during operating hours, and now many do not. This change makes less sense, but managing inherent conflicts between an increasing number of uphill users and thousands of downhill users on a daily basis is not where some ski resorts want to focus their energy for a return on investment. In summary, uphill access is available at all of the Front Range resorts, but it will cost you money and you most likely need to be off of their hill by 8:30 AM.
Arapahoe Basin
The uphill scene at A-Basin has exploded in the past five years, and the Legend is a favorite for both Front Range and Summit County residents. Show up between 6:30 AM and 7:00 AM on any morning above 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and you will probably count at least 50 uphillers on route. The resort has historically been the regional leader for uphill access, and continues to lead by making a variety of terrain available for uphill access, as well as hosting the Rise and Shine Rando race series early during winter mornings, and the Alpenglow Ascents Rando race series during spring afternoons. In December 2021, Arapahoe Basin hosted the United States Ski Mountaineering Association’s world team qualifier races. There is immense diversity in uphill and downhill options before and after operational hours; mix and match laps on the open green or blue routes on the frontside.
Every uphill user must have and present an uphill access pass. Passes are $79 for the 2021-22 season, and $10 from each pass is donated to the National Forest Foundation. The uphill pass is free to A-Basin season passholders. Uphill access is allowed during operational hours, but only via the dedicated route on the eastern edge of High Noon (check the resort terrain page for closure status). Please check the resort’s uphill access policy and terrain status, as uphill access can close at any time.
Snowplume Refuge at the top of the mountain is no longer open to uphill users. In the past, this building was open 24x7 providing a safe haven during the normal summit windstorm to fold skins and layer up. Some uphillers were enjoying morning mimosas in the Refuge as the morning sun rose over the ridge. Now, it is the site of the expanded Il Rifugio at Snow Plume restaurant. News flash! According to A-Basin’s website, the new Steilhang Hut, located at the top of the popular Dercum’s Gulch uphill route, will serve as a warming hut outside of operating hours. Once open, “uphill traffic will be welcome to use the bathroom and rest on their journey to the summit.” Post publishing note: This spectacular hut opened for business on April 21, 2022!
Loveland Ski Area
As Arapahoe Basin has embraced and encouraged uphill access, Loveland has seemingly reduced uphill access opportunities year after year. When we wrote about Loveland uphill access in 2015, one could freely access two uphill route options during operating hours, including the awesome “B” route to the top of Chair 9 at 12,700’ elevation. Maybe sneak even higher up the hiking terrain to the 13,010’ summit of Golden Bear? Now Loveland restricts uphill access to only the “A” route to Ptarmigan Roost, and they want you off the mountain by 8:00 AM. For the past several seasons, Loveland has required that users acquire a free uphill pass for access. New to the 2021-22 season, the ski area is charging $50 for the uphill access pass. 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Alpine Rescue Team and the National Forest Foundation. The uphill pass is free for season pass holders, but you still need to fill out the waiver and pick up the pass. See Loveland’s uphill access policy at the ski area’s website.
Can you blame Loveland for these increasing restrictions? Rumor has it that many uphillers were taking advantage of Loveland’s operating hours generosity by climbing to the upper lifts, and boarding the chairlifts without paying. When the Covid-19 shelter in place orders were implemented in the spring of 2021, Loveland turned into an uphill shit show. Again, the ski area generously offered access to uphill users, while being forced by the State of Colorado to cease all other operations. Parked cars clogged Highway 6 up Loveland Pass to access the ski area, including parking under the Seven Sisters avalanche chutes. Not only did the ski area commence with closing uphill access for the remainder of the season, but CDOT was then inspired to block the trailheads on Loveland Pass to close off all backcountry access.
Along with Eldora, Loveland seems to be the best positioned ski area to leverage the popularity of uphill skiing on the Front Range. Loveland’s special use permit area is expansive including Dry Gulch and Mount Trelease. Loveland was poised to open cat skiing in Upper Dry Gulch, but Covid regulations shut this down during the 2020-21 season. Hopefully they can get the cat skiing going this season. Having access to Mount Trelease looks like an opportunity to monetize the huge backcountry ski population 50 miles away from Loveland. Instead of driving from the Front Range past Kremmling, perhaps a Bluebird Backcountry-style ski area and avalanche education center on Mount Trelease operated by Loveland? See what Bolton Valley in Vermont is doing with its Backcountry Program accessing terrain from the ski area.
Winter Park
Winter Park, along with Arapahoe Basin, has been leading the charge for uphill access fun for many years now. Once uphill access is fully open, the resort offers a huge selection of uphill routes during operational hours. Winter Park divides its expansive terrain into seven “territories”, and four of these are open to uphill access. This includes many open trails in the Winter Park Territory, Mary Jane Territory, Parsenn Bowl, and Vasquez Ridge Territory. You will want to check the resort’s uphill policy to note the ski runs that are not accessible, as well as for any other exceptions. Once the resort shutters for the ski season, they keep a small collection open for uphill and downhill access which is a great benefit for Grand County locals looking to stay in shape while the snow melts.
