Last spring, nearing the end of an awesome season that included some long road trips, I wanted to get away from the Front Range and decided to make the 460-mile day trip from Denver to Powderhorn Mountain Resort. I had never been to Powderhorn, which is 45 minutes outside of Grand Junction and one of the Colorado Gems, and was looking for something new. Looking back on the trip, I’m glad I made it.
If you’re up for an adventure and want to enjoy a day on the slopes of an independently owned ski area, Powderhorn is for you. Here are five reasons why Powderhorn is worth the journey:
Powderhorn is known for its glade and tree skiing, with options for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. I enjoyed an afternoon skiing in the aspen trees off the West End lift. I’d suggest you try out Mad-Dog Glade, which has easy access back to Snowcloud, an intermediate blue, in case you need a quick escape.
As a Denver resident, the majority of my ski days are along the Front Range. While I have many favorite runs and ski areas nearby, sometimes I need a change of pace. Powderhorn has two main lifts servicing non-beginner terrain: the high-speed Flat Top Flyer and the West-End lift.
The only waiting I encountered all day was at the gas station in Glenwood Springs on the drive home.
Colorado Ski Country’s 23 ski resorts are widely known for their snow-covered peaks and mountainous views, but Powderhorn offers something a little different. Located on the northern side of the famous Grand Mesa National Park, you’ll be looking at the mesas of Northwest Colorado, a scene more likely to be mistaken for Arizona than Colorado. I couldn’t stop taking pictures!
Besides the nonexistent lift lines, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the runs were uncrowded all-day long; I was able to really work on carving my turns. The mountain has a great variety of terrain for all skill levels, but if you are looking for blue cruisers you can’t go wrong with Bill’s Run.
An adult lift ticket is $71 at the lift ticket window or even cheaper online, a nice break from some of the triple digit prices you might find elsewhere. By visiting the Powderhorn website you can find better discounts and savings like the DECA pass which allows you to purchase 10 lift tickets at half-price throughout the 2017-18 season.
If you’re lucky you might run into Luna the snowdog on the mountain…seriously isn’t she cute?
