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Situated 21 miles west of Boulder, Colorado, Eldora is a ski resort favorite among Denver and Boulder locals for its convenient proximity to the metro area and family-friendly terrain. Just four days after the ski area’s closing weekend of the 2018-19 season, Eldora’s expansion plan that has been five years in the making was finally given the official go-ahead by the U.S. Forest Service.
While the approved plan differs from the original proposal brought to the table half a decade ago–expansion on the north side of Eldora was nixed due to environmental and wildlife concerns regarding the Middle Boulder Creek watershed–the ski area will expand by 62 acres in the Jolly Jug terrain.
“It’s pretty exciting stuff. It’s been a long time coming,” says Eldora general manager Brent Tregaskis in this Daily Camera article.
According to the Daily Camera, the expansion will include 27 acres of new trails, 35 acres of gladed tree skiing, additional snow-making capabilities and a four- or six-person lift to service the new terrain.
“It won’t be called the Jolly Jug lift almost for sure,” says Tragaskis. “We’ll put that out to our public and our customers, have a naming contest and have some fun with it.”
A construction schedule for the new lift has yet to be released but it will serve the southeast side of the mountain, moving 3,000 skiers per hour up 1,000 vertical feet. The terrain the new lift will service will be rated as intermediate to help Eldora’s core skiers improve from beginner to expert.
“We think this is more valuable to Eldora, and to our clientele, I think, the family market and who we really are,” says Tregaskis to the Daily Camera.
While more details on the official start date of the expansion are still to come, news of the approved plan has been well-received by all parties involved.
“Eldora is an important amenity to the local community and has been part of Boulder County’s recreation tradition for more than half a century,” says forest supervisor Monte Williams in that same Daily Camera article. “This decision will provide expanded opportunities for the public to enjoy downhill skiing within an hour of Denver and will allow Eldora to compete and endure in the recreation industry into the future.”
This story originally appeared on the Daily Camera. Check back here as more information about Eldora’s terrain expansion unfolds.