Winter Park’s required 2021-22 uphill access armband costs $25 and all proceeds from sales benefit local non-profit organizations including Grand County Search & Rescue, Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment dog teams, and Friends of Berthoud Pass. According to the resort’s website, they raised $40,000 for Grand County Search & Rescue during the 2020-21 season! The uphill access fund raising machine and the copious access make Winter Park a great uphill location. The only negative we can think of is that Winter Park uphill access works best if you ski the resort frequently, or you are a Grand County resident. Otherwise it is hard to drive over and past the epic backcountry terrain of Berthoud Pass to go uphill at the resort during the day, and constantly be under the line of fire of seemingly out of control skiers.
Eldora
Eldora is the closest ski area to Boulder. Given that most residents of Boulder are elite athletes in at least three sports, they can accomplish their winter trifecta by excelling at nordic skiing, downhill skiing, and alpine touring at Eldora then head down to Boulder for a triathlon in the afternoon.
An uphill pass or ticket is required, and Eldora charges for both. The good news is that they have both day pass and season pass options! The bad news is that it may require an advanced degree to understand the ski resort’s uphill access policies. Be prepared for a quiz after this summary! Uphill access season pass holders get ‘early access’ Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM, and access five days a week during business hours. Uphill day tickets are good for a single-day access Monday through Friday, but only during business hours. There are two uphill routes during operating hours: Frontside Route and Backside Route. But wait, there is a different route and parking for the season pass early access days! Eldora even has a scanning pedestal for the Early Access Route.
Despite all of the rules, it is impressive that Eldora allows uphill during the day, and with a variety of routes. We hope this approach catches on with other areas that are in close proximity to the Front Range’s population. It certainly requires a pricier season pass ($99 or $199), but if you are in the Boulder area you could climb on a weekday to 9:00 AM and be at work shortly afterwards, or get a few laps during the afternoon before the winter’s darkness sets in.
Echo Mountain
Echo Mountain is only 36 miles from Denver, and located above Evergreen. The ski area may or may not have uphill access. We haven’t been there so we are not sure. On the Echo Mountain website there is no direct access to a web page describing uphill access, but a Google search for “Echo Mountain uphill access” or a simple Google search for “Echo Mountain” will take you to the ski area’s uphill access policy. Given that there are bulleted line items on the web page in ‘strikethrough’ font, this may be a web page under construction or hidden. Regardless, uphill access at Echo Mountain is closed as of this article’s publishing date. It appears that when Echo is ready to open uphill access, there is a $20 day use uphill access pass. There are two designated uphill route options. Combine this variety with proximity to Denver, and this looks like it could be a lot of fun! A bonus is that you park at the top of the ski area so you can get in one last uphill at the end of the day! Have you been to Echo Mountain uphill? If so, let us know in the comments.
Keystone
Keystone Resort has been consistently allowing uphill access on the front side of the mountain for years now. The challenge has been how to find out any information on where and when you can uphill access at Keystone. The information has always been right at your fingertips on the resort’s incredibly mobile phone-unfriendly ‘Mountain Info’ page. Hidden in the ‘Please Select’ dropdown is the uphill access information, including a habit of not telling you what the designated uphill routes are. Keystone also has historically provided an uphill access phone number hotline to call as well. The hosts of this hotline would frequently record an entertaining rendition of the day’s uphill access status, and also routinely not state which are the designated uphill routes. News flash! For the 2021-22 season, Keystone has provided a picture image of designated uphill routes on the uphill access web page. Perhaps all these years of no information we were going up the wrong way?
This is all good news, thank you Keystone! The resort has two uphill routes, one starting at River Run and the other at Mountain House. The routes converge to ascend Springdipper all the way to Dercum Summit. This is a nearly 2,400’ climb from the base to the top! The resort does not charge you for uphill access, but they do want you down before operating hours. Additionally, no uphilling while lifts are running, and this includes when Keystone is operating night skiing. Wait, Keystone has ski runs lit up for night skiing? Isn’t that ridiculously cold? Wouldn’t it be warmer to allow night uphill access on some of these runs? Hmmm, seems like a great opportunity that might get more users on the hill than downhill night skiing.
Want to do some inbounds backcountry? Pony up for a Keystone lift ticket and hike the terrain accessed from North Peak and The Outback. For years, Keystone has provided this great experience in the bowls above the top of these lifts, including groomed tracks that expedite skinning over hiking. Bergman Bowl is now the USFS-approved target for a 2022-23 chairlift expanding access to Independence Bowl and Erickson Bowl. Independence Bowl holds the resort’s cat skiing, but also a groomed uptrack and a skin track exiting the bowl.
Summary
There is great variety of uphill opportunities at Colorado’ Front Range ski areas. From skinning during the day at Eldora, to accessing the vast terrain of Winter Park, there are plenty of routes to keep a skimo racer or recreational uphiller busy for years. Do you want additional insights on resort light tours? See our previous article on Lou Dawson’s “Light Tours of Colorado” featuring many resort and mellow backcountry ski tours.