Why Visit a Ski Resort this Summer
3 reasons to head to the high country when the weather warms up
Photo courtesy of Winter Park Fraser Chamber
Most of us associate ski resorts with skiing for obvious reasons, but they offer so much more than just skiing. In the summertime they become playlands for adventure seekers and solace seekers.
Scenic Chairlift & Gondola Rides
Steamboat Resort, The Heidi Guide. Photo by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer.
From Park City in Utah to Keystone in Colorado, the views from the top of chairlifts are amazing during any season, and once it is summer the lifts don’t stop running.
I’ve been on scenic chairlift and gondola rides all over Colorado and I can say from experience that this is one of my favorite summer ski resort activities. At Steamboat Resort, I take the gondola up in order to hike around because there is a pretty trail system on top of Mt. Werner.
Most mountains offer hiking options at the top or the option to hike back down. Many allow mountain bikes to be taken to the top via chairlift. At Winter Park in the summer, it almost seems like bikes outnumber the humans on chairlifts.
Biking Downhill
Chairlift to top of Winter Park Resort. The Trestle Park. The Heidi Guide. Photo by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer.
Bikes take over ski resorts during the summer. It was one of the first of its kind and Trestle Bike Park at Winter Park offers more than 40 miles of trails. There is something for every level of rider here including novice trails for the first-timer. Biking is so popular in this area that it is referred to as Mountain Bike Capital USA™.
There are a lot of bike parks in the Rocky Mountains and you can find a list of them here.
Vail Pass Bike Path can be part of a summer visit to Vail. Rent or bring your bike and peddle the 14.2 paved miles path between Frisco and Vail. The optimum way to enjoy this path is to take a guided tour that drops cyclists off at the top of the pass in order for them to sail downhill. Who doesn’t love riding a bike downhill?
Farmers Markets
Vail Farmers Market. Photo by Zach Mahone.
One of the largest and prettiest farmers markets in Colorado is in Vail Village. Due to COVID-19, The Vail Farmers’ Market and Art Show will launch a virtual farmers’ market experience and online store to allow customers to purchase produce and locally source artisanal products from Farmers’ Market vendors.
The online experience will open June 14th for pick up on June 21st . Orders must be placed by June 18th. The online storefront will then open each Monday for pick up the following Sunday.
