Memorial Day Heralds Official Start to Summer in Ski Country
May 31, 2012Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) resorts are preparing for a full summer of biking, hiking, grilling, golfing and of course, a healthy dose of Colorado sunshine. Memorial Day weekend typically marks the beginning of the summer season, and Colorado’s mountain communities are ready with a bevy of activities for guests to experience.
Resorts around the state are enticing guests with a menu of fun family activities and a number of events that boast just the right balance between active and relaxing. Below are some of the holiday highlights happening from Memorial Day through the beginning months of summer in Colorado Ski Country USA.
Aspen/Snowmass
Aspen/Snowmass is offering summer daily activities and events on both Snowmass and Aspen Mountain.
The Silver Queen Gondola on Aspen Mountain opens May 26 and offers a scenic 14 minute ride to the top of the mountain where guests can enjoy lunch at 11,212 feet and experience various family activities, from a climbing wall to disc golf and more. The Silver Queen Gondola is open on weekends starting May 26 and will feature daily service from June 16 – September 3. The gondola will return to weekends only September 8 – October 7.
On Bluegrass Sundays, free bluegrass concerts will take place at the top of Aspen Mountain, beginning on June 17 and running through September 2 from 12 – 3 p.m.
Snowmass is set to unveil Bike Snowmass, a new series of downhill mountain biking trails including the long-awaited Valhalla trail, built by Gravity Logic. This new terrain features everything from family-friendly beginner trails to challenging intermediate and advanced downhill trails. The Elk Camp Gondola and Elk Camp chairlift, accessing Bike Snowmass terrain, open on June 22.
Camp Aspen/Snowmass, a daily summer camp for kids ages 1 and over, begins June 4 and offers many activities in Snowmass including fishing, hiking, biking, paintball, mountainboarding and more.
For more information on summer activities in the Aspen/Snowmass area visit www.aspensnowmass.com or call 1-800-525-6200.
Copper Mountain
Copper’s Summer Day Activities Pass ($39) or Summer Season Activities Pass ($69) grants unlimited access to the quad bungee jump, climbing wall, mini golf, scenic chairlift rides, bumper boats, paddle boats, and bike haul, plus restricted access to Summit County’s only go-kart course. The resort is also introducing a new zip line over West Lake for the summer months.
Nearly every weekend throughout the summer Copper will host events catering to athletes, yogis, music lovers and families. A sampling of events include the new Wanderlust Yoga & Music Festival, plus returning favorites like Warrior Dash, Courage Classic, Copper Triangle, and the Guitar Town and Copper Country music festivals. Many events, notably 3Ring Weekend, are free to enjoy and provide kid-oriented activities and music. Visit Copper’s Summer 2012 Events Calendar for more information.
FAC (Fridays at Copper) again returns for the summer of 2012, offering families a full day of entertainment for an exceptional value. Guests will receive a free FAC Activities Pass with every $30 spent at Copper retail stores and restaurants. In the evening guests can relax with free live music from 5 – 7 p.m., followed by a movie in Copper’s Burning Stones Outdoor Theater beginning at dusk. This kicks off June 29 and continues most Fridays throughout the summer. A FAC Activities Pass is valid for one of each of the following activities: bungee, climbing wall, go-kart, bumper boat, paddle boat and mini golf.
Crested Butte
Opening the weekend of June 9 – 10, and then June 16 for the summer, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) offers plenty of outdoors mountain activities. The Evolution Bike Park, now in its third full summer of operation, offers lift-served mountain biking to all ability levels with more than 25 miles on 16 trails and two new trails this summer. In partnership with Specialized®, the Evolution Bike Park is an official Specialized Demo Center where guests can rent Specialized® mountain bikes, from a child’s pedal-less bike to a full downhill mountain bike. The resort also offers bike lessons for those looking to get on a mountain bike for the first time, brush up on their bike skills or simply get a tour of the trails on the mountain.
Last summer, CBMR added a zip line tour to its on-mountain amenities. The guided tour includes five zip lines, and a series of suspension bridges. The Crested Butte zip line tour is available during the summer, fall and winter seasons. Guests are invited to scream their loudest, hoot like a monkey and showcase their best “superman dive” as they zip through the trees on a two hour expedition.
The Adventure Park at CBMR is an ideal family event. The activities in the Adventure Park include an 18-hole miniature golf course, bungee trampolines, a 28 foot climbing wall and lift-accessed disc golf. This summer, the resort, along with the Trailhead Children’s Museum (www.trailheadkids.org), is adding a tree house playground, which will be free for guests to use and located at the base area near the Adventure Park. The custom playhouse is made from an old fallen tree that is hollowed out by a chainsaw. The tree house is a unique creation, thoughtfully designed to reflect Crested Butte’s mountain heritage.
Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort
