Pikes Peak Region Trail Finder

Ken Gart, the Denver retail-industry veteran who purchased Powderhorn ski area last summer with his brothers and former Vail executive Andy Daly, skis his new mountain with his 9-year-old son, Jeremy, for the first time Thursday.

Story and photo by Jason Blevins, The Denver Post

POWDERHORN — "Is it as good as you hoped for?" the chairlift operator asked.

"Even better," Andy Daly said as he loaded up on his first-ever ski day at Powderhorn ski area, the 1,600-acre hill on the Grand Mesa​ he purchased with Denver's Gart brothers in August.

The 30-year resort-industry veteran has returned to the ski industry after a decade hiatus, joining Ken, Tom and John Gart in an ambitious effort to breathe new life into the undercapitalized 45-year-old ski area they purchased for a mere $1.4 million, in a deal that included 600-plus acres of undeveloped real estate.

As if to welcome the new owners on opening day, Mother Nature blanketed their hill with more than a foot of feathery snow that gleamed under a cloudless sky.

"I just can't wait for people to see this," said Ken Gart , the Denver retail magnate who skied Powderhorn for the first time Thursday with his 9-year-old son, Jeremy.

Read about the new owners' plans for Powderhorn and why even its employees are excited.