Venture Out, Winter

Venture Out With an Expert – Winter Park Guide Program

VIP lift lines, the perfect blue groomer,  a chance to discover new powder stashes? Do we have your attention? With the Winter Park Guided ski tour service, you can bet you’ll get a personalized day that leads you to the terrain you are looking for and offers the perfect day on the mountain, whatever that means to you!

Ski Tour, Venture Out With an Expert – Winter Park Guide Program

Guides Mark and Janel 

“This is about giving the guests what they want,” Director of Resort Activities Mark Adamczyk said. “We feel that our guests want to experience the mountain, learn new things, and interact with it in a new way.”  

In partnership with tech company, Only Sky, Winter Park Resort has launched a new guide service for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and more. The innovative program allows guests to select their activity and book individual guides based on each guides personality, “vibe”, and availability. With a quick click, users lock in their guide, making booking your perfect day on the mountain easier than ordering a pizza.

Once you lock in your reservation, you can begin communicating with your guide, to ensure your day is customized to your liking.

“There’s such a diversity of people,” Mark said. “When you flip through the guides, it’s all walks of life, all ages, and all different ability levels. It really helps you curate an experience that’s exactly what you’re looking for.” 

With the new guide service, ditch the map and maximize your time on the runs you want, even if you’ve never hit the slopes at Winter Park before. Mark says the goal of this service is to enjoy the mountain and spend more time skiing the runs you want.

And unlike other services that only offer full days or half days, our guides are flexible! Ski for the two-hour minimum, or book the whole day if you just can’t get enough.

“It’s really about the guest letting the guide know what experience they want, and the guide doing everything they can to make sure it happens,” Mark said.  

All the hard work put into making the experience as customizable as possible is paying off. So far, the Winter Park guides have all received 5-star reviews.  

“It’s not surprising,” Mark said. “We’re taking all of the guesswork out of it. You tell us what you want, and we’re going to give it to you.”  

Ski Tour, Venture Out With an Expert – Winter Park Guide Program
Guide Mark ready to ski

People are loving the personalization of each guided tour. Every piece of the experience is made for you. From the guide you chose, to the time you spend on the mountain, to the runs you take. That attention to detail is what guests say makes this experience a unique one. But we will let the reviews speak for themselves –

 Ski Tour, Venture Out With an Expert – Winter Park Guide Program

 

And it’s not just about the runs you take. It’s about the overall experience. You may have an incredible day of skiing, but want to know more about the mountain. That’s where our Winter Park veterans come in.  

Some guests enjoy the educational aspect of the guide service, like learning the history of Winter Park. Many of the Winter Park guides are retirees and have been living in the Valley for over 40 years. They can answer almost any questions you may have about the mountain and town of Winter Park. 

“They know everything about everything,” Mark said. “So you’re getting these incredible experiences and learning more about this place in a way you just can’t get from anyone else.” 

For example, guide Dede Fay runs the Grand County Historical Society. Fay has a wealth of knowledge about the county, the town of Winter Park, and of course, the ski resort.  

“She knows why every run is named what it is,” Mark said. “And she knows who Retta is on Rettas run, and she can tell you the whole story. It’s incredible! She knows everything.”  

 Ski Tour, Venture Out With an Expert – Winter Park Guide Program

The guide service isn’t just for adults. Kids can enjoy it too! Unlike ski school instructors, guides won’t teach you how to ski. You’re not here for a lesson, you’re here to let loose and ride! The guides let you ski at your own pace and your own ability, they just take you to the terrain you want to ride.  

Mark said that one family with 5 kids, all ranging in ages and abilities, booked guide Johnna Irwin. He said they had such a great time, they booked two more days and extended the hours they skied each day.  

 Ski Tour, Venture Out With an Expert – Winter Park Guide Program

And just like the guides can take beginners on the ride of a lifetime, they can also take experts. Even expert skiers may want to find hidden powder stashes, or find the most efficient way to lap their favorite terrain.

“This is echoed across a few different guides,” Mark said. “One gentleman who was an experienced skier booked our guide Adam Rosenfeld. The two hit Eagle Wind and skied every nook and cranny in the trees they could find.”  

Sometimes, being new to a mountain can be challenging. It may become discouraging to try to figure out the best and most fun trails. Winding up on trails you either don’t like or aren’t ready for can be discouraging. Like Alex K says in her review of guide Janel Jordy, having a guide show you the best way around the mountain helps you appreciate it so much more.

 Ski Tour, Venture Out With an Expert – Winter Park Guide Program

In addition to the hyper-personalized experience the guides provide, the service also allows you to skip the lines. When you’re used to waiting in long lift lines, this novelty is something you just can’t put a price on.  

“To me, that’s the big difference,” Mark said. “There’s no lines, and it’s roughly $38 per person per hour. That’s so affordable.”  

The moral of the story is this; skip the lines, find the goods.  

“That’s it,” Mark said. “That’s what it’s all about.”  

So if you’re new to Winter Park and want to take a lap with an expert and skip the lines, or just take a few hours to discover your new favorite trail, book your guide today! You’ll get a guide, lift access, and of course, a list of great stories to tell when you head home.

Or, check out our tips on how to Venture Out as a first time skier!

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