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So you have decided to take your ski trip to Winter Park, Colorado: Colorado's favorite! Now first and foremost is deciding on your ski lodging. Should you stay in town or go farther down the road to Fraser or go for the luxury ski trip and get the ski in and ski out digs? Well in this article I will be pushing for the splurge of going for the ski in and ski out digs.
On the Winter Park side there are only a few locations that are truly ski in and out. This is because the railroad cuts the ski area off and much of Winter Park Resort is on National Forest land. There is the luxurious Base Camp on Jane Creek, the older and semi rundown Iron Horse resort, the true ski in /out of Zephyr Mountain Lodge and the twin developments of Founder's Pointe and Fraser Crossing.
On the Mary Jane side there is the Arlberg Club and if you know someone there or are someway fortunate enough to be a member, you are very lucky. There are the new homes that is Bridgers Cache that is built on land from the Arlberg Club
So there you have it. For all of the Winter Park/Mary Jane Resort there are really only five buildings (six if you count Zephyr Mountain Lodge as two buildings) that you will be able to purchase lodging from. Now let's go through each option you have for you're your Winter Park ski in and out lodging.
Right at the base of Winter Park Resort there is the condo-tell Zephyr Mountain Lodge. Zephyr Mountain Lodge is two buildings, Slopeside and Riverside, of 157 units. There are one, two and three room condos but less than ten are three bedrooms. The units in the building are privately owned condos that are leased either through a property management company such as Winter Park Lodging by Owner or Intrawest. Intrawest also manages the Winter Park Resort and has a front desk on site and they act as if they own the place. Winter Park Lodging by Owner (WPLBO.com) has an office in town and guests get their keys at the Zephyr Mountain Lodge front desk. Other Zephyr units can be found on Rental by Owner but that is a bit risky as you will have no help if a problem arises during your stay. Each of the two buildings at Zephyr has two outdoor hot tubs and each condo has a gas fireplace. Rooms if they have not been updated are very hotel roomish with no original or mountain feel at all. Most of the Intrawest rooms are this way as they encourage owners of the units they manage to make no changes at all. Winter Park Lodging by Owner rooms are usually updated with unique wall hangings, paint colors and updated kitchens, counter tops and flat screen televisions.
Next there is the twin buildings of Fraser Crossing and Founders Pointe. These are very new buildings that were completed in 2008. The location is across Winter Park drive. Yes they are still considered ski in and out. The true real estate definition is if it can be walked it is ski in and out. Fraser Crossing and Founders Point are nice with good views of the slopes and a hot tub for each building and gas fireplaces in each condo. There is an amenity level that has gas grills and tables for the owner/guests enjoyment. The options are for lodging companies are Winter Park Lodging by Owner, Intrawest or Rental by Owner. Again, Rental by Owner is risky and Intrawest is dull with non personalized rooms that seem as if you are in a Holiday Inn. So I recommend Winter Park Lodging by Owner there also.
Going up the slopes you have the Iron Horse Resort that was built in 1984 and is showing every year of it. I would like to say I like the Iron Horse because of the location but it is just so rundown and outdated that it really is not up to my standards of what ski in and out should be. They have a restaurant there now that is an offshoot of the Tabernash Tavern. Never been to the one at Iron Horse but the location in Tabernash is fantastic. The Iron Horse slopes are accessed by elevator that takes guests owners to a catwalk that accesses the base of Winter Park Resort by Zephyr Mountain Lodge. Lodging providers at The Iron Horse Resort are Rental by Owner, Allegiant management, and the Iron Horse Resort Management that has a front desk onsite. I would be leery of Rental by Owner for above reasons and Allegiant is alright if it's a decent Unit and the Iron Horse Resort is alright again if you can find a decent unit.
Base Camp on Jane Creek is the ultimate of the ski in and out experience. All units are four bedrooms though. The finishes are top notch and a couple have elevators inside the units. Each has a private hot tub and gas grills on the patios. Parking is a bit tight with one car garages and a single spot on the driveway. Slope access is up a fairly long walkway or you can be steal a ride in the Iron Horse Resort's elevator to the catwalk. Each unit has multiple gas fireplaces and all in floor radiant heat. If you are brave enough (good enough skier!) and know about the Elevator Shutes you can ski to you front door. You have to ski across a small stream though. You can find Lodging options at Base Camp on Jane Creek through Winter Park Lodging by Owner (WPLBO.com).
As for the Jane side the Arlberg Club is very cool but you need to be a member and the homes in Bridger's Cache can be found on Rental by Owner.
There is the rundown of the for Winter Park Ski Resort ski in and out options. It is of my opinion if you are wanting ski in and out at Winter Park for one and two bedrooms go for Zephyr Mountain Lodge and for three and four bedrooms go for Base Camp on Jane Creek.
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