May 1, 2009
Wolf Creek in Forbes Top 20 Snowiest Resorts in the World!
Wolf Creek 2008 - 2009
For the third consecutive year, Wolf Creek continues to purchase 100% of its power usage from a green wind power supplier for both winter and summer operations. Wolf Creek has protected its’ USFS special use permit by providing the public with an environmentally friendly and well maintained mountain offering quality services at affordable prices.
With rising fuel prices and increasing environmental concerns, Wolf Creek is introducing a new and free car pool service online. This is a pilot program designed to match up skiers and boarders coming from anywhere, USA to the powdery slopes of Wolf Creek. “Share the ride, Share the fun” can easily be found on the Wolf Creek web-site home page, transportation page, news and links page or at alternetrides.com.
Located in the beautiful and somewhat remote San Juan Mountains, Wolf Creek enjoys the reputation of the “Most Snow in Colorado”. Its unique mountain aspect catches and preserves the deep snows of both northern and southern storms that the jet stream blows into the southwestern Rockies. With a base elevation of 10,300 feet, many of these storms funnel through the high mountain pass of Wolf Creek leaving a winter wonderland for skiers and boarders.
Seven lifts operate at Wolf Creek daily from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Extended operating hours over holiday periods are a part of the special services program that many guests utilize and enjoy - these times are posted in the ticket office and on the website. The ski school and patrol are comprised of a friendly professional staff; they can be approached to answer any questions or give directions to guests.
Wolf Creek also has a reputation for savory menu items that are served in two cafeterias as well as a full service bar. The ski and board rental at Wolf Creek Ski Area offers a variety in the latest equipment and tuning as well as free overnight storage for renters. The Wolf Creek rental staff takes the time to make sure equipment fits well for top performance and comfort. Other amenities include a picnic building for guests bringing their own lunches and free parking with free parking shuttles.
Treasure Sports offers stylish and functional ski and board wear for all ages. Many other items are available such as goggles, sunglasses, sunscreen, hats, gloves and more. Snowboards, snowboard boots and bindings can be purchased at great prices in Noel Sports.
Wolf Creek’s calendar of events offers: free fun races, special local appreciation days, programs for ladies, children and more. For updated ski and road conditions call 1-800-SKI-WOLF or visit www.wolfcreekski.com.
Wolf Creek Ski Area 2007 - 2008
Wolf Creek Ski Area sits on top of Wolf Creek Pass, one mile east of the Continental Divide, a location that has always been reputed for it’s deep powder snow and incredible beauty. Ski season 2006 – 2007 reconfirmed the magic of these mountains with a natural snowfall of over 426 inches – conditions were excellent starting with Wolf Creek’s earliest opening ever on October 27th and ran throughout the season. Wolf Creek set a record attendance year with 223,000 skier days; the new Raven quad was well received and has moved Wolf Creek into the era of detachable lifts! Riding the Raven lift is an exciting experience with a speedy take off followed by a zippy two-minute ride to the top. In recognition of the heritage of skiing, Wolf Creek continues to run, the B-100 Boyce high-speed detachable surface lift. Since 1968, this lift has been running continuously since its commission in 1968.
For the 2007 - 2008 ski season, Wolf Creek will finish up a number of projects that were started last summer including: the Summit patrol building on top of Treasure lift and water free restrooms at the top of the Raven and Treasure lifts. Base area maintenance, trail work, reseeding, removal of spruce beetle infested trees are a partial list of the on going work on the mountain. One hundred percent of Wolf Creek’s electricity is offset with wind power for winter and summer operations.
Wolf Creek will continue to run the Divide Shuttle, which provides the return service for skiers exploring the western boundary of Wolf Creek’s Special Use Permit. A schedule is posted in the ticket office for customer information. Wolf Creek’s fleet of buses will continue to provide free shuttle service to and from the complimentary parking. Also, over holiday period Wolf Creek runs extended operating hours for all guests to have an optional early morning or late run on the mountain.
Wolf Creek’s Rental Department has again upgraded all its ski and snowboard rentals with high-end equipment that rents at extremely affordable prices. Noel Sports, located below the Pathfinder bar, is Wolf Creek’s newest snowboard retail shop, providing the latest in Burton and Never Summer boards, bindings and boots as well as other accessories. More detailed information about all Wolf Creek Ski Area’s services and amenities can be found by calling 970-264-5639 or visiting Wolf Creek’s website at www.wolfcreekski.com.
Raven Lift - New for 2006 – 2007 Ski Season at Wolf Creek!
