Proposal for gondola from Colorado's Winter Park ski resort to nearby town of Winter Park excites both sides

Winter Park, one of Colorado's more popular ski areas, may look a lot different in a few years. Part of the proposed improvements to the resort is a plan for a gondola that would run from the base to the nearby town of Winter Park.

Resort staff at admit they haven't always been that tightly connected to the town of Winter Park which is located a few miles down the road. But with this new plan, should it come to fruition, they're hoping that connection will strengthen.

"There is definitely a physical separation. We're about 2 to 2-and-a-half miles from town, and it's not walkable. You can't walk to town, so ... this will will bring that connection a lot closer," said Winter Park spokesperson Jen Miller.

So instead of driving along Highway 40 or taking the free shuttle to get back and forth from the resort to the town, visitors could take the proposed free gondola. It's a concept that the town's administrators are excited for.

"It's more of a European model that we're looking for, and it's something that Colorado is certainly missing," said Winter Park Mayor Nick Kutrumbos.

Kutrumbos says it's a plan that's been in the works for years in partnership with Alterra Mountain Company, the parent company of the resort, and now that they have the easement and property rights all sorted out, they're getting ready to put it into action.

It comes in conjunction with the resurgence of another car-free option for visitors: the ski train from Denver. Amtrak's Winter Park Express expanded its schedule and lowered prices for riders last winter.

"Last year, with the state's support in subsidizing the ticket prices, ridership has increased through the roof. So we're very much looking forward to the to the full service starting in November of 2026," Kutrumbos said.

The hope is that an ideal scenario for skiers and snowboarders visiting from out-of-state will become a reality: a visitor gets off a plane at Denver International Airport, takes the A Line train to the Union Station in Denver and boards the ski train for a ride to the ski area. Then, after skiing, the visitor could head into town on the free gondola. And all of that could be accomplished without needing a vehicle.

"It is a big moment. I think it's something that's transformational in the community. And with our partners at Alterra and Winter Park resort, they're looking to invest the largest investment in our community in our lifetime," Kutrumbos said.

That's not to mention the proposed 20% increase in size for terrain at Winter Park. It would be located on the north side of the resort along Vasquez Mountain, and Miller calls it a "pretty significant expansion of skiable terrain."

All of the planning is still in the rough stages. Things can change, but the doors are open on possibilities right now for a new, better connected Winter Park.