![]() On any snowy day of the winter you’ll find families marching up the gentle slope with sled or tube in tow, making their way to the top of the wide trail and racing down, some joining tubes and gliding along in unison. Sliding down the slopes is still at the top of the list for winter visitors and the area has become home to one of America’s greatest sledding hills. It has become a hot spot for a variety of winter adventure. ![]() Joe Pyleīut while the ski area is gone, the mountain remains, and it has become a popular destination just a short drive from Estes Park for all kinds of fun in the snow. Hidden Valley may no longer have lifts, but it does have one of the best sledding hills in the state. Following a meager snow season during which skier visits dropped by nearly 33 percent, Hidden Valley removed its lifts and closed ski operations in 1991. However, in the late ’80s, it became apparent that Hidden Valley couldn’t compete with the bigger Colorado resorts. In 1984, you could buy a season pass to Hidden Valley for $100, and an adult daily lift ticket went for $10. A double chairlift was added in 1971, and the ski area became frequented mostly by Northern Colorado residents who would otherwise face a long drive to the larger ski resorts along Interstate 70. There was also a base lodge with cafeteria and gift shop, ski patrol headquarters, and a large parking area. The ski area featured an impressive 2,000-foot vertical drop from 11,400 to 9,400 feet, and by the time lifts began turning in 1955, the terrain was divided for each level of skier-30 percent beginner, 30 percent intermediate, and 30 percent expert. Skiers and snowboarders can take to the backcountry and enjoy the snow in Hidden Valley. The “ski shuttles” were olive green, canvas-covered army trucks that drove skiers and their equipment to the upper valley from whence they skied down to the base of the valley through powder fields and pine groves. In the 1930s, the National Park Service began plowing Trail Ridge Road, the 48-mile route through Rocky Mountain National Park, which is now closed to vehicular traffic in the winter. But its status as a favorite ski area for locals dates well before then. It got skiers to the top with a pair of Poma and T-Bar lifts. If a trail is called “Upper Whatever” and “Lower Whatever,” we simply list it as “Whatever” in this index.Hidden Valley Ski Area officially opened in 1955, about 10 miles from the town of Estes Park, Colorado. If a ski area calls a trail by two names (one at the top, and another at the bottom) in an effort to claim more trails, we go by the upper name. Whether it’s history, reputation, the view, or degree of difficulty…it’s the run you have to do, even if it isn’t necessarily the best the resort has to offer. When these numbers are obviously questionable, we put a note: (?!) and will attempt to verify the legitimacy of the claim.Ī Signature Trail Is mostly subjective. Like the guy who lies about his, uh, shoe size, some ski areas believe that inflated numbers make their resort sound more appealling. Obviously, Blues represents intermediate skiers, while Blacks refers to experts.Ī note about ski area statistics: Although it’s hard to believe, some ski areas are (gasp!) less than truthful with their numbers. Newbies are the girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband who has never skied before, but gamely insists on going along. Wanderers are skiers who like to go exploring, to essentially get “lost” and move from face to face, seldom skiing the same trail twice. Hotshots are skiers who can ski anywhere, anytime, in any conditions, and generally enjoy showing off those skills. Tickets seem a bit pricey, but again, operating a ski area amidst the wheat fields is quite a gamble. Also good for a tune-up…and the alternatives are few and far between. Very good place to learn, fun for groups, families, etc. The SKInny: This is the better of the two Missouri ski areas that Peak Resorts operates, we should say a lot better. Operated by Peak Resorts, who don’t get enough credit for providing a skiing product where there otherwise wouldn’t be any. ![]() Conditions are hit or miss, so is the service, but overall you have to give this resort credit for making a go of it in a floodplain. If you can approach this with a positive outlook - or if you don’t know any better - you’ll have a great time at Hidden Valley. As far as skiing goes, the situation is about as bad as it gets, so make sure you have a good attitude. ![]() Keep that in mind when you ski in Missouri. The SKInny: A friend of mine believes that life is ten percent situations, ninety percent attitude. ![]()
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