The new Raven Lift, a Doppelmayr - Ctec detachable quad, is replacing the 34 year old Dickey double chairlift. The Raven will have approximately the same location and initial capacity (1,200 skiers/hour) of the Dickey Lift. While the USFS has approved the uphill capacity of Raven at 1,200 skiers per hour; Wolf Creek has applied for approval for the maximum uphill capacity of 2,400 skiers per hour.
Raven lift is an exciting new improvement for Wolf Creek as that it adds flexibility to the beginners’ terrain and needs. With a downhill capacity of 300-600 skiers, the beginner teaching area can move uphill to the wide open location of Bunny Hop, this will free up the congestion of the base area during holiday periods. New skiers and boarders will have the option to ski or download on the detachable. This will become invaluable on years of low snow to reroute beginner and intermediate traffic from sparsely covered snow packed trails to download on the Raven Lift.
Improvements
Two modern water-free restrooms facilities have been given final approval by the USFS. These environmentally friendly restrooms are water-free, composting and certified with a zero discharge. The restrooms will be 800 square feet in size, heated and located at the tops of the Treasure Chairlift and the Raven Lift.
The ski patrol’s “Summit Building” is being upgraded into the 21st Century by being replaced this summer with a new summit building to provide for quick emergency response and continuing snow safety programs. Wolf Creek’s professional ski patrol is there to provide the highest level of care with fully certified EMT patrollers.
Wolf Creek’s forest, like most in the state of Colorado, is infested with the spruce beetle. As an expense to Wolf Creek and in an active role as steward to the forest, many of these infested trees are removed by helicopter to control beetle spread and devastation. These infested trees are air lifted away giving the rest of the forest a better chance of survival with far less impacts on the ground.
Festivities
To celebrate 30 years of cross country skiing in the Alberta Park area, Wolf Creek will host a series of fun cross country events including races, games, prizes, clinics, and demonstrations of equipment and technique for adults and children!
The location will be in Alberta Park near the bottom terminal of the Alberta Lift at Wolf Creek. The dates and times of the events will coincide with a few of the Local Appreciation Days and will be available on posters and listed on the web-site.
Environment and Proposals
This will be the ski area’s first season to run the lifts using wind-power! Wolf Creek Ski Area sees the importance of using renewable energy sources and feels that businesses should be setting an example in this area. For this reason, Wolf Creek is purchasing 100 percent of its usage of power from a green power energy supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, who in turn supplies the SLVREC, the local power company for Wolf Creek. This green power comes from two wind farms located near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Although this energy is currently more expensive, Wolf Creek is making a substantial commitment in showing the need for sustainable business practices. The average monthly usage for Wolf Creek is 145,900k.
Along with supporting renewable energy sources, customers and employees of the Wolf Creek Ski Area are encouraged to car pool on the commute up Wolf Creek Pass during the ski season especially over holiday periods.
Wolf Creek has also applied for approval from the USFS for a 14,000 sq/ft two story multi-use building which would be located in the base area below the Raven lift between the 4X4 and upper parking areas. This building would include ski and board rentals, lift ticket sales, restrooms and warming/seating areas. A higher level of service for all guests would be provided; congestion over peak periods in the base area lodges and rental would be significantly reduced.
In cooperation with the USFS, Wolf Creek is seeking approval to provide uphill transportation with a shuttle bus for easier backcountry accessibility along the western boundary run-out of the Wolf Creek Ski Area Special Use Permit. The shuttle bus service would be free of charge for outdoor enthusiasts who are recreating in the vicinity of Wolf Creek’s western boundary. Backcountry skiers, boarders, cross country skiers, snowshoers and snowmobilers would be able to pick up the shuttle a few miles west of the Wolf Creek Pass Summit at several locations returning to the summit or Wolf Creek’s base area.
Summary of 2005-2006
Despite the slow start of the 2005 – 2006 season, skiers were encouraged to come out early providing the invaluable snow compaction, which the mountain requires on low snow years. This process kept the mountain in relatively good shape and made conditions excellent when Mother Nature finally divvied out Wolf Creek’s share.
A record breaking skier count for the month of March was set as a result of established excellent mountain conditions and the rerouting of many of New Mexico’s visitors to Wolf Creek. This threw attendance over the top for a record spring break day of 6,340 skiers. Although skimpy at the start, total snowfall for the season was recorded at 354 inches with a skier count at 197,052. Down by 8.7 percent from the previous year of 215,821 skiers but still a good outcome from a rocky start. Wolf Creek is looking forward to an exciting agenda with the initiation of the Raven quad to the mountain profile.
More detailed information about Wolf Creek Ski Area can be found by calling 970-264-5639 or visiting Wolf Creek’s web-site at www.wolfcreekski.com.
