Pikes Peak Region Trail Finder

Photo by Winter Park Resort via the Fort Collins Coloradoan

By MILES BLUMHARDT, FORT COLLINS COLORADOAN

Well before the snow began to fly at Colorado ski areas, resorts were gearing up for the season with $50 million in improvements in the form of lifts, terrain parks and experiences for the expected 12 million skier visits this year, the most of any state.

Here is a look at the highlights of those improvements:

New Lifts

-- Copper Mountain is replacing the High Point Lift in West Village (formerly Union Creek) with a new lift that will provide improved service for all levels of skiing and riding ability. The Union Creek High Speed Quad will have a new alignment to help improve skier and rider circulation in and out of West Village. In conjunction with the new lift, the addition of a new trail connection from the east will make the circulation much easier from the Catalyst Terrain Park and the beginner and intermediate terrain in the area.

-- Loveland is replacing its Chair 4 lift with a new fixed-grip triple.

-- Ski Cooper is installing a 770-foot Magic Carpet to replace the Printer Boy Platter.

-- Vail's new Chair 5 will make lift lines shorter out of Vail's Sun Up and Sun Down bowls this winter. Also known as High Noon Express Lift, the new lift will cut ride times from 12 minutes six minutes.

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