More Ways to Play at Winter Park Resort This Winter

Winter Park Resort is Colorado’s Playground, and for the 2026–27 winter season, we’re bringing that title to life with more—and new—ways to play.

Going into the season, we talked to our guests and reflected on what they truly want when they arrive at the base of Winter Park’s slopes. They want refuge, escape, memory-making moments and the freedom to play. They want to leave the seriousness of everyday life behind, even if it’s just for a few hours.

We’ll welcome skiers and riders to the mountain with that in mind. Everything we’ve worked on during the offseason is focused on bringing more play to skiing and riding.

Here’s what’s coming to Winter Park Resort for the 2026–27 winter season.

New Hours Mean More Time to Play in the Snow

We’re adjusting our weekend hours to 8 a.m.–4 p.m., creating an extra hour of skiing and riding every Saturday and Sunday. The new hours will begin in mid-December or when the Gondola begins running for the season, whichever comes first.

That adds up to as many as 32 extra hours—or four full days—of skiing and riding this season.

The additional hour is for everyone. No one will be able to pay extra to gain earlier access on weekends.

Winter Park’s regular operating hours Monday through Friday will remain 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Early Ups Moves to Weekdays

With the new weekend hours, Winter Park is adjusting the Early Ups Pass to be available Monday through Friday only.

Early Ups is a season pass add-on for Winter Park and Ikon Pass holders that provides lift access one hour before regular operations begin. Early Ups Pass holders will have access to the Gondola and Explorer Lift beginning at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Early Ups Passes are $149.

Rewards for Dedicated Skiers and Riders

Back by popular demand for the 2026–27 winter season, Rope Drop Club is a Winter Park-only club offering big rewards to loyal Winter Park and Ikon Pass holders.

Skiers and riders who scan their eligible pass at least twice at Winter Park during November will earn membership in Rope Drop Club and unlock exclusive rewards.

Rope Drop Club perks include:

• A preview day at Mary Jane, giving members the opportunity to ski or ride Mary Jane one day before the terrain opens to the public
• Private Ski Patrol text alerts about directed skiing and rope drops on new terrain or lifts
• New dedicated lanes at the Gondola and Super Gauge lifts

The new dedicated lines will allow Rope Drop Club members to bypass the regular lift corral and enter their own designated line.

Summer Grooming Supports More Early-Season Terrain

Summer grooming is an important tool for providing better slope conditions during the winter.

Properly maintained summer slopes require less natural or machine-made snow to safely cover ground vegetation and open for skiing and riding. They also provide a smoother snow surface that is easier to maintain throughout the season.

All of that can mean broader terrain openings and more opportunities to play during the early season.

Winter Park invested nearly $300,000 in summer grooming equipment, adding two new slope-maintenance machines to the resort’s fleet. The machines help with vegetation management and fire mitigation by “mowing” dry slopes and removing invasive or unruly vegetation.

The new equipment also supports proper thinning within gladed terrain. Crews can remove smaller “sucker” plants and trees, leaving an environment that allows stronger, healthier trees and vegetation to thrive. The result is the unmatched tree skiing found across the mountain.

Continued Investment in Snowmaking

Staying true to our commitment to begin skiing and riding as soon as possible each fall, Winter Park continues to invest in its recently upgraded snowmaking system.

After investing nearly $38 million two years ago, the resort is adding more than $750,000 in new snow guns and other snowmaking upgrades.

These enhancements will nearly double snowmaking capacity on Lower Hughes, Winter Park’s signature trail facing the Village and Gondola.

Winter Events and Activities

Winter Park’s event calendar will offer even more reasons to visit, get outside and play this season.

Send’er November

Send’er November returns as our early-season celebration of the winter ahead.

For three weekends in November, we’ll give skiers and riders more reasons to come play in the early-season snow—and start conditioning their winter legs for those midwinter powder days.

Activities will include a poker run, a mini-mogul course and opportunities to earn special perks to use later in the season.

Deck the Slopes

Deck the Slopes, Winter Park’s annual December holiday celebration, will offer even more reasons to visit the resort this winter.

The festivities will conclude with the annual Winter Park Torchlight Parade on December 24.

Mary Jane Celebrates Season 51

Mary Jane, Winter Park’s famed and untamed challenging side, celebrated 50 years of raucous, wild and uninhibited skiing and riding in 2026—and it was a celebration to remember.

We’ll keep the party going for Mary Jane’s 51st season, during the second weekend of January 2027.

Stay tuned for more details.

More Whimsy Is Coming to the Mountain

Not that we need another reason to play in the high-alpine snow, but after the success of Winter Park’s summer Alpine Fairy Trail, we’re bringing that same whimsy, imagination and playfulness to one of our iconic winter trails.

More details are coming soon.

Colorado’s Playground Is Ready for Winter

From expanded weekend hours and returning events to investments in summer grooming and snowmaking, this season’s updates are all focused on creating more opportunities to ski, ride and play.

Other notable updates are also coming for the Winter Park Express ski train, Roof Hound and Sun Dog. Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to winter.

Looking ahead, Winter Park will continue to keep its playful approach front and center. After all, it’s in our new marketing campaign.

We’re Colorado’s Playground—and we’re going to act like it.